Agree with most of the other posters. This record deserves better than a vinyl transfer to CD. Despite the issues that the band has with Y Records I would dearly like to see that "unofficial" Y Records release of Jam Science on CD. Personally, I prefer a lot of those mixes to the Arista mixes. After all this time why can't hatchets be buried and just give the fans all of the mixes.

Sadly, there was minimal effort put into transferring these vinyl tracks to CD. The HOMH remixes deserve better. "Cloud of Nails" was released on the "best of" Priests and Kanibals CD and when you compare it to this release, it's pretty appalling. I know there were legal disputes with Arista and Shriekback's label but come on, find a cleaner copy and make a little effort. You would be better off purchasing the LP from a discogs seller and recording it to CD yourself. The only offering this release has is the extra Live at Hatfield show. I was quite disappointed with this as the vinyl I have is just as old but is in much better shape. Such a great band and such a lousy sounding release.

Does anyone know if this is remastered from vinyl? I have been after Hand on My Heart remixes on CD for years and the only one I have that is Cloud of Nails from the compilation CD. I thought all the remixes are great and it is such a shame that this classic is unavailable due to power/money grievances between record labels.

Hand of my heart 12' version is available on CD The Best Of Shriekback Volume Two: Evolution (1988 on Kaz Records)

there's no cd mastering at all

The Shriekback label mail-order CD is mastered from vinyl; yes. The album proper is actually very good, with only a few clicks and pops on occasion - very minimal compression although louder than I'd like. The bonus tracks, however (including the HOMY remixes) are from VERY noisy vinyl sources, obviously from records that were in MUCH worse condition than the LP.

Great album still in need of a proper re-release. This version sounds like it was sourced/remastered from vinyl (crackles, pops and all). At least the money for it went straight to the band. All in all, I'm not too disappointed, just wished the quality was up to what this album deserves.

It WAS sourced from vinyl because no one knows where the master tapes are, as with Care reissue CD. And that's straight via the horse's mouth when I asked this very question through the mailing list. They sound perfectly fine to me.

Barry Andrews mentioned on Facebook that the original tapes were unavailable. Hence the cleanest vinyl sources they could find were used for the remastering job. All in all I think it sounds pretty great with the exception of Midnight Maps. To my ears the drums on the remastered version sound extremely compressed and quite different from both the vinyl versions and the CD version released on The Best Of Shriekback Volume Two • Evolution.

Agreed. I was actually impressed with the quality, considering the source (Talking about the main release - the remixes are NOT in good quality). And it IS great to finally have this on CD, especially knowing I sent some cash to the Shrieks, and (let's be honest) having a copy of a limited edition that even if there will be an official Island (or whatever) remaster, will have some sentimental and collector value. For 10GBP, I really couldn't ask for much more.I like that Barry Andrews is essentially bootlegging his own work and selling it from the boot of his virtual car :)

A bit of a classic, opaque, funky, some anger, some beauty. A lot of work went into this, great to hear a band trying to do something interesting with every track. Another tasty slice of the forgotten '80s (it wasn't all Wham).

This release was never approved by the band, who was leaving Y for Arista. The recordings are obviously different than on the Arista release--perhaps early versions. The "real" release on Arista is a more solid album, but this is definitely worth a listen for fans of early-mid 80s Shriekback.

The problem is: there is a Peel Session from late 1984 that did at least contain New Home and Under the Lights. And if you knew these versions you will be forgiven to think that everything on Jam Science is un-relaxed and badly produced bullshit. Alas, BBC will possibly never corroborate my inflated claims by publishing this music.