SKIP JAMES Today PURE PLEASURE RECORDS 180g AUDIOPHILE pressing NM

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SKIP JAMES Today! 
Pure Pleasure Records VSD-79219 - 180 gram All Analog Audiophile pressing

Tracklist

A1 Hard Time Killing Floor Blues 3:21 A2 Crow Jane 2:57 A3 Washington D.C. Hospital Center Blues 4:10 A4 Special Rider Blues 5:08 A5 Drunken Spree 2:47 A6 Cherryball 4:24

B1 How Long Bass – Russ SavakusWritten-By – Leroy Carr 2:55 B2 All Night Long 5:00 B3 Cypress Grove 4:18 B4 Look Down The Road 3:14 B5 My Gal 6:05 B6 I'm So Glad 1:54

*(all photos are of the actual item)

• Mastered At – AcousTech Mastering
• Lacquer Cut At – Record Technology Incorporated  

• Remastered By – Kevin Gray, Steve Hoffman
• Vocals, Guitar, Piano – Skip James
• Written-By – Skip James (tracks: A1 to A6, B2 to B6)

Notes

Reissue as mentioned on bottom of the back cover: "Manufactured and distributed by www.purepleasurerecords.com. The copyright in this sound recording is owned by Vanguard Records, a Welk Music Group Company
(P) 1966 Vanguard Records, a Welk Music Group Company, licensed from Ace records Ltd. Taken from the Vanguard CD "Skip James" (VMD 79219)"

Note however that the "taken from CD" credit was insisted upon by the licensor rather than a reflection of the actual source: the source material for the release - according to mastering engineer Kevin Gray - was analog tape.

Comes with color insert detailing other reissue pressings by Pure Pleasure Records of Vanguard releases.      "…a swell-sounding LP of a no-nonsense, intimate, indelibly pure-sounding document, unencumbered by studio detritus…Skip James's cool, plaintive, ghost-like, high-pitched wail produces soft chills starting with the opener…We're lucky to have this extraordinarily fine recording of an authentic blues master once again made available on AAA vinyl." Music = 8/11; Sound = 8/11 – Michael Fremer, musicangle.

As far as we at Acoustic Sounds are concerned, this is the most anticipated and exciting reissue we can remember. Seriously! That's how awesome this record is! 

Acoustic Sounds owner Chad Kassem has tried for years to convince someone to reissue this stunningly incredible-sounding album. The opening track, "Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues" is one of Kassem's absolute go-to tunes when he's trying to "really freak someone out about vinyl and Hi-Fi." That track alone is worth this purchase – there's absolutely no disputing that guarantee! A more spooky, haunting, emotional song does not exist.

You might not know anything about this record. You may never have heard of Skip James. You might not think you like blues. You might not normally listen to recommendations. But if ever you're going to take some advice, now's the time – BUY THIS RECORD. You can't miss.

Nehemiah "Skip" James is one of the Delta Blues giants and one of the genre's earliest recording artists. He was born in Bentonia, Mississippi in 1902 and began his recording career in 1931 for the Paramount Records label – the same Grafton, Wisconsin-based company that cut the ultra-famous sides by Robert Johnson, Son House, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Charley Patton, Blind Blake and pretty much every other pre-war blues artist that's still remembered today. 

After that Paramount session and its resulting 26 sides, James went relatively unheard for the next 33 years. He followed in his father's footsteps and became a Baptist minister. But in 1964, three record collectors went in search of Skip James and found him. The three booked him at the 1964 Newport Folk Festival, and James' comeback was born. Thank God for that! This record was recorded shortly after the rediscovery. Amazingly, James' musicianship was still utterly remarkable, even though his health had begun to fail and he would die just five years later. What sets Skip James' talent apart, aside from his equal mastery of both the guitar and piano, is his haunting falsetto singing. You've got to hear it for yourself. This record allows us a glimpse into a long-gone world. 

Mastered by Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman.

"Based upon the diversity of music, quality of product and their extraordinary rate of progress, Pure Pleasure Records is our re-issue record company of the year." 
- hi-fi+
Featured in Michael Fremer's Heavy Rotation in the July 2007 Issue of Stereophile! Pressed at Pallas in Germany!