Queen : Queen 3U/3U 1st Press 1973

This first pressing has to be one of the finest examples I have played in many a year.  It has not been over-played and that is reflected in the sonic quality on offer here.  The clarity, depth and power of the audio is stunning.  I mean S1 is superb but S2 is just on another level!  There are no ticks, clicks, pops or static on either side and you really cannot fault the clarity of sound.  So many highlights too numerous to mention!  The vinyl is visually in lovely condition also.  It is of course 50 years old this year and you would be hard pressed to find a better one!  A FINAL UPGRADE first pressing without doubt.

The G & L cover has been incredibly well preserved (for once!) and has hardly any wear, it is one of the cleanest I have ever seen.  The original inner sleeve is also in excellent condition.  A superb album!

EMC 3061 // YAX 4623 - 3U / YAX 4624 - 3U // MG 1 / AA 1

KIP - HUGGYPOO KISSY etched on S1 & AGAIN! etched on S2

The audio on S1 is Mint(-) (T2 Near Mint)

The audio on S2 is Mint(-)

The cover is Ex+

The inner sleeve is Ex+

The labels are Near Mint

Visual description

The vinyl is in lovely condition with a strong glossy sheen and no marks or scratches.  Only when you look under a bright light can you see some of the usual faint hairlines but not many.  A small number of very faint specks on S1 also that have no affect on the audio.  The run out grooves are very clean and the EMI labels have only a little spindle wear and no marking or writing.  The S1 label still has a little vinyl 'flecking' around the spindle hole!

Play grading

The intro on 'Keep Yourself Alive' plays so clearly with just one very light tick and then Freddie's first vocal plays to perfection.  From then on it plays with exceptional power and depth and with no intrusion on the audio.  The mid instrumental is faultless as is the next vocal section and the remainder of this opening classic plays with great quality also.  A Mint- start to the album.

The quiet piano intro on 'Doing All Right' is close top perfect with only 3/4 mega light static ticks and the opening vocal then plays with only a couple of barely audible dust ticks, the clarity is stunning.  As the pace picks up there is no let up in quality and the very quiet 'Should be waiting for the sun...' verse plays beautifully with barely any 'background'.  The double bass section is so clean with only a couple of dust ticks and the first high octane section could not play any better.  The next vocal is just as impressive and the final 'heavy' section is as strong and clear as the previous one!  Stunning!  The final vocal and end piano piece perfectly.  Overall a Near Mint is about right here.

The classic intro on 'Great King Rat' is nigh on perfect with only a couple of barely audible ticks and the first vocal is indeed 'as new' with no interference.  It continues to play with phenomenal quality through every vocal and instrumental section - there are no negatives.  Brian's first solo section is flawless and the 'Now listen all you people...' vocal breath-taking!  It plays with immense power and this is one section that has to be turned up to maximum!  The quiet acoustic section has no 'background', another powerful 'as new' solo from Brian and then the remainder of this prog classic plays with sublime quality.  With only a couple of minor ticks at the end of the percussive section this has to be graded as Mint- it is such a strong version.

'My Fairy King' plays with sublime quality from the word go and Roger's vocal 'scream' has never sounded better!  The opening vocal has no interference and from then on it plays with outstanding quality.  The power and resonance for a final track is high end indeed and there is no distortion on the top end.  Each note is so clean and precise even during the quieter piano/vocal section.  As the music builds the playback is just STUNNING - it is so powerful and again there is no distortion.  The 'sound' envelops the room and the depth of the audio is up there with the best I have ever heard.  The quiet finale has no 'background' and Mint is fully justified here.  A fantastic version.

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The entire intro on the classic 'Liar' is 'as new' and again the depth of the audio is so strong.  Freddie's is up to the same standard and the first chorus also plays to perfection.  From then on it plays with incredible power and for once there is no distortion, a common problem with this track I find.  I cannot overstate just how well it plays and remember this is a 3U/3U first pressing!  The 'Mama I'm gonna be your slave...' vocal section is a prime example of that and Brian's work is just so strong and powerful throughout and again 'as new' sums it up perfectly.  The 'choral' section is STUNNING and right to the final note there is no 'background'.  The definitive version and Mint is well and truly deserved.  Wow!

'The Night Comes Down' keeps up the fine start to S2 and plays with great clarity and depth from the get go.  The long intro is flawless and again each note is just so clean and precise.  The sonic quality has not deteriorated in any way and this is carried on into the first vocal and chorus.  This track is so often affected by interference but not here!  It continues to play with sublime clarity and the deep bass section that ends the track could not play any better.  From start to finish I only picked up 3/4 mega light dust ticks so I believe Mint is again correct.

'Modern Times Rock 'N' Roll' plays with great power and definition throughout with no interference.  Not even a dust tick and despite being a 'busy' track nothing gets in the way of the audio.  Mint

'Son And Daughter' plays with genuine power and resonance and...no interference.  The only thing you could say is that there is just a minor touch of inner groove distortion but so minimal and 100% non-intrusive.  Let's say Mint-

The often underrated 'Jesus' just has very light tick on the intro and then plays with superb audio from then on.  Talking of distortion this track is often affected by it and yet this is easily one of the cleanest versions I have ever heard.  The high octane middle section is just fantastic!  So powerful and dynamic and yet the sonic quality is as strong as it ever was.  The final vocal is faultless and that echo 'effect' has never sounded stronger.  Another Mint version here.

The abridged 'Seven Seas Of Rhye...' plays very clearly with no intrusion.  No ticks, clicks etc the playback is so clean and even the long fade has no 'background'.  A superb Mint finish to this high end album.

In summary this first pressing plays with imperious quality on both sides with no interference.  I have graded all the tracks as Mint except for 'Doing All Right' which is Near Mint but it still plays so well with only a small number of very light ticks!  The clarity and depth of sound on every track, and not forgetting the power, is stunning and as stated it is obvious this vinyl has not been played very much at all.  So often these days you find a superb vinyl but the cover has suffered from a fair amount of shelf wear but that is certainly not the case here.  All aspects have been preserved so well and this is very much a FINAL UPGRADE album in my humble opinion.

The Cover & Inner Sleeve

The first thing you notice with this cover is just how clean it is and how well it has retained its original shape and structure.  This is quite rare because it is only made with relatively thin unlaminated card and is very much prone to wear.  This one cannot have been handled very much.  The top edge is perfect and only the bottom edge of the front cover has a minimal amount of rubbing.  The thin pinched spine is in lovely condition with only 3/4 very minor 'crimps' and all four corners have barely any wear, how rare is that!  The opening edge is in great shape also with only a handful of minor 'crimps'.  The front cover is unmarked and has just one faint crease near the bottom edge which you can only see when you tilt it at a certain angle.  The back cover is just as impressive with only a small number of faint creases next to the spine as is common.  I'm tempted to grade it as Near Mint- but Ex+ is definitely deserved.  A superb example.

EMC 3061 // YAX 4623 - 3U / YAX 4624 - 3U // MG 1 / AA 1

KIP - HUGGYPOO KISSY etched on S1 & AGAIN! etched on S2

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