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Blockbuster – Direct To Disc Vinyl Album Review

1978 – Blockbuster – Jiro Inagaki & Chuck Rainey Rhythm Section

Vinyl surface noise: 4+  (not pops and clicks)

Dynamic Range: 5

Stereo Imaging: 4+

Image depth/perspective: 4

Overall frequency response: 5

Side One

1. Dancin’
2. Theme From “Starsky & Hutch”
3. Blockbuster

Side Two

1. Elocution
2. If I Ever See You Again (vocal)
3. UFO

This 33 1/3 RPM album released by EAST World, and was recorded at Toshiba EMI Studios July 25,26 1978.

Following in the footsteps of Sheffield Lab many companies tried to duplicate their mastering and cuttings skills to produce Direct To Disc Albums. This is one of the better D2D albums.

Featuring many well known jazz musicians of the time to include: Larry Nash, Mitch Holder, Paul Leim, and of course Chuck Rainy and Jiro Inagaki, all of which are backed up by a great six piece horn section. Vocal is by Shun Sakai.

Let me first say that I have spent that last several weeks listening to uncompressed FLAC, DSF and MQA files in an attempt to see if they were all that they were made out to be, and did I want to sign up to a streaming service? They are NOT, and I closed by trial streaming account. This meant I haven’t listened to any vinyl for about six+ weeks! After listening to this album and breaking the vinyl drought, it confirmed all my worst fears. Very little beats well mastered vinyl and in particular Direct To Disc recording. AND I do not consider myself a vinyl junky as I have many shiny plastic discs that sound excellent.

Blockbuster is a first rate demo album. It is very well mastered and there is minimal elctronics hiss, although you can hear the faders being brought up at the beginning to a couple of tracks. Vinyl surface noise on the lead in and between tracks is very low almost warrantying a 5 rating. There is very little to criticize on this album, yes the vocal track on side 2 is a little less than stellar and I would have liked the electric bass to dig a little deeper with the kick drum having a little more slam, but that is about it.

All tracks contain well recorded instruments from the punchy tight and well imaged drum kit to the tight electric bass, outstanding horn and sax sections right through to the electric piano and guitar solos all supported by the cow bell, tambourine and congas.

There are numerous powerful instrumental solos throughout the tracks from the kit that really gives your speakers something to work with, to the electric bass, brass sections and panned guitar solo on S2T3. Snare and rim shots, hi-hat and cymbals are all clean, tight and bright with plenty of presence but without being hard or edgy. The guitar, sax and brass sections similarly really punch out some ripping sounds without being hard and edgy but again having plenty of presence almost as if they are in the room.

All instruments are clean and well detailed with very little added reverb, which can occasionally be heard tailing out. Image placement is precise but as expected from the studio recording the depth is a little limited.

There are only three tracks on each side so they really allowed the cutting head to do its thing. There is no sign of compression on any of the instruments or vocals with the piano crescendo on S1T2 causing my cartridge to mistrack.

Turned up to demo listening levels (105dB+) all tracks really rock, with S2T2, the solo vocal, providing a well deserved gently and relaxing break from the driving ‘kick ass’ tracks. Even S2T2 had its positive attributes with a well balanced vocal having plenty of presence and no sibilance or hardness.

This album was a real treat and a great re-introduction to my vinyl collection after listening to all those streamed files, bringing back the memories of being back in the studio control room.

This album may not rise to the sonic superiority of Sheffield Lab 3 Harry James and His Big Band – The King James Version, but it certainly does justice to the Direct To Disc Recording technique.

Despite the less then stellar vocal on side two track two, this album provides a good insight into the capabilities of Direct To Disc. All despite it not being either 45RPM or on heavy weight vinyl.

The album can be picked up for a real steal and makes a great demo album to show of a systems capabilities.

Go buy yourself a copy today.

Purchase from Amazon.

Available on vinyl from Discogs.

See my other vinyl reviews here.