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Original 1969 German 45 RPM mono single
Polydor – 59 291 (Discogs) ~ThePoodleBites rip at 96 kHz / 24 bit FLAC + full hi-res scans!~
Unlike their first long-playing record, the Blossom Toes' second LP for
Marmalade, If Only For A Moment, was released too late to appear in mono. By the end of the decade, mono was being phased out, even outside the US. However, a
mono 45 capturing two tracks from the LP did appear, and it surprisingly
contained dedicated mono mixes. Like the LP, this 45 opens with "Peace Loving
Man," a monstrously heavy hard-rocker marked with equally heavy lyrical irony.
Released as the record's lead single in both the UK and Germany, it may be
surprising to the reader that the German pressing sounds significantly
better than the UK one, with much better frequency extension in the high-end and
lower distortion on the pressing. It also came with a terrific picture sleeve,
which makes it all the better.
The mono mix of "Peace Loving Man" is quite different from the album version
that we are all familiar with. Several of the interludes between the bombastic
heavy-metal verses have specific instruments mixed completely out (or overdubs
missing), which greatly enhances the perceived dynamics and the psychedelic
effects. The biggest difference, however, is probably that the guitar solo which
comprises the last minute of the song appears here with a clean guitar tone. On
the album version, the same guitar solo was put through a fuzz pedal.
The good, but slightly inferior, "Just Above My Hobby Horse's Head," is a cover of a Richie Havens track from his Richard P. Havens, 1983 LP. The
singer did his best Richie Havens impression on this re-recording. The vocals on
the stereo LP are double-tracked and laden in heavy reverb, but a single vocal
track dominates on the mono single, and is much more dry. The sitar is more
forward in the mix, which is punchier overall. The label must have been
concerned about the length of the song, as they sped it up by more than 7.3% as
compared to the LP, and faded out slightly earlier. This is true not only on the
German 45 but also on the UK 45, which (again) has inferior sound to the German disc.
Equipment / Lineage:
– Audio-Technica VMN40ML stylus on AT150MLx dual moving-magnet cartridge
– Audio-Technica AT-LP1240-USB direct drive professional turntable (internal stock preamp/ADC removed)
– Pro-Ject Phono Box S2 Ultra preamp with dedicated Zero Zone linear power supply
– Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 MkII (96kHz / 24bit)
– Adobe Audition CC 2024 (recording)
– iZotope RX 11 audio editor (manual declicking, EQ subtraction, additional adjustments)
– Audacity 3.x.x (fades between tracks, split tracks)
– Foobar2000 v2.x.x (tagging, dynamic range analysis)
Thanks for taking the time to read my posts and check out
my blog. I'd greatly appreciate it if you leave a small comment below.
Notes from my readers are what inspire me to keep going. Thanks!
MEGA: https://mega.nz/folder/pvdQwLhZ#mz3y2qM0p6nkGT57d-Jhkw
Original 1967 Mono UK 45 RPM EP
Marmalade – 598002 (Discogs) ~ThePoodleBites rip in 96 kHz / 24 bit FLAC + full high-resolution scans!~
When I posted my restoration of the rare mono mix of the Blossom Toes' debut
1967 LP back in 2022, I certainly thought that it would be the definitive
word on the matter. However, someone under the moniker "Doc" (who I guess was probably "Doctor Robert" from HRM -- R.I.P.) commented there that
the band's even rarer debut EP had a better version of the best track, "Look At Me I'm
You," which intrigued me enough to track one down. Well, four years and three "M-" copies later
(British grading...), and I've finally obtained one that plays with blog-worthy sound.
This awesome EP was the Blossom Toes' first release and featured three songs
later to appear on their debut full-length album. While the mixes here are
qualitatively the same as the ones that would appear on the LP, the sound
is quite different. "What On Earth" has a bit less audio in the
"introduction words" intro; "Mrs. Murphy's Budgerigar" has a tiny bit more audio and is 4% faster than the LP, giving it a much poppier edge; and, indeed, this is doubtlessly the
definitive upgrade to the mono "Look At Me I'm You," finally to be heard with
treble comparable to the stereo mix.
