WHO – WHO’S NEXT: MCA ALL ANALOG PROCESSING 180G VIRGIN VINYL: AUDIOPHILE EDITION (CD)

$35.00

JAPANESE RELEASES – CD

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Band standing near large monolith outdoors.

Description

☆Not only is “WHO’S NEXT” a career-high masterpiece for The Who, it’s also a defining album of 1970s rock. Now, it’s finally here! In 1995, MCA traced the original analog master tapes back to the original, commissioning master engineer Kevin Gray to cut this limited-edition LP using an all-analog process. The result is a stunning sound that easily surpasses the common belief that vinyl is warm. From delicate acoustic phrasing to hard rock sounds, it’s so exquisite you’d mistake it for a remix. This CD captures the highest quality sound, surpassing current remasters! Enjoy! A must-listen!
This week we are releasing not only the highest quality version of their first album, “MY GENERATION,” but also a meticulously crafted CD version of the rare LP, “WHO’S NEXT,” a masterpiece that could be called The Who’s milestone, boasting the highest quality sound!
Not only is it one of The Who’s greatest albums, but it’s also considered a masterpiece that represents 1970s rock, so there are many items related to “WHO’S NEXT.” Of course, just like the simultaneous release of “MY GENERATION,” “WHO’S NEXT” was also released as a limited edition LP by Classic Records. However, among these items, an unexpected hidden gem was the LP released by MCA Records in 1995. 1995 was a time when vinyl releases were often overlooked amid the heyday of CDs.
It was against this backdrop that the MCA LP, now being released on CD, was created in 1995 by commissioning master engineer Kevin Gray to create an all-analog LP from the master tapes. While the all-analog process is now widely recognized as a standard method for re-issuing albums from the 1960s and 1970s, MCA’s decision to release an LP using such a process in 1995, a time when digital was king, was nothing short of visionary.
What’s more, the sound quality is truly excellent. This album gives the impression of being a hard rock album due to the presence of synthesizer-infused masterpieces like “Baba O’Riley” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” but in fact, the album as a whole is woven together with a very delicate sound that makes extensive use of acoustic guitar.
It’s still fresh in our memory that a deluxe edition of this album was released a few years ago and was newly remastered. This current remaster puts emphasis on the hard sound mentioned above, and it’s impressive. However, at the same time, it can’t be denied that it sounds “intrusive.”
In this respect, the crystal clear sound of the MCA version is shocking. Words like “warm” no longer apply; the crystal clear analog feel is on a whole different level from current remasters. The difference is clear even in songs with a typical “WHO’S NEXT” sound, such as “Bargain” and “Love Ain’t For Keeping” on side A, which feature hard playing but acoustic guitars.
The difference becomes even more pronounced on the B-side of the album, enough to make some enthusiasts wonder if the MCA version uses a remixed master! Indeed, when faced with the delicacy of “Behind Blue Eyes” and the raw wildness of “Won’t Get Fooled Again,” the feel is completely different from the recent remasters, so it’s no wonder people mistake it for a different mix.
It’s amazing that MCA was able to fully utilize this analog feel in 1995 when they released this LP. The result is the clear sound we’ve been talking about, but that also means there are many quiet sections, which naturally means the LP is prone to scratch noise. Though it’s a relatively recent pressing, it’s still an LP that was released 30 years ago. The scratch noise that occurs during playback has been completely eliminated, and the clarity from edge to edge is on a whole different level from a simple CD conversion from LP.
This rare MCA LP from the 1990s is a hidden gem, known for its exceptional sound quality and crystal clear instrument sound. Now, the shocking playback quality of this little-known LP can be enjoyed easily and noiselessly from start to finish. Simply listen to it and you’ll understand how amazing it is!
(43:44)
Side A
1. Baba O’Riley
2. Bargain
3. Love Ain’t For Keeping
4. My Wife
5.The Song Is Over

Side B
6. Getting In Tune
7. Going Mobile
8. Behind Blue Eyes
9. Won’t Get Fooled Again

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