Richard Thompson - Rumor and Sigh (2LP, Ultra Analog, Half-speed Mastering, 45 RPM)
ORDER LIMITED TO ONE ITEM PER CUSTOMER
Richard Thompson – guitar, vocals, mandolin, hurdy-gurdy
Mitchell Froom – piano, Hammond organ, portative organ, Chamberlin, celeste, clavioline, echo harp
Jerry Scheff – bass guitar
Mickey Curry – drums (A1-2, B2, C1-2, D1)
Jim Keltner – drums
Alex Acuña – percussion
Christine Collister and Clive Gregson – backing vocals
John Kirkpatrick – accordion, concertina, backing vocals
Phil Pickett – shawm, crumhorn, curtal
Simon Nicol – guitar
Aly Bain – fiddle
2 LPs, gatefold sleeve
Limited to 3,000 numbered copies
Original analog Master tape : YES
Half-speed Mastering
Gain 2™ Ultra Analog
Heavy Press : 180g
Record color : black
Speed : 45RPM
Size : 12”
Stereo
Studio
Record Press : RTI
Label : MOFI
Original Label : Capitol Records
Recorded at Sunset Sound, Los Angeles and Konk Studios, London in 1991
Engineered by Tchad Blake
Produced by Mitchell Froom
Remastered by Krieg Wunderlich, Rob LoVerde
Originally released in 1991
Reissued in 2017
Tracks:
Side A:
- Read About Love
- I Feel So Good
- I Misunderstood
Side B:
- Grey Walls
- You Dream Too Much
- Why Must I Plead
- 1952 Vincent Black Lightning
Side C:
- Backlash Love Affair
- Mystery Wind
- Don't Sit On My Jimmy Shands
Side D:
- Keep Your Distance
- Mother Knows Best
- God Loves A Drunk
- Psycho Street
Reviews :
"While Richard Thompson's devotees will tell you the man is a triple-threat genius -- passionate vocalist, compelling songwriter, and sterling guitarist -- even his most loyal supporters will concede that the dour nature of his songs and the no-frills production of many of his albums make the bulk of his catalog tough sledding for the uninitiated. Given this, 1991's Rumor and Sigh is arguably the best album for those wanting to sample Thompson's work for the first time. It captures Thompson at the top of his form on all fronts, but also gives his songs just enough polish to make them approachable for the unconverted, and though it's several shades darker than the average adult-contemporary album, it honors Thompson's obsession with romantic despair and the less pleasant quirks of fate without sounding depressing in the process. Producer Mitchell Froom tricked up Thompson's sound a bit, but his approach added to the material rather than interfering with it; the topsy-turvy keyboards and sharp, snapping drum sound on "Gray Walls" and "You Dream Too Much" actually add to their narrative drama, and Froom coaxed some of Thompson's most soulful vocals on "Why Must I Plead" and "I Misunderstood." Thompson actually gets funny on "Don't Sit On My Jimmy Shands" and the darkly hilarious "Psycho Street," and Thompson fans who like his work straight with no chaser will be knocked flat by "1952 Vincent Black Lightning," perhaps the best traditional-style number in his songbook, and the harrowing "God Loves A Drunk," an unnerving tale of several kinds of addiction. While Rumor and Sigh is quite slick by Thompson's standards, its clean lines and bright mix serve both the songs and the bandleader quite well, and make Thompson's tunes sound like the radio hits they've always deserved to be." AllMusic Review by Mark Deming
Ultra Analog™ : The GAIN 2 Ultra Analog™ Series stems from the use of the Gain 2 system, mastered at half speed from the original master tapes where possible, capturing and uncovering as before undiscovered sonic information.
Half-speed mastering. In half-speed mastering, the whole process is slowed down to half of the original speed. A typical 33 1/3 rpm record is cut at 16 2/3 rpm. The source material is also slowed down (reducing the pitch in the process) meaning the final record will still sound normal when played back. Slowing the whole process down allows more time, which means the end result sounds better and is more efficient — allowing engineering to minimize the effects of inherent limitations within the vinyl format. The result is a more accurate and more open high-frequency response in the half speed vinyl when compared with a normal speed recording.
Ratings :
AllMusic : 4 / 5 , Discogs : 4,51 / 5