Genesis – Selling England By The Pound

I’m beginning to believe there’s more than one pressing of this carrying the Atlantic 75 logo. After hearing a friend’s rip of the accompanying SACD edition’s DSD, I was expecting to be somewhat disappointed, but decided this was the best title amongst those I personally love (within the AP/A75 series) to bring into my collection. AND WOW! Faraway from my own setup, even this Ortofon Red cartridge on a Pro-Ject turntable with a noticeable yet minimal hum transferred through the platter to the stylus (piped through a Cambridge Audio Topaz AM10 amp and a borrowed pair of Audio Technica ATH-M50x headphones which I would estimate cost about $250-$300 new to purchase), I am _amazed_ at everything I can hear through this ittedly limited audio chain setup! The copy to which I’m listening (so far only on Side 1) is surprisingly realistic and precise (to the point that one notices the point in “Dancing With the Moonlit Knight” at which either Peter’s vocal changes from one take to another, beginning on the word “Paperlate,” or he takes a serious step away from the microphone to compensate for volume (thus thinning his voice out, EQ-wise, in the process). I had to listen to the intro to “I Know What I Like (in Your Wardrobe)” FOUR times in a row, as this is the first time ever I’ve been able to recognize the sustained acoustic piano’s overtones (processed through a long delay plate) in the musique concrete at the song’s beginning, a section which sounds VERY much like a lawnmower now, and atop that the first hit of the simulated “talking drum” in the right channel sounds vertically 3D. To my understanding, all other pressings of this release have a 24-minute side and a 27-minute side, meaning the mastering engineer or cutting engineer would need to reduce the stereo separation and/or cutting head… or the mixing engineer would need to compensate ahead of time for the mix. Thankfully, the mixing engineer did not compensate by limiting stereo separation or bass frequencies… and I hear it in this pressing (down to the premature pan of the vocals to the right channel for the raspberry in “I Know What I Like…” which ends up placing the last syllable of “lovebirds” about 66% in the right channel instead of the raspberry itself which returns approximately 15% left. I now hear tuned “coconut shells” in the second chorus of the song (likely played at the top fret of on a guitar’s muted, lowest strings muted at the highest “fret”). Things aren’t perfect all around, however: the drums (or perhaps only the cymbals) suddenly contain a noticeable shrillness after the second chorus.

Of course, I also have frustrations about this pressing. I’ve yet to buy an AP pressing of _anything_ which is properly centered (and I’ve bought four titles so far… quite bad luck if someone is to tell me AP’s pressings are usually centred and I just happened to pick _four_ uncentered pressings… not majorly offcentred, and thankfully 45-rpm speeds and a generously-sized inner deadwax/outtake groove minimizes pitch fluctuation to pretty much negligible levels). Does anyone else hear the dropout on the word “drowned” in “Dancing With the Moonlit Knight” (mostly in the right channel, although the left channel is also partially affected), or is it just my copy? Okay, okay, _maybe_ my Side 2 sounds a little flatter than Side 1, but it’s not enough to make regret buying this copy… and it may be from the master tape itself, because when the synth solo comes in on “Firth of Fifth” (following a now extremely obvious edit), the synth and slightly distorted bass come to LIFE, with tons of stereo separation, and Phil’s hi-hat suddenly sizzles dominantly in dead centre… and hard-panned maracas pairs (one left, one right) even sparkle (if that could ever be possible) while Steve’s guitar tone sounds round, albeit a bit recessed. Mike’s 12-string in the left channel is a bit more present in the hi-mids than anywhere else, but with such a busy mix how can one expect it could be brought out across the complete spectrum? Thankfully, his bass pedals do more than compensate, and his slightly-right-of-centre electric bass is _well_ reproduced. Peter’s twinned vocal is nowhere near as warm as it was at the beginning of Side 1, but he’s also singing much louder and in a MUCH busier mix. (Wow! There’s phasing on the outro piano in “Firth of Fifth”?) And yes, Phil’s voice sounds a little two-dimensional in “More Fool Me” (as if someone placed quite a bit of compression on his take), but the guitars provide an appreciable amount of sparkle in compensation. Two sides in and I’ve yet to regret my purchase. And yes, my Side 2 also has Chris Bellman(?)’s initials “CB” in the deadwax.

