My Bloody Valentine – Loveless

To WhiteSpyder: Thanks for correcting me. Andy Savours helped him recreate stuff in analog realm, with new editing blocks, and splicing tape, but Matt Cotton's name is right there beneath he mastered the analog version. Everything you said was right, I'm just so confused about which one this even falls under. I'm not even sure if this is the right pressing because there are several different ones with an X at the end, depending if it was for Europe, or UK, or from Domino and/or MBV's site and the year. And I'm just talking the ones from 2021 and 2022. (The 2018 are really simple MBV 02 and 03 for Isn't Anything and Loveless on the spines, only fully analog). And it's so hard for me to read the etchingings which is what I should have done. But I did want to warn people that it may be labelled wrong, if they ran out of stickers or alternately sleeves. The things do contradict each other, but it is not the puzzle of the century. Thanks making things a lot clearer. If I read the etching correctly, the it is the analog, and the cellophane was wrong, but it is hard to read with my eyesight.

To VINYLSAVEDMYLIFE: Okay, I think everything you said is exactly wrong. Like 100%. I actually researched this and here is what happened.

Most everything was intially tracked and done in the analog realm for Isn't Anything and Loveless. They only had to use digital elements at The Chuch where they mix movie sound tracks (dialogue, sound effects, etc) to properly fade in the various interstial tracks that make Loveless flow so nicely. And recreating that in the analog realm was the first big difficulty when making it fully ana 2018. Shields and engineer Andy Savours had to make new editing blocks, and cut the tape with the segues between songs in weird shapes to recreate the transitions. But they did it. And it took a long time and a lot of money. Kudos!

Most time the SPARS code is used (AAA, AAD, DDD, etc) it is pretty meaningless, because most things are not simply binary Analog or Digital, even when the code was first made in the 1980's, as more or a marketing device, it was imprecise. It's even more true today that the SPARS code is meaningless. Things have gotten only more complicated. But Shields actually did make Isn't Anything and Loveless as if it was 1975 and no digital recordings, mixing, or mastering equipment existed, from everything I read over a seven year period. So while AAA is meaningless, when Shields says 'Fully Analog', it means it fully analog. He could only find three plants in Europe that could cut the vinyl without computers; it's becoming a lost art.

Also only the intial batches of CDs had the glitch on "What You Want," the vast majority don't.

There's like so much stuff I have no idea where you got it from; It doesn't make sense. They did not just take the digital tapes and tranfer them back to analog. That's ridiculous and just makes no sense. Did you not read all the interviews Shields did about the process? It's unfortunate the internet has no gatekeeping and anyone can say anything.

Often misunderstood as an “analogue classic,” Loveless was largely constructed in the digital domain using Sony PCM and DAT systems, with digital editing and mastering. While some analog gear was used during tracking (notably for guitars and vocals), the final mix was assembled digitally — meaning the CD format is arguably the truest representation of Kevin Shields’ original intent.

The later “all-analog” vinyl reissues (2018/2021) are based on analog transfers of those original digital masters, and while they sound fantastic on the right system, they are not fully AAA. Importantly, the 2CD editions from 2018 and/or 2021 suffer from a known digital glitch (on "What You Want") that made it into production — a surprising oversight for such a revered record.

Many collectors overlook that the original UK and early Japanese CD pressings offer incredibly detailed, rich sound with none of the remastering issues. Whether on a quality CD pressing or carefully cut vinyl, Loveless reveals its depth best on a resolving system that can untangle its dense, textured layers. One of the most sonically fascinating records of its time — and still a reference point for production nerds and dreamers alike.

My Bloody Valentine's first EP's and full length album pushed the boundaries somewhat in the developing post rock/ shoegaze genre's, gathering a cult following, particularly overseas.

Then came Loveless.

The machinations involved with the albums explicitly monolithic production was a costly endeavour, eventually culminatimg with the rendering of Creation Records into bankruptcy
.
Sad to see such a label go, but better to die on your feet I suppose.

This album is a masterpiece to the extent where to pigeonhole Loveless in such genre's as post rock / shoegaze is a de-facto crass misdirection; innocuously implying it's imprimatur, style and grandeur to be of a standard that is ostensibly replicable.

No-one, including My Bloody Valentine will ever be able to replicate this lightning in a bottle.

Found the deluxe.analog version at Barcelona Revolver discos for a modest 25 Euros..some copies left..in case you visit the city.

Deluxe is up on the official store! Says it ships late October. Better later than never I guess!

Currently (midday 20th May) the HMV ebay shop (ebay.co.uk) are taking orders for both standard and deluxe versions of Loveless vinyl for £21.99/24.99 post free. Who knows if they will actually arrive, but it might be worth a look.

Deluxe available for pre-order on Roughtrade!!! I got one there and on resident.uk when they had some up.

Truck Records in Oxford have six of the deluxe vinyl left (spoken to them to confirm it’s correct)

Why would the standard vinyl issue be from a digital source and deluxe from analogue? The packaging makes it deluxe no? I'm pretty sure this lp was recorded with a whole lot of digital equipment anyway.

I am weak...
After having ordered Loveless deluxe on MBV, I have just taken the deluxe versions of the other two albums from a major French brand which begins with an F.
Can't wait to read the community's comparisons on the different versions :)