Nick Drake -Pink Moon

Extracted from a web site:

"On February the 25th 1972 Island Records released Nick Drake's third, and what was to be his final, album Pink Moon to a largely disinterested press and public. 40 years on since its birth, Universal re-presents the album in an exactly replicated vinyl pressing, re-mastered by the original co-producer and engineer; John Wood at Abbey Road and pressed on Audiophile virgin vinyl with the original gatefold sleeve, inner sleeve, paper labels, the promotional shop-poster and a facsimile of Nick's handwritten lyrics to four of the songs, all gathered together in a box showing the original master tape box from which the vinyl was mastered. Purchasers also get access to a free electronic downloadable version in 24 bit digital.

Pink Moon, Nick Drake’s third and final album, was originally released on Island Records in 1972 and is the record that made him the cult figure he remains to this day. Recorded in November of 1971, the beautifully spare 11-song set features only Nick’s vocals, guitar and piano. The music comes across as peaceful and unadulterated, yet majestic through its richly woven textures of tone and melody. Although the story behind his music is undeniably tragic, what he left behind here is truly breathtaking! 

Drake’s reluctance to tour or overtly sell his work led to the initial 3,000 pressings selling poorly but never quite selling out, and Island kept the title on catalogue. However, interest in Pink Moon exploded when Volkswagen used the title track to promote their new Cabriolet in the US in the late '90s. Nick's poorest selling album soon became a best-seller and the interest in all of his tiny canon blossomed. The 28-minute, 11-track Pink Moon transferred onto CD and the original vinyl ran its course later being deleted. Original scarce first-pressing values soared above the $600 mark thus allowing inferior counterfeit bootleg vinyl editions to proliferate. 

40 years on since its birth, USM re-presents the album in an exact replicated vinyl pressing, re-mastered by the original co-producer and engineer John Wood at Abbey Road and pressed on audiophile virgin vinyl with the original gatefold sleeve, inner sleeve, paper labels, the promotional shop-poster and a facsimile of Nick's handwritten lyrics to four of the songs, all gathered together in a box showing the original master tape box from which the vinyl was mastered.

"His voice conveys, in its moans and breathy whispers, an alluring sensuality, but he sings as if he were viewing his life from a great, unbridgeable distance. That element of detachment is chilling. To reinforce it, messages of isolation gradually float to the surface of the songs' spare, eloquent melodies." - Rolling Stone, Anthony DeCurtis

"He arrived at midnight and we started. It was done very quickly. After we had finished I asked him what I should keep, and he said all of it, which was a complete contrast to his former stance. He came in for another evening and that was it. It took hardly any time to mix, since it was only his voice and guitar, with one overdub only. Nick was adamant about what he wanted. He wanted it to be spare and stark, and he wanted it to be spontaneously recorded." - John Wood, sound engineer for Pink Moon

Features:
• Exact replicated audiophile virgin vinyl pressing
• Re-mastered by original co-producer/engineer John Wood at Abbey Road from the original 40-year old master tapes
• Original gatefold sleeve, inner sleeve, paper labels, promotional shop-poster & facsimile of handwritten lyrics to 4 songs
• Housed in box showing original master tape box from which the vinyl was mastered
• Choice of 3 free downloadable versions: 24 bit Digital, MP3 and Dubbed from disc"

Richard