|
Tracklisting & More Information
Background & Condition
The album was released on August 5th, 1967 and one month later it was released in stereo.
The album's title comes from the title of the seventh chapter of Kenneth Grahame's 'The Wind in the Willows'!
The mono mixes of each track were done at seperate sessions, as it was the main format.
The whole stereo album mix was a one day thing, so this really is the definitive mix of this classic album with significant differences to the stereo mix.
Subtle changes in effect abound, moment to moment gradations that can alter the flow of an entire track. For example, Syd Barrett’s whoops and shouts on 'Take Up Thy Stethoscope And Walk' are simply dripping with delay and the environment constantly morphs, unlike the stereo version which is 'fixed'.
The coda of 'Flaming' is shorter than on the stereo version, as is 'The Gnome'. There's a whole layer of organ missing on the stereo mix at the start of 'Interstellar Overdrive' with a bongo fade-out and seriously different parts in 'Pow R Toch H'.
As the engineer said many years later "The omission of things in the stereo mixes was really just because of the time - or lack of it - spent over these"
Mono was the de-facto standard and the stereo mix, like 'Sgt Pepper', was pretty much cobbled together as an afterthought.
The Sleeve
The sleeve has some light creasing across the top right corner, otherwise minimal signs of age. The flipbacks are secure & undamaged & all text clearly legible. 'File Under Popular: Pop Groups' and 'Also available on Stereo No. SCX6157' text is prominent & the the Ernest J. Day & Co. sleeve is dated 6709, and includes an EMI inner which shows only a little age wear.
The Disc
The labels are the blue and black Columbia design with "The Gramophone Co Ltd" and "Sold In UK Subject To" text.
The vinyl has retained its sheen with a faint starburst effect and shows just light surface paper scuffs and the odd faint hairline, with nothing to interfere with play.
The matrix numbers are :
XAX 3419-2 On Side One
XAX 3420-1 On Side Two
All in all, a very nice Excellent copy of this scarce album, and a wonderful addition to your collection.
Tracklisting
1. Astronomy Dominé
2. Lucifer Sam
3. Matilda Mother
4. Flaming
5. Pow R Toc H
6. Take Up Thy Stethoscope And Walk
7. Interstellar Overdrive
8. The Gnome
9. Chapter 24
10. Scarecrow
11. Bike
LP RECORD
|