R.E.M. 'RECKONING' FIRST U.S. PRESSING PURPLE TRANSLUCENT 1984 IRS 'R/L' LABELS

$

42

R.E.M. 'RECKONING' FIRST U.S. PRESSING TRANSLUCENT PURPLE  1984 IRS 'R/L' LABELS
R.E.M.  "RECKONING"  LABEL: I.R.S. RECORDS (International Record Syndicate)   SP-70044 RELEASED: APRIL 1984 EDITION: FIRST U.S. PRESSING ~ COMPLETE & STILL IN 'SHRINK' VINYL: PURPLE TRANSLUCENT 'QUIEX' VIRGIN VINYL  PRESSING: RCA INDIANAPOLIS ('RCA' IN DEADWAX & (R) ON LABEL) RECORDED AT REFLECTION SOUND STUDIO ~ CHARLOTTE, NC RECORDED: DECEMBER 1983-JANUARY  1984 PRODUCERS: MITCH EASTER & DON DIXON MASTERING: STERLING SOUND LACQUERS: GREG CALBI ('⚾' BASEBALL) IN MATRIX JACKET ARTWORK: HOWARD FINSTER MATRIX (SIDE A 'L'): SPO 70044-A-RCA1  A1-B STERLING MATRIX (SIDE B 'R'): SPO 70044B-RCA1 A3-A STERLING⚾ 
CONDITION: VINYL: EX- to EX    INNER: EX     JACKET: EX
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I've been going thru my massive vinyl record collection these past few weeks and pulling out some LPs that I thought that someone else would want for their collection. I've been collecting records for over 40 years and it's time to pass some of them on to the next generation of collectors.
This week on EBay I am offering up this fantastic, clean First Pressing copy of REM's great second album 'Reckoning'. This is my original copy, purchased 'new' back in 1984, that I've taken great care of for many years. 
It's still in the shrink, and pressed on Quiex translucent Purple vinyl. This comes with the original 2-sided Black & White inner sleeve with cool artwork.
This also has the barcode, and is NOT the CRC purple version. It's pressed by RCA, not the inferior Columbia pressing.
The labels also have the 'L/R' sides, not the 'A/B' like later pressings.
This album is an early First Pressing on Purple translucent Quiex virgin vinyl. The sound is just amazing. Well balanced and crystal clear. The music just jumps out of the speakers.
This pressing really brings out their clear, bright, and beautiful jangly pop songs. I can see why many people feel that 'Reckoning' is considered REM's best album.
A beautiful copy!
~~~~~~~~~ Reckoning' was REM's 2nd album, and was the one that really established them as one of the great bands of the 80s.
The band toured incessantly through the Fall of 1983, and had their music down solid. Constant touring allowed them to learn and understand what their musical strengths, and weaknesses, were. They learned to create the sound they wanted, live on stage, without a lot of overdubbing and electronic trickery.
By the time they went into the studio, they were very anti–studio production, and the recording sessions reflect that. Clean and crisp songs. Minimal overdubbing and minimal 'production' tweaks. Just Perfect.
This was recorded over only 2 weeks in the winter of 1983/84 at Reflection Sound Studios in Charlotte.
Legendary Producers Mitch Easter and Don Dixon were once again in the studio with the band and created a masterpiece, one of the best sophomore albums by any band, in any genre.
The album shows just how tight and cohesive the band was at the time, and shows off the unique chemistry of REM's individual members.
The members of R.E.M. at this time included: Bill Berry ~ drums / Peter Buck ~ guitar Mike Mills ~ bass / Michael Stipe ~ vocals
~~~~~~~~~ This First pressing has nice, punchy mastering with excellent dynamics. Despite the barrage of jangly Rickenbackers, it's well balanced and not overly bright, like the early CD's and later vinyl pressings are.
This mid-80's I.R.S. period has always been my favorite era of REM.
'Reckoning' sounds tight, unified and full of energy. It has the great Garage Pop sound of the best of 'Chronic Town' mixed with more mature songwriting, tighter performances, and a Pop/Americana feel. 
The band has a propulsive 'kick' that make the songs seem intense, powerful, vital and alive. The songs sound like old classics, like they've existed for years, but also brand new, refreshing and immediately accessible.
Reckoning is a nice collection of 10 quintessential "jangle pop" songs. The record just flows and works effortlessly from beginning to end. The four bandmembers complement one another perfectly. They had a perfect, strange and wonderful chemistry. 
