Same procedure as the debute - mainstream pop with a few good songs. I'm a little puzzled by this mono though. Sounds exactly like the last - big, clear and well separated - but as far as I know it wasn't issued as stock mono in US, only stereo (Bell 6032-S). A promo mix maybe? Anyway the audio is great, sounds true all the way. First UK with label as shown here and laminated flip/back cover with sticker. (YMÖ*)
I've got US mono promo LP's for all of the Box Tops albums up to this one (even the Super Hits as a mono promo!). No mono release for this here (even the promos are all stereo.) I also have clean singles for this album, which ARE true mono. I'd be interested to compare them to this LP. Would you be willing to send me some recordings of this disc? I would love to solve the Box Tops mono mystery with you!
SvaraRaderaHi Andrew and thanks for your interesting comment. Sadly for this matter I'm an all analogue guy. This old computor is everything digital I have, so no means for recording or sending. But if You would be kind enough to compare the single picks from this album with the promo You have and see what differs I can check with my copy and determine if it's true or not.
RaderaKindly/Erik
Unfortunately Dimensions is stereo only in promo form here. I have mono singles, and my own copy of the UK album on the way, so we will solve this! In the mean time, if you would like to compare your LP with mono single mixes, they can be found on YouTube. I will let you know what I find. I am still deciphering the US promo copies of Nonstop and Super Hits. It certainly doesn't help that the mastering is much quieter than the singles. The singles and the mono 1st LP are cut very loud and sound amazing!
RaderaTried to compare with the "Soul Deep" 45 mono on Youtube, but it's hard since played on different equipment and Youtube digitized. I do hear the flute on the album mono sounds lower in the mix than on the single, but don't know if that say anything about the mixes. Do you know any certain difference between the mono and stereo on that song?
RaderaI've been A/B'ing tracks from my singles, the UK mono, and the US stereo (folded down in varying degrees.) I'm starting to think that the UK is a combination of mono singles and folds, but not necessarily all single mixes. I managed to get a very convincing pairing for Sweet Cream Ladies by folding the stereo down 80% left and 20% right. I think Soul Deep is a fold for sure, but not a 50/50 merge. My guess is many of these LPs were done that way. It was probably to avoid center mixed items from summing and becoming too loud. It would then be similar to the Atlantic CSG method, but without the phase reversal issues. It also doesn't help that some tracks are not the exact same speed! Seems like the mastering house's tape machines weren't calibrated when these were being cut! Sweet Cream Ladies on my stereo LP is a full 8 seconds faster than the single or the mono LP!
SvaraRaderaActually, I take back what I said about Soul Deep. Listen for the lead guitar in the second and third verses. Its much louder on the UK mono and single than you could ever make it with folding. The mystery deepens!
SvaraRaderaMaybe no mystery. Combining 45 monos, sometimes slightly remade, with album folds was rather common for late monos LP:s in UK. A few other exemples are Stones "Beggars Banquet" and Kinks "Arthur".I think that's the answer. So it is a separate mono issue after all. Thanks for helping me confirm that.
Radera