Year: 2019

September 24, 2019

The B-52’s – Love Shack (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1990

“Love Shack” is a single by American new wave band The B-52’s from their 1989 album Cosmic Thing. It was released on June 20, 1989, and produced by Don Was. The song was a comeback of sorts for the band following their decline in popularity in the mid-1980s and the death of guitarist Ricky Wilson in 1985.

“Love Shack” is considered the band’s signature song and has been a concert staple since its release. Commercially, the single topped the charts in Australia, Ireland and New Zealand and reached number two on the UK Singles Chart, number three on the US Billboard Hot 100, and number five on the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart. It also became a top-twenty hit in Belgium and the Netherlands.

SIDE A:
Love Shack (12″ Remix) 6:13
Remix – Danny Rampling

SIDE B:
Love Shack (12″ Mix) 7:57
Remix – Ben Grosse

Love Shack (7″ Version) 4:17

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1989/90	Love Shack	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#3
1989/90	Love Shack	U.S. Billboard Alternative Songs	#1
1989/90	Love Shack	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	#7

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Reprise Records ‎– W9917T, Reprise Records ‎– W9917 (T)
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single
Country: UK
Released: Feb 1990
Genre: Rock
Style: New wave

CREDITS:
Design – Bill Smith Studio
Photography By – Janette Beckman
Producer – Don Was
Written-By – B52’s*

NOTES:
Made in UK

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M
Stylus: Ortofon 2M Bronze
Isolation: Auralex Acoustics ISO-Tone Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
DAC/Phono Pre-amp: Alpha Design Labs GT40a USB DAC
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner

SOFTWARE USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: iZotope RX Advanced 2, ocenaudio
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

Username: btg
Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by making a donation using PayPal. Thank you for your help.

September 23, 2019

Berlin – Like Flames (UK 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1986

“Like Flames” is a song by American band Berlin released in 1986 as the lead-off single of their third album Count Three & Pray.

Berlin worked with Canadian producer Bob Ezrin on the album. The producer, best known for his work with Alice Cooper and KISS, gave the record a radically different ’80s pop-rock guitar sound than Berlin’s previous releases, which had a more new wave/synth-pop sound. Berlin singer Terri Nunn and their label, Geffen Records, were approving of the change of sound, but it did not sit well with founding member John Crawford and drummer Rob Brill, who wrote the song. The recording of the album wasn’t a relaxed affair, as differences of opinion between band members plagued the recording sessions. These clashes were further exacerbated by the recording of the group’s previous single, the worldwide #1 hit “Take My Breath Away” from the soundtrack of the film Top Gun, which Nunn was eager to record, while the other two members were not excited about due to the song not being written by them (it was written and produced by Giorgio Moroder), and with a sound not representative of the band.

“Like Flames” was released as the lead-off single from the album in October 1986 and, following up “Take My Breath Away”, a #1 record in September of that year, was expected to do well. However, the record and the album did not find chart success, peaking at #82 in the US and becoming their last chart hit in that country. In Europe, the record performed better on the strength of “Take My Breath Away”, reaching the top 20 in several countries, but still it was only a moderate hit. In the UK, “Like Flames” was released as the second single off the album in March 1987, following “You Don’t Know”, which was released as the next single elsewhere. It peaked at #47 there.

Nunn has blamed the lack of success to the sudden change of style for the band, which alienated their established fanbase of their synth-pop albums, and failing to gain new fans from their new-found fame with “Take My Breath Away”, because the album sounded nothing like it, although the hit song was included on the album at the insistence of Geffen to capitalize on its success. The record’s lack of success and their internal clashes eventually led to the demise of the band in 1987.

SIDE A:
Like Flames (Extended Version) 7:02
Edited By – David Leonard
Written-By – Rob Brill

SIDE B:
Trash 3:40
Producer – Berlin
Written-By –John Crawford

You Don’t Know (Extended Version) 5:32
Producer – Andy Richards, Berlin
Remix – David Leonard
Written-By – John Crawford

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

U.S. CHART HISTORY:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1986	Like Flames	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#82

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Mercury ‎– MERX 240
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Single, 45 RPM
Country: UK
Released: 1986
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: Pop Rock, Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Producer – Bob Ezrin

NOTES:
Track A edited and track B2 remixed at Sunset Factory, Los Angeles.

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

Username: btg
Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by making a donation using PayPal. Thank you for your help.

September 21, 2019

Alpha Design Labs GT40α USB DAC

Purchased this on Tuesday from my good friends at Audio Advisor who shipped it out quickly arriving at my door on Thursday. I was happy with the Schitt Mani pre-amp but not completely satisfied with it so while I was off sick last week I did some research and came across the Furutech/ADL GT40a (Alpha). Since it has been around a while it has been tried and tested with great reviews. I decided to order it and give it a try, so far I am very pleased with it, the soundstage seems wide with clarity and great bass. There will be some burn-in time as it really gets warmed up and starts developing its sound as is the case with most audio electronics. I look forward to hearing your feedback on how you think it sounds. Yesterdays OMD post was the first one using the GT40a.

