THIRD

Can't believe my luck....picked up the newly remastered and expanded Third - a double CD - for the price of a single! The first CD is the orignal double album with no bonus tracks, but with an infinitely better sound. This is the absolutely the version to pick up if you've been bemoaning the horrid audio quality of past versions....that a progressive classic like Third can go so long with such shitty sound quality is beyond me. The sound still isn't crystal (the master tapes have long been known to be of dubious quality), but what a treat it is to actually be able to discern highs and lows on this fantastic album.

The second CD is from the legendary BBC3 broadcast in August '70 and runs about 40 minutes and features "Out-Bloody..." and "Facelift" along with a medley from the second album. Even with the wave of live archive releases from this period, the second disc is treat....too often these archive CDs are prohibitively expansive and of poor quality, but this release, along with the Noisette album, best capture the sound, spirit and improvisational excellence of the band. The live CD is an excellent companion to an already fantastic album....and the much improved sound makes this the version to seek out....accept no other!

This is one of those records that I've bought three times in three different formats....and a record that I would have given four stars in the past, but with the remastering it gets a 4.6....rounded off to five stars.