More Rock and Pop
More Records We Only Sell on Import Vinyl
- World Machine is finally back on the site, here with stunning Nearly Triple Plus (A++ to A+++) grades on both sides of this original UK pressing, just shy of our Shootout Winner – exceptionally quiet vinyl too
- The sound is huge — far richer, bigger, clearer and more open than practically all other copies we played
- A Better Records favorite for more than thirty years, the rare 80s album that holds up today
- The big hit “Something About You” rocks on this copy – only these British originals let you turn it up and hear it right
- 4 stars: “World Machine pushes their newfound radio-friendly sound into the forefront, and the result is one of the finest pop albums of the mid-80s. ‘Something About You’ exemplifies Level 42’s sound at the peak of its success.”
This British Polydor pressing of Level 42’s BEST ALBUM makes a mockery of most of what’s out there — who knew the sound could be this good? Punchy bass, breathy vocals, snappy drums; it’s all here and it reallyl comes JUMPIN’ out of the speakers on this pressing.
What was striking this time around was just how smooth, rich and tubey the sound was on the best copies. It’s been a few years since we last did this shootout and it’s amazing to us how much better this title has gotten in that short span of time.
Of course, the recording very likely got no better at all, but our system, set-up, room, electricity and who-know-what-else sure did.
A Favorite Since 1985
World Machine has been a personal favorite of mine since I first played it way back in 1985. Of course in 1985 I had only a domestic pressing, and if you want to hear what happens when you use a dub of the British master tape and then brighten the hell out of it in the mastering process, I heartily recommend you find yourself a copy, there’s one sitting in every record store in town. The grain and the grunge on the domestic LPs is hard to believe — yet somehow I actually used to put up with that sound!
I could listen to it then but I sure couldn’t listen to it now. No doubt you have your share of records like that.