Continued Contiued from from page page 18 18
VAN HALEN 1984 Ultradisc One-Step 2xLP( Warner Records / Mobile Fidelity) MARVIN GAYE Let’ s Get It On Definitive Sound Series One-Step LP( Interscope-Capitol / Tamla / Motown) THE BEACH BOYS Pet Sounds Definitive Sound Series One-Step LP( Interscope-Capitol)
This month highlights reissues of undisputed classics from different eras of rock, soul, and pop. The top-quality pressings target die-hard fans, vinyl junkies, and audiophiles. All three titles benefit from a One-Step process that reduces generational loss during the standard three-step plating method by making a metal stamper directly from the original lacquer. The result is better detail retention, increased dynamic range, lower distortion, and a lower noise floor. Van Halen’ s sixth album, 1984, was the band’ s commercial peak in the band’ s initial era with original frontman David Lee Roth. For fans of a certain age, this album is a time machine set for the heart of its titular year. You needn’ t have been there, though. Anyone who ' s ever tuned into a classic rock radio station can sing along to the synth anthem“ Jump,” the party starter“ Panama,” the cheeky, blistering boogie of“ Hot for Teacher,” or the dramatic, keyboard-heavy“ I’ ll Wait.” Even deeper cuts like the chiming, ZZ Top-adjacent“ Top Jimmy” and the Zeppelinesque swagger of“ Drop Dead Legs” find the band in the sweet spot.“ Jump” catapulted the band from its AOR and hard rock audience to household-name status when Eddie Van Halen proved he had the magic touch, using the era’ s synthesizers as a lead instrument alongside his gamechanging guitar heroics. The song gave Van Halen its only # 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100. 1984 reached # 2 on the Billboard Album chart, held at bay only by the juggernaut that was Michael Jackson’ s Thriller. Mobile Fidelity’ s pristine Ultradisc One-Step LP offers the best-ever sounding vinyl pressing of 1984. The noise floor on the two 180-gram black vinyl platters is negligible, and 45RPM playback enhances audio quality. The separation, balance, clarity, depth, and dimension of each band element are livelier than earlier pressings, letting you hear realistic detail. Michael Anthony’ s bass, Alex Van Halen’ s kick drum, and Eddie’ s fat synthesizer tones
are full-bodied and heavy. Eddie’ s spine-tingling guitar leaps from the midrange. David Lee Roth’ s vocals spring forward with an extra measure of in-your-face attitude. Because vinyl ' s harmonic distortion often feels warmer, many longtime fans may prefer this LP ' s sound to the clinical accuracy of compact disc playback. 1984 is available in a limited-edition 7500.
From a decade earlier comes Marvin Gaye’ s soulful 1973 masterpiece Let’ s Get It On. The album finds Gaye offering his most seductive set years prior to topping his own status as a musical sex symbol through his 1982 comeback single“ Sexual Healing.” The album’ s passionate title track is its chart-topping calling card, with funky wah-wah guitar and an immaculate groove from Motown session players, the Funk Brothers. Gaye’ s throaty melody and falsetto croon drip with desire. With orchestral flourish,“ Come Get to This” swings with the carefree innocence of early singles like“ How Sweet It Is( To Be Loved by You).” The pleading waltz“ Distant Lover” and“ Please Don’ t Stay( Once You Go Away)” overflow with longing. This Definitive Sound Series pressing is sequenced on a single platter just like the original release and is offered in a numbered edition of 3000. Splitting the 31-minute album onto two platters would have allowed pressing at 45RPM and enabled even higher sonic quality, but the countless people spinning this album during amorous episodes would have been inconvenienced by twice as many album flips.“ I hope this album makes you lucky,” writes Gaye in his cheeky liner notes. But seriously, this often-reissued classic album is given the loving touch. Mobile Fidelity previously offered it in an audiophile pressing in 2008, which wasn ' t available for comparison. I do have a clean 2016 Back To Black pressing, and an LP copy of Number 1’ s with“ Let’ s Get It On” as the opening track. Even accounting for differences in gain, the quality differences are not subtle. The DSS pressing was made using the original analog master tapes and is clearly superior. Background sounds and voices in the tracking spaces are more discernible, putting the listener in the room with Gaye and his band. Gaye’ s voice is more natural, with air around the vocal. Wilton Felder’ s bass sound has life and texture. The brass, strings, and guitar in the midrange aren ' t overpowered by the rhythm section. The Number 1’ s version is brighter and tighter by comparison, with a digital sheen to the master. The heavier vinyl used for the DSS One-Step pressing also diminishes jitter compared to the reference LPs.
Setting the Wayback Machine to 1966 brings us to the Definitive Sound Series pressing of the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, timed for the influential album’ s 60th anniversary. Aged 23, Brian Wilson had been retired from regular touring with the band for a year. His focus on production and arrangements, which began with 1965’ s Today! album coalesced in a cohesive album-length statement of mature soul-searching. Girls were certainly still in mind on classics including the rollicking“ Wouldn’ t It Be Nice,” and hymnal
Follow us on Bluesky
iechicago. bsky. social
Continued on page 38
november 2026 illinoisentertainer. com 37