Love – Forever Changes

I have a version of this, appears exactly as described, but in my version runouts (specifically the etched W codes) are very slightly different to Variant 3: my side A says W-3 and my side B says W-1.

I have this version and an original 67 US pressing. I can confirm that this is, indeed, the alternate mix of the album and not the original mix.

Of my three reissues this is the best value by far..... its well cut, mastered with life and pressed nigh silent and all for £16! Ifs a more engaging listen than the MoFi 45 dullard and its *almost* as good as the Bernie cut from the 50th box/book which feels a tad more expansive and a tad cleaner.

The packaging is uber bare and basic. At least the inner is poly lined though.

For the money, there is nowt to really complain about and ALOT to like!

5 stars are rarely this easily rewarded. The vinyl is abit better than Bellmans previous cut. Its better than MoFi's double 45 which is murky and thick and lacks transient impact. The mastering has Bernie's special sauce all over it.... clarity across the entire spectrum but done with a golden tinged silkyness so its never harsh or hot or distorted. The soundstage is also simply a 3D POP!
The CD's also sound superb but i havent tried the DVD audio yet.
Packaging is stunning too, taking up only a little more room than a vinyl only gatefold but much heavier stock, hardbacked book style and textured with it.
I simply cannot fault this stunning set

The soundstage expanse is great but this is a murky cut compared to Bernie's 33 in the 50th boxset. If im honest i think i prefer the Bernie cut... its got his special sauce of gold tinged clarity without harshness or edge. This is just too murky and buried, in particular in the the vocals, but it prevents instruments from shining too which is a real shame. The packaging and pressings are top notch though.

File Name | Format | SR | Word Length | Max. TPL | LUFSi | DR (PMF) |

01-01 Alone Again Or | .aiff | 44.1k | 16 | -1.05 | -20.08 | 14 |
01-02 A House Is Not A Motel | .aiff | 44.1k | 16 | -0.89 | -16.11 | 11 |
01-03 Andmoreagain | .aiff | 44.1k | 16 | -1.57 | -19.02 | 15 |
01-04 The Daily Planet | .aiff | 44.1k | 16 | -0.64 | -17.90 | 15 |
01-05 Old Man | .aiff | 44.1k | 16 | -1.56 | -20.46 | 11 |
01-06 The Red Telephone | .aiff | 44.1k | 16 | -4.07 | -19.73 | 12 |
01-07 Maybe The People Would Be The Times Or Between Clark And Hilldale | .aiff | 44.1k | 16 | -1.38 | -18.30 | 14 |
01-08 Live And Let Live | .aiff | 44.1k | 16 | -1.17 | -15.92 | 12 |
01-09 The Good Humor Man He Sees Everything Like This | .aiff | 44.1k | 16 | -1.70 | -21.13 | 15 |
01-10 Bummer In The Summer | .aiff | 44.1k | 16 | -1.91 | -17.54 | 13 |
01-11 You Set The Scene | .aiff | 44.1k | 16 | -0.39 | -18.47 | 14 |

Number of EP/Album Files: 11
Official EP/Album DR: 13

I’ve got nothing to compare it to, but this is an excellent sounding record with zero defects and no noise after an ultrasonic clean - great stuff.

List of then new releases on this transition label in the U.S.:
"Alive She Cried" - The Doors: Released in October 1983 60269-1. White field.
"Imagine This" - Pieces of a Dream: 1983 60270-1. White field, Columbia Record Club used "small E label.
"You Gotta Say Yes to Another Excess" - Yello: 1983 60271-1. Red "Small E" label.
"Shrapnel" - Shrapnel: 1984 60281-1 (Mini LP). White field.
"More Fun in the New World" - X: September, 1983 60283-1. Red "Small E" label, later reissued on Black & Red '84-'89 label.
"Shout At the Devil" - Motley Crue: 1983 60289-1. Red "Small E" label, later reissued on Black & Red '84-'89 label.
"Breaking the Chains" - Dokken: 1983 60290-1. Red "Small E" label, later reissued on Black & Red '84-'89 label.
"Break the Silence" - The World: 1983 60291-1. Could only find image of promo, which uses the "Small E" design.
"It's So Delicious" - Starpoint: 1983 60292-1. Red "Small E" label. Appears to be the last new release issued only on the "small E" label.
"Love Wars" - Womack & Womack: 1983 60293-1. White field, later reissued on Black & Red '84-'89 label.
"Airborne" - Don Felder: 1983 60295-1. Issued on Asylum, however, promo copies were on the "Small E" style Elektra label.
"Heartbeat City" - The Cars: March 13, 1984 60296-1. Custom label.
"Home Again" - Judy Collins: 1984 60304-1. Black & Red '84-'89 label. Appears to be the first new release issued only on the black & Red label.
"From the Hip" - Josie Cotton: 1984 60309-1. Black field.
"Earth Crisis" - Steel Pulse: 1984 60315-1. White field, black field, black & red labels.
"New Dimension" - Imagination: 1984 60316-1. White field.
"Inside Moves" - Grover Washington: 1984 60318-1. Black & Red.
"Feeling Cavalier" - Ebn-Ozn: 1984 60319-1. White field.
"Human's Lib" - Howard Jones: 1984 60346-1. Black field, custom label, black & red.
"Flesh Made World" - Dubset: 1984 60347-1. No images of label available.
"It's All Yours" - Starpoint: 1984 60353-1. Black field. Last new release on transition label.

In total, the number of new album releases to have appeared on the transition label design seems to have been ten; from October of '83 to sometime in '84. I listed all new U.S. Elektra album releases from the first appearance of the transition label to its last appearance, and not all albums within these numbers were on this label. There are some huge gaps in the numbers. Asylum record numbers intermingled with Elektra. There was also the Elektra Musician label whose numbers intermingled, and some numbers that should have followed numerically here apparently did not. Instead they showed up as late '80s and early '90s CD reissue numbers for Joni Mitchell albums, Cars albums and so on.

Mine is unnumbered. A bassier, more modern interpretation of the album compared to the 2012 (and 2018). Every bit as worthy, and nice as an alternative listen, but the 2012 is a bit more immersive, punchy and realistic.

I love the clarity of the vocals and guitars on this pressing, in later repressings (f.i. 2012) drums are overpowering i.m.o.