WEDDING PRESENT, THE - George Best 30 (Sealed) (LP/CD)

It was early 2008 and The Wedding Present were in Chicago, recording their seventh album, El Rey. But they had also recently completed a successful 'twentieth anniversary' concert tour for their debut LP George Best and, having played that entire album dozens of times live, it was fresh in their minds and under their fingers. So, after they'd wrapped up recording El Rey, David suggested they lay down a 'live' version of George Best in the same studio. After all, the equipment was already set up and the band were on fire. Steve Albini, with whom they were recording, initially wasn't too keen on the idea but David assured him it would be quick and easy. Albini grudgingly caved. But David was right; it was quick... recorded live, more like an early Beatles LP or a Wedding Present Peel Session than a long drawn out modern recording with a bunch of overdubs and multi-tracked layering. One could almost imagine that this is the version of George Best that David would have liked to have recorded back in 1987. But you can also feel David's 20 years older self-guiding the new recording with experience and confidence. Everything is bigger. the combination of Albini's recording and Graeme Ramsay on eal' drums brings these frantic songs to life. However, the real difference comes out in the way those super-fast, ever-jangly guitars sound. they're warmer, they're rockier, they're more modern. More Albini! To round everything off with another contemporary twist, multi award-winning mixer/producer Andrew Scheps enthusiastically agreed to mix the finished recordings.