NICK DRAKE BRYTER LAYTER A1/B1 1st UK PRESS *Stunning* AUDIO & TEXTURED COVER
£
376
$
498
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Description
Nick Drake : Bryter Layter A1/B1
This album needs no introduction as we all know how rare and collectable these first pressings are today. It plays to a wonderful standard with only some intermittent 'background' on S2 which is described in full below and is not that intrusive. Overall the clarity is exceptional and there is just the one click!
The vinyl is visually stunning and is without doubt the most impressive I have ever seen. The textured cover is also in superb condition as is the original blue 'island' inner. A fantastic 'package' overall.
This UK press on the pink rim Island label is a genuine first press as denoted by 'Stereo' being on the right side of the label and the track times do not have brackets around them.
ILPS 9134 // A - 1U / B - 1U // M 1 / O 1
The audio on S1 is Near Mint (Mint- for the majority / track 1 G for first second! / t4 Near Mint-)
The audio on S2 is Near Mint (Mint- in some sections / t1 Ex- final minute / t2 VG+ & first half of t3 also)
The cover is Ex++
The labels are Mint
The original inner sleeve is Ex+
Visual grading
The vinyl is in superb condition and looks hardly played as I cannot detect any spindle wear at all. It has a stunning glossy sheen and has only one small hairline mark on S1 that has no affect on the superb quality of the audio. Apart from that all I can see are a handful of mega faint sleeve removal hairlines which are very difficult to spot! I have never seen one as clean as this and there are no marks or scratches to be seen. The run out grooves are in lovely condition and the pink rim labels are spotless and super clean.
Play grading
Firstly I will say that S1 plays beautifully and with a clarity that is rarely found on these genuine first pressings. The only 'background' is literally at the start of 'Introduction' where there is one click but apart from that this acoustic number plays with stunning definition and no other interference. It is such an impressive opening - no static, no crackle and no other clicks or pops. A difficult one to grade in a way, I guess G for the first second and Mint- for the remainder.
'Hazey Jane II' plays with 'crystal clear' audio from the very first groove and continues in the same immaculate way with no intrusion of any kind. I will always mention anything and everything that I hear and the only 'background', if you can call it that, is one mega light dust tick during the fourth verse, you could even miss it! This classic plays with a sonic quality that you hardly ever find on these genuine first pressings and it is no exaggeration to grade this as Mint- the playback cannot be faulted in anyway. I cannot emphasise enough just how impressive the playback is.
The acoustic intro on 'At The Chime Of A City Clock' plays with wonderful clarity, practically 'as new'. The first verse is equal to this and there is just one very light tick at the end of the first chorus. Thereafter is plays with incredible precision and no obvious 'background' at all. There is just a very minor touch of 'hiss' in a couple of places but it is so quiet as to be barely audible and that is my honest assessment. A little more on the fade out as the music is so quiet here...obviously! The clarity is still exceptional for a record fast approaching 50 years of age and is infinitely worthy of a Near Mint grading.
There is only very minimal hiss on the 'One Of These Things First' acoustic intro and as soon as the piano comes in it cannot be heard. It continues to impress with wonderful clarity and only a handful of dust ticks. Again there is just a hint of background hiss every now and then but I must stress it is in no way intrusive and each note can be heard so clearly. There cannot be many first pressings that play as well as this. The clarity and depth of the audio remains super impressive and there is not one single click or pop and no static or crackle either. A Near Mint- version overall but with a fade out that plays with perfect Mint precision - no 'background' of any kind.
With complete silence in the dead wax 'Hazey Jane I' is 'as new' from the very start. It is difficult not repeating myself but when you find such a rare record playing as beautifully as this it is nigh on impossible! The first verse is spectacular and plays with a 'freshness' and clarity of sound that is quite simply breathtaking. I am delighted to say it continues in the same manner, a couple of dust ticks perhaps and a minimal hint of barely audible static, but absolutely nothing that can be classed as interference and the instrumental end section is just stunning, no other word for it. An astounding version to end the side. This is Near Mint but the vast majority is better than that in my opinion!
