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Mobile Fidelity - MFSL 1-475 -  1st Time on Vinyl - 180 Gram Virgin Vinyl

Mastered by Kreig Wunderlich & Rob LoVerde 

3,000 Numbered Limited Edition -  Pressed at RTI  

1/2" / 30 IPS analog master to DSD 256 to analog console to lathe

Limited to 3000 copies. History repeats the old conceits and when this one's gone it will be gone and you might live to regret not getting it - Sound 9/10 Music 9/10 Michael Fremer Analogplanet,com

1st time on vinyl Mastered from the Original Master Tapes and Strictly Limited to 3000 Numbered Copies on Mobile Fidelity

Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach first collaborated on "God Give Me Strength," a sweeping ballad that functioned as the centerpiece in Allison Anders' Grace of My Heart. It was a stunning song in the tradition of Bacharach's classic '60s work and it was successful enough that the composers decided to collaborate on a full album, Painted from Memory. Wisely, they chose to work within the stylistic parameters of Bacharach's '60s material, but Painted from Memory never sounds like a stylistic exercise. Instead, it's a return to form for both artists. Bacharach hasn't written such graceful, powerful melodies since his glory days, and Costello hasn't crafted such a fully realized album since King of America. It's a testament to both that even if the album is clearly in Bacharach's territory, it feels like a genuine collaboration. Often, the music not only evokes the spirit of Dionne Warwick, it's reminiscent of Elvis' torching ballads for Trust. Costello keeps Bacharach from his schmaltzier tendencies, and Bacharach keeps Costello from overwriting. With its lush arrangements, sighing brass and strings, gentle pianos, and backing vocals, it's clearly a classicist album, yet it sounds utterly timeless. Its melodies are immediate, its emotions subtle, its impact lasting -- and, with that timeless sound, Painted from Memory illustrates that craft cannot only be its own reward, it can be genuinely moving

An Unforgettable Exhibition of Stellar Melodies, Gorgeous Arrangements, and Fully Bared Emotion: Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach's Brilliant Painted from Memory a Collaboration for the Ages  

Mastered from the Original Master Tapes and Strictly Limited to 3,000 Numbered Copies: Mobile Fidelity 180g LP of Painted from Memory Features Incredible Detail, Lushness, Textures, and Scope

Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach's Painted from Memory endures as an extraordinary exhibition of prime music making, gorgeous arranging, and naked emotion. Having transpired after the pair teamed up on "God Give Me Strength" for a film soundtrack (and the closing track here), the album has since gone on to become one of the most respected – and admired – projects of each artist's considerable careers. Its expert employment of melody and harmony imparts a timelessness that stretches back to pop's golden age and icons such as Roy Orbison, Ray Charles, and Frank Sinatra. Further boosted by meticulous production, it has long called out for audiophile treatment. Mobile Fidelity's analog reissue brings it all full circle.

Mastered from the original master tapes, pressed on dead-quiet 180g vinyl at RTI, and strictly limited to 3,000 numbered copies, Mobile Fidelity's vinyl LP of Painted from Memory transforms the 1998 set into an essential component of any library. Always an effort that rewarded solitary listening, it now breathes with ravishing openness, reveals crystalline detail, unfolds against jet-back backgrounds, mesmerizes with a rainbow of textures, and constantly engages with its impossible smoothness. For the first time, the scope of the intricacies, nuances, and phrasings embedded in Bacharach's meticulous compositions can be experienced in full. The orbit of the bridges, refrains, and codas beguiles the senses. Ditto the poetic reach of Costello's singing and lyrics.

Indeed, the level of care and concern invested into every passage of Painted from Memory is immediately gleaned by the ravishing sonics afforded on this collectable edition – amazingly, the first time this title has been available on LP. Reference-grade presence, tonality, and balance help capture the sweep of the strings, colorful blush of the horn accents, and weight of the piano. Steve Nieve's keyboards, Greg Cohen's bass, Dean Parks' guitar, and Jim Keltner's drums seemingly appear right in the room. Rather than smear together or jockey for position, each instrument enjoys its own place and simultaneously sounds part of the rich, lush, complex albeit completely interwoven tapestry. Graceful, elegant, and classicist-minded, Painted from Memory is a genuine masterpiece – and a true collaboration.

