BAND, The Band ROBERT LUDWIG USA 1st pressing Excellent- LP FREE SHIPPING

$

137

The Band – The Band  Label: Capitol Records – STAO-132 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album, Scranton Pressing, RL Country: US Released: 1969 Genre: Rock Style: Folk Rock A1 Across The Great Divide Written-By – J.R. Robertson* 2:52 A2 Rag Mama Rag Written-By – J.R. Robertson* 3:02 A3 The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down Written-By – J.R. Robertson* 3:30 A4 When You Awake Written-By – R. Manuel*, J.R. Robertson* 3:10 A5 Up On Cripple Creek Written-By – J.R. Robertson* 4:29 A6 Whispering Pines Written-By – R. Manuel*, J.R. Robertson* 3:55 B1 Jemima Surrender Written-By – L. Helm*, J.R. Robertson* 3:30 B2 Rockin' Chair Written-By – J.R. Robertson* 3:40 B3 Look Out Cleveland Written-By – J.R. Robertson* 3:07 B4 Jawbone Written-By – R. Manuel*, J.R. Robertson* 4:17 B5 The Unfaithful Servant Written-By – J.R. Robertson* 4:15 B6 King Harvest (Has Surely Come) Written-By – J.R. Robertson* 3:35 Manufactured By – Capitol Records, Inc. Pressed By – Capitol Records Pressing Plant, Scranton Published By – Canaan Music Mastered At – Sterling Sound Design [Album Design] – Bob Cato Guitar, Engineer – Jaime Robbie Robertson* Lacquer Cut By – RL* Liner Notes [Rear From The Darktown Strutters' Ball] – Shelton Brooks Mastered By [Uncredited] – Bob Ludwig Mixed By [Engineer-Mixing] – Joe Zagarino, Tony May Organ, Clavinet [Clavinette], Piano, Accordion, Soprano Saxophone [Soprano], Tenor Saxophone [Tenor], Baritone Saxophone [Baritone-sax], Trumpet [Slide Trumpet] – Garth Hudson Photography By – Elliott Landy Tuba, Electric Piano, Horns [High School And Peck Horns], Engineer – John Simon Vocals, Bass, Violin, Trombone – Rick Danko Vocals, Drums, Mandolin, Guitar – Levon Helm Vocals, Piano, Drums, Baritone Saxophone [Baritone-sax], Harmonica [Mouth Harp] – Richard Manuel

USA ROBERT LUDWIG MASTERED FIRST PRESSING VINYL ALBUM IN TEXTURED GATEFOLD SLEEVE WITH ORIGINAL  INNER SLEEVE.

MATRIX:  SIDE A: ST1-132-C2#3 [IAM] RL; SIDE B: ST2-132-C2#2 [IAM] RL.

SLEEVE: VERY GOOD+, SOME SHELF, CORNER, EDGE AND RING WEAR.   INNER SLEEVE VERY GOOD+ WITH NO SEAM SPLITS.

DISC: EXCELLENT MINUS. NO SCRATCHES, BUT A FEW LIGHT HAIRLINES AND A SMALL PRESSING MARK THAT MIGHT CLICK AT THE END OF THE TRACK 'UNFAITHFUL SERVANT'. CLEAN LABELS.

Why buy a first or early pressing and not a re-issue or a ‘re-mastered’ vinyl album?

First and early pressings are pressed from the first generation lacquers and stampers. They usually sound vastly superior to later issues/re-issues (which, in recent times, are often pressed from whatever 'best' tapes or digital sources are currently available) - many so-called 'audiophile' new 180g pressings are cut from hi-res digital sources…essentially an expensive CD pressed on vinyl.  Why  experience the worse elements of both formats?  These are just High Maintenance CDs, with mid-ranges so cloaked with a veil as to sound smeared.  They are nearly always compressed with murky transients and a general lifelessness in the overall sound.  There are exceptions where re-masters/re-presses outshine the original issues, but they are exceptions and not the norm.

First or early pressings nearly always have more immediacy, presence and dynamics. The sound staging is wider.  Subtle instrument nuances are better placed with more spacious textures. Balances are firmer in the bottom end with a far-tighter bass. Upper-mid ranges shine without harshness, and the overall depth is more immersive.  Inner details are clearer, the music tends to sound more ‘alive’ and vibrant and you 'hear' what the mixing and mastering engineers wanted you to hear when they first recorded the music.