Yes, the Mellotron flutes sound flat at the beginning of “The Battle of Epping Forest,” but the guitar in the left channel compensates, the stereo-panned footsteps (starting from being panned hard left before literally alternating left, right, left, right until they’re all panned into the far right… in fact, everything’s panned hard right, _except_ for the guitar which is still hard left). Once the band kicks in, I could complain that the bassEQ has been reduced (making Mike’s bass sound somewhat toppy/hi-middy), but once again I seriously believe this is from the original mix itself. The drums sound reasonably detailed, the chorus on Tony’s piano adequately gives it a bit more life, and Steve’s trickling-treenuts and crow-call effects are quite present in the far left channel). Steve’s voice, you ask? Still not as warm as the beginning of Side 1, but quite appreciable. Tony’s synth after the words “all together” are quite centre and deep in the soundstage (a placement further intensified by the reverb placed on it). Steve’s plucked chords after the word “picnic” echo across the soundstage (real guitar at far-left, reverb/echo somewhere about 50%, perhaps 40% right). By the time the reverend appears, the lone cymbal bell hit peals cleanly and the acoustic guitars (Steve to far left? Mike at perfect centre?) compensate in both hi-end and detail for anything which might have been missing beforehand. Phil’s drums are somewhat deep in the soundscape and somewhat lower in volume from the rest here, but considering I’ve been annoyed by mixes which placed _everything_ up front, I will avoid complaining here (and concede this may once again be due to the original mix). Does anyone hear either Steve’s sustained notes or Tony playing a rather square-waved lead in the right channel just before the momentarily “barrelhouse” (and continuously chorused) piano comes in just before Peter intones, “That’s why we’re in…”)? Another edit now become obvious on this pressing, as a noticeable click can now be heard an extreme split-second before the following “…battle of Epping Forest, this is the Battle of Epping Forest…” (The trade-off in getting a detailed copy…) Tony’s long-attack synth lead after the next series of “picnic(s)” now reveals a synthesized “breathiness” and a slight envelope filtering similar to a subtle wah-wah pedal while the handclaps are impressively lifelike. Yes, the B3 sounds flat, but it’s a _B3_ played clean without any Leslie rotation… and by the time Tony plays chords on it, the reverb and possibly a very subtle chorus rounds out it sound somewhat. A tiny bit of sibilence on “There’s _no_-one left alive, must be a draw,” and some noticeable distortion in the low end before Steve Overall? I will it the mix isn’t computer-mix-era perfect… but there’s a LOT here in this recording for any one human to handle!

Steve’s guitars sound somewhat hollow and toppy at the very beginning of “After the Ordeal,” and without his classic guitar’s roundness I’d be ready to say perhaps the wrong mics were used (apart from when Steve briefly twins higher harmonies), but the piano sounds impressively reproduced (although I could use a bit more low end in the piano). I really wanted this particular section to sound vivid and alive, and maybe it does on a more expensive system, but not this Pro-Ject/Ortofon Red/Cambridge Audio/Audio-Technica ATH-M50x setup… Okay, when the drums and bass guitar come in, things start sounding a bit more lifelike, but I’m left thinking, “Man, I wish they’d used better mics or more appropriate mic-ing on the classical guitars.” Someone compensates on the lovely electric guitars and Tony’s synth lead (although the flute sounds shrill and sibilant when it emerges in the right channel (30% right with reverb placed deeper right?)… Interestingly, Tony’s synth lead becomes more present and more accurately represented as the track fades.

One thing I have yet to mention is that I’ve been hearing background sizzle on all sides so far, but considering the turntable’s felt slipmat just came off and remained glued to the vinyl, I need an anti-stat gun and pronto (note: these vinyl were taken fresh out of th QRP rice-paper inner sleeves which, I will it, were sticking to them quite tightly, a telltale sign of static charge). Verdict? Not likely the pressing itself, but I found it fair to mention, just in case…

