Wow, just wow. This is now one of the best sounding records in my collection, it feels like this was how the record was meant to sound. If I have to slightly complain the record had a bit of static but the record is loud enough that it does not matter. I would not be surprised if they used the original stampers from the original it sounds that good! Amazing!

This album doesn't need to be remastered at all. It sounds fantastic since it was released

not remastered and pressed at GZ Media - that's two strikes against it right out of the gate...

does it indicate in the liner notes anywhere that it was remastered? this tops my list of albums that NEED to be remastered.

This was being sold mysteriously on the 2017 tour for $30. I nagged the merch person and they were eventually able to confirm that this was an official 4AD repress and, if I recall correctly, remaster. There's a little "Made in EU" note on the back underneath the 4AD logo. The inner sleeve is a little more matte as opposed to the gloss on the first pressings from 1990. Very clean, gorgeous pressing but it's hard to go wrong with source material like this. In addition to this, I've got an original US and a Plain reissue (not terrible, actually, but when the source material is this good to start with, it's hard to go wrong). The merch person seemed to indicate these were limited and likely not headed to stores so be happy if you snagged one of these up. Definitely the best Breeders album and so much more than that, it's simply a perfect record. Albini considers this the finest sound he ever got out of a band and while I'm no veteran of his collected works, I can't disagree.

I just picked this vinyl up at their show in Portland on 4/10/18. Before I could get the question out of my mouth about the pressing, the merch guy said "It's not the Plain reissue!". He also thought that they were German-pressed. They were charging $25. My runout doesn't match that of initial entry. I've got 16673DE1/A&B (stamped).

Albini's initial recording of the band put to CD which is what I assume plain's source material was.

"With source material like that you can't go wrong"? What does "source material" have to do with poor mastering? If this was true ANY Steely Dan pressing would sound decent.

i'm kicking myself. I also saw these for sale and asked about them. I stupidly assumed they were going to be in stores soon but this is the first time i've ever seen it mentioned by another human! I own an original pressing of POD but I've been looking for Last Splash and have stayed away from the Plain reissues (which are now out of stock).. Hoping 4AD sells some of these when their new album comes out next year.

If you love this or hate this is depends on the sound. Totally Lo-Fi, disturblingly unbalanced. Loving it, you get fantastic voices, ideas and twisted melodies: best american Indi.

Have They Improved The Sound On This Release (More Words)

No. Get the new 4AD re-pressings. I'm selling my Plain copy. I actually bought three different Plain copies of Pod and all three had the same surface noise issues in the exact same spots.

Even after a clean the orange, sorry I mean “gold” vinyl is disappointing to listen to... sad face

Lots of pops on mine, which sucks on a brand new record.

If you're referring to the original Plain recordings reissue, my copy is actually pretty damn clean which is not par for the course with them. I'm chalking it up to the quality of the recording rather than them but I don't have any issues with popping, etc. I eventually found a US first press and I've gotta say that it's better but my Plain pressing isn't terrible.Now, I don't know the whole story but I'm at the DC show and there is a Pod reissue being sold at the merch table. I cannot find ANY mention of this online. Plain is not mentioned on here at all. It says 4AD Made in the EU on the back and the catalog# is CAD0006. The vinyl is black, not gold. The merch person told me it likely isn't going into stores and they don't have many copies. I haven't listened to it yet but I may add the entry to Discogs while I'm sitting here...good luck!

Are you referring to lots of pops? If so, nope. This thing is very poppy.

Can't hardly hear any of the softer background vocals in Metal Man or Happiness is a Warm Gun. Is the Last Splash reissue terrible as well?

YES my copy was absolutely horrible right from the seal. Unplayable unlistenable. The worse record pressing plant. Men with beards is better. And that isn't saying much.

Good to know, I feared this was the case. Will seek out an original on vinyl. Thanks.

WHY HASN'T THIS ALBUM BEEN REMASTERED YET???????

Agreed. And so does the original CD pressing. Great album

Because the UK vinyl sounds fantastic!

I agree totally with the previous review. I was hoping for decent sound quality and I'm pretty sure my 20+ year old cassette of this album sounds better. And it's such a shame cos it is a terrific album. This is just 180 grams of hiss piled over a poor mp3 quality version of Pod.

A magnificent record, a terrible reissue. Another novelty release with no regard for sound quality or source material from Plain Recordings.