REISSUES. TO BUY OR NOT TO BUY? That is the question, and these days there's a whole bunch of reissues demanding our attention. But are they any good? Are they worth it, because they're never cheap. And if you're like me you probably already own the original pressing (or close to it), so you're probably wondering if you need to re-buy something that's already in your collection just because somebody has fiddled around with it and - supposedly - made it better. Mind you, the added bonus tracks the artist never intended you to hear might also be an attraction.
I am of a mixed mind about reissues. I love the Blue Note Tone Poet and Classic series reissues, and before them Music Matters Jazz (MMJ) was putting out some incredible Blue Note reissues that I also really liked. Then there's Analogue Productions, who are doing a very impressive job with their Acoustic Sounds imprint. Every one of these labels is committed to bringing to market the absolute best-sounding product they are capable of producing and they all sound amazing. But the question remains - are they worth it?
Well, I only have four Music Matters Jazz reissues because they're so expensive. But I have in my collection almost all of the Blue Note Tone Poet and Classic releases, and most of the Acoustic Sounds series, too. Every single one of them is magnificent in every respect. What makes them so good? The source, primarily. Every one of those reissues is sourced from the original analogue master tapes. But that's not all. The tapes were treated with respect, even repaired where necessary, and the re-mastering was done by people who really knew what they were doing. The records were then pressed on the very best vinyl available and inserted into archive quality inner sleeves, which were in turn tucked into old-style tip-in Stoughton jackets - gatefolds, in the case of most Tone Poets and Acoustic Sounds reissues.
So what does all this mean? Simply put, it means the reissues are some of the best sounding and looking records you can have in tour collection. Everything about them is first class.
Let's start with the source.
Blue Note is - basically - jazz. From Blue Train to anything Grant Green or Kenny Burrell were running their fingers up and down, to Jimmy Smith and Horace Silver. Even Miles Davis made a couple of appearances on Blue Note, and as the label's 80th year approached president Don Was wanted to create a series of reissues that focused entirely on quality and value - two things that do not often go hand-in-hand in the record business, as evidenced by the label's 75th anniversary reissue series, initiated in 2014, that is today regarded as inferior by just about everybody. Was thought Blue Note could do so much better, and was very much impressed with what Music Matters Jazz was doing. He also knew that, in addition to the classics everyone knew and loved, there were a lot of lesser known works on the shelves in the Blue Note vaults, many that for whatever reason had never been released. Thus was born the Tone Poet series. "Tone Poet" refers to Joe Harley, who Was nicked from MMJ with the promise that he could do pretty much whatever he wanted so long as it was just as good as what he was doing at MMJ. He also gave him unlimited Willy Wonka-like access to the hallowed Blue Note vaults. Harley recalled that, "He literally said, 'however you do it for Music Matters, that’s how we want to do it here. And I want you to help us achieve that.' How could I say no?”
Given the unlimited access to the vaults, Harley was able to get his hands on whatever master tapes he wanted, and he took full advantage of the opportunity. Theoretically, master tapes are capable of exposing audio characteristics even more accurate than what appeared on the original pressings - in the right hands, that is. And Harley just happens to be attached to a pair of those hands! The difference between what he was doing at MMJ and then at Blue Note comes down to, I think, the vault access he now enjoys. Although MMJ had access to certain tapes (on an application basis that presumably involved a fee), most of their output consisted of the traditional and well known hard bop classics. Coltrane's Blue Train, Cannonball Adderley's Something Else, Kenny Burrell's Midnight Blue - that sort of thing. That's what you do when you don't have unlimited access: you go for the sure-to-sells. But Harley's unrestricted access allowed him to go much deeper than that, and that's what really sets the Tone Poets apart. The Classic series, which also utilizes the analogue masters but doesn't have the same packaging, soon followed. In my opinion, the Tone Poets are every bit as good as the Music Matters Jazz reissues, and they're much more affordable.
Acoustic Sounds did more-or-less the same thing as MMJ with the Verve, Impulse, Contemporary, Philips, EmArcy and Decca labels. More labels will probably join the list as the Acoustic Sounds series gains even more critical acclaim and momentum.
