4 out of 5

Label: Bulbous Monocle

Produced by: Mark Gergis (remastered by)

Original review here, with this serving as a review of the remaster itself.

I thought I’d reviewed this already, only realizing I hadn’t after listening to Bulbous Monocle’s third TFUL reissue – The Funeral Pudding. So most of my thoughts on these remasters are included there, as Bulbous has been consistent, via using the same remasterer – Mark Gergis.

In short: Mark maintains the quirky, kitchen-sink nature of TFUL’s classic album, but dusts it off carefully so that we can hear things we might’ve only subconsciously noted before, or making some tracks just feel a bit “fuller,” which can help out with the feller-filler especially. The label art and liner notes have all been maintained, but Bulbous was maybe trying to be environmentally friendly by going with recycled materials for the cover, resulting in a very murky printing on brown cardboard. Whether or not that was the reason, it’s the result, and it’s hard not to see the thing as cheap, even if the record itself sounds fantastic.

So a minor visual hiccup for an otherwise highly recommended reason to revisit and reappreciate this album, worthy of a place alongside the original – it’s a unique listen, with both having their charms.