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'Bryter Later' on S2 plays with great clarity from the word go again there are no clicks or pops, just a couple of minor dust ticks. It continues to play with beautifully clear audio although for the final minute there is a very light hiss in the background that is audible once per revolution of the record. It is very quiet and I do sit extremely close to the speakers which is why it seems a little more obvious but when I stand in the centre of the room it is hardly noticeable. So the vast majority of this instrumental grades as Near Mint and the final minute as Ex- in my opinion. I do not wish to be overly critical as this is without doubt a very impressive opening track and the 'background' is not that intrusive and as stated there are no clicks or pops, 'all' of the music can be heard very clearly.
This static hiss is more obvious in the dead wax and then on the 'Fly' intro also. Again it is only audible once per revolution of the record and whilst it isn't loud it is a little more intrusive on this song. I would say it is more of a gentle 'whoosh' sound but there is no other interference - no clicks, pops or crackle. I have actually just played it again whilst stood in the centre of the room and whilst it is audible it certainly isn't loud. I will err on the side of caution however and grade as VG+ which I think is a fair assessment.
'Poor Boy' plays in a similar way for the first half but again this 'whoosh' is gentle and not that intrusive. Many sections still play very clearly indeed i.e. the first chorus from Troy and Arnold is nigh on perfect. From the half way point there is barely any 'background' and the jazzy piano section is superb. The rest of the track is of same standard and the fade out plays with great clarity and precision.
'Northern Sky' is stunning from the very first note. 'Beautiful' is a word that can easily be used when describing this album as the melodies and musicianship are sublime not forgetting the introspective lyrics. Nowhere is this more in evidence than on this classic track. It does indeed play beautifully and with such delicate precision. There is only the bare minimum of static hiss, so little that is scarcely worth a mention! The clarity is so impressive when you consider how many of these first pressings play today. This is unquestionably Near Mint and there is no intrusion on the audio whatsoever. A beautiful version.
'Sunday' brings this classic album to a suitably stunning end. The flute intro is mesmeric in its quality - the clarity is astounding, what an intro! It continues to play in the same majestic style and you would think this record was pressed this year not 1970! With only a handful of barely audible dust ticks this is as close to audio perfection as could be. This is audio of the highest quality and to the final note it plays with a clarity and precision that is just so hard to find today. Another Mint- track I am confident in saying. It provides an emotive and fitting end to this classic album.
In summary this is fine example of this classic rare album and any avid collector would be very impressed by the clarity and sonic quality on offer here. The vast majority plays with amazing audio and that is especially the case on S1. There is some 'background' on S2, as I have described in detail, but it is not over-powering in any way and again there are no clicks, pops or crackle. Not only that but the record is visually stunning and that also applies to the cover which is without doubt the best I have ever seen. The correct 'Island' inner is also in superb condition.
The Cover
This iconic E.J. Day textured cover is in wonderful condition and it would be difficult to find better! The thin edges have only minimal rubbing and whilst the thin pinched spine may be compressed slightly it nonetheless remains in excellent order and is still 100% legible. It has no marking or rubs of any kind. All four corners are in remarkable condition with no wear and you don't need me to tell you how rare this is! The opening edge is pristine with no handling wear whatsoever - wow! The front cover is beautiful and has lost none of its original colour and has just the one faint crease in the top left corner. There is very little white 'spotting' and again this is rare on this textured cover. The back cover is just as impressive with no marking and barely any spotting.
This cover has been so well preserved down the years, hardly handled I would say, and that provides further evidence of a vinyl rarely played. An Ex++ grade is an honest grading I believe although many might think it is better than that!
Inner Sleeve
The original lightly blue coloured poly-lined 'Island' inner is in lovely condition with no side splits and only some light wavy creasing. It has no marks or stains at all. It's rare to find one this clean and is often missing as well!
The Labels
The pink rim 'Island' labels are totally pristine! They have no marking/writing and no sign of any spindle wear. They are stunning examples!
Play tested on my Pro-Ject Essential III Turntable // B & W 684 Speakers
This record has been professionally cleaned on a Pro-Ject VC-S machine
ILPS 9134 // A - 1U / B - 1U // M 1 / O 1
I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines.
Any questions please feel free to ask
Please pay within 4 days of auction end
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Postage & Packaging
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