So, as I mentioned at the tail end of my gig review, I ended up with a vinyl copy of the Japanese Smile album. And very nice it is too. As is now semi-tradition here at throughsilver towers, let’s take a look at that packaging before we talk about the album:
Aww, isn’t it cute. It’s actually a really thick bitof yellow corrugated cardboard, which is folded over and slotted into a slit on the back, rather like an insanely expensive cereal box. Here:
Only the seven ‘proper’ songs on this one, hence the tracklisting being stuck over at the top there. And we have a sticker sealing the whole thing. Collectors would leave it as it is, but seeing as I like to, you know, listen to music, I’ll have to get it open.
You fool! How much will it get on eBay now?! Yep, had to be done. I hate the people who’ll just flip this onto an auction site and attempt to sell it for a hundred quid. Here, check this shit out. For shame!
And here are the two discs, divided into sides of three songs, two, two and yer epic bonus track on the fourth. It seems that ‘Heavy’ sticker is the formal notification of Boris vinyl awesomeness, as their record with Michio Kurihara, Rainbow, had the same thing. Note also that really annoying Japanese clear sleeve. While I’m sure it negates static like no other substance on GOB’s green Earth, it crinkles like you wouldn’t believe when you try to stick it into regular record covers. Perhaps there is a method to the corrugated card madness after all.
Right, that’s the packaging (well, there is a minimal foldout inlay sheet that has words and details on it, but I’ll leave that to the imagination). Next up, I imagine, is what the bally thing actually sounds like on my now entirely analogue Death Deck!
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