Cocteau Twins – Four-Calendar Café

Between this one, the 2019 and two 2024 reissues this is my favoirite for sound and more. The two 2024 presses sound positively distorted by comparison to this 2017 and the 2019 cuts. This one has the best bloom and most natural uppers of the three (the 2024 EU and US are IDENTICAL of mastering btw). The 2019 Abbey cut is elso excellent and runs this close in sound but the EP and sexy purple vinyl were worth shelling out for. This could well be the definitive cut.

Just out out of curiosity, which left/right stereo master is the correct/official one? Am I correct to presume that the original 1993 vinyl and CD editions have the correct left-left/right-right mastering? What is the most current edition to have the correct left/right mastering?

Sometimes when I read these comments I think of how different the needles sound and if I should buy depending on comments or decide for myself. Listening to this specific pressing with a Shure v15 V MR I am very satisfied. With a Nagaoka MP-200 I understand the negative posts…

The record comes in a matte package. The sleeve and insert are decent, though, as a fellow reviewer mentioned, the sleeve could have been a bit wider. When storing the record along with an anti-static sleeve, it’s slightly compressed. Overall, though, the sleeve and other packaging are fine.

The pressing quality is good: there are no issues with noise or surface interference, aside from an occasional click or pop between tracks, but nothing serious. In that regard, it delivers. However, the sound quality leaves something to be desired. Let me explain: Guthrie’s digital remaster (24-bit) has achieved noticeable improvements over the original and the 2006 remaster (also by Guthrie). The new digital version better controls the high frequencies, which were a problematic aspect of the original album, as well as the mids.

That said, in this vinyl edition (presumably with a different master and cut), that high-frequency control isn’t as effective. While it does exhibit the good dynamic range typical of the format, there’s slight distortion in the mid-high frequencies on each track, especially noticeable on the fourth song. On the rest of the album, this distortion is less obvious and may go unnoticed, or even be masked by the music. However, if you have a trained ear and have listened to this album many times, you’ll pick up on it.

My suspicion is that they worked off the digital version and didn’t create a separate master for the vinyl edition, as this type of distortion often results from such a source. In conclusion, it’s an acceptable edition for those who aren’t too particular about these details, but it’s important that those who do value these aspects know about it before purchasing.

This, by the Cocteau Twins, is the first album of change. In fact it is a much more pop and dream pop album, unlike their 80s albums. When this album came out, I remember that it wasn't much appreciated, especially by older fans who were used to a darker sound. But everything changes, music, society, the way of thinking, fashion, so I never understand too much the fans or people who are upset when things change. On the other hand, if everything always remained the same (in general) it would mean "no growth" and we would probably always get tired of the same things. So long live "change", long live the 90s Cocteau Twins, without forgetting their sound from the previous decade obviously.

Questo, dei Cocteau Twins, è il primo album del cambiamento. Infatti è un disco molto più pop e Dream pop, a differenza dei loro album anni '80. Quando uscì questo album, ricordo che non fù molto apprezzato, soprattutto dai vecchi fan che erano abituati ad un sound più scuro. Ma tutto cambia, la musica, la società, il modo di pensare, la moda, quindi non capisco mai troppo i fan o le persone che rimangono male, quando le cose cambiano. D'altronde, se tutto rimanesse sempre uguale (in generale) significherebbe "non crescita" e probabilmente ci stancheremmo sempre delle stesse cose. Quindi viva il "cambiamento", viva i Cocteau Twins anni '90, senza dimenticare il loro sound della decade precedente ovviamente.

Just got my copy. Stunning. It's everything I expect in a remaster; the clarity is so fine it hurts (in a good way!). I've listened to this album dozens of times, and this July 2024 remaster does it justice. Stellar.

Any comments on a pressing quality will be appreciated :)

Just laid this down for a spin and I have to agree with most. This is flat, virtually noise free, and sounds damn good on my modest system. Just wish they would've lined the inner cardboard housing with poly or made the inner a little wider to fit a poly sleeve inside...Just to minimize the paper scuffs and dust. Luckily, mine has little scuffing that doesn't effect play.

(Fluance RT-82 w/Acrylic Platter, ATN-XP cart/5 stylus. Nobsound T3 Phono Amp, Aiyima A07 Pro, Kicker KB6B, & Polk PSW10 Sub...Simple Low Cost Setup)...Happy Listening.

Totally blown away by how good this remaster is..totally exceeded my expectations, and the pressing is flawless, no surface noise at all on my copy..I'm gonna have to look into the other remasters for sure

Is there any news on the uk pressing? Has it been cancelled or something?