Our stores and customer service department will be CLOSED from Friday 29th through Monday 1st April for the Easter Weekend. (*our website is Always Open!)

Pretenders - Learning To Crawl MoFi LP 180g Numbered

SKU
POS-134985
Call To Order
$90

Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs believes that mastering systems should be neutral and transparent. The essential idea is to unveil all the detailed musical information on the original master recording without adding deterioration, coloration or other sonic artefacts.

With proprietary innovations such as GAIN 2™, general music enthusiasts and audiophiles alike have reaped the benefit of a higher consumer audio standard without investing in costly new hardware.



Track Listing

A1: Middle of the Road
A2: Back on the Chain Gang
A3: Time the Avenger
A4: Watching the Clothes
A5: Show Me

B1: Thumbelina
B2: My City Was Gone
B3: Thin Line Between Love and Hate
B4: I Hurt You
B5: 2000 Miles




1984 Smash the Sound of a Band Overcoming Tragedies and Staggering Odds with Gutsy Performances

What is the sound of a fledgling band dealing with multiple tragedies, coming to terms with drastic changes, digging deep into its consciousness, finding resolution in hurt, and overcoming staggering odds to record a bonafide masterwork? It's the sound of every note that graces the Pretenders' Learning to Crawl. Still recognized as one of the most emotionally gripping and musically gutsy performances ever made, the smash 1984 album hasn't aged a day. And now, it sounds better than could ever be imagined.

Mastered from the original master tapes, Learning to Crawl finally possesses the combination of whisper-in-your-ear intimacy and nerve-checking toughness that it's always demanded on Mobile Fidelity's super-quiet analog LP. Leader Chrissie Hynde's voice is made viscerally apparent, wavering between vigorous determination and solemn reflection, while drummer Martin Chamber's punchy backbeats register with requisite punch. To say nothing of how fresh the effort's hit singles ("Middle of the Road," "Back on the Chain Gang") and incredible deep cuts sound.

The story behind Learning to Crawl is directly connected to the powerful, moving music within. After releasing two records that swept the world by storm (Pretenders and Pretenders II), the group's fortunes reversed after guitarist James Honeyman-Scott was found dead of a drug overdose in 1982. Shortly thereafter, founding member Pete Fardon, fired just two days before his partner's death, also succumbed to an overdose, leaving the band's state in tatters. Would there still be a Pretenders?

Hynde answers this question with a resounding "yes" on Learning to Crawl, which still contains signs of the band's early, street-wise rawness but also adds new wrinkles, with more streamlined melodies, sensitive ballads, and reflective tones. "Back on the Chain Gang," the Pretenders' most commercially successful hit, functioned as a bittersweet tribute to her ex-mates while the Christmas-themed "2000 Miles" holds rank as one of the most effecting, penetrating love songs of Hynde's career. Throughout the record, the Pretenders are again one.

New guitarist Robbie McIntosh supplies simpler, bluesier, basic guitar lines and the foursome know how to all-out rock, with the furious "Middle of the Road" and socially conscious "My City Was Gone" testifying to a stinging, thrilling sensibility that can exist only because of the devastation that the band survived. Call it the rise of the phoenix or triumph of the human will, but any way you see it, Learning to Crawl occupies a rare territory – akin to the space referred to on the superb cover of "Thin Line Between Love and Hate" – that registers in the pits of the human soul.

GAIN 2™ Ultra Analog™ System for Vinyl

GAIN 2 Ultra Analog™ is a proprietary cutting system built and designed by legendary design genius Tim De Paravicini, with consultation from one of Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab's founding fathers - Stan Ricker, an audio engineer responsible for many of MFSL's most heralded past releases.

The GAIN 2 Ultra Analog™ system is comprised of a Studer™ tape machine with customised reproduction electronics* and handcrafted cutting amps that drive an Ortofon cutting head on a restored Neumann VMS-70 lathe. (*It is worth noting that independent studies have confirmed that the GAIN 2 Ultra Analog™ system can unveil sonic information all the way up to 122kHz!)

First and foremost, Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs only utilise first generation original master recordings as source material for their releases. MFSL then play back master tapes at half speed enabling the GAIN 2 Ultra Analog™ system to fully extract the master's sonic information. The lacquers are then plated in a specialised process that protects transients in the musical signal. (Due to this process, there may be occasional pops or ticks inherent in initial playback, but as the disc is played more, a high-quality stylus will actually polish the grooves and improve the sound). MFSL further ensure optimum sound quality by strictly limiting the number of pressings printed for each release. These limited editions, in addition to being collectors' items, ensure that the quality of the last pressing matches the quality of the first.

Album Credits

Produced by Chris Thomas

Engineered by Steve Churchyard, assisted by Jeremy Allom

Mastered from the Original Master Tapes by Krieg Wunderlich at Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, Sebastopol, CA on the GAIN 2 ULTRA ANALOG SYSTEM.

Release Information

Label: Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, MFSL 1-339

Series: Gain 2™ Ultra Analog, 180g Series

Format: Vinyl LP, Limited Edition, Reissue, Remastered, Numbered

Country: US

Released: 2012

Genre: Rock

Packaging Disclaimer

Mobile Fidelity records are typically supplied in a thin plastic wrap with a perforated edge. Unfortunately, during normal handling, it's very easy for this perforated edge to pop open. Rather than ship your record exposed to the elements, if this outer wrap pops open, we carefully replace it with a proper sealable outer record sleeve in order to keep your record safe. Trust us, it's for the better! Have no doubt that your record is brand new and ready to add to your collection!

More Information
Model Number LMF339
RRP 90.00
Write Your Own Review
You're reviewing:Pretenders - Learning To Crawl MoFi LP 180g Numbered
Your Rating
12 Months
All of our products include a minimum 12 month Australian warranty.

Problems?
If you experience any issues with this product please don't hesitate to contact us.
How much does delivery cost?
We offer free post on all orders over $29 to anywhere within the Australian mainland and Tasmania.

Can I pick up my purchase from your store?
Yes. You can usually pick up your order from one of our stores. We recommend that you contact us first to ensure your order is ready for collection.

What happens if I'm not happy with my product when it arrives?
All change of mind returns must be in as new condition, in original packaging. We provide a generous 30-day change-of-mind guarantee on our products (unless otherwise stated). All change of mind returns must be in as new condition, in original packaging.

Please visit our FAQ page for answers to other frequently asked questions or contact us if you have any other questions or comments.