They were the right band, the right sound, at the right time.
REM had the perfect balance of old-school NYC avant-garde Rock and conventional Pop. They were able to blend the sound of the darker, 'arty' side of the New York scene (Velvet Underground, early Talking Heads) with Southern Power Pop (Alex Chilton/Big Star, Tom Petty) and bring it up to date with a modern punky, energetic feel. Bill Berry's drumming, often overlooked, even gives some of the songs an almost soul/disco drive that really makes it all work together perfectly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 'Reckoning' contains amazing, well constructed, well written, catchy songs, which have really held up all these years later. “So. Central Rain,” “7 Chinese Bros.,” and “(Don’t Go Back to) Rockville” are timeless and classic REM.
The Album opens up with the explosive "Harborcoat." The interplay between Peter Buck's amazing ringing Rickenbacker guitar and Mike Mill's melodic Bass playing is amazing. Mills didn't just play chords, he and Buck intertwined around the melodic leads, creating a very unique sound that was the core of REM.
I had forgotten what a great song "Pretty Persuasion" is. It was one of their first popular songs and they played it often back in the Athens club scene. 
It has a great driving, almost punk feel, great mysterious & ambiguous lyrics, and great interweaving melodies. Peter Buck fills the song with his ingenious re-invention of early Byrds Rickenbacker riffs. Jangly guitar perfection. It shows the band's mastery of the modern pop form, while respecting the roots of Country Rock.
My favorite song, although it's hard to pick, has to be the country tinged rocker ‘(Don’t Go Back to) Rockville’. It's the only song on the album written by Bassist Mike Mills. I don't know who plays the piano, but I had forgotten about the great propulsive Piano part that drives the song and make it work so perfectly.
"7 Chinese Brothers," another favorite, is a textbook example of that jangling Rickenbacker joyfulness that made R.E.M. great and such a constant presence on the radio back then.
"Little America" is the perfect closer to this album. It has a tight rhythm and upbeat, compelling lyrics from Stipe.
Speaking of Stipe's lyrics, his vocals are both cryptic and amazing.
His voice is more like a fourth instrument in places, and very different from any rock singer before him. It's more the sound, and the inflection in his voice, rather than the actual words that makes the songs work. 
He doesn't enunciate his words, and I still have no idea what's he's singing about on some of these songs, but it doesn't really matter. The 'feel' and 'intention' are there and somehow it works perfectly. His abstract and confounding lyrics are all part of the overall charm.
Stipes voice can have amazing force but also deep emotion, feeling and vulnerability. It's both powerful and fragile at the same time. I can hear both Lou Reed's and Graham Parson's influences on his vocal style.
On this pressing, you can really hear Michael's voice up front and clear. All his little inflections, hand 'percussion,' and vocal tics are present.
I've never actually looked up the 'correct' lyrics to some of my favorite REM songs. I somehow feel that might 'ruin' them for me. I think not knowing exactly what Michael's singing, somehow lets us add our own interpretation to the music. 
It's sort of like Abstract Art, it's about how I interpret it, how I feel about it, not what the artist's actual intention was. All Art is like that in a way; it's about the reception, not the creation.
~~~ The spine on all early vinyl copies of 'Reckoning', like this one,  has the alternate title “File Under Water” written in big white letters on it. Many of Stipe's lyrics to the songs have references to water, rain, rivers and tears. If there's any 'connection' between the songs on this album, other than 'jangle,' it's that they all contain some reference to 'water'.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The album jacket, and I assume the inner sleeve, was designed by the quirky Alabama Baptist Minister Rev. Howard Finster who claimed God told him to collect, and create, naïve, visionary, outsider art. He created this album cover and several others, including one for the Talking Heads.
~~~ This album is an early First Pressing on Purple translucent Quiex virgin vinyl. The sound is just amazing. Well balanced and crystal clear. The music just jumps out of the speakers.
This pressing really brings out their clear, bright, and beautiful jangly pop songs. I can see why many people feel that 'Reckoning' is considered REM's best album.
~~~~~~~~ This is not only, in my opinion, REM's best album, but it's one of the best albums of the mid 80's. If you only have one R.E.M. album in your collection, this is the one you should have.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The 10 great, jangly songs on this album include:
Harborcoat 7 Chinese Brothers So. Central Rain Pretty Persuasion Time After Time (Ann Elise) Second Guessing Letter Never Sent Camera (Don't Go Back To) Rockville Little America
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONDITION: I tried to show good hi-resolution photos of the cover, labels and vinyl in my pictures.
