- A strong copy, with a Double Plus (A++) side two and a side one that’s nearly as good
- These two sides show us just what a monster rocker this album can be when it’s mastered and pressed right
- I’m a big fan of the record – it’s as original and as moving as practically anything the man ever did
- Bryan Ferry owned the ’70s as much as David Bowie did; they’re both artistic giants in my book
It’s been years since I last played this album, and I’m happy, ecstatic even, to report that it sounds way better than I remember it. In the old days, I recall it sounding dry, flat and transistory. Now it’s BIG and BOLD, revealing a band that’s on fire in the studio.
These two sides show us just what a monster rocker this album can be when it’s mastered and pressed right. The reviews were mixed when the album was released in 1978 but time has been kind to it — after hearing the killer copies I would rank it up at the top with the best of Ferry’s and Roxy’s bodies of work.
We were a bit surprised to find that the domestic copies we played were clearly better sounding than the UK imports. It may be counterintuitive but these are the kinds of things you find out when doing shootouts. We have little use for intuitions (UK recording, UK pressing) and rules of thumb (original equals better). Hard data — the kind you get from actually playing the records — trumps them all. (more…)