Captain Beefheart – Sun Zoom Spark: 1970 To 1972

What follows is the content of an email I sent to Rhino regarding the packaging for this release. "While I can appreciate your efforts to replicate the original design ideas put forth by Mr. Van Vliet on Clear Spot, you guys missed one incredibly important aspect that, to me, renders it a completely wasted endeavor with disastrous results. According to Wikipedia, the original inserts had rounded corners at the bottom & yours don't so it is virtually impossible to put them back into the plastic sleeve without tearing it at the seams. That is exactly what happened to me even though I was being extremely careful. When the nightmare was over, I had a torn outer plastic sleeve & the inner paper sleeve is back in there but it's way too big to go in there as it was intended ever again. As a result, the record packaging is now bulbous and the box won't shut properly. Please pay better attention, I payed a good bit for this set & this is the second release that I've gotten from you where someone wasn't. Speaking of which, will we ever see a proper re-issue of Failure's Magnified that includes the omitted segue? Please let me know, thanks."
If you buy this very nice set which is awesome for the most part, don't remove the inner packaging for Clear Spot. I highly recommend you just pull the record out & put it back when you're done with it & leave it alone, otherwise. It's a clusterf*ck. If I remember correctly, the inner protective sleeve was turned up so you'd never have to take it out.

for those wondering :

Lick My Decals Off, Baby and Clear Spot does NOT reproduces 1st pressings

lyrics insert is missing from Lick plus the labels are not Straight ones ;

and the plastic sleeve is not embossed on Clear Spot

I'm disappointed by the undersized monochromatic book. For the price I expected a 12 x 12 full color book stuffed with reproductions of The Captain's iconoclastic art.