This genuine first press is certainly one of the finds of the year!  Not only is it a super early first pressing but it plays with phenomenal quality on both sides with barely any intrusion.  As always I have listened to this classic album in full so as to provide a 'complete' grade and in all my years selling on this platform I am not sure I have found one as stunning as this.  The clarity and depth of the audio is breathtaking and the power also is so impressive with no distortion on the top end.  The obvious highlights are 'The Prophet's Song' and 'Bohemian Rhapsody' which both play with incredible precision but then all of the tracks play with real quality.  I think it is fair to say that this is A FINAL UPGRADE time-warp classic i.e. no need to purchase another as you could not improve upon this audio!

The embossed gatefold also demonstrates just how well this album has been cared for.  It is unbelievably clean with barely any wear and the original picture inner is also in excellent shape with just one small split on the bottom edge.

This is of course a genuine first press as it has the 2/2 matrix - as stated it is one of the earliest that you will find as it has only a single 'A' stamper on each side, I have certainly never found an earlier one.  Blair's is also etched on the run out grooves as opposed to Mr. Blair's Cut which you find on later pressings.

The audio on S1 is Mint(-) (T7 Near Mint)

The audio on S2 is Mint(-) (T2 Near Mint)

The gatefold is Near Mint-

The picture inner is Ex-

The labels are Near Mint-

Visual grading

The vinyl is in lovely condition and still has a very impressive glossy sheen.  There are no marks or scratches and only a small number of hairlines.  S1 has a couple that are a little more obvious but they are still faint I hasten to add and S2 has just one that is just a little more visible.  These are purely superficial and have no effect on the superb audio.  The run out grooves are very clean and you can easily read the matrix info.  The labels still have their original colour and are unmarked apart from some spindle wear around each spindle hole.  In a sense this shows just carefully it has been handled - played a number of times but I imagine only on high end equipment which has helped maintain its original sonic quality.

Play grading

The quiet piano intro on 'Death On Two Legs' is close to perfect with only two seconds of mega light static on the first couple of grooves, so quiet it scarcely deserves a mention!  As the volume increases the playback is faultless and the rest of this opening instrumental section is just as strong.  Freddie's opening vocal is 'as new' and it continues to play with sublime clarity and depth with no sign of any interference.  There are no clicks or pops, no static and it just could not play with any greater precision.  It has lost none of its original menacing sound!  This is a Mint- start to this classic album.

'Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon' plays with stunning quality from start to finish with only a couple of dust ticks.  Mint- is again well deserved, there are no negatives.

'I'm In Love With My Car' provides more evidence of a vinyl that has been so well preserved down the years.  It plays with phenomenal power and depth throughout - the audio definition is up there with the best I have ever heard and there is no distortion on the top end.  The clarity is so impressive and the only 'background' is one light tick just after the first fade out at the end.  Mint-

The electric piano intro on 'You're My Best Friend' has a couple of very quiet dust ticks, no more, and the opening vocal is as good as new.  From then on it plays with wonderful clarity and needless to say there is no 'background'.  As 'clean' a version that you could wish for this is Mint

The acoustic intro on '39' plays to perfection, a genuine rarity.  Brian's opening vocal is flawless and it progresses in the same way.  The mid vocal 'section' has not even a single dust tick and to the end it plays with imperious quality.  Even the brief 'silent 'section near the end is exactly that, silent!  A Mint version for sure.

'Sweet Lady' plays with real power and depth and again there is no interference or distortion.  One of the lesser played tracks perhaps and because of that it plays as well as it would have done back in '75.  Mint

As any Queen collector will know 'Seaside Rendezvous' always plays with inner groove distortion due to the way it was produced/recorded and it is just a matter of how much.  This version has only a very minimal amount and it does not detract from the overall 'listen'.  You kind of expect it and in a way it should not be downgraded as a result.  However, I will say Near Mint even though there are no ticks, clicks, pops or static.

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The very quiet 'blowing wind' intro on 'The Prophet's Song' plays with STUNNING quality, there is no 'background' whatsoever!  Such rare clarity on such an early pressing, impressive to say the least.  The acoustic section then plays beautifully with only two light ticks just before the vocal begins.  The opening two verses and the first chorus can only be described 'as new' such is the clarity and definition here.  The sonic quality is phenomenal and it continues in the same precise way into the quieter 'Now I know/la la' section.  This section again plays with wonderful clarity with only a handful of totally non-intrusive light ticks.  100% non-intrusive as they are incredibly quiet!  The audio is so 'clean' and there is no let up in quality as Brian's re-enters the scene.  This powerful section is faultless and Freddie's final vocal plays to the same high end standard.  The acoustic finish plays with a clarity of sound that is just INCREDIBLE!  Not one dust tick!  I know there is one light tick near the start but I still think this deserves a Mint- grade as the rest of this classic is absolutely stunning!  The minus is there to take into account the light tick :-)

The gentle intro on the timeless 'Love Of My Life' again plays perfectly and thereafter plays with a clarity that belies its 47 years of age.  There is one static click just after the second verse but that is the only intrusion - there are a minimal number of dust ticks but clearly they are so quiet and do not intrude on the 'listen'.  This is a hugely impressive Near Mint version.

'Good Company' more than keeps up this exemplary standard with impeccable audio from start to finish with...no interference.  No need to prevaricate this is Mint in every way.

Let's hope the absolute classic 'Bohemian Rhapsody' continues this fine form!  I am pleased to say it does not disappoint!  The first verse plays with sublime clarity and the next two verses are equally as good.  The audio definition here is again so strong - nothing is lost in the playback, each note is so sharp and precise and Deacon's drawn out bass notes provide a fine example of this.  How often does this classic play as clearly as this on a genuine first pressing?  This truly is audio of the highest calibre and May's first solo plays to perfection also.  The 'operatic' section has no interference and yes you can turn it up to max without fear of distortion!  The audio is again amazing with a power and depth that is equal to that of an unplayed record. The iconic 'heavy section' plays with tremendous power and depth and of course no interference and the quiet end section has no 'background' either, another rarity.  I cannot overstate the sonic quality on offer here and it provides a myriad of reasons as to why we listen to vinyl and especially the first and early pressings, no other medium can replicate this sound quality.  This is easily one of the strongest versions I have ever heard and remember this is a first pressing with single 'A' stampers!  A STUNNING Mint version of that I am 100% confident.

'God Save The Queen' ends the superb album with 'as new' audio from the first note to the last.  I was sort of expecting that!  Mint

In summary this first pressing plays to a standard you so rarely find today and in my opinion is a FINAL UPGRADE album in that it would be virtually impossible to improve upon audio such as this and especially one that is so early off the 'production line'.  Single 'stamper' versions of this album hardly ever turn up and is I believe only the second one I have ever found.  The clarity, depth, power and warmth of the audio is stunning and whilst there are so many highlights the classics 'The Prophet's Song' and 'Bohemian Rhapsody' really do stand out as the sonic quality is quite simply exceptional.  In conjunction with a STUNNING cover this is an album that truly belongs in any 'high end' collection.  A stunning find.

The Gatefold & Picture Inner

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Postage & Packaging

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