Phantom Limb on Vinyl

Posted by: Simon Drake on 04 December 2008

quote:
By the way Simon, is that Phantom Limb available on vinyl? I couldn't see it in the shop

Cheers
John


Good Good question John and anyone interested in mastering vinyl!

Yes the album will be available on vinyl. It was due to be released in August with the CD. But (and here's the long story)...it has proved a very difficult beast to tame sonically. It is a hugely dynamic recording - every track has subtle beginnings that lead to giant expansive (and thoroughly enjoyable) endings.

I originally cut the record on Acetate (I usually use DMM, but this was more of an indulgent cultural reference than anything!). The top end ran away a little (as it does on Acetate) and we had to steady some of the sibilant frequencies, consequently raising the noise floor a little when it came to getting an appropriate level. We added no dynamic compression (nasty stuff!).

Although during the loud section we had nailed the desired aesthetic, the quiet sections sounded like trying to make a phone call in high winds – a few test pressings later and the acetate master had degraded sufficiently….another cut was required!

We did one more acetate and two more test pressings before I realised that the flexibility in almost infinite TPs, lower noise floor and greater control and detail at the treble end meant that re-cutting for DMM (direct to metal mastering) was almost entirely necessary (and this was back in the summer, ahead of an August release!).

We went to Abbey Road and the DMM cut was really working. A few pops and clicks to be removed in the test pressing phase – and then we discovered that the Side B cut had a blemish on the copper (before we had even made the cut!).

We were vastly unlucky and this happened a further time, before we finally received a master for Phantom Limb on LP that I am totally happy with (last week!). I’ve just received a second batch of Test Pressings from the 5th MASTER CUT (phew!) after ironing out a few small transients. So fingers crossed, I can have it out by Christmas!

Off to listen to the Test Pressings now! Rest assured that our level of quality control is not compromised, evenfor our contemporary work! Winker
Posted on: 04 December 2008 by gone
wow, I'm impressed with the attention to detail! It must be a tough recording to give that much of a challenge.
The description of the album from various sources has whet my appetite, but it sounds like the vinyl is worth waiting for, maybe to inaugurate my new toy
Keep us posted!
Cheers
John
Posted on: 09 December 2008 by BigH47
It's a shame some of the majors did not employ even a small amount of that sort of attention/ dedication to getting it right, back in the day.
Sounds like a New Year present?
Posted on: 09 December 2008 by Simon Drake
Just listened to the 9th set of TPs. Not happy with them either! Overall spectrum and aesthetic is beautiful now. Just need to eradicate some of the unwanted clicks! One tiny spec of dust on a copper master when they make a stamper and you are screwed!

Yes, certainly looks like a New Years gift now. I'm so sorry to keep everyone waiting. Beleive me, no one is more disappointed than me! Frown
Posted on: 17 December 2008 by BigH47
I would like a good one.
Posted on: 18 December 2008 by Gavin B
Sorry that this isn't the most appropriate place for this question, but never mind.

I've just got hold of the Phantom Limb CD (great BTW) and on first playing my wife recognised the first track "Don't Say A Word".

Now, she's certainly not the most diligent follower of the music scene, but she'd heard it somewhere before. It's very unlikely she heard it on the radio as a single, but has it featured in any TV shows or the like, where she's most likely to have come across it?

Thanks

Gavin
Posted on: 19 December 2008 by Simon Drake
Hi Gavin!

Good question! It does have great TV sync potential. Correct! In fact that is our next target...TV companies!

She wouldn have heard it on Radio 2, if she is on to that.

I also found myself saying the same thing when I first heard the track DSAW. I think that some songs are so powerful, you feel like they've been in your life for far longer, and seem familiar right from the first play...so perhaps thats it?

Thnaks for buying it all the same. Hope you like it!
Posted on: 28 January 2009 by Simon Drake


Phantom Limb is finally available on 180gsm virgin vinyl! Looking and sounding superb. Well worth the effort and the wait.

[BUY NOW] [LISTEN...]
Posted on: 28 January 2009 by gone
ordered. I hope it's worth all the blood sweat and tears....

