R.E.M. – Chronic Town

I have the loud WHOOSH at the start of each side, and it sounds pretty flat - not usually a big deal as the music is great, but I paid $37 for this at my local shop and that feels like highway robbery (not a knock on the shop BTW) 4 stars for the music and the cool looking disc but for the price this is a little weak.

My memories of Chronic Town on vinyl are a bit fuzzy as the last time I played a version of this on record was as a teen on my parent’s crappy record player. Since then I’ve had the copy tacked onto the Dead Letter Office CD. My memories of it were that it wasn’t a particularly well recorded EP - musically of course fantastic - but let’s face it, recorded in an independent studio in the early 80’s it was never a sonic wonder.
So this reissue sounds about as good as I expected it to. I did notice an odd “whooshing” sound in the grooves leading up to the start of the music but it seems to fade off as the music starts. But weird.
I don’t mind the picture disc, it’s kind of cute watching Michael, Peter, Bill & Mike spin around as the music plays.
The PVC cover is a really really poor piece of nonsense though - really can’t we just have a normal cover to look at?!?!!
5 stars for the music, 4 stars for the as expected early 80’s garage band music sound quality, 3 stars for the crappy packaging, and 1 star for the cynical money grab that means you need to buy the CD if you want the liner notes done for this edition by Mitch Easter.

Unless you really *really* have to have this in your R.E.M. collection (I am one of those people), this release is a plate full of NOPE. Everyone knows that picture disc audio is subpar, but the labels need to a) stop fleecing people by releasing this garbage and b) if they insist on releasing said garbage, at least stop putting them in these gosh awful plastic outer jacket that will most likely end up out-gassing all over already terrible sounding picture disc which ruins it and make it sound worse.

Disclaimer: I should note here that I don't know what the outer is made of (I've smelled worse) and make no claim that it *will* happen if you leave the record in it, but hey...do you wanna risk it?

edit:

To answer the question on the sound quality, it's about what you'd expect from a picture disc. It's not quiet, and my copy specifically has some static (even after a wash). As for the music itself, I find that it lacks some punch (and volume for some odd reason compared to the OG) and is a bit thin sounding on my system. You'd think that since it is a 45 rpm pressing that would help, but that's wishful thinking because it's still on a less than ideal picture disc.

And really...this is a collectible cash-grab by whoever is making money off of it. I wouldn't be surprised if in 10 years they re-re-release it again on it's 50th (!!) in whatever gimmick they can dream up if we're all still alive by then.

That said, if you want the best sounding version of Chronic Town, get an OG and call it good. It's as good as it gets. It's full and punchy. Outside of that, the blue vinyl RSD reissue is pretty decent, but not quite OG level.