-Paul

The GT40α built for enthusiasts with growing music collections on their computer hard drives. It’s a high-performance 24bits/192kHz USB DAC that’s amazingly affordable. Looking to convert your LPs or other analog sources to digital? The GT40α will take you to the podium with every album you archive.

The seriously-shielded audiophile-grade GT40α features a low-latency USB 2.0 audio driver that plays and records at 24bits/192kHz. A likely first for this category, the GT40α includes a built-in low-noise MM / MC phono preamp! Record your favorite vinyl to hard disk via the USB output.

The ADL GT40α features L/R analog outputs, and switchable line or phono inputs with a vivid, captivating sound that is simply unheard of in this category.

The ADL GT40α (wired with ADL’s Formula 2 cable of course!) brings Furutech’s signature sound — smooth, detailed clarity — to desktop systems, especially with high-resolution 24bits/192kHz files, but even 16-bit/44.1kHz files sound impeccable and very musical.

FEATURES:

High-performance 24bits/192kHz “VIA VT1736 “USB chip and 24bits/192kHz “Cirrus Logic CS4270” DAC /ADC chip

Enjoy audio in high resolution at 24bits/192kHz surpassing conventional 16bit/44.1KHz standards

Incorporates the most trusted driver in professional audio for 24bits/192kHz recording and playback

External power supply: while a USB-powered device might be convenient, it won’t develop the power required for high-resolution playback, so we designed the GT40α with an external power supply to solve the problem.

Headphone Amplifier: It contains a high performance “Maxim MAX9722A” headphone amplifier with ample drive for good headphones

Analog-to-Digital Converter: The GT40α sports a high-performance ADC IC chip for high-resolution recordings via analog inputs including phono, AM/FM radio, or other analog signals.

Convenient Clip signal Toggle switch for Recording Attenuation: Adjust the recording attenuation to avoid any distortion during recording: 0dB, 6 dB, or 12dB (RecAtt/db signal light comes on when input level exceeds circuit Gain).

Phono Preamplifier: A first for this class, the GT40α features a phono equalizer for recording your precious LPs. Switch between Moving Magnet (MM) and Moving Coil (MC) or Line input

Highest Quality Parts: The GT40α features a high-quality amplifier and condenser supporting its high-performance analog circuit (NJM5532 OPAMP： for ADC,DAC,Line in and out and NJM2068 OPAMP： for Phono )

High-End Audio Grade Connections: The GT40α is equipped with gold-plated Teflon-insulated RCA jacks with an extremely high-quality aluminum chassis and machined volume knob

September 20, 2019

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – If You Leave (US 12″)

BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1986

Brand NEW 2019 transfer using a new piece of equipment the Alpha Design Labs GT40a USB DAC which I purchased a couple of days ago. I am still evaluating the GT40a but so far I am very impressed. This piece of equipment has been around for a while and has great reviews and won some awards along the way. Full specs and pictures coming over the weekend.

Originally posted March 15, 2012

“If You Leave” is a 1986 song by the British synthpop group Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD). It was recorded for the soundtrack to the film Pretty in Pink (1986), in which it is played prominently during the final scene. Along with 1980’s “Enola Gay”, the track has been described as the band’s signature song.

“If You Leave” is the group’s highest-charting single in the United States, where it reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in May 1986. The song was also a Top 5 entry in Canada and New Zealand and charted at number 15 in Australia. A distinguishing track of the 1980s, it has had an enduring presence on radio.

The band wrote “If You Leave” after John Hughes decided to change the ending to Pretty in Pink after poor test audience reactions. Hughes had asked the band for a song for the new ending two days before they were due to begin a tour, and “If You Leave” was written and recorded in under 24 hours as a result. The song was deliberately written at a tempo of 120 BPM, to match the speed of “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”, which the dancers in the scene had initially danced to. Despite this, singer Andy McCluskey later noted that an editing error meant the dancing appears out of sync regardless. The original ending featured another OMD song, “Goddess of Love”, which was released on The Pacific Age later in 1986.

** Vinyl appears to be standard black, but is actually pressed on very dark brown, barely translucent vinyl, sometimes referred to as “audiophile” or “virgin” vinyl, possibly unstickered Quiex II pressing, which A&M often used in the 1980s.

SIDE A:
If You Leave (Extended Version) 6:00
Producer – Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, Tom Lord-Alge

SIDE B:
La Femme Accident (Remixed Version) 5:35
Producer – OMD*Recorded By [Re-recorded By] – OMD*, Tom Lord-Alge

VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint

CHARTS:

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1986	If You Leave	U.S. Billboard Hot 100	#4
1986	If You Leave	U.S. Billboard US Hot Adult Contemporary Chart	#24
1986	If You Leave	U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play	#31

RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: A&M Records ‎– SP-12176
Format: Vinyl, 12″, Single, 45 RPM, R
Country: US
Released: 1986
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop

CREDITS:
Design – Caz Hildebrand
Written-By – OMD*

NOTES:
“If You Leave” Original version appears on the Motion Picture Soundtrack “Pretty In Pink”
“La Femme Accident” Original version appears on the A&M album “Crush”

Find the 12″ at DISCOGS

VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net

RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi

Username: btg
Password: burningtheground

You can help show your support for this blog by making a donation using PayPal. Thank you for your help.