The Smiths – The Queen Is Dead

Great pressing here. Main album sounds the best I have ever heard it on vinyl. Live pressing also sounds great. Recommended.

At the risk of invoking trolls, this box set is average at best.

Firstly, the original album. The Tim Young mastered UK Rough Trade original is - like all of them - rather brittle and strident. I've never understood the hyperbole around original pressings.

That said, Bill Inglot and Dan Hersch are justly famed for overly bright and hard sounding remasters done in the digital domain - which is exactly the case here. At least Tim Young had fresh tapes to work with.

The 'Additional Recordings' 2LP set adds archive material of historical interest (eg. the demos) but the B-Sides are - like the album proper - blunt and closed in (check out the UK Rough Trade original 'The World Won't Listen' renderings of 'Asleep', 'Rubber Ring', 'Unloveable' - yes, it's Tim Young again - to hear a pressing with life put back in).

'Live In Boston' sounds like a soundboard recording, and is devoid of all the joy and verve that live performance is meant to capture.

The wax is nicely pressed, and the box of good quality.

Absolutely phenomenal pressing. Had it in my wanted list for AGES: finally bought this from a seller on here on the 8th to commemorate the day. One of my absolute favourite albums - mad when I think it was originally released a few weeks before I was born! This is a fantastic thing to play and own, and anyone on the fence should just go for it - you won't regret it.

Picked this up recently used. Whisper quiet vinyl, 180g, utterly flawless sound, just like everyone else says. You want this, you really do.

Just got this bad boy a few days ago. I am stunned by the quality of the pressings, likely the most flawless in my collection. Dead quiet on all 5 LPs and sensational sound quality all around. The additional recordings and live album are so clear that I genuinely feel like the band are in the room. It is extremely difficult to find Smiths pressings of this quality these days- a must add now for any Smiths fan before these become scarcer and extremely valuable in 5-10 years.

I cannot hear a single difference between this remaster and the 2011 remaster that Marr supervised; but still nice regardless.

Everything a reissue should be and then some. This is the BEST recording (CD or vinyl) that I've heard of the Smiths and I pretty much have all the albums in both formats. Extreme care put into the vinyl mastering and it shows - beautiful and well balanced sounds. Bright and alive! The subtle touches like black matte artwork exude class, while keeping things fresh. B-sides and demos were a nice touch. The live album shines...I was a kid during the time of the performance and since they will probably never reunite this is the closest I'll get to seeing them live. A booklet would have been icing on the cake but given the sound quality, I'm not mad that one wasn't included.

This is an extremely high quality pressing and very nicely packaged. The records are dead flat, quiet and spotless. The remastering sounds amazing on this, clearly a lot of care went into this reissue. The album covers are very thick and sturdy, poly sleeves as well. This remaster sounds so much better than the original, it almost sounds like its been re-recorded, but obviously it hasn’t. The bonus tracks are just as enjoyable as is the live album. I can’t actually fault anything on this box set, a rarity these days. Mofi quality at half the price. Grab one while you still can at the ridiculously low prices they are going for! Sounds great whilst driving in your car. Nice job WB!

Just picked this up and without a doubt one of the best pressings I've heard.
I had the original US and the repress from 2011 and I much prefer this to those.

The Boston show alone is worth it to have.

Really fine but MISSING one very important item: A BOOK/BOOKLET with interviews, the story behind the album, photos, magazine articles..maybe reproductions of PROMO Posters for the extracted singles...Take a look at Stone Roses Annuversary release...it could have been better, a lot better.