(repost from December 2013)

4AD’s 7(!)-disc vinyl re-release of the Breeders’ “Last Splash.”  First reaction: This thing is heavy!

What shows up as green in my pics (including the front, back, and interior of the box) is in fact flocked velvet (as in Hammer?).  I wonder how that will work out in the CD version.

The inside of the top of the box shows very good attention to detail  🙂

The three albums: the original release, the live “Stockholm Syndrome” (where was that recorded?) available “for the first time in its entirety,” and a third album of BBC sessions and demos.

But wait, there’s more!

I heart digital downloads cards:

Also included are 10″ vinyl versions of the four EPs that were released in conjunction with the album.

 All of the artwork is remixes of the originals.

So….4AD are known for their packaging, but surely this is one of their best efforts. 

Now I guess I should go listen to it  🙂

-R

(Update:  all of the discs have die-cut heavy paper inner sleeves, silver in color and with surprisingly readable white text, with a pattern of raised bumps every 1cm, which makes a nice tactile contrast with the velvety smoothness of the outer packaging.

I’m a wee bit disappointed with the records’ sleeves, most of which seem designed by the following algorithm:  (1) take the original release’s artwork (2) mix it up with some other Breeders artwork (3) stop.

One grumpiness: Why don’t these records sound better?  Vinyl can sound as good as, if different from, CD…witness late releases by Django Django, !!!, and Death Grips.   All of the records in this release seem to be pressed on 180g vinyl, but on some they’re overly-trebly, and one of the EPs has scuffing.  Also, they’re all dirty….by which I mean there’s a lot of gunk apparently left over from pressing/assembling, so they really need a good cleaning before listening.  The packaging is an A+ and the pressing is at best a B.

From the booklet: From Josephine’s Tour Diary June 3, 1993 – Dayton: “4AD Art Director Vaughan Oliver has sent a fax with sketches for the design of the ‘Cannonball’ single.  His latest idea, as he describes it, is a photograph of a ‘man’s testicle alone (pushed through a piece of card to ensure its loneliness).’  He says he has tried it that very morning and ‘It looks super.'”  He doesn’t mention how it feels.

My two favorite images from the booklet, sweaty/lickable Jim and frozen Kim:

(Taken by Josephine:)

Does that remind you an album cover?

-R