Queen : Queen (Debut) 3U/3U 1st Press

This first pressing plays with superb audio throughout with no clicks, pops or static.  As always I have played every track in full and the clarity, power and definition of the audio is up there with the best I have ever heard.  There are only a handful of totally non-intrusive ticks and the quieter sections in particular play with stunning clarity.  With barely any spindle wear I would say this vinyl has only been very lightly played and that is confirmed by the sonic quality in my opinion.

The vinyl is visually so clean with only a small number of faint hairlines and is a FINAL UPGRADE archive pressing - i.e. no need to purchase another as it would be nigh on impossible to find better audio!

The cover is in excellent condition with only a little shelf wear and the inner sleeve is also very clean.  A superb album!

EMC 3061 // YAX 4623 - 3U / YAX 4624 - 3U // AG 1 / RO 2

KIP - HUGGYPOO KISSY etched on S1 & AGAIN! etched on S2

The audio on S1 is Mint(-) (T2 intro Near Mint)

The audio on S2 is Mint(-)

The cover is a very strong Ex-

The inner sleeve is Ex+

The labels are Ex+ & Near Mint

Visual grading

The intro on 'Keep Yourself Alive' plays with perfect clarity and Freddie's first vocal has no interference either.  It continues to play with exceptional quality and the power and depth of the audio is hugely impressive.  The mid instrumental is faultless as is the next vocal section and Roger's solo is 'as new'.  The remainder including the fade out has no 'background' and I am confident in grading this as Mint such is the quality.

The quiet piano intro on 'Doing All Right' is very clean with only a handful of mega light dust ticks and the opening vocal is just as good with only a couple of very light ticks.  As Roger comes in the audio is faultless and soon after the very quiet 'Should be waiting for the sun...' verse plays beautifully with only a couple of dust ticks.  The double bass section is again so clean and the first 'high octane' section is immense!  There is no distortion and from then on it plays with sublime clarity - the final 'heavy' section plays to perfection as does the final quiet passage.  I will grade the intro as Near Mint and the rest as Mint- as there is just no intrusion on the audio.

'Great King Rat' plays with great power and depth on the intro with just one mega light tick.  The first vocal is 'as new' and this standard is kept up as you progress further into this classic.  The sonic quality is just so strong and it is certainly playing like it has hardly ever been on a turntable before!  Brian's first solo section is flawless - this truly is audio of the highest calibre and the 'Now listen all you people...' vocal is out of this world!  It plays with phenomenal power and definition and the echo effect is so clear.  To think this is a 3U/3U first pressing!  The quiet acoustic section has no 'background' and Brian's powerful solo has to be heard to be believed!  To the final drum beat there is no interference and this is without question a STUNNING Mint version - turn it up to max with the lights off!

The intro on 'My Fairy King' plays with sublime depth and power and Roger's vocal 'scream' has never sounded better!  The opening vocal has no 'background' and thereafter plays with wonderful precision with no sign of any interference.  The definition and resonance of the audio is so impressive especially when you consider it is the final track on the side.  There is no distortion and the quiet piano/vocal section plays with a clarity that is second to none.  As the audio builds the playback is STUNNING - the 'sound' just envelops the room - no interference at all.  The quiet finale has only a couple of barely audible ticks but overall I do believe a Mint grade is more than deserved.  Freddie certainly wrote good 'prog' in the early days!

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The classic 'Liar' has no 'background' on the percussive intro and audio is equally as clean as volume increases.  This intro is faultless and Freddie's opening vocal has only a couple of insignificant dust ticks.  The first chorus plays perfectly and from then on this track delivers on every level.  Put simply there is no interference and the Red Special could not sound any stronger!  You rarely find a first press playing with such clarity, depth and power and the 'heavy' section is a case in point - it is superb!  The 'choral' section plays with a rare clarity and again there is no distortion on the top end.  Mint- although I am not sure why I am including the minus!

The long intro on 'The Night Comes Down' for once is perfect with not even a single dust tick and the same applies to the first verse and chorus.  This track often has some 'background' but so far - none!  It continues to play with sublime clarity and there is literally no intrusion on the audio.  A handful of barely audible dust ticks in the middle section but in no way intrusive of course.  It build so well into the final section with such deep, rich audio and Mint is a fair assessment, I'm not sure I have ever heard better.  A STUNNING version.

'Modern Times Rock 'N' Roll' plays with outstanding depth and power from start to finish with no interference.  There is no 'muddiness' to the sound, no distortion, just pure Mint audio.

'Son And Daughter' plays with great power and resonance and the only 'background' is one light tick on the final vocal.  It is of course such a powerful track and yet it has lost none of its original sonic quality.  A Mint- version.

'Jesus' just has one mega light tick on the intro and then plays with great quality.  I find the first/early pressings often play with some distortion perhaps from overplay but that is not the case here.  It plays with sublime clarity through every section and the 'high octane' middle section is fantastic!  So powerful and dynamic and the definition of the audio is so impressive.  It surely can hardly have been played.  So good I had to play it again!  The final vocal does not disappoint either and overall this has to grade as Mint- and wow what a version!

The abridged 'Seven Seas Of Rhye...' plays so clearly with no interference.  From the piano intro to the long fade out the playback is incredibly clean and if there is any inner groove distortion it is so minimal and just what you would expect on the final few grooves.  A superb Mint- finish to this album.

In summary this first pressing plays to a standard that you rarely find today and having played every track in full I can categorically say there is no interference.  A handful of very light ticks but there are no clicks or pops and no static either.  A FINAL UPGRADE time-warp classic is my honest appraisal.  The production values on this album are so good when you consider it is their debut and that quality is very prevalent on such a clean vinyl.

The Cover & Inner Sleeve

The cover is in excellent condition with only minimal shelf wear and is certainly better than the majority you see today.  Difficult to keep in decent order because it isn't laminated this one has survived very well.  The edges have some rubbing but not an excessive amount - couple of small scuffs on the bottom edge and the top edge is still 100% legible.  The thin pinched spine has some minor rubs but again you can easily read the Queen and the catalogue number.  The corners are in excellent shape overall with just a little more wear bottom right and the opening edge has barely any handling wear.  The front cover is so clean with no marking and has only a little ringwear which is common and some minor creases next to the spine.  The back cover is very similar with only a couple of small 'marks' bottom right.  An excellent example overall.

EMC 3061 // YAX 4623 - 3U / YAX 4624 - 3U // AG 1 / RO 2

KIP - HUGGYPOO KISSY etched on S1 & AGAIN! etched on S2

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