Rare picture sleeve front image for the Blossom Toes' debut EP
Period articles in New Musical Express indicate that this EP became the
debut Marmalade release on 06 Oct 1967. The full-length LP was released about a
month later, on 03 Nov 1967. This was therefore the band's premier chance to
appear on British radio airwaves, and it's clear that a correspondingly
significant amount of polish went into making these Toes really Blossom. The
roughly ten minutes included on this single are nearly continuous in overdubs
and studio experimentation, a clear attempt by producer Giorgio Gomelsky to
prove the band's (and his) potential.
A small number of these Toes EPs (or singles, as they were referred to in the
press) came with a picture sleeve, shown in the images above & below this
text. The artwork depicted a superimposed/multi-exposure image of the band
holding flowers and frowning at the camera in a fashion not unlike the Pink
Floyd debut LP. The back cover image features an egg with a funny face markered
on, and is encircled by the EP's three song titles inscribed in cursive font.
Rear image from the original UK picture sleeve
Ad for the band's appearances in Sweden. New Musical Express, 04 Nov 1967
As the band was to begin gigging around Europe, Polydor released versions of
this single in several other countries with unique cover variants. For whatever
reason, however, these foreign releases featured only one song on either side.
The French and German variants disposed of the longer "Look At Me I'm You" in
favor of the two shorter pop-radio-oriented tracks. Germany's release came out
on the red Polydor label (the parent company of Marmalade was German, after all)
and featured sound quality essentially identical to the UK release. Sweden
exceptionally dropped "Budgerigar" to include "Look At Me," and for some reason
this variant is quite valuable on the collectors market -- perhaps because Kevin
Westlake(?) appears to give a middle finger to the camera on the cover's photo
collage. As Polydor did not enter the US market until 1969, there was no
stateside release, and the band is still essentially unknown in the US.
Despite the availability of these other pressings, for this remaster I have
opted to use the original home-country UK release, as I suspect that its audio
is not only marginally superior having been closest to the original master
tapes, but it's probably the only version that the band would have seen or
approved. As usual, I've applied careful manual restoration to keep the sound of
the original mastering intact while removing non-musical noise. Given these
efforts, I hope and suspect that the book on these particular mono mixes can
finally and definitively be closed.
Cover artwork from the German picture sleeve, with band image apparently taken from the same photo session as the UK release
Track listing:
1) "What On Earth" -- 2:55
2) "Mrs. Murhpy's Budgerigar" -- 2:34
3) "Look At Me I'm You" -- 4:01
Vinyl condition:M- Dynamic Range:DR 11
Equipment / Lineage:
– Audio-Technica VMN40ML stylus on AT150MLx dual moving-magnet cartridge
– Audio-Technica AT-LP1240-USB direct drive professional turntable (internal stock preamp/ADC removed)
– Pro-Ject Phono Box S2 Ultra preamp with dedicated Zero Zone linear power supply
– Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 MkII (96kHz / 24bit)
– Adobe Audition CC 2024 (recording)
– iZotope RX 11 audio editor (manual declicking, EQ subtraction, additional adjustments)
– Audacity 3.x.x (fades between tracks, split tracks)
– Foobar2000 v2.x.x (tagging, dynamic range analysis)
Thanks for taking the time to read my posts and check out
my blog. I'd greatly appreciate it if you'd leave a small comment below.
Notes from my readers are what inspire me to keep going. Thanks!
MEGA: https://mega.nz/folder/wiVU0QjD#eA3nI7k2tOYnJyirXq_bPw
Original 1967 UK Mono Pressing Marmalade – 607001 (Discogs) ~ThePoodleBites rip at 96 kHz / 24 bit FLAC + full high-res scans!~
For some reason, those who regularly distribute praise of "underground" UK pop-psych gems such as the Small Faces' Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake or the Pretty Things' S.F. Sorrow consistently let the Blossom Toes albums slip by unmentioned. The sound of the Blossom Toes debut, though unknown to most, is probably best compared to Magical Mystery Tour, which is a comparison that should be enough to make any '60s nut flip. For me, hearing "Look At Me I'm You" for the first time was absolutely like discovering an unknown (to me) jewel. With the George Martin-esque full-scale production and obvious
major-label polish, it's a shame that this record has been overshadowed
by the numerous timeless masterpieces released in the same year, the
names of which even casual music fans are fondly aware.
