$50

This is a gem that is going under most audiophiles’ radar. A really great album that should head right into all TAS-lists and all other audiophile lists everywhere! John Williams scores have never been as sublimely beautiful! This is also a strangely rare record in this press. The US London press is very common but this UK Decca SXL press is very hard to find indeed!

Obviously trying to exploit the extreme interest for space drama, following Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounter of the Third Kind and – obviously – George Lucas 1977 smash Star Wars Decca enlisted Zubin Mehta and his Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra to record a collection of the most lush and entertaining pieces from the movie and accompany this with an extended theme arrangement from “Close Encounter of the Third Kind”.

The Star Wars Suite consists of the Main Title, Leias Theme, The Third Movement (The Little People), Cantina Band and lastly on side 2, The Fifth Movement (The Throne Room and the End Title). The B-side continues with the Close Encounters piece.

The cover is a fantastic space-agey design which both showcase the space geography and signals action with implied laser weapons and other cool exhibits!

For a second opinion you can read this review of the CD version which includes Holst The Planets as well (Can you see the pattern?) but this says nothing of the audiophile qualities of the vinyl of course.

The record is a beautiful EX+ copy with barely no trace at all of playing – stunning audio! The cover has some very slight seamwear and a hint of ringwear, but is at least very strong and presentable VG+!