My Bloody Valentine – Loveless

i bought this in Amoeba in Berkeley and after finding out its unofficial, made me wonder how these made it through. Also made me wonder if the lawyers got involved. That being said, I agree with everyone else's reviews, decent pressing but lacks the dynamic sounds and textures that is in the album.

My copy matches this one, except inside the gatefold on the top right, it says “mastered from analog 1/2” tapes using student a80 vu-pre and neumann vms 80” above the “produced by….” credits.
I do not see that on the photos above.
Do I need to make a separate listing for mine?

To WhiteSpyder: Thanks for correcting me. Andy Savours helped him recreate stuff in analog realm, with new editing blocks, and splicing tape, but Matt Cotton's name is right there beneath he mastered the analog version. Everything you said was right, I'm just so confused about which one this even falls under. I'm not even sure if this is the right pressing because there are several different ones with an X at the end, depending if it was for Europe, or UK, or from Domino and/or MBV's site and the year. And I'm just talking the ones from 2021 and 2022. (The 2018 are really simple MBV 02 and 03 for Isn't Anything and Loveless on the spines, only fully analog). And it's so hard for me to read the etchingings which is what I should have done. But I did want to warn people that it may be labelled wrong, if they ran out of stickers or alternately sleeves. The things do contradict each other, but it is not the puzzle of the century. Thanks making things a lot clearer. If I read the etching correctly, the it is the analog, and the cellophane was wrong, but it is hard to read with my eyesight.

To VINYLSAVEDMYLIFE: Okay, I think everything you said is exactly wrong. Like 100%. I actually researched this and here is what happened.

Most everything was intially tracked and done in the analog realm for Isn't Anything and Loveless. They only had to use digital elements at The Chuch where they mix movie sound tracks (dialogue, sound effects, etc) to properly fade in the various interstial tracks that make Loveless flow so nicely. And recreating that in the analog realm was the first big difficulty when making it fully ana 2018. Shields and engineer Andy Savours had to make new editing blocks, and cut the tape with the segues between songs in weird shapes to recreate the transitions. But they did it. And it took a long time and a lot of money. Kudos!

Most time the SPARS code is used (AAA, AAD, DDD, etc) it is pretty meaningless, because most things are not simply binary Analog or Digital, even when the code was first made in the 1980's, as more or a marketing device, it was imprecise. It's even more true today that the SPARS code is meaningless. Things have gotten only more complicated. But Shields actually did make Isn't Anything and Loveless as if it was 1975 and no digital recordings, mixing, or mastering equipment existed, from everything I read over a seven year period. So while AAA is meaningless, when Shields says 'Fully Analog', it means it fully analog. He could only find three plants in Europe that could cut the vinyl without computers; it's becoming a lost art.

Also only the intial batches of CDs had the glitch on "What You Want," the vast majority don't.

There's like so much stuff I have no idea where you got it from; It doesn't make sense. They did not just take the digital tapes and tranfer them back to analog. That's ridiculous and just makes no sense. Did you not read all the interviews Shields did about the process? It's unfortunate the internet has no gatekeeping and anyone can say anything.

Stomps my 2003 pressing into shoegazing dirt. Almost startling in its analog brilliance, I’m just writing this so I can say analOG twice. Cover art is not as vibrant as the 2003 press; has a cello lined inner which is nice. Stamped center too. Very slight visual warp but not obtrusive or playback effecting. Wish I had the inserts like their follow up companion but not a dealbreaker. Play it loud for your neighbors and open a time portal, set things right, gorgeous, stunning and seductive, this is the one

...do you know the vampire movie
"NADJA" 1994 (b/w) directed by
Michael Almereyda starring
Elina Löwensohn, Peter Fonda
David Lynch as Morgue Attendant (cameo)!
Music by Portishead,
My Bloody Valentine, The Verve, Space Hog,
score by Simon Fisher Turner!..

Often misunderstood as an “analogue classic,” Loveless was largely constructed in the digital domain using Sony PCM and DAT systems, with digital editing and mastering. While some analog gear was used during tracking (notably for guitars and vocals), the final mix was assembled digitally — meaning the CD format is arguably the truest representation of Kevin Shields’ original intent.

The later “all-analog” vinyl reissues (2018/2021) are based on analog transfers of those original digital masters, and while they sound fantastic on the right system, they are not fully AAA. Importantly, the 2CD editions from 2018 and/or 2021 suffer from a known digital glitch (on "What You Want") that made it into production — a surprising oversight for such a revered record.

Many collectors overlook that the original UK and early Japanese CD pressings offer incredibly detailed, rich sound with none of the remastering issues. Whether on a quality CD pressing or carefully cut vinyl, Loveless reveals its depth best on a resolving system that can untangle its dense, textured layers. One of the most sonically fascinating records of its time — and still a reference point for production nerds and dreamers alike.

I'm not sure why the sticker says FULLY ANALOG, and the barcode corresponds, but the number along the spine which ends in 159, (no letters) means it's a digital version. And when you open up the gatefold, it has the information that is on the digital copies, specificially, "Vinyl cut by Heino Leja at Optimal Studio." If its the Fully Analog cut, it should have a number after the 159 on the spine, and mention Andy Savours. So most likely it's a digital copy, they put the wrong cellophane on. I haven't played it as I'm asking them at the MBV website, what it is. I wanted the Fully Analog cut. Eventually I look at the marking of the disc and see if it corresponds to what is above and what else I can figure out. But something is labeled wrong. The label on the cellophane and the info on the record sleeve are contradictory. Maybe they just ran out of something as someone suggested. But I guess you have to check the etchings.

bought this at my local record store (shout out m theory) for a hundred bucks, traded in all my rare records just so i could get this little guy.
greatest decision of my life. most listened to album of my life!

I have a copy of this one if someone's looking. Send me a message.

Nice packaging, flawless vinyl, and like everyone is say… You’ve got to play this one loud!

Hana MH Cartridge
SME V Tonearm
Garrard 301
Loricraft Plinth
Gold Note PH-10
Gold Note PSU-10
Audio Research SP9 Preamp
Threshold S200 Amplifier with Upgraded Caps
Tannoy Berkeley HPD385 Speakers
Tannoy Super Tweeters in Custom Enclosure
BK Electronics XLS300 Subwoofer