George Duke – The Inner Source

I got the disc via the box and the quality of the pressing is just incredible, no defects. I don't know if it's due to the fact that it comes from the box but I don't have any of the defects that are mentioned

This record is a bit of an oddity. Whilst all the titles are very much accessible (and some of them very original), they are conceptually and stylistically as incoherent as you can get. And this is not only because this double LP just combines 2 LPs that were originally intended to be published separately (although they are mixed up here), but because all the titles are very different in style, ranging from straight acoustic jazz arrangements to jazz rock to free jazz to ambient electronic music. This is not a record that you would put on if you want to be exposed to a certain kind of mood even only for the length of one record side. For each track here you have to reset your mind to something completely different. What's more, some of the tracks do not appear to be fully worked out but suddenly, and surprisingly, end in mid-flow (at least one of the tracks was, according to the liner notes, not even composed as such but improvised on the fly in the studio). This unpredictability makes the record strangely attractive, offering such a different listening experience to almost anything else, whilst still giving a pleasant musical experience with each track.

As for the recording/pressing issues that have been mentioned here already by others, I can confirm that my copy (new (sealed) 2018 re-issue) also had a couple of noticeable clicks on record 1. And these were not due to dust or static (I play all my records wet, which completely eliminate these surface noise sources) but must be due to pressing faults. What's more, on the last track on side 1 my stylus was skipping, and I could only play through by setting the anti-skating force to zero.

It was also mentioned that generally the recording sounds a bit flat, which I can confirm as well. If you plot the frequency spectrum of any of the tracks in Audacity, one can see the recording is concentrated pretty much in a narrow mid-frequency range (at 50 Hz and 1000 Hz respectively the sound level is already 20dB below the maximum). Now for some of the tracks this may not be very detrimental (after all, jazz-rock/fusion in the early 70s was characterised by playing 'dirty') but for the acoustic piano tracks for instance one would probably have appreciated a slightly less muddy sound. And it is pretty certain that this is not a feature of this particular re-issue (be it the re-mastering or the pressing) because the 2015 digital AAC re-issue sounds pretty much the same (this is the version available on Spotify). So this must be a feature of the original recording, and I don't think this is deliberate. If you check the work done by the recording engineers for this record, then this is mostly rock and pop, little if any jazz. Herbie Hancock's seminal Headhunters LP (also recorded at Wally Heider Studios, albeit 2 years later) sounds a lot better and this was recorded by a sound engineer dealing mostly with jazz recordings. So I think the inferior recording quality was just due to the habit (or incompetence) of the recording engineers.

So whilst this is not exactly an audiophile recording and pressing, it is still very much a unique and enjoyable record for the aforementioned reasons.

It was on discount, because there were clicks and pops, and I could hear them in the store. But on my system at home with a very good needle, there are no issues, sounds awesome!

Bought new but lots of crackles and pops despite thorough cleaning before and after. Not a deal breaker to this reviewer though as it's a vinyl so it's alive and letting me know:) Music is great but very introspective, borderline ambient in a "In a Silent Way performed by Harold Budd" kind of way. Don't expect any Cannonball or FZ similar sounding here. It has some jazzy moments too of course. Late night or headphones kind of music to these ears...

Enjoyable album and mine is pressed well - just doesn’t have that energy (another reviewer said flat, totally agree) that you would expect from an all-analog remaster. An enjoyable listen but I cannot say I would recommend.

Easily one of the most silent records I’ve ever heard. Exceptional press of an absolute work of art. 🙏 George Duke and MPS.

My Re issue copy is quite disappointing. Bought it sealed. First record plays with many crackles and distortions during some ages and Is generally very flat sounding . Second record plays okay. Anyone with a similar experience? Great music though !!