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Track Listing: Side A: Tempting Time Soraya Thoroughly At Home Side B: On Impulse Tessitura Behaving Badly The Price Of Everything And The Value Of Nothing Side C: CAFO Inamorata Side D: Point To Point Modern Meat Song Of Solomon Wave Of Babies

Ever since I got my turntable last month, I have been rediscovering some of my favorite music on vinyl, and whilst I've been doing that, one question has been constantly lingering in my mind. How would Animals As Leaders' self-titled full length debut album sound on the wax? It was as if the folks at Prosthetic Records read my mind when they decided to put out this very timely release of the Animals As Leaders 180 Gram 2-LP limited edition colored vinyl. This edition is limited to 1000 copies and I feel fortunate to have one of them in my hands right now. Allow me to review this for you by breaking down its features.

Packaging And Appearance: The 2-LP comes in a highly attractive gatefold package with enhanced 3D artwork on the inside. Custom AAL glasses have been included to allow you to enjoy this artwork. This ensures that it's not called a "limited edition" just for the sake of it, as is often the case with numerous limited edition vinyls out there, but a solid effort has been put into actually making it worth the price. The vinyls themselves are decorated with a combination of colors that add visuality to the listener's experience. The vinyl has been pressed in three different color combinations, so there's this bit of surprise element because you don't know what you are going to get.

Track Listing: In addition to the 12 tracks on the standard edition of the album, the band's latest single "Wave Of Babies" has been included as the final track on Side D of this vinyl edition. I'm glad to see this incredible tune, previously an iTunes exclusive, being made available on a tangible medium.

The Listening Experience: In the relatively short period during which I've become a vinyl convert, I have very deliberately stayed away from vinyl versions of new albums, simply because I'm apprehensive about the manner in which they are pressed. I have tried vinyls of some of the new albums out there and I'm afraid they seem like they aren't even meant for actual listening, but to be a mere collector's item. This one is definitely an exception, as it sounds absolutely amazing. The fact that the 13 tracks have been pressed on to 2 discs of 180 Gram vinyl gives 58 minutes of pure joy to the hugely grateful ears of the spellbound listener. This is the perfect release for audiophiles and collectors alike, and it makes the band's music sound exactly how it should.

Such is the unbounded pleasure the listener is able to get out of the vinyl edition of Animals As Leaders' self-titled album, that it's almost like a trip to outer space.

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