No wonder Costello dedicated a large portion of a chapter from his Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink memoir to his time with Bacharach. Among his insights, Costello explains how crafting the album forced him to be a better writer and singer – and a better listener, stating: "Writing those first songs with Burt Bacharach required me to listen to what the music was really saying to me. Sometimes it was speaking so quietly that I needed to listen very intently. I needed time for the meaning and feeling that I sensed in the music to be confirmed by my own words. The strange thing was that the title of a song often came to me in an instant, but then would begin the more excruciating task of negotiating Burt's spacious melodies and rhythmic subtleties."

The very aspects Costello discusses come to the forefront on remarkable torch pieces such as the intensely dramatic "This House Is Empty Now," melancholic "Thief," and Grammy-winning "I Still Have That Other Girl." In addition to Bacharach's suave, sophisticated, strikingly exquisite orchestrations, Costello's vocals carry the day. Straddling two octaves and sighing with pain, bittersweet romance, and wistful reflection, his baritone stretching to convey highs and lows with crooner-like poise, breadth, and fastidiousness. Thrilling, distinctive, and memorable, the performances are just like the entirety of Painted from Memory itself – unforgettably great.

Secure your copy of this strictly limited release

Arranged By, Conductor – Burt Bacharach
Bass – Greg Cohen
Cello – Ann Karam, Jodi Burnett, Larry Corbett, Bob Adcock, Suzie Katayama
Clarinet – Dan Higgins
Composed By – Burt Bacharach, Elvis Costello
Drums – Jim Keltner
Flute, Piccolo Flute – Steve Kujala
French Horn – Rick Todd
Guitar – Dean Parks, George Doering
Harp – Gayle Levant
Keyboards – Steve Nieve
Piano – Burt Bacharach
Voice – Elvis Costello

In the Darkest Place
Toledo
I Still Have That Other Girl
This House Is Empty Now
Tears at the Birthday Party
Such Unlikely Lovers
Thief
The Long Division
Painted from Memory
The Sweetest Punch
What's Her Name Today?
God Give Me Strength

 
 
GAIN 2 Ultra Analog™ is a proprietary cutting system built and designed by legendary design genius Tim De Paravicini, with consultation from one of MFSL’s founding fathers – Stan Ricker, an audio engineer responsible for many of MFSL’s most heralded past releases.

The GAIN 2 Ultra Analog™ system is comprised of a Studer™ tape machine with customized reproduction electronics* and handcrafted cutting amps that drive an Ortofon cutting head on a restored Neumann VMS-70 lathe. (*It is worth noting that independent studies have confirmed that the GAIN 2 Ultra Analog™ system can unveil sonic information all the way up to 122kHz!)

First and foremost, we only utilize first generation original master recordings as source material for our releases. We then play back master tapes at half speed enabling the GAIN 2 Ultra Analog™ system to fully extract the master’s sonic information. Our lacquers are then plated in a specialized process that protects transients in the musical signal. (Due to this process, there may be occasional pops or ticks inherent in initial play back, but as the disc is played more, a high quality stylus will actually polish the grooves and improve the sound). We further ensure optimum sound quality by strictly limiting the number of pressings printed for each release. These limited editions, in addition to being collectors’ items, ensure that the quality of the last pressing matches the quality of the first.

As you can imagine, all these efforts involve a tremendous amount of time, technology, cost and effort. The introduction of GAIN 2 Ultra Analog™ maintains Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab’s position as the world’s leading audiophile record label, where a passion for music with extraordinary sound quality matters most.
 
RTI
 
Record Technology is a world class record pressing plant located in Camarillo, California. We have been operating since 1974, pressing for most audiophile record labels and for many quality minded independent and major record labels from around the world.