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Queen : Queen II 4U / 4U 1st Press 1974

This first pressing plays to a standard you rarely find today.  The clarity, depth and power is stunning and the only real intrusion is a little static on the 'White Queen' intro as is common.  Even then it is not loud and the remainder plays with great quality.  As for the other tracks - wow!  The sonic quality is incredible - there is no distortion and as stated below the final tracks on each side play as clearly as the first ones which is a genuine rarity for this album.  The vinyl has a few faint hairlines / specks but it clearly has not been over-played and in fact there is barely any spindle wear.

The laminated cover has been so well looked after over the last 49 years and has next to no shelf wear, it is stunning.  The original lyric inner (with four cut corners) is also in great condition with only very minimal wear.  A superb 'package' overall.

EMA 767 // YAX 4̶7̶3̶6̶ 4735-4U / YAX 4̶7̶3̶5̶ 4736-4U // GGA 5 / GGD 4

The audio on S1 is Mint(-) (T2 Near Mint+ / T3 intro Ex then Near Mint)

The audio S2 is Mint(-) (T4 Near Mint+)

The gatefold is Near Mint-

The EMI labels are Mint-

The lyric inner is Ex+

Visual description

The vinyl is in excellent condition and still has a lovely glossy sheen with no scratches.  Under a bright light I can see some of the usual faint hairlines and some minor specks but this has no affect on the superb audio.  The run out grooves are super clean and the EMI labels are unmarked with barely any spindle wear.

Play grading

The drum beat intro 'Procession' plays with stunning clarity and it's equally as good when Brian joins in.  This super clean audio is kept up to the very end without any background.  So often this instrumental has some ticks, clicks or static but not here!  A superb Mint introduction to this classic album.

'Father To Son' begins perfectly and Freddie's opening vocal section has no intrusion either.  From then on the audio is so 'clean', a couple of dust ticks that is all, and the first high octane vocal followed by the mid instrumental play with phenomenal clarity, power and depth.  There is just a minor amount of light static for a couple of seconds during the quiet 'A word in your ear...' vocal and the rest is just stunning including the long fade out.  So close to Mint- but Near Mint+ is certainly deserved.

The intro on 'White Queen' has a little static but it is quiet.  The opening vocal then plays very clearly with only a couple of minor static 'sounds' and the first verse plays with great clarity.  The more powerful 'Needing - unheard...' vocal is 'as new' and it continues in much the same way with only a handful of mega light ticks that are in no way intrusive.  The mid instrumental is close to perfect and the final high octane vocal section is exactly that - perfect.  The sonic quality is stunning and there is no distortion on the top end.  The quiet ending has just one static tick on the final note - I will grade the intro as Ex but I think Near Mint from then onwards is fair.

The acoustic intro on 'Some Day One Day' has no background and the first verse is of the same standard.  This clarity is prevalent throughout and I only heard a couple of insignificant light ticks during the first instrumental passage and another right at the end of the fade out.  The clarity, depth and warmth of the audio is superb.  Mint-

The percussive intro on 'The Loser In The End' is 'as new' and Roger's opening vocal is just as impressive.  It continues to play with such a deep rich tone, the sonic quality is awesome!!  His voice lends itself perfectly to this track and from start to finish I cannot fault it.  The clarity, depth and resonance of the audio here is exceptional and the long fade out has no background either.  Strangely I've never noticed Roger's frenetic drumming at the end of this fade out, it sounds great here!  A Mint conclusion to a superb side.

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The build up 'intro' on 'Ogre Battle' has no static can you believe and as volume increases the playback is so strong and clear.  A perfect Mint start which is a genuine rarity.  The first three verses / choruses are flawless and then the mid instrumental is phenomenal (loud and bonkers!!) and the final vocal / instrumental have no interference.  This is 100% Mint in every way.  Wow what a version!

'The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke' keeps up this fine start to the side and plays with impeccable precision from the first note to the last with no intrusion.  Again the sonic quality is 'as new' and therefore another Mint track.

The segue into the classic 'Nevermore' is perfect and the piano intro has not even a single dust tick let alone anything worse.  Both verses play beautifully with only a couple of minor ticks and is Mint- at the very least.

The piano intro on the progressive classic 'The March of The Black Queen' has barely any static and the opening 'vocal' / instrumental play to perfection.  The first verse is just as clean and it proceeds in the same way with a clarity of sound that is just STUNNING.  Each note is so sharp and precise and that is even true during the powerful mid section which often has some distortion but not here.  The quiet 'A voice from behind me...' verse has no intrusion, the clarity is superb, and the next 'I reign with my left hand...' vocal passage is out of this world!  Wow never heard better!  The quieter instrumental section that follows has only the bare minimum of mega light static for 3/4 seconds and the vocal finale could not play any better.  Ok a hint of static just before the end so I will grade as Near Mint+ but yes the vast majority is better than that!  The sonic quality is on another level - a genuine classic that plays incredibly well.

What follows is one of the finest versions of 'Funny How Love Is' that I have ever heard.  I have listened to many 4U/4U versions but this is easily one of the cleanest because so often the clarity of sound does not compare to the rest of the album but it certainly does here.  There is no interference or distortion and the long fade out plays perfectly.  A sublime Mint version.

'Seven Seas Of Rhye' also plays with such clean audio and there are no ticks, clicks, pops or static.  The clarity is 10/10 and rarely can you say the final two tracks play as clearly as the first two tracks.  Every section plays with impeccable quality and the closing seaside singalong could not play any better.  A superb Mint finish to this classic album.

In summary this first pressing plays with remarkable quality across both sides.  Yes there is some intermittent light static at the beginning of 'White Queen' but that is so often the case anyway.  Don't let that put you off as it is minimal and the rest of the album quite simply plays with exceptional quality.  The clarity, depth and the power of the audio is second to none and rarely will you get the chance to hear audio as clean as this and like I say that applies to the final tracks on each side also which is a rarity.  In conjunction with a lovely cover and lyric inner any audiophile will be very impressed with what's on offer I am sure.

The Gatefold & Lyric Inner

The glossy laminated cover is in superb condition with barely any wear and certainly nothing obvious.  The edges and wide spine are in perfect order with no marks and incredibly there is no corner wear either, the opening edge is so close to perfect also with only a couple of tiny crimps.  The front cover is stunning and is unmarked and the back cover is almost as good with just one minor and faint laminate 'line' near the bottom edge.  The inside of the gatefold is immaculate and has lost barely any of its original colouring which is a rarity.  The inner spine has no wear either and overall this is a stunning example of this iconic cover and rarely seen as impressive as this.

The die-cut lyric inner has been preserved very well and has just one tiny bottom edge split plus one very small faint mark and a spot on S1.  Aside from that it is super clean and has hardly any creasing.  The thumb notch just has one small split in the corner which you can hardly see anyway.

Play tested on my Rega P2 Turntable / Denon PMA-520AE Amp / B&W 684 Speakers

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

EMA 767 // YAX 4̶7̶3̶6̶ 4735-4U / YAX 4̶7̶3̶5̶ 4736-4U // GGA 5 / GGD 4

I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines

Any questions please feel free to ask

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Postage & Packaging

I NOW ONLY SEND ITEMS WORLDWIDE VIA TRACKED SHIPPING. THIS PROVIDES 'PEACE OF MIND' IN CASE OF LOSS OR DAMAGE. ALL COSTS ARE SHOWN BELOW AND COMBINED POSTAGE IS ALWAYS OFFERED. ANY OVER-PAYMENT WILL ALWAYS BE REFUNDED BACK TO THE BUYER.

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