So are they worth it? In the case of the Blue Note and Acoustic Sounds reissues - yes, without hesitation. They are truly excellent pressings, and I think some of them improve on the originals. Absolutely worth purchasing.
There are other labels that also do an excellent job with the the records they choose to release, too, including Mobile Fidelity (despite the analogue-digital issue currently ruffling feathers in Audiophile-land), Craft Recordings, Pure Pleasure, Light In The Attic, and others … but there are also a bunch of unscrupulous labels out there - mostly European - whose sole purpose is to get you buy a record that looks like an audiophile pressing but isn't. Those records might have nice looking jackets and be pressed on 180-gram vinyl, but they're sourced from other LPs, CDs or even mp3s. They capitalize on the lax European audio copyright laws, which has put the music into the public domain on that side of the pond. What they're doing is legal, but it's still a rip-off and, in my opinion, borders on fraud for making you think the reissues are better than what they actually are. TIP: if you see a classic (50-plus-years-old) jazz or blues LP with "alternative" artwork, it's most likely one of the European "bootleg" labels because although the music's copyright might have expired, the artwork copyright hasn't. My advice? Steer well clear!
And remember this - just because an album has been remastered and reissued doesn't mean it's better than the original pressing. Blue Note Tone Poets aside (they really are that good and they're usually much more affordable than original Blue Note pressings), I've found that a clean original copy of almost any LP will be the best pressing of all. They sound good - some incredibly so - and in many cases they're cheap, too. And because I have an ultrasonic record cleaner I'm not too concerned about dirty grooves or fingerprints. Truth is, if I have an original pressing of just about any record - or if I can get my hands on one for a decent price - I'm probably not going to buy the reissue. Having said that, a Tone Poet or Acoustic Sounds series pressing is almost always going to have a slot of my record shelf - even if it's right beside the original pressing!
I am of a mixed mind about reissues. I love the Blue Note Tone Poet and Classic series reissues, and before them Music Matters Jazz (MMJ) was putting out some incredible Blue Note reissues that I also really liked. Then there's Analogue Productions, who are doing a very impressive job with their Acoustic Sounds imprint. Every one of these labels is committed to bringing to market the absolute best-sounding product they are capable of producing and they all sound amazing. But the question remains - are they worth it?
Well, I only have four Music Matters Jazz reissues because they're so expensive. But I have in my collection almost all of the Blue Note Tone Poet and Classic releases, and most of the Acoustic Sounds series, too. Every single one of them is magnificent in every respect. What makes them so good? The source, primarily. Every one of those reissues is sourced from the original analogue master tapes. But that's not all. The tapes were treated with respect, even repaired where necessary, and the re-mastering was done by people who really knew what they were doing. The records were then pressed on the very best vinyl available and inserted into archive quality inner sleeves, which were in turn tucked into old-style tip-in Stoughton jackets - gatefolds, in the case of most Tone Poets and Acoustic Sounds reissues.
So what does all this mean? Simply put, it means the reissues are some of the best sounding and looking records you can have in tour collection. Everything about them is first class.
Let's start with the source.
Blue Note is - basically - jazz. From Blue Train to anything Grant Green or Kenny Burrell were running their fingers up and down, to Jimmy Smith and Horace Silver. Even Miles Davis made a couple of appearances on Blue Note, and as the label's 80th year approached president Don Was wanted to create a series of reissues that focused entirely on quality and value - two things that do not often go hand-in-hand in the record business, as evidenced by the label's 75th anniversary reissue series, initiated in 2014, that is today regarded as inferior by just about everybody. Was thought Blue Note could do so much better, and was very much impressed with what Music Matters Jazz was doing. He also knew that, in addition to the classics everyone knew and loved, there were a lot of lesser known works on the shelves in the Blue Note vaults, many that for whatever reason had never been released. Thus was born the Tone Poet series. "Tone Poet" refers to Joe Harley, who Was nicked from MMJ with the promise that he could do pretty much whatever he wanted so long as it was just as good as what he was doing at MMJ. He also gave him unlimited Willy Wonka-like access to the hallowed Blue Note vaults. Harley recalled that, "He literally said, 'however you do it for Music Matters, that’s how we want to do it here. And I want you to help us achieve that.' How could I say no?”
