Garbage – Version 2.0

Seems to have had a price crash at HMV / Amazon / eBay. Any reason to avoid this blue version? A fav album of mine and I can't justify the silly £ for the orange pressing in my local store.

No warps for me. Two flat discs. Zero groove defects either which is the bigger surprise given its post covid age of Optimal media!

The sound is very much identical to the already outstanding black 45rpm 2xLP. So yes, its outstanding. For 90's indie this is mastered so well, so dynamic even. The 45rpm always brings a little extra dynamism to playback, its really impressive.

Either copy is worth owning but this one being rarer will be cherished that bit more i suppose! In fact all first three Garbage albums reissued at 45rpm have been superb for me and waaaay outperformed my expectations.

Two copies warped, two copies returned.
Why am I getting fekkin warped vinyl all the time?
It costs too much so sort your shit out Labels and pressers.
FFS

A solid pressing. I can't speak to previous outings as this is the first I've gotten my hands on, but based on the engineering credits and other comments, seems fairly similar to the 2021 European release. Upfront: original outro lyrics of YLSF are here - I've never heard the alternate and Spotify in my country sounds like the CD? This matches that, albeit with a caveat (continue onwards).

The vinyl itself is a STUNNING shade of deep blue. Love it. Pressed at 45 is a nice treat as well.

The sound is quiet and clean - Shirley's vocals especially are quite gorgeous and very clean and pure on this pressing. There is definitely a favouring of keeping her vocals present and crisp at all times in this "restoration" mix, which leads to some interesting moments. Push It, for example, feels a wee bit quiet and less grungey in the chorus as if the music has been adjusted down a smidge to ensure her hushed vocals aren't lost in the mix. The "Drown In Me..." portion of the YLSF outro feels a little too loud, to where it doesn't lay quite flat into the atmospheric music of the track. I like it, but it catches the ear.

Conversely, certain tracks feel a little "dirtier" in the guitars, percussion and bass - Paranoid particularly. The beats go harder in many places, but not to a place of distortion. It's all kept in check beautifully.

The effect it gives me is "Version 2.0, but make it live". All of the ways these songs shift a wee bit on stage, from Shirley giving it a little louder on the mic in the mix, to certain songs slapping more, it's been tinkered with here. Which, when you note Billy Bush at the helm, makes sense.

Packaging is pretty, no surface noise/pops, sounds great. It's definitely not a straight from 98 digital transfer. I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you don't yet have this glorious album on vinyl, this version's a keeper.