Since the stereo version is the only variant commercially available these days, I was curious for several years what the original mono mix of this album might sound like. No transfer of the mono LP has ever been published online, making this post its public digital debut. After M.H. sent me a dub of his copy, and I realized that it featured a dedicated mix -- and indeed, quite different from the stereo one -- I became determined to track down a mint copy for the proper audio restoration project. After some searching, luck, and much labor, I've finally finished that task.
Apart from the opening track, truly mind-melting freak-psych is sadly not this record's forte. Perfect acid storms like "Look At Me I'm You" are strewn around next to dull British humor and boring, straight-ahead pop. Furthermore, this mono mix is much lower-fi than the stereo. While the latter mix of "Look At Me I'm You" (here) lunges out of the speakers to tickle your ears with unexpected dissonances, backwards guitar, vocal harmonies, strange structures, and unusual surprises of every sort, the mono mix just kinda rolls over and dies. The treble is nearly nonexistent, and there are phase cancellation issues in the percussion. It's disappointing as all hell, to be totally honest.
But this mono variant is not altogether disposable; side 2 in particular seems to boast the most improvement from that famously "punchy" mono sound. And it wasn't until I heard this mono disc that I realized what a cool song "What On Earth" is. While admittedly not as totally tripped-out as the side 1 opener, the extra overdubs and better balance on the mono version give that track a character at least as good as any song on the canonical records I mentioned in the header above. It's still unmistakably British, with horn overdubs and a lyrical style that tea-sippers of all ages could enjoy, but while maybe a bit flimsy, its altogether different ambience from the edgier, blues-oriented stuff that was beginning to appear around this time makes it quite its own worthwhile experience.
Decent reissues of this album (in stereo) can be found online without issue; in fact, a remastered 3CD box was released earlier this year. There's a nice review by Ian Canty, which I will point you to in lieu of a longer blog post: he sums up several points quite nicely. The lack of a mono disc on that deluxe set seems to suggest missing or destroyed master tapes. While the bonus tracks are interesting, unfortunately no one seems to have instructed engineer Ben Wiseman to keep his hands off the damn gain knob, which means that the (still cheap!) 1992 Japanese Polydor CD remains the best way to hear the stereo mix in the digital domain. If you somehow haven't heard this record in your thus-far pitiful life, you must cease your dilly-dallying and acquire a copy of that disc now!
For all the speedy freaks who don't have time to listen to the whole LP, it's worthwhile to denote some of the most significant differences between the two mixes. It's also useful to denote which mix, STEREO or MONO, that my brain prefers on a track-by-track basis, though of course your own ears should be the final judge... also note that my comparisons are from the mono LP to the 1992 stereo CD mentioned above, which isn't totally apples-to-apples.
Look At Me I'm You: STEREO Marginally longer (~2 seconds) fade-in on the mono mix, with drastically muted percussion and AM-radio-quality sound throughout. Volume of the vocal tracks is increased relative to the instrumental. The acoustic guitar fades in much later in the middle section, leaving several seconds of a capella vocals. Much slower fade-out at the end, leaving the final repetitions of "look at me, I'm you!" louder than on the stereo mix.
I'll Be Late For Tea: STEREO Immediate and obvious improvement in fidelity from the mono opener. Vocals again louder on the mono mix, in addition to auxiliary percussion, and it sounds overall more balanced than a mono fold of the stereo mix. Unfolded, though, the stereo sounds fine, and still has marginally better sound quality.
The Remarkable Saga Of The Frozen Dog: MONO Vocals are dramatically reduced compared to the stereo version, yielding a much more balanced sound. The louder instrumental track makes this song feel a little less silly than it is. The mono version fades out more than 15 seconds earlier than the stereo mix, and although it's obviously lower fidelity, it just seems to be a bit more well-rounded.
Telegram Tuesday: STEREO No huge differences, apart from the major fidelity upgrade on the stereo mix. A mono fold can fix those drums in the right channel, if you're so inclined.
Love Is: STEREO The mono has a slightly quieter flute on the intro, and more carefully blended vocals. For a cheesy track like this, though, the vocal boost on the stereo is more fitting, and the better treble makes this sound less like a lame '50s orchestral group's B-side (and more like a lame '60s B-side).
