This first pressing is easily one of the finest examples I have ever heard and as always I have listened to every track in full.  The clarity, depth and power of the audio is exceptional and I detected just one, only one (!), very brief light static sound on S2.  This is a FINAL UPGRADE album of that I have no doubt, the sonic quality is just out of this world!  The vinyl has been so well preserved down the years and has clearly not been played very much.  It has the wow factor!

The embossed cover is in great condition with only very minimal wear and the attached poster is also in fantastic order.  The picture inner has next to no wear also.  A stunning 'package' overall.

EMA 788 // YAX 5550 - 1U / YAX 5551 - 1U / OH 5   RTB-2 STERLING / P 3   RTB - 1 STERLING

The audio on S1 is Mint(-)

The audio on S2 is Mint(-)

The gatefold is Ex+

The picture inner is Mint-

The attached poster is Mint

The labels are Mint-

Visual grading

The acapella intro on 'Mustapha' plays to perfection and it continues to play with stunning quality I am pleased to say.  The clarity through every section is first class and with only a couple of dust ticks I cannot fault the audio.  An exceptional Mint start to the album.

The intro on the classic 'Fat Bottomed Girls' is 'as new' and this applies to the entire track.  The clarity and depth is STUNNING and there is no background static to be heard.  You could not wish for a more complete version and also grades as Mint such is the sonic quality on offer here.  I cannot overstate just how superb it is!

'Jealousy' plays with pristine audio from the very first note and and this clarity of sound is prevalent throughout.  There is no 'background' and so far this first press is playing 'as new' with literally no interference.  Mint

This 'high end' standard is kept up with 'Bicycle Race' which plays with great quality from start to finish.  The depth and resonance of the audio is so impressive and there is just no interference to be heard.  Even the quiet 'bicycle 'bells' intro plays so clearly with only a couple of dust ticks and the remainder is faultless.  A little repetitive sorry but this is another Mint track!  Audio does not get any better than this!

The audio definition on the underrated 'If You Can't Beat Them' is so strong and there are no negatives the further you progress into the track.  So often there is some inner groove distortion but that is not the case here and the end section is a prime example of that - turn it up to full blast you will know what I mean!  The depth is outstanding and I have never heard a better version.  This is Mint etc etc!

Even more susceptible to distortion is the classic 'Let Me Entertain You' and yet it plays with sublime precision with no sign of any obvious distortion.  Has this record ever been played?!  The sonic quality suggests not and again I am 100% confident in grading this as Mint - S1 I can honestly say is 'as new' from the first note to the last!

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'Dead On Time' on S2 keeps up this fine standard and plays with awesome power and depth and almost zero interference.  Almost!  There is just one static sound on the 'but you never can tell' line which is so short you could easily miss it, about 0.25 of a second!  Aside from that you cannot fault the power and depth of the audio and even the thunderbolt is 'as new' as is the fade out.  Mint- is fair here.

'In Only Seven Days' plays with stunning precision and not one solitary dust tick.  Mint all the way.

'Dreamers Ball' also plays with sensational clarity and all I detected were a couple of insignificant dust ticks.  You might expect some background static on a 44 year old record but not here!  Mint

The deep percussive intro on 'Fun It' is 'as new' and it continues in the same way with no intrusion.  There is no need to elaborate here.  This is Mint in every way.

Again I cannot believe what I am hearing!  The acoustic intro on 'Leaving Home Ain't Easy' plays with perfect clarity and Brian's opening is equally as 'clean' with no intrusion.  The sonic quality is maintained throughout with only a couple of dust ticks on the fade out.  Crystal clear MINT audio.

No surprise to hear that the classic 'Don't Stop Me Now' plays with stunning audio from start to finish.  Clarity, depth and power in equal measure - Mint in every sense of the word.  The vocal fade out has no 'background' either.

This amazing album end with the finest version of 'More Of That Jazz' that I have ever listened to.  The clarity, definition and power of the audio is just out of this world.  There is no inner groove distortion and Mint is easily deserved.  Again.

In summary this first pressing plays to an unbelievable standard with a sonic quality that is just streets ahead of any later pressings.  This is why the first pressings are so collectable because when you find a super clean vinyl like this the clarity and depth of sound is magnified.  With only one 'blink and you miss it' static sound on S2 this is audio of the highest calibre and is easily a FINAL UPGRADE time warp classic i.e. no need to buy another as you could not improve upon this audio.  The vinyl is visually stunning as stated but has also been so well preserved down the years.  A stunning album with a very impressive cover with the poster still attached :-)

The Gatefold, Picture Inner & Poster

The embossed cover is in superb condition with very little wear and still has its original shape and structure.  The edges are super clean with barely any rubbing and the spine just has a little wear on the bottom corner and a handful of minor white specks.  It also has the usual crease line running down the centre.  The other corners are in excellent shape with only minimal wear on the bottom right corner.  The opening edge has no actual handling wear and the front cover for once is very clean with hardly any of the fading you so often see around the edges.  It just has one tiny crimp near the right hand edge and a couple of specks top right.  The back cover if anything is even more impressive as it is predominantly white of course and has barely any marking, just one faint fingerprint mark and just a hint of very very faint fading around the edges.  So minor and nothing to worry about.  The inside of the gatefold is immaculate and overall this is a fine example of this iconic cover.

The glossy picture inner is so close to perfect with no side splits or tears and no marking or creasing either.  The thumb notch is in perfect condition and there are only a small number of white specks around the edges.  The infamous poster is in fantastic condition and only a couple of perforations are loose at the top, otherwise it is fully attached.

Play tested on my Pro-Ject Essential III Turntable // B & W 684 Speakers

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Postage & Packaging

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