Given the unlimited access to the vaults, Harley was able to get his hands on whatever master tapes he wanted, and he took full advantage of the opportunity. Theoretically, master tapes are capable of exposing audio characteristics even more accurate than what appeared on the original pressings - in the right hands, that is. And Harley just happens to be attached to a pair of those hands! The difference between what he was doing at MMJ and then at Blue Note comes down to, I think, the vault access he now enjoys. Although MMJ had access to certain tapes (on an application basis that presumably involved a fee), most of their output consisted of the traditional and well known hard bop classics. Coltrane's Blue Train, Cannonball Adderley's Something Else, Kenny Burrell's Midnight Blue - that sort of thing. That's what you do when you don't have unlimited access: you go for the sure-to-sells. But Harley's unrestricted access allowed him to go much deeper than that, and that's what really sets the Tone Poets apart. The Classic series, which also utilizes the analogue masters but doesn't have the same packaging, soon followed. In my opinion, the Tone Poets are every bit as good as the Music Matters Jazz reissues, and they're much more affordable.
Acoustic Sounds did more-or-less the same thing as MMJ with the Verve, Impulse, Contemporary, Philips, EmArcy and Decca labels. More labels will probably join the list as the Acoustic Sounds series gains even more critical acclaim and momentum.
So are they worth it? In the case of the Blue Note and Acoustic Sounds reissues - yes, without hesitation. They are truly excellent pressings, and I think some of them improve on the originals. Absolutely worth purchasing.
There are other labels that also do an excellent job with the the records they choose to release, too, including Mobile Fidelity (despite the analogue-digital issue currently ruffling feathers in Audiophile-land), Craft Recordings, Pure Pleasure, Light In The Attic, and others … but there are also a bunch of unscrupulous labels out there - mostly European - whose sole purpose is to get you buy a record that looks like an audiophile pressing but isn't. Those records might have nice looking jackets and be pressed on 180-gram vinyl, but they're sourced from other LPs, CDs or even mp3s. They capitalize on the lax European audio copyright laws, which has put the music into the public domain on that side of the pond. What they're doing is legal, but it's still a rip-off and, in my opinion, borders on fraud for making you think the reissues are better than what they actually are. TIP: if you see a classic (50-plus-years-old) jazz or blues LP with "alternative" artwork, it's most likely one of the European "bootleg" labels because although the music's copyright might have expired, the artwork copyright hasn't. My advice? Steer well clear!
And remember this - just because an album has been remastered and reissued doesn't mean it's better than the original pressing. Blue Note Tone Poets aside (they really are that good and they're usually much more affordable than original Blue Note pressings), I've found that a clean original copy of almost any LP will be the best pressing of all. They sound good - some incredibly so - and in many cases they're cheap, too. And because I have an ultrasonic record cleaner I'm not too concerned about dirty grooves or fingerprints. Truth is, if I have an original pressing of just about any record - or if I can get my hands on one for a decent price - I'm probably not going to buy the reissue. Having said that, a Tone Poet or Acoustic Sounds series pressing is almost always going to have a slot of my record shelf - even if it's right beside the original pressing!
REISSUES. TO BUY OR NOT TO BUY? That is the question, and these days there's a whole bunch of reissues demanding our attention. But are they any good? Are they worth it, because they're never cheap. And if you're like me you probably already own the original pressing (or close to it), so you're probably wondering if you need to re-buy something that's already in your collection just because somebody has fiddled around with it and - supposedly - made it better. Mind you, the added bonus tracks the artist never intended you to hear might also be an attraction.
I am of a mixed mind about reissues. I love the Blue Note Tone Poet and Classic series reissues, and before them Music Matters Jazz (MMJ) was putting out some incredible Blue Note reissues that I also really liked. Then there's Analogue Productions, who are doing a very impressive job with their Acoustic Sounds imprint. Every one of these labels is committed to bringing to market the absolute best-sounding product they are capable of producing and they all sound amazing. But the question remains - are they worth it?
