Genesis - Selling England By The Pound

Analogue Productions (Atlantic 75 Series)

Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of Atlantic Records!

Selling England By The Pound — Genesis' gold-selling fifth studio album!

180-gram 45 RPM double LP

Mastered directly from the original master tape by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering

Pressed at Quality Record Pressings

Tip-on old style gatefold double pocket jackets with film lamination by Stoughton Printing

Acoustic Sounds 75th Atlantic Series Round 2: Genesis, Dr. John, Foreigner — Bellisario Sonic/YouTube video

Atlantic 75 Series / Analogue Productions — SublimMedia/YouTube. Video

"Nothng but manna from analog heaven can be found within the balance of Analogue Productions' year-long-plus Atlantic 75 anniversary reissue series ... but to my ears, the crème de la crème of the lot are all the reissuances culled from the prime, more progressive-leaning '70s era of the Genesis catalog. ... A few highlights to whet your aural whistle: 1) Mike Rutherford's high-pitched, 12-string acoustic guitarwork and the overall rise/fall drama of "The Musical Box" (LP1, Side 1, Track 1, November 1971's Nursery Cryme). 2) The full majesty of Tony Banks' lengthy piano intro (and outro!) and Steve Hackett's career-defining guitar solo on "Firth of Fifth" (LP1, Side 2, Track 1, September 1973's Selling England by the Pound). 3) Peter Gabriel's pleading lead vocals and Phil Collins' ever-clever drumming on "Back in N.Y.C." (LP2, Side 3, Track 1, November 1974's The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway). 4) The all-in, all-band composition of the mostly instrumental "Los Endos," replete with thematically squonky, volcanic callbacks to prior tracks and other suppers past (LP2, Side 4, Track 2, A Trick of the Tail). I could go on - and I will, when I can!" —  Mike Mettler, AnalogPlanet's Top LPs of 2024, Dec. 20, 2024. Read the entire review here.

"The sound quality on the Analogue Productions reissue is by far the best I've ever heard for this album. There's far more presence, depth, and 'air.' You can hear Peter Gabriel's enunciation more clearly — and the fact that he was using a really good microphone, whatever it was. There's more character to the fuzz box in Steve Hackett's guitar — it has a more distinct 'vowelly' tone and grainy decay. ... the new Analogue Productions 45 RPM LP reissue is not only the clear sonic winner, it's an absolute gift to everyone who has loved this album over the decades." — Frank Doris, Copper Magazine, Jan. 8, 2024. Read the entire review here.

"Between Chris Bellman's mastering, QRP's expertise in manufacturing high-quality records, and Stoughton's tip-on glossy gatefold jacket printing, perfection is a word to describe this overall pressing. Chad Kassem knows what his clientele is seeking and proudly offers it, along with others in the Atlantic 75 Audiophile Series." — Music = 11/11; Sound = 11/11 — Dylan Peggin, TrackingAngle.com. To read the full review, click here.

Recorded in August 1973 — the tour for Foxtrot (1972) having ended in May of that year — Genesis' members joined for a short time to write new material which covered a number of themes, including the loss of English folk culture and an increased American influence. Hence the inspiration for the title Selling England by the Pound.

Several tracks from the album became fan favorites and were featured as a regular part of the band's live setlist well into the 1980s. "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)," was released in February 1974 and became the band's first top 30 hit in the U.K. In 2012, the album ranked seventh in Rolling Stone's "Readers' Poll: Your Favorite Prog Rock Albums of All Time." Selling England by the Pound reached No. 3 on the U.K. charts and No. 70 on the U.S. Billboard Pop Albums chart.

AllMusic reviewer Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote that Genesis hadn't sacrificed its newfound immediacy of Foxtrot with that album's follow-up. They found ways to infuse with the delicate whimsy that was their calling card since the group began.

"This, combined with many overt literary allusions — the Tolkeinisms of the title of 'The Battle of Epping Forest' only being the most apparent — gives this album a storybook quality. It plays as a collection of short stories, fables, and fairy tales, and it is also a rock record, which naturally makes it quite extraordinary as a collection, but also as a set of individual songs. Genesis has never been as direct as they've been on the fanciful yet hook-driven 'I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)' — apart from the fluttering flutes in the fade-out, it could easily be mistaken for a glam single — or as achingly fragile as on 'More Fool Me,' sung by Phil Collins. It's this delicate balance and how the album showcases the band's narrative force on a small scale as well as large that makes this their arguable high-water mark." 

