HARRY NILSSON Aerial Ballet LP 1968 US 1st Press Orange Label Rockaway Shrink EX
$
28
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Description
Up for sale is a beautifully preserved late 1968 original US stereo first pressing of Harry Nilsson's landmark sophomore album, Aerial Ballet (RCA Victor LSP-3956). This exceptional copy features the vinyl in beautiful condition paired with an original jacket sleeve still tightly protected in its original factory partial shrink wrap. The original period-correct RCA inner sleeve is also intact and included. This is just a beautifully playing piece of vintage vinyl worthy of a display or full on play.
This specific copy was manufactured at the highly regarded RCA Records Pressing Plant in Rockaway, New Jersey.
The Orange Label Transition & 7-Track Layout
This copy features the iconic, bright orange RCA label variant introduced in late 1968. This design marked RCA's massive visual rebranding, replacing the older black "Nipper the Dog" labels with the modern, minimalist block-letter logo. Because it was pressed during this exact transition window, it represents an interesting historical crossover: it couples the very first production runs of the high-fidelity Side 2 7-track layout (featuring the track "Bath" moved to the final position on Side 2 to correct the sudden removal of "Daddy's Song") with the newly minted late-1968 orange vinyl blanks.
Released in July 1968, Aerial Ballet is widely considered the record that established Harry Nilsson as one of the preeminent pop geniuses of the 20th century. Named in honor of his grandparents’ old circus aerialist act, the album is a masterclass in baroque pop, showcasing Nilsson’s staggering three-and-a-half-octave vocal range and multi-tracked vocal arrangements.
The album was recorded at the historic RCA Music Center of the World in Hollywood, California, across several productive sessions in early 1968. It was helmed by legendary staff producer Rick Jarrard, who also produced Nilsson's debut Pandemonium Shadow Show. Jarrard utilized cutting-edge multi-track techniques to layer Nilsson's self-harmony vocals, turning his voice into a literal choir. The lush, intricate musical soundscape was arranged by master conductor George Tipton, who balanced brass bands, cellos, harpsichords, and acoustic guitars perfectly around Nilsson's soaring melodies.
Condition Report Vinyl: Excellent (EX) The vinyl retains a brilliant high gloss, showing only a couple of faint, superficial paper wisps under direct light that do not affect playback. The audio plays beautifully with clear highs and rich, punchy bass typical of late-60s RCA Rockaway stampers. The orange RCA Victor labels are pristine and bright with minimal spindle marks. Sounds like everybody's talkin'
Jacket / Sleeve: Excellent / Near Mint (EX/NM) in Partial Shrink The jacket is exceptionally well-preserved thanks to the original factory shrink wrap, which is mostly intact but split cleanly at the mouth to allow access to the record. The jacket colors remain vivid and free of the usual heavy yellowing or handling stains associated with this release. The seams and spine are remarkably crisp with sharp corners under the wrap.The original RCA inner paper sleeve is present, completely intact, and free of unsightly side or bottom seam splits.
Vinyl Matrix & Pressing Technical Information Side 1 Matrix (Stamped): WPRS-0317--15S A2B R Side 2 Matrix (Etched): WPRS-318-11s A1 R Pressing Plant Marker: Capital "R" stamped in the runout grooves confirms a crisp, dynamic audio profile pressed at the Rockaway, NJ plant. RCA Master Coding: The "WPRS" prefix denotes an authentic 1968 (W), popular music (P), 12-inch 33⅓ RPM (R), stereo (S) master lacquer code.
Please see photos for condition and runout markings.
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