Well, I only have four Music Matters Jazz reissues because they're so expensive. But I have in my collection almost all of the Blue Note Tone Poet and Classic releases, and most of the Acoustic Sounds series, too. Every single one of them is magnificent in every respect. What makes them so good? The source, primarily. Every one of those reissues is sourced from the original analogue master tapes. But that's not all. The tapes were treated with respect, even repaired where necessary, and the re-mastering was done by people who really knew what they were doing. The records were then pressed on the very best vinyl available and inserted into archive quality inner sleeves, which were in turn tucked into old-style tip-in Stoughton jackets - gatefolds, in the case of most Tone Poets and Acoustic Sounds reissues.
So what does all this mean? Simply put, it means the reissues are some of the best sounding and looking records you can have in tour collection. Everything about them is first class.
Let's start with the source.
Blue Note is - basically - jazz. From Blue Train to anything Grant Green or Kenny Burrell were running their fingers up and down, to Jimmy Smith and Horace Silver. Even Miles Davis made a couple of appearances on Blue Note, and as the label's 80th year approached president Don Was wanted to create a series of reissues that focused entirely on quality and value - two things that do not often go hand-in-hand in the record business, as evidenced by the label's 75th anniversary reissue series, initiated in 2014, that is today regarded as inferior by just about everybody. Was thought Blue Note could do so much better, and was very much impressed with what Music Matters Jazz was doing. He also knew that, in addition to the classics everyone knew and loved, there were a lot of lesser known works on the shelves in the Blue Note vaults, many that for whatever reason had never been released. Thus was born the Tone Poet series. "Tone Poet" refers to Joe Harley, who Was nicked from MMJ with the promise that he could do pretty much whatever he wanted so long as it was just as good as what he was doing at MMJ. He also gave him unlimited Willy Wonka-like access to the hallowed Blue Note vaults. Harley recalled that, "He literally said, 'however you do it for Music Matters, that’s how we want to do it here. And I want you to help us achieve that.' How could I say no?”
Given the unlimited access to the vaults, Harley was able to get his hands on whatever master tapes he wanted, and he took full advantage of the opportunity. Theoretically, master tapes are capable of exposing audio characteristics even more accurate than what appeared on the original pressings - in the right hands, that is. And Harley just happens to be attached to a pair of those hands! The difference between what he was doing at MMJ and then at Blue Note comes down to, I think, the vault access he now enjoys. Although MMJ had access to certain tapes (on an application basis that presumably involved a fee), most of their output consisted of the traditional and well known hard bop classics. Coltrane's Blue Train, Cannonball Adderley's Something Else, Kenny Burrell's Midnight Blue - that sort of thing. That's what you do when you don't have unlimited access: you go for the sure-to-sells. But Harley's unrestricted access allowed him to go much deeper than that, and that's what really sets the Tone Poets apart. The Classic series, which also utilizes the analogue masters but doesn't have the same packaging, soon followed. In my opinion, the Tone Poets are every bit as good as the Music Matters Jazz reissues, and they're much more affordable.
Acoustic Sounds did more-or-less the same thing as MMJ with the Verve, Impulse, Contemporary, Philips, EmArcy and Decca labels. More labels will probably join the list as the Acoustic Sounds series gains even more critical acclaim and momentum.
So are they worth it? In the case of the Blue Note and Acoustic Sounds reissues - yes, without hesitation. They are truly excellent pressings, and I think some of them improve on the originals. Absolutely worth purchasing.
There are other labels that also do an excellent job with the the records they choose to release, too, including Mobile Fidelity (despite the analogue-digital issue currently ruffling feathers in Audiophile-land), Craft Recordings, Pure Pleasure, Light In The Attic, and others … but there are also a bunch of unscrupulous labels out there - mostly European - whose sole purpose is to get you buy a record that looks like an audiophile pressing but isn't. Those records might have nice looking jackets and be pressed on 180-gram vinyl, but they're sourced from other LPs, CDs or even mp3s. They capitalize on the lax European audio copyright laws, which has put the music into the public domain on that side of the pond. What they're doing is legal, but it's still a rip-off and, in my opinion, borders on fraud for making you think the reissues are better than what they actually are. TIP: if you see a classic (50-plus-years-old) jazz or blues LP with "alternative" artwork, it's most likely one of the European "bootleg" labels because although the music's copyright might have expired, the artwork copyright hasn't. My advice? Steer well clear!
