"Hollies Sing Hollies" - Best Sounding Copy?

[cameron]

To me, "Hollies Sing Hollies" is a rather overlooked Hollies album. At the time it was considered really good, but of their run of superb albums from 1969-1975, I'd probably rate it the weakest one in the set. One thing I've always liked is the near perfect production on it. Sonically, it's a very pleasing album to listen to. 

I've had three original 1969 yellow and black Parlophone copies of it over the years. All three have suffered inner groove distortion on "Please Let Me Please" in particular, rendering Bobby's drums virtually inaudible. My current copy is near mint and barely played but still has the same issue, so it must be a fault of the pressing. It's a completely different song on CD. 

Has anyone got the later one box EMI pressing, or the even rarer 1971 two box pressing? I noticed a copy in a record shop a few weeks back which I passed on (because it was £40!) and noticed that this re-pressing actually has a textured gatefold sleeve, as opposed to a plain cardboard sleeve that the original 1969 pressing has. For some unknown reason, EMI one box pressings generally eclipse all previous and subsequent pressings. I don't know what they changed for just one year. I think from 1971 onwards, the vinyl got thinner when the change to the two box label was made. The mono "Hollies Greatest" on the one box label is the best version of that LP you'll find anywhere. The sonic clarity is stunning. I was wondering how "Hollies Sing Hollies" compared on the one box label. 

I'm drawn to trying a German Hansa pressing, as generally these compare very favourably to UK pressings. Has anyone got a German copy and compared how they sound? 

[poco]

The German Hansa is far superior.

[The Dude]

Aug 15, 2018 15:35:44 GMT cameron said:

To me, "Hollies Sing Hollies" is a rather overlooked Hollies album. At the time it was considered really good, but of their run of superb albums from 1969-1975, I'd probably rate it the weakest one in the set. One thing I've always liked is the near perfect production on it. Sonically, it's a very pleasing album to listen to. 

I've had three original 1969 yellow and black Parlophone copies of it over the years. All three have suffered inner groove distortion on "Please Let Me Please" in particular, rendering Bobby's drums virtually inaudible. My current copy is near mint and barely played but still has the same issue, so it must be a fault of the pressing. It's a completely different song on CD. 

Has anyone got the later one box EMI pressing, or the even rarer 1971 two box pressing? I noticed a copy in a record shop a few weeks back which I passed on (because it was £40!) and noticed that this re-pressing actually has a textured gatefold sleeve, as opposed to a plain cardboard sleeve that the original 1969 pressing has. For some unknown reason, EMI one box pressings generally eclipse all previous and subsequent pressings. I don't know what they changed for just one year. I think from 1971 onwards, the vinyl got thinner when the change to the two box label was made. The mono "Hollies Greatest" on the one box label is the best version of that LP you'll find anywhere. The sonic clarity is stunning. I was wondering how "Hollies Sing Hollies" compared on the one box label. 

I'm drawn to trying a German Hansa pressing, as generally these compare very favourably to UK pressings. Has anyone got a German copy and compared how they sound? 

I couldn't help you there because I own the Dutch version of the album, pressed by Bovema, located at the Blekersvaartweg in Heemstede, at the time (South of my hometown of Haarlem [NL]) ...
they may have used the Enlgish master tapes. Having said that the sound quality is quite good, but then I haven't played it that much on a record player, especially not since I acquired the vinly album in the late eighties and the CD version a year of two later..  all due to the fact that, when the album was originally released, I was only 12 with little or no pocket money...