By the way, I'm sure Adam will be along any minute to quote the AUP regarding advertising Winker

Cheers
John
Posted on: 28 January 2009 by Adam Meredith
quote:
Originally posted by Nero:
By the way, I'm sure Adam will be along any minute to quote the AUP regarding advertising


Do not be silly.
Posted on: 28 January 2009 by gone
where does it say that?
Posted on: 29 January 2009 by gone
well worth the wait, so far - very nice after the first few tracks. I think I'll slip it on tonight and settle down with a nice Talisker.
Posted on: 30 January 2009 by jon h
Tried to order through the link

Web page doesnt work - I get "You must enter a valid customer number to use this payment method" on the page where I enter my customer details.

oh, and the whole shop there looks frighteningly amateurish. And who is onetooneshop.co.uk and why does it have "Naim Audio, company number 1116428, is registered in England at Southampton Road, Salisbury SP1 2LN" on the bottom of that page???

Finally, urls that look like:

https://sslrelay.com/s179260996.oneandoneshop.co.uk/sess/utn;

make me cringe and wonder if i am in the middle of some nasty credit card gobbling operation. 1

And when I click on Firefox's security button for the page do I get SSL info which says "you are connected to sslrelay.com which is run by (unknown)" ????

Should I be glad I didnt get to the bit where I was presumeably supposed to put my credit card number in???

Cmon, this is just sloppy.

jon
Posted on: 31 January 2009 by gone
this album's too good for you Jon - they have to filter out the riff-raff somehow Winker
I had the same problems during the ordering process - can't remember how I solved it, but I can see a debit for £40,000 on my credit card bill with the ID Naim_Nigeria_901_Phantom_Legless
Should I be concerned....?
Posted on: 31 January 2009 by natnc
The band sounds great! Will this ever be available as a high-res download?
Nat
Posted on: 01 February 2009 by Paul Stephenson
jon agree but the shop has worked for years and we have not had one incident to be ashamed of apart from the shop maybeSmilea whole new ball game including hi-res downloads heading this way in May 2009.
Posted on: 02 February 2009 by jon h
Agreed it is certainly showing its age :-) good to hear something new is just around the corner!
Posted on: 02 February 2009 by gone
Done

By the way, your brother's a funny bloke
Posted on: 21 February 2009 by manicatel
Just received my copy.
Great sounding recording lovely & open. Why can't all sound engineers hear how much better it sounds when the life hasn't had the sh1t compressed out of it?
The 1st track is pretty much stolen from Billy Taylors "I wish I knew (how it felt to be free)" aka the theme tune from Barry Norman's Film (insert year)series, but I'll forgive that.
I've never heard of the band before, but its a great bit of vinyl.
Matt.
Posted on: 21 February 2009 by DenisA
Matt,

I agree with your summary totally. A really fresh sound and arrangements played and sung by excellent musicians. Yolanda has a wonderful voice and to think she lost it for 8 months! I'm sure she sang with Massive Attack last year at Glastonbury after seeing her picture inside. I bought my copy from Simon at the Bristol show yesterday. It will be great to see the band at the Summer event.

Thanks Simon.

Denis
Posted on: 24 February 2009 by apye!


Just got this on vinyl, what a fantastic LP!!
Posted on: 25 February 2009 by Simon Drake
quote:
Originally posted by DenisA:
I'm sure she sang with Massive Attack last year at Glastonbury after seeing her picture inside.


Yes you are correct! She has been touring with Massive - she's set to feature heavily on the new album (all the new material she sung at Glasto with them). So, looking forward to that.
Posted on: 25 February 2009 by DenisA
Simon,

Good news, the new MA album will be worth waiting for then. I think a vinyl release will certainly highlight Yolanda's voice.

PS - Don't forget to have a word about the Summer Event with Peter your Flight Buddy Winker. I wouldn't expect a KC reunion, but maybe Robert could pop along for some Standup Razz

Denis
Posted on: 27 February 2009 by Simon Drake
haha! i think you doing standup would be enough denis! Roll Eyes
Posted on: 03 March 2009 by DenisA
calm down... calm down... I don't Big Grin

I joked with Simon to ask along a local lad, Mr Fripp, for a solo gig or failing that Standup. As it's taken me so long to reply, my comedic timing is clearly an issue. Also I don't have Robert's Discipline Roll Eyes