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Keith Cross & Peter Ross : Bored Civilians 2W / 2W 1st Press 1972 Decca

This classic first press plays with phenomenal audio and no obvious intrusion.  There are no clicks or pops - there is just one light tick on the first track and a few minor statics elsewhere but overall the clarity is stunning.  A minor of background static also but please believe me it is very very minimal. This is the first time I have listened to this album (to my shame) and to say I am impressed is an understatement!  One, the tracks are so strong and melodic, two, the musical backing is sensational and three the production here is so impressive.  The 'soundscape' is so clean and warm and that can only be because the vinyl has been so well preserved and only lightly played.  It's not hard to see why this album is so collectable and if you get a chance just listen to the final track 'Fly Home' - it is outstanding and is worth the price of the album alone!  It's such a shame they weren't able to record another.

The front laminated cover is in very good to excellent condition and the only obvious wear is some surface rub / ringwear on the back.  I think Ex- is fair.  The original Decca inner, dated 6-72, is in great condition with very little wear.

This album pressing was only pressed in limited numbers and the stampers B and U means it was one of the first off the 'printing press'.  Maybe there wasn't a B / B pressing?  And maybe there wasn't one after B / U?!

SKL 5129  //  ZAL-11350.P-2W  B 1   ---   ZAL-11351.P-2W  U 1

The audio on S1 is Near Mint (T3 Mint-)

The audio on S2 ranges between Near Mint- & Mint-

The cover is Ex-

The Decca inner sleeve is Ex+

The Decca labels are Near Mint

Visual description

The vinyl is in excellent condition and still holds a strong glossy look with no marks or scratches.  Under a bright light I can see some faint hairlines and some faint 'bag rash' in one section on S2 but under 'normal' light it is superb!  A few tiny specks also but none of this has any impact on the audio.  It is a very impressive looking vinyl overall for 54 years old!  There is no groove or surface wear and the Decca labels are exceptionally clean with very little spindle wear.

Play grading

The run in on S1 is so clean and then the acoustic intro on 'The Last Ocean Rider' plays with perfect clarity as does the opening vocal section.  So far the clarity of sound is stunning, let's hope it continues.... and it does!  As the drums come in the audio is so strong, deep and clear and it continues in much the same way.  There is one very light tick during the second vocal passage but that is the only background across the entire track.  The quiet instrumental begins... very quietly and yet the clarity is so impressive - this section builds in superb fashion and you can see where this album gets its 'prog' tag from.  This instrumental plays with exceptional quality and the fade out has no intrusion either.  It's a great track and just from listening to this one I can see why this album is so collectable.  I will say Near Mint because of that one light tick but 99% is Mint I can confidently say.

The title track 'Bored Civilians' is so quiet at the beginning and yet there is no real background, quite remarkable really!  Just a couple of super quiet statics.  The first vocal plays beautifully and this clarity is prevalent to the end - some very light background statics so again I'll say Near Mint but really you cannot fault it, the audio is so clean and precise.  Absolutely stunning.

'Peace In The End' plays with immaculate audio throughout and I cannot emphasise how good this is!  One thing I have noticed - well two things, musically and melodically this is a superb album and two, the production is so strong.  This is Mint from start to finish.

The intro has a few light statics on 'Story To A Friend' but as I often say they are so quiet to the point of being barely audible.  This is vinyl!  The opening vocal is flawless and the first chorus is equal to that.  The following instrumental - perfect and then the quiet piano section has only the lightest of static here and there, nothing intrusive.  As it builds this instrumental delivers on every level - the clarity and depth of sound is phenomenal.  Jimmy Hastings of Caravan fame of course along with a roster of other top musicians.  Nick Lowe, Billy Rankin and Steve Chapman et al.  This classic track runs at over 11 minutes so I can't detail every section but needless to say it continues to play with sublime quality though the 'improv like' instrumental / vocal section with no ticks, clicks, pops or static.  Then closing section is flawless and the fade out has no background.  Near Mint is an honest appraisal of the audio.

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The opening vocal on 'Loving You Takes So Long' plays beautifully with no intrusion and the decibel level rises on the melodic vocal there is no distortion.  The following instrumental plays with tremendous depth and power and the piano section is nigh on perfect with only a handful of mega quiet statics.  The next vocal is much the same, no interference basically, and thereafter plays with sublime quality.  It's such a melodic number and the vocal and strings arrangement plays with wonderful quality.  The quieter vocal passages have no clicks or pops and you can only hear the odd very minor static sound.  So much in the background and totally non-intrusive.  This is easily a Near Mint version.