And remember this - just because an album has been remastered and reissued doesn't mean it's better than the original pressing. Blue Note Tone Poets aside (they really are that good and they're usually much more affordable than original Blue Note pressings), I've found that a clean original copy of almost any LP will be the best pressing of all. They sound good - some incredibly so - and in many cases they're cheap, too. And because I have an ultrasonic record cleaner I'm not too concerned about dirty grooves or fingerprints. Truth is, if I have an original pressing of just about any record - or if I can get my hands on one for a decent price - I'm probably not going to buy the reissue. Having said that, a Tone Poet or Acoustic Sounds series pressing is almost always going to have a slot of my record shelf - even if it's right beside the original pressing!
I am of a mixed mind about reissues. I love the Blue Note Tone Poet and Classic series reissues, and before them Music Matters Jazz (MMJ) was putting out some incredible Blue Note reissues that I also really liked. Then there's Analogue Productions, who are doing a very impressive job with their Acoustic Sounds imprint. Every one of these labels is committed to bringing to market the absolute best-sounding product they are capable of producing and they all sound amazing. But the question remains - are they worth it?
Well, I only have four Music Matters Jazz reissues because they're so expensive. But I have in my collection almost all of the Blue Note Tone Poet and Classic releases, and most of the Acoustic Sounds series, too. Every single one of them is magnificent in every respect. What makes them so good? The source, primarily. Every one of those reissues is sourced from the original analogue master tapes. But that's not all. The tapes were treated with respect, even repaired where necessary, and the re-mastering was done by people who really knew what they were doing. The records were then pressed on the very best vinyl available and inserted into archive quality inner sleeves, which were in turn tucked into old-style tip-in Stoughton jackets - gatefolds, in the case of most Tone Poets and Acoustic Sounds reissues.
So what does all this mean? Simply put, it means the reissues are some of the best sounding and looking records you can have in tour collection. Everything about them is first class.
Let's start with the source.
Blue Note is - basically - jazz. From Blue Train to anything Grant Green or Kenny Burrell were running their fingers up and down, to Jimmy Smith and Horace Silver. Even Miles Davis made a couple of appearances on Blue Note, and as the label's 80th year approached president Don Was wanted to create a series of reissues that focused entirely on quality and value - two things that do not often go hand-in-hand in the record business, as evidenced by the label's 75th anniversary reissue series, initiated in 2014, that is today regarded as inferior by just about everybody. Was thought Blue Note could do so much better, and was very much impressed with what Music Matters Jazz was doing. He also knew that, in addition to the classics everyone knew and loved, there were a lot of lesser known works on the shelves in the Blue Note vaults, many that for whatever reason had never been released. Thus was born the Tone Poet series. "Tone Poet" refers to Joe Harley, who Was nicked from MMJ with the promise that he could do pretty much whatever he wanted so long as it was just as good as what he was doing at MMJ. He also gave him unlimited Willy Wonka-like access to the hallowed Blue Note vaults. Harley recalled that, "He literally said, 'however you do it for Music Matters, that’s how we want to do it here. And I want you to help us achieve that.' How could I say no?”
Given the unlimited access to the vaults, Harley was able to get his hands on whatever master tapes he wanted, and he took full advantage of the opportunity. Theoretically, master tapes are capable of exposing audio characteristics even more accurate than what appeared on the original pressings - in the right hands, that is. And Harley just happens to be attached to a pair of those hands! The difference between what he was doing at MMJ and then at Blue Note comes down to, I think, the vault access he now enjoys. Although MMJ had access to certain tapes (on an application basis that presumably involved a fee), most of their output consisted of the traditional and well known hard bop classics. Coltrane's Blue Train, Cannonball Adderley's Something Else, Kenny Burrell's Midnight Blue - that sort of thing. That's what you do when you don't have unlimited access: you go for the sure-to-sells. But Harley's unrestricted access allowed him to go much deeper than that, and that's what really sets the Tone Poets apart. The Classic series, which also utilizes the analogue masters but doesn't have the same packaging, soon followed. In my opinion, the Tone Poets are every bit as good as the Music Matters Jazz reissues, and they're much more affordable.
