"Are You Passionate?" on vinyl

[David Powell]

For all the analog retentives, Neil Young's "Are You Passionate" is available on vinyl.
The album's cuts are spaced nicely on 2-LPs and pressed on 180-gram "Vapor" vinyl. This is a must-have "all-analog, AAA" version. I picked up a copy at a local independent store for $15.99.

[PsychFan]

Is your copy defect-free? There was some griping on Audio Asylum's vinyl page from people who got warped, noisy pressings.

I've put off buying the CD, waiting to come across the vinyl (the recent local searches have been futile so far for me). Thanks for the comments.

[Todd Fredericks]

How's the music on the album? I haven't had a chance to hear any of the songs...

Todd

[David Powell]

Thankfully both LPs were quiet & flat. I made a CD-R copy and noticed that the surface noise was negligible.
Ten of the eleven cuts feature Booker T & the MGs (minus Steve Cropper) with Frank Sampedro as the back-up band. Crazy Horse plays with Neil on the remaining cut. Except for that song, which is sort of reminiscent of "Cortez The Killer", the music pays tribute to the great Memphis soul sound. Although the CD version is very good, the "warm airiness" of analog vinyl is a perfect match with this music.

[MikeT]

I was lucky to be able to get a nice version of the LP also, but a friend has indicated that he got a bowed/warped disc 1 from the same store I purchased my copy from.

Even though, for the most part my copy is quiet, I did notice an ever so slight "crackling" noise on side 1 of the double disc set. It doesn't seem to be very distracting, as others have indicated on audio asylum, but a careful look at the vinyl under the light indicates that this is not the best pressed vinyl I have seen.

I really wonder if this is true "Virgin Vinyl" as indicated on the sticker on the LP. The pressing looks "pitted" in areas and not very "clean", and in addition side 4 is ever so slightly cut off center. It isn't cut off center alot, but enough to give you that slight "wah wah" effect on Neil's guitar on the last minute or so of the final cut on side 4 (a wah wah effect that is not present on the CD - so it was not intended. Plus upon close inspection of the needle tracking the last few grooves on side 4 indicate the back and forth motion of the pressing).

Overall - I would say that Neil being a big proponent of vinyl might have had more of a hand in assuring that the quality control on this vinyl edition were the highest possible, especially since the album is pressed on his "Vapor" imprint - as opposed to being merely Reprise records.

Regardless - it is well worth the $13.99 I spent on it, and, small issues aside, it betters the CD by that ever present margin that vinyl usually does when stacked up against redbook CD.