FSOL* – ISDN

I pulled out my copy tonight to appraise and see if I want to invest in the recent "official" release. I started my notes with "quite good mastering" while listening to Side A. But as things went on and I compared to the streamed digital version on YouTube (not definitive, but indicative), I came to note there are a few points where the digital mastering may win. However, overall, I'd still say that this "bootleg" is quite good, enough to where I'd question whether it was rather a bootleg in the sense of KLF's Chill Out releases over the past 20 years.

This version presents with a solid wall of sound in most places, where the bass more encomes you than makes your booty shake and there's a lot going on in the mids, which are overall clear. There are tracks, such as "Eyes Pop - Skin Explodes - Everybody Dead" and "It's My Mind That Works", where the mids come in demonstrably clearer than on the digital, even. At other points - namely "Egypt" - the mids are partly compressed. However, this is not a facet of the mastering on this version - it's the case on all versions I have heard. Keep in mind this was a pastiche of previous studio-live versions of songs recorded somewhere in the early 90s. Who knows how they were recorded before being pasted together. For this same reason, there is not much "airiness" to this recording, which I suppose some would call the highs having been "rolled off".

Conversely, tracks like "Kai" and "Amoeba" come through clearer on the digital, and I find the bass more present on the latter. Nonetheless, "Snake Hips" absolutely smokes on this "bootleg" version.

I would be perfectly happy keeping this copy if it were not for the pressing defects. The pressing, sadly, does not match the quality of its content, as three sides are off-center (non-audible to me, but still), and the second disc slightly warped. More importantly, there is surface noise noticeable through much of it. While this might in part be due to the age - I bought this in 2016 - I tend to believe the fault is in the pressing. As it is, I believe I will seek one of the recent versions, and will provide comparison when I do.

Looks like they combined the first and second releases of the original for this release, making the second disc a bit more cramped.

I'd be curious if anyone has compared it to the bootleg from 2006?

Not well mastered for vinyl to my ears. Sounds squashed in the midrange. Bass does not have a lot of presence. The lack of space makes it a bit muddy. Press is nice, I agree on that.

Some albums get better by their form on vinyl. Each side being a world unto its own. This appears to be one. The sound quality is immaculate. I circled getting a copy for a year and I’m very happy I finally bit the bullet. One of the best albums by FSOL and easily the best way to hear it. What a record. Sublime.

In case you haven't heard the good news:
In 2024 the 30th Anniversary Edition of ISDN came out on vinyl and cd. It has the tracks from both versions, and came up with a new track order for the last half. Yes the CD version had to be 2CD to fit it all. The record version is still 2xLP but now sides C and D have 5 tracks each.

As with Tales (very noisy side B), where I went through 4! copies before I got a clean one, my copy of ISDN was also noisy (side A). For 50 euros a piece, there is no way I'm living with this.

Echoing many, this is a great pressing and a very welcome one considering my original is pretty much worn out. Their best LP, and that's saying something considering the back catalogue!

Good pressing. Though I had hoped for a better quality of the cover and packaging which is plain and ordinary. They could have given it a high-quality look and feel like the 1995 pressing. Especially considering the price.

Flat, mostly quiet and seems to be a really nice pressing. All the subtle sounds come through, and there is so much to listen to!

I didn't get a very good copy. The first LP is a bit noisy, which is very noticeable in quiet parts of the music. Washing the vinyl did not solve the problem. This constantly distracts and prevents you from fully enjoying the album. Everything is fine with the second LP - quiet, without clips and pops and without noise. I'm a little annoyed that the first vinyl has a sound defect.