Acoustic Sounds did more-or-less the same thing as MMJ with the Verve, Impulse, Contemporary, Philips, EmArcy and Decca labels. More labels will probably join the list as the Acoustic Sounds series gains even more critical acclaim and momentum.
So are they worth it? In the case of the Blue Note and Acoustic Sounds reissues - yes, without hesitation. They are truly excellent pressings, and I think some of them improve on the originals. Absolutely worth purchasing.
There are other labels that also do an excellent job with the the records they choose to release, too, including Mobile Fidelity (despite the analogue-digital issue currently ruffling feathers in Audiophile-land), Craft Recordings, Pure Pleasure, Light In The Attic, and others … but there are also a bunch of unscrupulous labels out there - mostly European - whose sole purpose is to get you buy a record that looks like an audiophile pressing but isn't. Those records might have nice looking jackets and be pressed on 180-gram vinyl, but they're sourced from other LPs, CDs or even mp3s. They capitalize on the lax European audio copyright laws, which has put the music into the public domain on that side of the pond. What they're doing is legal, but it's still a rip-off and, in my opinion, borders on fraud for making you think the reissues are better than what they actually are. TIP: if you see a classic (50-plus-years-old) jazz or blues LP with "alternative" artwork, it's most likely one of the European "bootleg" labels because although the music's copyright might have expired, the artwork copyright hasn't. My advice? Steer well clear!
And remember this - just because an album has been remastered and reissued doesn't mean it's better than the original pressing. Blue Note Tone Poets aside (they really are that good and they're usually much more affordable than original Blue Note pressings), I've found that a clean original copy of almost any LP will be the best pressing of all. They sound good - some incredibly so - and in many cases they're cheap, too. And because I have an ultrasonic record cleaner I'm not too concerned about dirty grooves or fingerprints. Truth is, if I have an original pressing of just about any record - or if I can get my hands on one for a decent price - I'm probably not going to buy the reissue. Having said that, a Tone Poet or Acoustic Sounds series pressing is almost always going to have a slot of my record shelf - even if it's right beside the original pressing!
BONUS TRACK
An original pressing is a vinyl record that was made from the initial batch of lacquers in the production process and cut from the original master tapes (or maybe it's better to say "files" these days). It is the first run of records to be pressed, and many collectors consider them to be the definitive and best sounding pressings because the lacquers lack any wear and tear. A popular record will have 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th pressings - and so on - until it isn't popular anymore, and those pressings might be created using different lacquers because the first one might have worn out. The original master tapes might be used to make the new lacquers, but every time they are they incur additional wear and tear. If a copy of the master tape is made, the new master becomes the next generation master.
These days, decades after the original release in many cases, the original masters might be brittle or otherwise damaged due to the passage of time and it might be necessary for a copy to be made and used instead, and these days that copy might be a digital copy. Because of this, later pressings could be seen to be inferior - at least according to vinyl purists, and - sometimes - me. These pressings could be considered reissues; however, a reissue is more likely to be a record that has also been remastered, meaning somebody has gone into the original recording and "improved" it. In many instances this is what actually happens, but sometimes we end up with something that's just different - not better.
Most recordings are remastered either for new audio formats or in order to employ new tools to make improvements previously thought impossible. The 3-LP Centennial Collection of Robert Johnson's entire output, released on Record Store Day in 2017, is an excellent example of a very well-done reissue. It was restored as well as remastered. Surface noise from the original 78-rpm recordings (the only available sources) as well as background noises were removed, and Johnson's guitar and voice were pushed forward. There is a spaciousness that was previously missing, so much so it seems as though Robert Johnson is sitting in a chair across from me, right there between the speakers. It's an impressive improvement.
