LogFAQs > #926513848

Over the past couple months, I've lucked into more (relatively) cheap Japanese Zappa LPs. Someone on eBay has been auctioning a bunch off; super nice guy, too.

Unlike Apostrophe ('), I haven't owned any of these on vinyl prior, so I can't compare them specifically to other pressings. Nonetheless, here are some thoughts.

The Man From Utopia (CBS) - Sounds great all around. The Obi strip complements the cover art well, too.

Zoot Allures (Warner Bros.) - I'm not crazy about the mixes for the uptempo tracks. "Wonderful Wino" is hit especially hard; the bridge, normally the song's highlight, sounds oddly limp on this pressing. "Ms. Pinky" also sounds neutered. The slower tracks fare much better - "The Torture Never Stops" and "Friendly Little Finger" are downright excellent here, with mixes that really let the details flourish.

Them or Us (EMI) - OUTSTANDING. There are no words for how phenomenal this pressing sounds; it may be the best-sounding LP I own. I believe this is the only Zappa record that EMI pressed/distributed in Japan, and that's a damn shame.

I also won a Japanese copy of Zappa in New York, but haven't listened to it yet. It'll be my first time listening to ZINY in full, so I'm excited!
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Now crack that combination:
27 99 23.