Record Store Day surprise: The White Album remastered!

[JamieSPC]

"The white Fleetwood Mac album" or "Fleetwood Mac Fleetwood Mac," depending on whether you ask Chris or Lindsey, was released on Record Store Day on remastered vinyl in two versions:

http://www.amazon.com/Fleetwood-Mac/dp/B006X3VNOA/
45 RPM, 2 LPs

http://www.amazon.com/Fleetwood-Mac-...dp/B007HM2ZAC/
33 1/3 RPM, 1 LP

It wasn't on any of the RSD release lists; I didn't know about it but some of y'all might have.

Shipping times are pretty lengthy from Amazon if you're interested in buying... might try your local record store to see if they still have some. I'm in Birmingham, AL, and both of our indie stores got 1 copy of the 45 RPM version and two or three of the regular.

I got the 45... it sounds AMAZING. The original vinyl of this album and even the audiophile versions were always regarded as noisy (one engineer I know described it as "crunchy," almost like the master was pushed to near distortion) and they weren't manufactured very well. From an engineering standpoint, this is a great record, maybe even better than "Rumours" (which even its producers admit was never an "audiophile" album).

Can I say the vinyl sounds better than the remastered CD? Depends on your perspective. The vinyl is still going to have that characteristic warmth, and there is a difference there. After a couple of listens, I don't believe the vinyl "reveals" anything new... I just prefer the sound. The crispy digital edges are eased and the whole thing sounds better than it likely did the day it was released almost 40 years ago.

Can't speak for the cheaper 33 1/3 version... when "Rumours" was released in two versions last year for RSD, critics did say there was a noticeable difference and that the 33 1/3 wasn't worth the price.