Okay, Side 4. WOW! Suddenly the right mics were found for Steve’s guitars! They _shine_ at the beginning of “The Cinema Show,” and Phil’s subtle percussion (two separate shakes, that’s all) placed centre in the mix chirp. Once again, I have to say I would love more low EQ… but the cymbal brush between the first two verses was so realistic that I thought someone who simultaneously walked behind me had audibly hiss-sighed… until I played the section again and heard the cymbal brush once more. If what is meant by “flat” is simply the absence of low end, then I can sympathize. Otherwise, I don’t think I could ever hear a more convincing reproduction of this recording from any LP side onto which 27 minutes of dynamic music has been squeezed. Peter’s voice comes out on the first “Once a _man_, like the sea I raged.” Steve and Mike’s guitars chime impressively in the subdued acoustic section (and are accurately reproduced to the point that I can hear the occasional string buzz, string squeak, and fumble… okay, only one apiece, to be fair). The more I listen, the more I feel compelled to say the only thing I’m missing is low-end warmth. There’s suddenly something resembling channel overload/limiting on Peter’s last “Tyresi_us_”… but maybe it’s an effect from his own larynx? (I know, I’m getting quite a**l here.) Okay, here we head into the instrumental section… yippee! Phil’s snare sounds vivid, Tony’s synth lead sounds just a _tiny_ touch closed/muddy, the bass is low in the mix (or maybe there’s no bass and I’m just hearing the lowest strings on one of the electric guitars). AHH! Much low end on the bass pedals, and the reverbed choir Mellotron sounds as lifelike as a _Mellotron_ can. Tony’s synth lead sounds more throaty and defined for the second half of the instrumental section, emerging more out of the mix. And the B3, while perhaps a little restrained, doesn’t disappoint that much (the reverb on it does tend to wash out its presence, ittedly). The string Mellotron haunts (again, with heavy reverberation, so no high detail from this instrument… but then again, it’s a Mellotron). And finally, the bass guitar’s presence is much welcome (and even the B3 begins to sound more realistic during the band fade). Acoustic guitars and Peter’s voice sound a bit more convincingly real on “Aisle of Plenty” (although they could still use more low end… or are my ears just tired now?). The drums sound accurate, although that _one_ bass drum hit and the two low-tom hits which precede it sound distorted. (I am aware that my complaints of distortion all occur near the end of each album sound and I am playing these with an elliptical stylus instead of my preferred shibata needle).

Okay, all four sides done. I enjoyed this enough on the first listen that, at more than one point, I replayed certain sections up to four times. Cueing up Side 1 once more, my suspicions are confirmed: INDEED, Peter’s voice has more low end in the first minute or so of “Dancing With the Moonlit Knight” (up to and excluding “Citizens of hope and glory…”). But MAN, do I hate hearing that serious dropout on “drowned”… Does anyone else hear that? It’s so dead quiet during that very brief drop-out that I’m left wondering if it really is the master tape… but overall, I’m very glad I bought this edition. Now, to stop myself from buying “A Trick of the Tail” (which I suspect the original master tape’s sound is more compressed and subdued) and the “Foxtrot” (from which it will likely be impossible to avoid paying tariffs with the Canada-US economic Chess match). But I repeat, I am _really_ glad to have bought this (with the caveat that, ittedly, I have yet to hear a German press or an original UK pressing… but with 27 minutes of music on the original Side 2, I sincerely have to say… Really? A 27-minute Side 2 at 33 rpm would sound better than this? I sincerely have difficulty believing it.) Hoping your listening experience, whatever your copy may be, is as enjoyed as this one I just had (and I’m _still_ spinning Side 1 yet again as I type this… hands down, it’s the best sounding side IMHO). My sole worry? How is the next album or single I place on this turntable ever going to compare?

This is one of my favorite albums of all time. I have an original 1973 US copy, so I listened to that first before putting on this new 45. In my opinion, this new 45 is noticeably more dynamic, clear, and wider soundstage. I noticed details that I had never noticed before, which is a theme for these 45 pressings. It’s not perfect, I would want it a bit quieter in of crackle and slightly off center pressings are extra annoying from a company that claims quality control over all, but with that said: 60 dollars for a glossy gatefold 2LP 45 copy of such a masterpiece, that noticeably sounds better than previous pressings (to me), is worth it.