What's It For: MONO Better balance on the mono mix, with lower vocals and none of the annoying, super-wide mixing choices (drums are all the way on the right on the stereo). The fidelity argument doesn't trump the superior mix on this one, for me. The vocals on the stereo mix are clearly double-tracked, whereas I can barely hear the second vocal on the mono.
People Of The Royal Parks: MONO I don't like this song, but the mono seems to offer the best experience to those that do. The stereo feels echo-heavy and unbalanced, almost like the EQ is too bright, or like it's not even a true stereo mix (though it is).
What On Earth: MONO This is the highlight of the mono LP. This superior mix can also be found on the mono 45. It has much better balance, mostly attributed to quieter vocals, while the sound effects and orchestral flares really add to the potion instead of distracting from its crux. There's an extra scream after the washing machine line, some tambourine towards the end, and the fade-out starts a little later than on the stereo version. This track was meant to be heard in monaural sound!
Mrs. Murphy's Budgerigar: MONO The enhanced clarity of the stereo mix is a plus, but the wonky channel positioning of the lead vocals (in only the left channel for much of the song) ruins it for me. Fade-out again begins later on the mono.
I Will Bring You This And That: MONO There's marginally better balance on the mono mix (quieter vocals) and the audio fidelity is surprisingly similar. Fade-out is more gradual on the mono.
Mister Watchmaker: MONO A boring ballad, but the mono is a bit better-balanced and less "wonky" than the stereo.
When The Alarm Clock Rings: STEREO Same story as "Telegram Tuesday."
The Intrepid Balloonist's Handbook, Volume One: MONO This record would be better without this song on it, but the mono at least improves the instrument balance and removes the wide-channel mixing.
You: MONO This is another track where the balance improvement on the mono is obvious, even though the percussion isn't quite as snappy as a mono fold-down of the stereo. The mono also fades out a bit later, revealing an extra 4 seconds of audio.
Track For Speedy Freaks (Or Instant LP Digest): STEREO This track must've sounded pretty freaky indeed in the pre-Audacity days. (I wonder if these guys had ever heard of the Red Crayola?) It'd be quite interesting to see the multi-track layout for this song, as both mixes seem to feature the same track collage -- but with the added separation on the stereo, there's an extra dimension to the noise.
Blossom Toes promo photo, ca. 1968
Track Listing:
1) "Look At Me I'm You" -- 3:58
2) "I'll Be Late For Tea" -- 2:41
3) "The Remarkable Saga Of The Frozen Dog" -- 2:46
4) "Telegram Tuesday" -- 2:37
5) "Love Is" -- 2:40
6) "What's It For" -- 3:03
7) "People Of The Royal Parks" -- 2:24
8) "What On Earth" -- 2:54
9) "Mrs. Murphy's Budgerigar" -- 2:39
10) "I Will Bring You This And That" -- 2:56
11) "Mister Watchmaker" -- 2:22
12) "When The Alarm Clock Rings" -- 2:27
13) "The Intrepid Balloonist's Handbook, Volume One" -- 2:12
14) "You" -- 2:50
15) "Track For Speedy Freaks (Or Instant LP Digest)" -- 1:26
Vinyl condition: M-
Dynamic Range: DR 11
Equipment Lineage:
– Audio-Technica VMN40ML stylus on AT150MLx dual moving-magnet cartridge
– Audio-Technica AT-LP1240-USB direct drive professional turntable (internal stock preamp/ADC removed)
– Pro-Ject Phono Box S2 Ultra preamp with dedicated Zero Zone linear power supply
– Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 MkII (96kHz / 24bit)
– Adobe Audition CC 2020 (recording)
– iZotope RX 9 audio editor (manual declicking, EQ subtraction, additional adjustments)
– Audacity 2.3.3 (fades between tracks, split tracks)
– Foobar2000 v1.6.9 (tagging, dynamic range analysis)
Thanks for taking the time to read my posts and check out
my blog. I'd greatly appreciate it if you leave a small comment below.
Notes from my readers are what inspire me to keep going. Thanks! MEGA:https://mega.nz/folder/x8U00BYC#bqtfLvg6XD5F3v0QloreNg
