STEALERS WHEEL Stealers Wheel
“Kevin Gray’s cut from ‘best analogue sources available’ (I admire and greatly respect reissue producer Shane Buettner’s honesty and integrity here) is the best sounding version of this album I’ve yet heard.
There’s more detail to be heard overall, better instrumental layering, greater transparency and more honest equalisation.
The packaging is a first rate laminated Stoughton Printing ‘Tip on’ jacket with John ‘Patrick’ Bryne’s fabulous cover art beautifully reproduced.
” — Music = 8/11; Sound = 9/11 — Michael Fremer
Intervention Records is a new premium vinyl reissue label headed by hi-fi industry veteran Shane Buettner.
Buettner manages marketing and business development for Vandersteen Audio, and before that he was vice president of communication at AudioQuest.
Featuring 180-gram heavyweight vinyl pressed at Gotta Groove Records, and faithfully restored artwork printed to Stoughton Printing old-style deluxe film-lamination jackets, reissues from Intervention Records feature titles new to the vinyl reissue market, especially those that never saw a vinyl release at all or only saw a limited vinyl edition.
Best of all, this releases feature 100% analogue mastering by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio.
The sources for Stealers Wheel and Ferguslie Park two were safety copies made directly from the original analogue master tapes.
Gerry Rafferty and Joe Egan’s self-titled debut album launched the monster hit “Stuck in the Middle (With You).”
The tune later enjoyed a revival from its inclusion in director Quentin Tarantino’s film debut “Reservoir Dogs.”
AllMusic describes this album as “a debonair affair comprised of the kind of accomplished and polished pub pop for which impetus Gerry Rafferty would become known as he subsequently rode out the decade on the sublime radio single ‘Baker Street.'”
Worthy musical moments abound all through this record, all forever overshadowed by the clever corporate-snub “Stuck in the Middle With You,” which branded the duo — Rafferty and amigo Joe Egan — a one-hit wonder when the track took on a life of its own.
“Sadly, the song also foreshadowed the premature end of Stealers Wheel, and Rafferty and Egan continued to document the personal and professional turmoil of their short time together throughout their respective solo careers, even re-recording some of these early jewels.
And though only Rafferty’s star continued to rise, Egan harbors considerable talent as well, shining brightly on his Rubber Soul-influenced tapestry ‘Another Meaning.'” — AllMusic
Any record this carefully crafted doesn’t deserve to languish in the bins of obscurity. So it’s great to have a premium vinyl reissue of this 1973 classic available once again.
Track List: STEALERS WHEEL Stealers Wheel
Side 1
1. Late Again
2. Stuck In The Middle
3. Another Meaning
4. I Get By
5. Outside Looking In
Side 2
6. Johnny’s Song
7. Next To Me
8. Jose
9. Gets So Lonely
10. You Put Something Better Inside Me (1973 Mix)
