Jethro Tull – Aqualung (45 RPM 200 Gram Double LP on Clarity Vinyl)

The pinnacle of high-quality vinyl — the Ultra High Quality Record (UHQR®) from Analogue Productions!

Definitive handmade limited run reissue of Jethro Tull’s classic Aqualung

Remastered by Chris Bellman from the original master tapes

Stereo 45 RPM 200-gram double LP release limited to 5,000 gold foil numbered copies

Pressed at Quality Record Pressings using Clarity Vinyl on a manual Finebilt press

Purest possible pressing and most visually stunning presentation and packaging!

17th Annual Positive Feedback Writers’ Choice Awards for 2020
Recording of the Year: Rock recording, LP
“Get this UHQR before it goes out-of-print! You won’t be sorry!” — Myles B. Astor, Senior Editor, Positive Feedback

Praise for our UHQR Edition of Jimi Hendrix’s Axis: Bold As Love: “The Axis UHQR cut is amazing — full bodied, detailed, powerful and engaging. Very impressive. The best pressing of the record I have ever heard.” — Bill Levenson, Grammy Award-winning reissue producer

“I have to say this was a worthy purchase. As I have nothing other than a digital copy for any sort of comparison I decided to avoid that and just comment on the records spinning on the deck. First to last groove, silent vinyl which is impressive. … Barely past the half way mark of the opening (and title) track on side one and I was transported back to my teenage years when this was originally released. … Despite the thinner sound here I’m just so pleased that (Chris) Bellman traveled the route of less is more and presents us with an accurate representation of what I heard many years ago. Only now, ever so much improved, not least due to the vinyl formula and flat profile. The piano, vocal and acoustic guitar shines and the recording is presented quite expansively in front of the listener. It is a pleasant experience to hear instruments as they actually sound as, not something like or close to, but as is.” Aqualung UHQR review, Gordon Johnson, jmhvinyl.co.uk, 2020. Read the entire review (scroll down to find Aqualung) here.

Analogue Productions, the audiophile in-house reissue label of Acoustic Sounds, Inc., together with Quality Record Pressings, is reintroducing one of the most revered brands in LP history — the Ultra High Quality Record (UHQR), originally introduced by JVC Japan in the 1980s!

Analogue Productions presents another UHQR classic title — Jethro Tull’s multi-platinum-selling smash Aqualung. Originally released in March 1971, the album has sold in excess of 7 million copies worldwide, achieving Top Ten chart status in both the U.K. and U.S.. Aqualung‘s success signaled a turning point in the band’s career, making Jethro Tull a major radio and touring act.

Recorded at Island Records’ studio in London, it was their first album with John Evan as a full-time member, their first with new bassist Jeffrey Hammond, and last album featuring Clive Bunker on drums. Aqualung is regarded, despite the band’s disagreement, as a concept album featuring a central theme of “the distinction between religion and God.” Something of a departure from the band’s previous work, the album features more acoustic material than previous releases; and-inspired by photographs of homeless people on the Thames Embankment taken by singer Ian Anderson’s wife Jennie-contains a number of recurring themes, addressing religion along with Anderson’s own personal experiences.

This UHQR is remastered by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering from the original analog master tapes. Each UHQR will be pressed at Acoustic Sounds’ industry-leading pressing plant Quality Record Pressings (QRP) using hand-selected Clarity Vinyl® on a manual Finebilt press with attention paid to every single detail of every single record. The 200-gram records will feature the same flat profile that helped to make the original UHQR so desirable. From the lead-in groove to the run-out groove, there is no pitch to the profile, allowing the customer’s stylus to play truly perpendicular to the grooves from edge to center. Clarity Vinyl allows for the purest possible pressing and the most visually stunning presentation. Every UHQR will be hand inspected upon pressing completion, and only the truly flawless will be allowed to go to market. Each UHQR will be packaged in a deluxe box and will include a booklet detailing the entire process of making a UHQR along with a hand-signed certificate of inspection. This will be a truly deluxe, collectible product.

This stereo release will be limited to 5,000 copies, with individually gold foil numbered jackets.

More About Clarity Vinyl

As we set out to make the world’s best vinyl record, we began by establishing a set of exacting standards to address all of the components that comprise an LP. We call our records made under these strict standards Ultra High Quality Records (UHQR). Most audiophiles would understand that the list of critical components in UHQR includes recording, mastering, plating, pressing and quality control. But some may stop short of considering the raw material used to make the record: the vinyl itself.

We did some research and learned some interesting things about the history of the iconic black vinyl record. The most compelling revelation to us was the fact that LP vinyl is not black in its pure state. The off-white color of the record you are about to listen to is the color of raw vinyl in its purest form (un-tinted vinyl). The black color you’re used to seeing is a colorant called “carbon black” that was part of the original compound formulation used in old shellac records. As vinyl compound replaced shellac-based compound, carbon black continued to be used as a colorant. We’ve expected our records to be black ever since.

To make the ultimate record, we decided to enhance sound quality by removing anything we believed could detract from it. Record styli vibrate (or jitter) on a microscopic level, and any particles of carbon black pigment that happen to be on the surface of the groove could introduce surface noise. By not adding carbon black to our Clarity Vinyl, we eliminate the possibility of noise contamination due to carbon black particles. Instead, your stylus is allowed to effortlessly slide down a glossy and silky smooth groove wall.

When we purchased Classic Records, the brand name Clarity Vinyl® came with it. We’re proud to have resurrected, refined and trademarked Clarity Vinyl, the perfect canvas for our masterpiece: vinyl in its purest form.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you charge my credit card now?
We run an authorization charge to verify the card info which drops off after a few days. Funds are withdrawn when the order is at the warehouse preparing for shipment.

Does this item qualify for a discount?
No, our 10% off promotion does not apply to Analogue Production titles including UHQR releases.

Why doesn’t this qualify for free shipping like your policy states?
Since UHQRs are made with extra care and detail, we ensure they shipped in the same manner to arrive safely without damage.

Can I order more than 2?
No. This UHQR is a very limited reissue and will not be repressed once sold out.

Can I order more than 2 if I ship to different addresses?
No. Only 2 copies per customer and billing/shipping address. Orders will be reviewed before shipping and duplicates will be canceled.