I purchased this copy 'new' in the Summer of 1984, nearly 40 years ago, in Greenwich Village, on one of my regular digs in those days, and have taken great care of it since. Basically perfect condition, still in the Shrink.
VINYL: The vinyl looks great. Clean and Bright. This is the original first pressing on Quiex vinyl and with the purple translucent color. Very cool. The vinyl looks black unless held up to strong light. I showed the vinyl backlit in my pictures.
The vinyl looks fantastic. I'll say conservative EX-, no scuffs, scrapes or hairlines. It looks fine, the only 'issue' is a very faint line across one side. (from pressing?) It's not a scratch or hairline, purely visual. It plays fine. Because of that I'll call it Ex- not EX.
The DeadWax has all the first pressing indicators as listed above. 
I tried to show some close-up pictures of the vinyl to show how good it looks. I'm sure you'll be happy with it.
LABELS: This is pressed on custom white IRS labels, with the red IRS dude at the bottom. The sides are labelled 'L/R' not 'A/B'.
The labels are clean and bright. No marks or damage. The spindle holes are still sharp and clean, suggesting minimal playing and my careful handling over the years.
JACKET: As you can see, this is still in the shrink and basically perfect. One corner has a very small scuff thru the shrink, but basically it's excellent. Comes with the original Black & White inner sleeve, which is also excellent.
There's some very minor edge wear at the opening (see pics), but minimal. This has been sleeved and stored properly for years, and is still fantastic. Clean and bright. The corners are sharp and crisp. Spine ('file under water') is fine, no ring wear, no seam splits. You can see from my pictures it's quite nice.
Overall, a very nice crisp, clean, complete original 'purple' copy of this classic REM First Pressing Grail from 1984. In my opinion, about as good as you'll ever find in 'used' condition.
This is a great record to add to any REM, 80's, or classic Rock collection. Original 'purple' Quiex pressings don't turn up for sale often and it's a real gem.
I'm sure you'll love it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~ ** NOTE: I'm selling this rare 'Collector' record "AS IS" and "NO RETURN". It's rare and as described and I'm sure you'll be very happy with it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I’m recently retired and downsizing and letting go some gems and rarities from nearly 45 years of vinyl record collecting. Check out the many other fantastic 45s and 33s coming soon to my page!
All records have been carefully evaluated and graded by me. I visually inspect all records under bright light, personally gently clean them with a soft cloth and then, if unsure, play them on a modern high-end turntable to get a true picture of condition. Please look at all the high-resolution pictures I added. They are all my own and are of the actual record being sold. The pictures are part of the description and can show small details, label variations, and condition better than I can put into words. 
My grading is fair and honest. I have had over 3,300 happy and satisfied EBay customers over the years, with 100% positive feedback, and I have been buying/selling on EBay for well over 20 years, so please bid with confidence!
I'm a 0ne-man operation, this is a hobby, not my job. I do this for fun. I do this because I love music, love collecting vinyl and want others to share in that same experience. I take my time listening, researching, grading, listing and packaging. I will NOT sell any record that I personally would not want in my collection.
As you well know, packing and shipping rare records requires special care and attention, therefore, shipping cost within the lower 48 states is $5.00 on this item. If you would like insurance, or anything faster than Media/Economy Mail, please let me know and I can arrange it for you. I’ll work with you to make sure you’re happy!
I will gladly combine multiple records, or other items on my page, and make the shipping much less for you. I don’t inflate the shipping costs; they are what they are. I strive to keep them as low as possible. See my feedback for comments on my quality packing and shipping.
All items are packaged with sturdy cardboard mailers and appropriate padding. I take pride in my packaging and shipping and package all my records as if I were sending them to myself. I refuse to use cheap flimsy packaging material when sending my vinyl. I treat them as if they were my own and mail them the same way. 
All orders are processed and shipped within 2 business days of receipt. We package and ship our vinyl records with the greatest care, using proper packaging to ensure that your rare and collectible vinyl records arrive in pristine condition.
Payments can be made by any of the multiple options that Ebay offers.
I will be happy to exchange feedback with anyone I complete a transaction with.
THANK YOU for looking and reading if you got this far.  -- JOHN