S&D: vinyl reissues

I've heard more lately (maybe bc people are more aware) of how lots of cd reissues are nothing more than CD versions copied to wax, basically. like someone said that about the stereolab LPs that just came out in new reissued versions. maybe the recent aphex twin SAW II reissue as well? I was never really aware of that sort of thing. Never really considered it as a possibility.

yeah it is a real bummer and hard to get good info about what's what

I think the only thing you can do abt it is look for "remastered from the original tapes" in the promo hype.

the fact of the matter is that almost any reissue done by a 3rd party label (i.e. light in the attic, sundazed, etc.) is going to be digitally sourced. the major labels who own most of these records a) may not have the original tapes (we are talking about poorly run bureaucracies managing gigantic catalogs of which they only really care about a small percentage) or b) will absolutely not let them out of their sight. this means having to pay their outrageous in-house engineering and lacquer cutting fees in order to keep the process completely analog. this is the difference between a $18.98 LP on light in the attic and a $40.98 LP on whatever high end audiophile reissue labels still exist...

international titles will throw a whole 'nother wrinkle into this shit, there is no way EMI brazil is sending the original tapes up to the US so that LITA can do marcos valle LP reissues that are 100% analog.

also - and i'm sorry if i sound like a dick but as a dude who has spent 10 years in the reissue game i am kinda tired of having this conversation - there are a LOT of things that can make a LP reissue sound like shit and, yes, a poorly done digitally sourcing job can be one of those things, BUT i would put a LOT of money down that every dude out there that has ever complained on the internet about a digitally sourced reissue would not be able to identify a digital sourcing job vs. an all analog job any better than a coin toss.

i don't know what machu picchu is gonna put out next but i will probably buy it. they did such a good job with the dark/mirkwood/anonymous reissues. all essential, if you ask me. and people should scoop up the vinyl online if they can cuz i have a feeling they will just get harder to find over time. it's so nice to have a 100% legit obscurity reissuer in the states. that does a great job.

hearing horror stories about the newest Unwound box (No Energy), anybody have one?

apparently Numero's Bedhead reissue was all messed up as well, and they had to listen to every one individually before mailing them.