Vinyl reissues have come a long way since the 1970s, 80s and 90s, which weren't the best of times for records due, in part, to the quality of the vinyl being used and the fact that digital mastering, still more-or-less in its infancy, was seen to be the gee-whiz better way of doing things. Remember "DDD" on CD packaging? There were even "totally digital" vinyl records, such as what the GRP label was putting out (which actually sounded pretty good). Also, the pressing plants were old and the equipment outdated. For a while, analogue records were considered passé and mostly an annoyance by record companies, who often used masters intended only for CD to produce them.
Since then things have turned around and the quality of vinyl reissues has increased significantly, especially in the last four or five years. But it comes with a price. Records now cost a lot more than they used to, and if the original master tapes are used it can be even more expensive. But no matter what, the proof is still in the listening. Do the research. Read reviews and listen to different pressings if you are able to. It’s not worth spending hard-earned cash on a high-priced reissue if you don't like how it sounds. I, for example, have never liked the way Jethro Tull's Thick As A Brick reissue on Mobile Fidelity sounds. To me it's as though a blanket has been draped over my speakers. But I own it (I've had it for decades so it didn't cost very much when I bought it) and it's now worth a lot of money - so I plan to sell it and I think I'll pick up a copy of Steven Wilson's 50th half-speed master reissue to replace it.
It just never stops!
An original pressing is a vinyl record that was made from the initial batch of lacquers in the production process and cut from the original master tapes (or maybe it's better to say "files" these days). It is the first run of records to be pressed, and many collectors consider them to be the definitive and best sounding pressings because the lacquers lack any wear and tear. A popular record will have 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th pressings - and so on - until it isn't popular anymore, and those pressings might be created using different lacquers because the first one might have worn out. The original master tapes might be used to make the new lacquers, but every time they are they incur additional wear and tear. If a copy of the master tape is made, the new master becomes the next generation master.
These days, decades after the original release in many cases, the original masters might be brittle or otherwise damaged due to the passage of time and it might be necessary for a copy to be made and used instead, and these days that copy might be a digital copy. Because of this, later pressings could be seen to be inferior - at least according to vinyl purists, and - sometimes - me. These pressings could be considered reissues; however, a reissue is more likely to be a record that has also been remastered, meaning somebody has gone into the original recording and "improved" it. In many instances this is what actually happens, but sometimes we end up with something that's just different - not better.
Most recordings are remastered either for new audio formats or in order to employ new tools to make improvements previously thought impossible. The 3-LP Centennial Collection of Robert Johnson's entire output, released on Record Store Day in 2017, is an excellent example of a very well-done reissue. It was restored as well as remastered. Surface noise from the original 78-rpm recordings (the only available sources) as well as background noises were removed, and Johnson's guitar and voice were pushed forward. There is a spaciousness that was previously missing, so much so it seems as though Robert Johnson is sitting in a chair across from me, right there between the speakers. It's an impressive improvement.
Vinyl reissues have come a long way since the 1970s, 80s and 90s, which weren't the best of times for records due, in part, to the quality of the vinyl being used and the fact that digital mastering, still more-or-less in its infancy, was seen to be the gee-whiz better way of doing things. Remember "DDD" on CD packaging? There were even "totally digital" vinyl records, such as what the GRP label was putting out (which actually sounded pretty good). Also, the pressing plants were old and the equipment outdated. For a while, analogue records were considered passé and mostly an annoyance by record companies, who often used masters intended only for CD to produce them.
Since then things have turned around and the quality of vinyl reissues has increased significantly, especially in the last four or five years. But it comes with a price. Records now cost a lot more than they used to, and if the original master tapes are used it can be even more expensive. But no matter what, the proof is still in the listening. Do the research. Read reviews and listen to different pressings if you are able to. It’s not worth spending hard-earned cash on a high-priced reissue if you don't like how it sounds. I, for example, have never liked the way Jethro Tull's Thick As A Brick reissue on Mobile Fidelity sounds. To me it's as though a blanket has been draped over my speakers. But I own it (I've had it for decades so it didn't cost very much when I bought it) and it's now worth a lot of money - so I plan to sell it and I think I'll pick up a copy of Steven Wilson's 50th half-speed master reissue to replace it.
It just never stops!
