The Move’s Classic 1970 Sophomore Album Shazam Gets a Much Needed and Most Welcome Abbey Road-Remastered Vinyl Reissue Via Esoteric Recordings

The Move, of their heyday — which was roughly 1967-71 — have been fairly standard in England and in Europe, regardless of by no means fairly breaking by in a giant approach right here within the States. Even so, The Move’s repute has since continued to develop in stature as subsequent generations of followers have found their nonetheless thrilling, recent, and wondrous music.

The Move’s February 1970 sophomore LP Shazam is extremely regarded by many followers because the group’s most interesting hour, a hard-rocking affair that includes three wonderful Roy Wood originals on Side One (“Hello Susie,” “Beautiful Daughter,” and “Cherry Blossom Clinic Revisited”) plus a trio of impressed, expansive preparations of canopy songs on Side Two from the likes of Tom Paxton (“The Last Thing on My Mind”), the Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil writing staff (“Don’t Make My Baby Blue”), and a cult-favorite progressive rock band, Ars Nova (“Fields of People”).

Sporting eye-catching comedian book-styled paintings (which re-imagines the 4 Move bandmembers as superheroes), Shazam was launched on A&M within the States, and on Regal Zonophone within the UK. And now, the notable UK archival label Esoteric Recordings has simply reissued Shazam for the primary time on vinyl in a few years, mirroring the feel and appear of that authentic English launch.

To affirm the essential DNA stats for this superb 1LP reissue of Shazam, I reached out to Esoteric instantly, and discovered that the album was mastered off a hi-rez digital switch from the unique analog grasp tapes at Abbey Road Studios, and that the brand new remaster’s lacquers have been reduce by Christian Wright. The album is pressed on normal weight vinyl (140g), and it comes packed in a easy audiophile-grade plastic-lined internal sleeve.

Happily, the brand new urgent is quiet, darkish, and — most significantly — well-centered (extra on that latter level in a second). We haven’t but acquired precise affirmation of the place this model of Shazam was pressed, nevertheless it most actually appears like an imported urgent one may get hold of from a plant of European origin.

The SRP for the Esoteric Recordings Shazam LP is £23.99 — which, on the time of this posting, converts to about $30.37 (sans delivery). If you possibly can’t discover this specific Esoteric version of Shazam in your favourite indie file retailer, you possibly can order it instantly from Esoteric (which is an imprint of the Cherry Red Records group) proper right here.

So, how does the brand new Abbey Road remastered version of The Move’s Shazam sound? Well, earlier than I cued the brand new LP up, I gave myself refresher spins of the 2 different variations of Shazam that I personal: the unique A&M 1970 urgent (proven above), and a 1972 Cube/Fly combo reissue (proven under). A completist’s sidenote: the very first pressings of Shazam on Regal Zonophone have been truly faulty — that they had a pressed-in scratch — so there was a repressing to right that error. Either approach, these authentic pressings stay elusive right here in America and are fairly dear, should you do discover one on the collector’s market. (They’re going for $80 and up on Discogs, as of this posting.)

Thus, up till now, that above-noted (and above-shown) Cube/Fly 1972 version — issued as a 2P set, because it was then paired with the band’s eponymously titled March 1968 debut Move (itself additionally a really uncommon file right here in America) — has lengthy been thought-about one of many best-sounding variations obtainable of Shazam.

As for the Esoteric model. Initially, I used to be somewhat bit involved once I took the brand new LP out of its sleeve, and noticed that the grooves have been very tightly packed. At first look, it appeared like there have been no observe separations in any respect. Upon it very carefully, I did discover there are certainly separate tracks, nevertheless it’s in a lot much less distinct method than how they seem on each the unique A&M urgent and the 1972 2LP version.

During the revisitation of my different two variations of Shazam, I discovered the A&M model sounds fairly good, however the UK urgent is far fuller, with richer instrumentation, a greater sense of air, and general much less compression. I used to be pleasantly stunned once I placed on the brand new Esoteric model and located that it sounded even higher nonetheless! The new Abbey Road lacquers are certainly reduce extra quietly than the originals — however whenever you flip up the quantity, it delivers a fairly vibrant punch.

For instance, “Cherry Blossom Clinic Revisited” (Side One, Track 3) delivers some good stereo-panning moments that weren’t as obvious within the earlier incarnations. Overall, drummer Bev Bevan’s cymbal crashes are extra current, with a extra pure sense of decay. The bass — performed by each Rick Price and Trevor Burton — is general punchier. The acoustic guitars really feel much less compressed and extra woody. It can also be very nice listening to the swells of phasy-distorted rising guitar notes within the choruses punched up.

Bevan’s kick drum on “Fields of People” (Side Two, Track 1) is super-round and distinct, whereas his tom-tom hits resonate with huge reverb you could really feel pushing air from the audio system. And the proto-heavy steel dirge of “Don’t Make My Baby Blue” (Side Two, Track 2) is positively ripping, with Roy Wood’s wealthy overdriven guitar amp tones coming by loud and clear.

Overall, as I famous earlier, my new Esoteric urgent of Shazam is fortunately well-centered, one thing that’s fairly important, for my part — particularly since my Cube/Fly copy is somewhat off-center, leading to wavering notes through the aforementioned “Cherry Blossom Clinic Revisited” specifically.

The recreated authentic Shazam cowl artwork seems to be very good too — and whereas its building is nothing fancy, it’s actually respectful of the unique editions. That mentioned, it might need been good to have had a flowery tip-on model cowl or one thing comparable, however that may have doubtless bumped up the SRP considerably.

My solely actual grievance with the entire Esoteric bundle is that the silver-ish printing on the label is poorly realized towards the crimson background — which, though it does mimic the feel and appear of the unique Regal Zonophone label, could be very tough to learn. Someone in QC most likely ought to have paid extra consideration to how the lettering would pop. (Curiously, I’ve seen this type of downside not too long ago on equally coloured labels from LP reissues on the Fantasy label.)

As far because the numeric rankings go for the Esoteric Recordings version of Shazam go, the Music is a strong 10, begin to end. We’ve given this reissue a 9 for Sound, as it’s general greater than superb certainly. However, we’re leaving somewhat wiggle room right here if we ever get to expertise a full analog remaster of the album, which might give that ranking the chance to go as much as 10, and even 11. Time will inform. (We can dream, in any case. . .)

Anyhow, with all that in thoughts, the massive query remaining is: Do you want to personal this new Abbey Road remastered version of The Move’s Shazam? That, my pals, depends upon how into The Move and this specific album you might be! For me personally, Shazam is one in all my all-time favourite rock albums and definitely my favourite by this band, so it was a no brainer to pre-order it from Esoteric Recordings instantly as quickly as I discovered about it late final 12 months.

In reality, on condition that I not too long ago obtained an authentic UK urgent of The Move’s 1968 debut LP, I could nicely purge my copy of the 1972 Cube/Fly 2LP set now that I’ve this new version of in hand, seeing how I’ve no actual cause to play that early ’70s model now. And that’s most likely the very best praise I can give you relating to the deserves of acquiring a replica of the Esoteric LP version of Shazam, particularly should you’re on the fence about it.

Mark Smotroff is an avid vinyl collector who has additionally labored in advertising and marketing communications for many years. He has reviewed music for AudiophileReview.com, amongst others, and you’ll see extra of his spectacular C.V. at LinkedIn.

THE MOVE

SHAZAM

1LP (Esoteric Recordings)

Side One

1. Hello Susie

2. Beautiful Daughter

3. Cherry Blossom Clinic Revisited

Side Two

1. Fields Of People

2. Don’t Make My Baby Blue
3. The Last Thing On My Mind