I don't understand this collective masturbation over this release?
I had the opportunity to compare 1UK, 1 Italy (gatefold cover, runout side A, variant 1: 6369944 1 2 520 06 280973) and this AP, I have all three. AP didn't blow me away, didn't charm me and side B with the initials CB even disappointed. I don't like his work here, which makes the whole release less coherent sonically. I haven't listened to the German press, which others have spoken well about here, but the Italian pressing is the ultimate for me, it has what I missed in the British one. In addition, it is quieter than AP (which I also consider a failure of modern pressings). Same with The Lamb, the German pressing is great and quiet (compared to the British one), I haven't compared it - and I don't intend to - with AP.
I understand that some people don't want to look for early editions, but they have more charm than what we get now (reissued for the 100th time).
There are supposedly improvements compared to other editions, but they don't have what's most important - the magic of music that early editions have. Reissues try to charm us with details, bass or dynamics, while taking away musicality.
A good system can really get a lot out of these old pressings and provide much more pleasure.
Comparing the Italian pressing to AP, the difference is really marginal!? AP is as if slightly smoothed, cleaned in the upper s, but it's not a diametrical difference. The Italian pressing is warm, analog, has full low tones that are there and pulsate [you can feel them even on the couch ;)], there is a beautiful midrange, crystal clear top and a wide and deep stage. This is a fantastic and engaging pressing, the likes of which I have not experienced while listening to AP.
Interestingly, after switching from the Italian edition to AP side B performed by CB, you are shocked and do not want to listen to it any further, you wonder what is going on?!
To ​​sum up, I would rate it as follows: for sound quality: Italy 9.5, AP 9 (and I don't know if it's not too much because of side B - CB), UK 8. For the quality of pressing: Italy 9.5, AP 8, UK 7.
And if you think about it, the Italians made this audiophile pressing in 1973, so what is there to be proud of and excited about in 2023?! I would consider it a failure.
I have many old AP records and I like their work, I also like the work of Bernie and sometimes Bellman (the ears of both gentlemen were younger then, forgive me gentlemen), but in this case (and in several other recently released remasters) I think it is much ado about nothing.

Very disappointed with this AP pressing. There is clarity and separation but the dynamics are flat and lifeless with weak bass. And before I get criticised for my ears or equipment, I loved the AP issues of the 2 Phil Collins albums and Kick which were all so much more detailed and dynamic than the OP’s.
Rega table with Quintet Black cart, Naim amp and Dali Epicon 6 speakers.

My oh my, where do I even begin? This is probably the best-sounding version of this album I've ever heard. The depth and clarity of this issue is seriously stunning. I've heard things on this issue that I haven't heard on previous editions. Peter sounds like he's in the room, and the low-end is super warm and rich. It's like hearing this album for the first time all over again. I can't recommend this copy enough.

Still $60 on the AP website. Don’t pay these flipper prices.

Whoa….what is this? Is this really the hype everybody is talking about? Ok, the detailing is insanely good on this one but that being said I find the music extremely lifeless, no warmth at all, almost no bass (and if there is, it is more of a humming sound). I have an old German repress (mid 70s) that is the exact opposite: less detailed but so much more interesting to listen to. On that press the music is an experience with warmth, deep bass and where an actual band is playing their hearts out. That for me is an analogue sound. Not this AP one. Highly overrated in my humble opinion.

Got the last repress, perfect flat and not new recut on side D. For the four sides looks like AP made new stampers since the AP matrixes are indistinguishable. I have a numbered copy and the AP matrix are more visble

Genesis' "Selling England By The Pound" undoubtedly stands as one of the crown jewels of the progressive rock genre of the 1970s. The combination of lyrical depth, instrumental virtuosity, and creative diversity makes this album a timeless masterpiece. In this review, I will not only delve into the artistic brilliance of the album but also highlight the outstanding sound quality of the Analogue Productions pressing from the Atlantic 75 Audiophile Series.

First and foremost, the music itself deserves acclaim. Genesis' sonic landscapes, bolstered by Peter Gabriel's unmistakable vocals and poignant lyrics, transport the listener on an epic journey through British history and culture. Tracks like "Dancing with the Moonlit Knight" and "Firth of Fifth" showcase the band at their creative peak, while pieces like "The Battle of Epping Forest" and "The Cinema Show" demonstrate their instrumental prowess and storytelling ability.

However, what truly sets this particular pressing apart from others is its unparalleled sound quality. The Analogue Productions pressing from the Atlantic 75 Audiophile Series offers a clarity and precision that redefine the original recording. Every detail, every sound effect, every nuance of the instruments is brought to life with crystal clarity, as if experiencing the music for the first time. The depth of the bass, the brilliance of the guitars, the clarity of the vocal harmonies - everything is perfectly balanced and meticulously mixed.

This pressing brings Genesis' music to life in an entirely new light, allowing the listener to appreciate every element of the recording. It's as if you're experiencing the band live in the studio, so close and vibrant is the sound. For audiophiles and Genesis enthusiasts alike, this pressing is an absolute must-have.

In summary, Genesis' "Selling England By The Pound" in the Analogue Productions pressing from the Atlantic 75 Audiophile Series is not only a musical masterpiece but also an audiophile revelation. The combination of outstanding music and unparalleled sound quality makes this edition a gem in any collection. Those who have the opportunity to acquire this pressing should not hesitate - it's an investment in a listening experience of the highest caliber.

Analogue Records released 2000 limited and numbered copies, sent to the first to pre-order (or order if there are any left) then, they are the same without the numbering!