'Pastels' then plays to the same high end standard.  It's the clarity of sound that is really the stand out feature and again there are only some sporadic statics for company but again they do no intrude on the audio quality as they are so darn quiet!  You get images in your head when playing music and despite this being an early UK folk album you can easily imagine yourself listening to this on an American highway with a summer breeze!  There are definite American folk influences here.  There is just one very light tick on this version so overall I will grade as Near Mint-

'The Dead Salute' is superb!  The clarity and depth is 'as new' and there is no background anywhere.  Musically this track is so impressive with so many instruments making a great sound!  A little 'research' tells me there's a banjo-mandolin in there and a mouth harp.  Stunning drum work also plus a very melodic tune.  This is Mint all the way.

The piano intro 'Bo Radley' plays very clearly with only a small number of very light statics and the vocal section is clean and emotive in equal measure.  These guys really knew how to write!  Definite reflections of Fleetwood Mac's Songbird here.  Again the odd non-intrusive static and Near Mint- overall.

The acoustic intro on 'Fly Home' plays with stunning clarity as does the opening vocal.  The first powerful vocal plays with great definition and no distortion and the following strings piece plays without fault.  This is a stunning track and it continues to play with impeccable precision through every vocal and instrumental section.  Again the production levels are so high and vocally this is just STUNNING... and musically also!  I cannot overstate just how breathtaking the audio is - it builds in majestic fashion and whilst a Tony Sharp may have been responsible for the orchestral arrangements the track itself is phenomenal.  At over 7 minutes so much has gone into it and the closing sequence is a prime example of that.  A musical masterpiece that truly deserves a Mint- grade.  I've played it three times now and it gets better and better!  Shades of Who Wants To Live Forever also!!

The Cover & Inner Sleeve

The cover is in very good to excellent condition with no major wear.  The edges are very clean and the thin pinched spine is in great order with only four small crease marks and it remains 100% legible.  All corners have very little wear and the opening edge has only very minimal handling wear.  The laminated front cover is superb with no marking and only some of the usual small edge creases next to the spine and one laminate crease near the top left corner which you can only see when you hold the cover at a certain angle.  The non-laminated back cover does have some rubbing at the top and bottom and this has clearly been caused by the compression of the record into the surface.  There is a little more faint ringwear around the edges also.  There is however no other marking.  I think Ex- is fair overall.

The original poly-lined blue Decca inner (dated 6-72) is in superb condition with no side splits or tears and very little creasing.  It just has some glue residue showing through on some of the edges as is common.

SKL 5129  //  ZAL-11350.P-2W  B 1   ---   ZAL-11351.P-2W  U 1

Play tested on my Rega P2 with AT-VM95EN Cart / Denon PMA-520AE Amp / B&W 684 Speakers

This record has been cleaned on my Pro-Ject VC-S machine

I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines.

Any questions please feel free to ask

Please pay within 4 days of auction end

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Postage & Packaging

I will only send items items worldwide via tracked shipping.  This provides 'peace of mind' in case of loss or damage.  The shipping costs are shown below and combined shipping is always offered.  Any over-payment will always be refunded.

The Royal Mail only insure up to a value of £250 so if an item sells for more it may be wise to use a courier service (e.g. Parcelforce or DPD).  An extra insurance premium will be required but I will not know the exact amount until the final sale price is known.  Because of this I will sometimes have to estimate the cost and this will be shown in the listing.  Please wait for the invoice before making payment and if you have any questions please feel free to ask.  Many thanks.

All vinyls are packaged in strong over-sized custom made mailers with plenty of extra cardboard protection.  They are placed inside separate poly-lined inners outside the cover so as to avoid seam splits in transit and then placed inside a PVC sleeve to provide even more protection.  I pride myself on my high quality packaging as my feed confirms and if any customer has any specific requirements I am more than happy to help.

The mailers I use cost £1.00 each and I will use anything between 3-5 cardboard stiffeners which cost approx £0.18 each.  There is also the cost of the poly-lined inner and PVC sleeve to consider, it all adds up!  Not forgetting that eBay take 10% of the shipping fee also!!

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