All the hallmarks of a top-notch Analogue Productions reissue are here for you to savor: Mastered directly from the original master tape by Bernie Grundman and cut at 45 RPM. Pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings, and housed in tip-on old style gatefold double pocket jackets with film lamination by Stoughton Printing.

Music

Sound

Ratings from Dylan Peggin @ trackingangle.com/

1. Dancing With The Moonlit Knight

2. I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)

3. Firth Of Fifth

4. More Fool Me

5. The Battle Of Epping Forest

6. After The Ordeal

7. The Cinema Show

8. Aisle Of Plenty

Customer Reviews (5.00 Stars) 13 person(s) rated this product.

Stunning posted on 11/02/2024 5 Stars Reviewer: Jake C The first two Atlantic 75th Anniversary albums I got were Coltrane's "Giant Steps" and CSN's first album. To be clear, they both sound fantastic, but I bought them specifically because *all* versions of those two albums are problematic. The initial recordings are known as being faulty, and I had heard what a fantastic job AP had done in bringing out the best in them. The hype was right, and they sound fantastic though. They did not, however, prepare me for what I heard when I put this Genesis record on my turntable. It sounds ALIVE. The separation and detail is absolutely stupendous. Peter Gabriel's vocals pop out and have so much texture, you can clearly hear the differences when he changes the filtering/effects, when the music is busy details that were buried before stand out clearly and sharply, neatly defined from the rest of the music. It's the best Genesis has ever sounded to me. WOW.

I made a mistake the first time. This is a masterpiece. posted on 03/23/2024 5 Stars Reviewer: Chris Dean I bought this album the minute it was released as I am a HUGE EARLY GENESIS FAN, and I was not sold on the albums dynamics. I felt the soundstage on the copy I got wasn't up to the hype. I sold that copy. Since I borrowed 2 other copies and was completely blown away, so I repurchased the album, and I am so glad I did. I have multiple copies of every Genesis album up to Duke. This copy of SEBTP is the pinnacle. I am a huge surround fan and still this soundstage and the dynamic range makes all the previous versions lackluster. Chris Bellman, Chad & company, please keep up the great work. Thank you

Best Sounding posted on 02/09/2024 5 Stars Reviewer: Brady The vocals stand out right away. Then the bass attack is more present. Finally, the separation and clarity of instruments in instrumental passages such as Cinema Show is so great it took me back. At first I was not sure I liked it as my memories of music were original release and then the 2007 remaster. Now, all I want to listen to is this 45 version. I have the SACD coming as well and hope it has as much to offer. This is a stellar release.

A whole new level of detail posted on 01/27/2024 5 Stars As the headline states, this production presents a whole new level of detail. This may sound contradictory, but the subtlety of instrument placement, as well as soundstage depth, slaps you in the face. Pressing is first rate. Discs are dead flat. Final note; as always, Acoustic Sounds shipping package is outstanding. If you're a fan, I can't see how you would regret this purchase. If you're not a fan, it may just make you one.

The best I’ve ever heard. posted on 11/28/2023 5 Stars Reviewer: Derek This is one of my favorite Genesis albums, and I’ve owned an original, classic records edition, and now this one. Nothing compares to this release. I’ve heard things I’ve never heard previously, so much detail and clarity. I’m so excited for the next Genesis releases.

Unbelievable! It is the best! posted on 11/14/2023 5 Stars Reviewer: Scott Wilson I haven't found any 33rpm version can compete with this. I tried early UK, EMI 100 and Classic, and this is simply on another level. See my review on The Pressing Matters Youtube channel. Genesis Selling England By The Pound - AP Atlantic 75 Series Vinyl https://youtu.be/th5e--6KGe0

As good a pressing as I've come across. posted on 11/12/2023 5 Stars Reviewer: Tracy This is the first of the Atlantic 75th series I've bought, and won't be the last. This is as quiet and dynamic as many of the UHQR (including older MoDi) & OneStep pressings in my collection. I just finished the 3rd side to take a break to write this review, so it's going to be short so I can get to the 4th side. The sound quality of this is worth the extra flipping and cleaning ritual. So, I have to get back to the music now, thank you RTI & Acoustic Sounds.

Amazing! posted on 11/11/2023 5 Stars Reviewer: Puluche Such a classic album and it never sounded better. The packaging is beautiful, as well. $60 for these 75 records is a bit much, but in this instance it is worth it.

Write a review and let people know what you think of this product OR just rate it.