NICK DRAKE, Five Leaves Left [Island pink rim] A3U matrix 1 mothers EXC- UK LP

	£		125
	$		166

A1 Time Has Told Me Bass – Danny Thompson Electric Guitar – Richard Thompson Piano – Paul Harris (2) 3:56 A2 River Man Arranged By – Harry Robinson 4:28 A3 Three Hours Bass – Danny Thompson Congas – Rocki Dzidzornu 6:01 A4 Day Is Done Arranged By – Robert Kirby 2:22 A5 Way To Blue Arranged By – Robert Kirby 3:05 B1 'Cello Song Bass – Danny Thompson Cello – Clare Lowther Congas – Rocki Dzidzornu 3:58 B2 The Thoughts Of Mary Jane Arranged By – Robert Kirby 3:12 B3 Man In A Shed Bass – Danny Thompson Piano – Paul Harris (2) 3:49 B4 Fruit Tree Arranged By – Robert Kirby 4:42 Saturday Sun Bass – Danny Thompson Drums, Vibraphone – Tristam Fry* Piano – Nick Drake

Above information from Discogs website.

UK 2ND PRESSING PINK RIM/PALM TREE ISLAND VINYL LP IN HEAVY CARD GATEFOLD WITH ORIGINAL AND CORRECT TORQUISE 'BASING STREET' POLY-LINED INNER.

This was the first EMI pressing for Island Records (interestingly the sleeve is printed on better, thicker card than the first pressing sleeves), and is, as usual, excellent in all aspects of the mastering. EMI, Decca and Pye really were the finest mastered LPs during the 1960-70s. We have play-compared it to two 'pink' label pressings and could not really tell any differences in actual audio quality. We suspect the EMI A-3U/B-3U mastering was from first generation tapes via a newly cut laquer, the first pre-EMI pressing being an A2/B2 laquer. It is on quality, medium weight EMI vinyl, and, with perhaps the exception of the original 'pink' label pressings, this is the best mastering available for this album. Everything else since is CRAP - Real CRAP. Astonishingly so really, considering how truly amazing the original three albums sound on first presing vinyls through decent hi-fi equipment. The CDs are utterly awful, all editions. They simply DO NOT sound like the original albums ever did. It is as if it is some new artist recorded in recent times in a style that was of the late 1960s/early 1970s. Drake's musical legacy has been severly let down by subsequent releases and the rush to make a one more buck from it. Pink Moon perhaps suffering the worse of all. When you hear the original album and compare it to all other releases, the differences are patently obvious. It's like Hollywood 'colourisation' of classic black and white movies, or wiping old Jimi Hendrix tracks and adding new instrumentation ala 'Crash Landing' - a bad idea from the moment it was suggested. All concerned have messed with everything since the original LPs were released: the EQ is flat and lacking in warmth, they've added compression to level everything out so all the instruments are precise and crisp as opposed to haunting and slightly distant, and they've 'upped' the voice and the guitar in the mixes (as brilliant as Drake's guitar playing was it was never the FOCUS of the music, it was the songs, he was such a great artist that he knew that the song was everything, and the balance on the original LPs has his guitar supporting his voice and the melody, not relaying it above all the other instruments as now appears the case on current releases). Later vinyl issues on labels such as Simply Vinyl are a joke - probably Hi-Res digital files slapped out on vinyl...but who really knows, they never were honest enough to say what their laquers had been cut from, old cassette tapes for all we know. If you cannot afford the 'pink' label, this is the best, and more affordable alternative. We won't ramble on about the quality of the music on Drake's debut album, more has been written about him in recent yearrs than anyone has time to read....suffice to say, like Van Morrison's 'Astral Weeks', Bob Dylan's 'Blood on the Tracks' and Tim Buckely's 'Happy Sad', this is one of the greatest albums in the singer-songwriter genre ever released.

MATRIX NUMBERS IN RUN-OFF GROOVES: SIDE A: ILPS 9105 A-3U / SIDE B: ILPS 9105 B-3U

MOTHER No. SIDE A: 1 / SIDE B: 1

STAMPER No. SIDE A: M / SIDE B: P

SLEEVE: VERY GOOD DUE TO RING, SHELF AND EDGE WEAR. CORNER BUMPS. OVERAL A DECENT BUT NOT PERFECT SLEEVE. INNER IS EXCELLENT MINUS.

DISC: VISUALLY AN HONEST GRADING WOULD BE VERY GOOD+, BUT THE DISC PLAYS EXCELLENT MINUS WITH SOME MINOR SURFACE NOISES IN THE QUIETEST OF PASSAGES. SOME LIGHT HAIRLINES BUT NOT SCRATCHES, AND ONLY MINOR SPINDLE WEAR. OVERALL A VERY DCENT PLAYING COPY WITH SOME MINOR AGEING.

Paypal and eBay Buyer/Seller protection policies require us to ship all packages with signature proof of delivery. This policy protects both you and us in the event of damage or non-receipt, and in order to comply we can only ship inside the UK by Signed-For Delivery (3-5 days average delivery time), and outside the UK by Royal Mail Small Packet Air Mail (with Tracked and Signed-For Delivery) (10-15 days average delivery time). We will enter the tracking number in your eBay purchases section shortly after your package has shipped. Shipping and handling rates quoted are non-negotiable. We pack vinyl using professional LP mailers with fluted card protectors and/or pizza-box style fluted-card multiple mailers. Please ensure that you make payment for your purchases within 5 days of the auction ending. Thanks for your interest in our listing and good luck with your bid.