HUM You'd Prefer An Astronaut USA 1994 SEALED LP RARE

$

200

USA original still factory sealed 1994 LP on Cargo Music/BMG with upc code on the back bottom right corner (7 23248 61451 7) extremely hard to find on vinyl, seeing other copies on ebay I guess there is a foldout insert poster & this also might be "green" colored vinyl possibly according to discogs (your guess is as good as mine, I know there are black vinyl copies also) (TIN-012 LP).

AMG PROFILE: Endless feedback, a heavenly drone, and an obsession with science and outer space: these three elements perhaps most define the beautiful style that has become the trademark of the unmatchable Hum. Despite a career marked with slight commercial successes, most obviously their 1996 radio hit "Stars," Hum has never quite been given the full attention and emphasis that they deserve.
Forming in 1989 in the now notorious musical region of metro Illinois, more specifically in Champaign-Urbana, the band released their first album, Fillet Show, on the 12 Inch label created by a friend's band the Poster Children. This album displays a markedly different style from the feeling they would later create, probably due to the lineup change that would soon follow. Poster Children members Jeff Dimpsey and Tim Lash took up bass and guitar responsibilities respectively, and Hum, in their true form, released their last independent album, Electra 2000, on the band's own label Martians Go Home. Electra 2000's somewhat rough production perfectly captured the spacey, other-worldish sound of the band, but their greatest work was yet to come. The band supported the album by touring with such pronounced indie acts as Shellac, the Jesus Lizard, and more well-known ones such as the Smashing Pumpkins and Liz Phair.
After signing to major label RCA in 1994, Hum released their benchmark album You'd Prefer an Astronaut, eventually selling nearly 250,000 primarily due to their breakthrough radio single "Stars." Subsequent touring with Bush and the Toadies further pushed the band into somewhat of a spotlight, but due to the short memory of popular music and the lack of understanding of the public to such quirky and heartfelt music, this would be the pinnacle of Hum's media attention. At this point, Hum had established a strong, somewhat underground and die-hard fan base that realized just how incredible and endless their music was.
Four years passed with mouths watering between the release of their first major label effort and 1998's Downward Is Heavenward, as the band took some time off to relax and incubate. This, their fourth and sadly last album, was recorded twice, due to the band's perfectionist tactics in the studio and their promise that every member must love every part of every song. The wait was well worth the product, as Downward Is Heavenward is one of the most darkly romantic and timeless albums ever created. Hum's gorgeous, spacey and limitless sound expanding to new lengths; however, those unfamiliar with the band remained so. The album sold poorly, only 38,000 copies in two years, and resulted in RCA's decision to drop the band from their roster. Further misfortune struck as their tour van was destroyed in an accident while touring, essentially forcing the last nail in the coffin.

AMG REVIEW: Having partially created what many felt was a template for the Smashing Pumpkins to become successful, Hum found itself in an unenviable spot when the lead single from its major-label debut, "Stars," became a hit precisely because of that sound. There's certainly a similar connection at points, what with some fierce, chopping feedback and crisp drum slams, but the lyrical portrait is less solipsistic and somehow the whole song feels more inspirational and dreamy for it. Like the song itself, then, You'd Prefer An Astronaut is, for all the similar love of psychedelic volume in service of emotion, its own beast, most specifically because of the singing. Talbott's lead vocals are much more restrained than Billy Corgan's aggro screams, bearing more immediate comparison with, say, Mark Kozelek of the Red House Painters or Stephen Immerwahr of Codeine. Sounding crushed and regretful amid the surge and flow of the music, his singing generally feels very approachable, reflective rather than declarative. When he does let loose with screaming here and there, it's nowhere near as strained as Corgan, something which a lot of people might be terribly happy about. As for the music, the quartet can work up a thick head of steam without cloning Corgan or James Iha's metallic rampage, just that little more dreamier and muted around the corners. Songs like "The Pod" and "I'd Like Your Hair Long" certainly recall the chunkier punch of such Pumpkins numbers as "I Am One" and "Cherub Rock," but, again, they easily stand on their own. Elsewhere, the slow building shimmer and then release of "Why I Like the Robins" is very much the band's own individual creations, as is the soft, hurt drawl on "The Very Old Man" and the downbeat start of "I Hate It Too," for all things fire up towards the end.

SONGS: A1 Little Dipper 4:43 A2 The Pod 4:37 A3 Stars 5:09 A4 Suicide Machine 5:57 A5 The Very Old Man 2:44 B1 Why I Like The Robins 4:58 B2 I'd Like Your Hair Long 5:25 B3 I Hate It Too 5:58 B4 Songs Of Farewell And Departure 6:16

CONDITION: The vinyl is in mint condition factory sealed & new, cover is excellent with 1 1/2" crease on the upper right corner otherwise it's perfect.

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I use real coated cardboard LP mailers when I ship vinyl & these are very durable. I usually take the records with the inner sleeves out of the covers (unless factory sealed of course) so they don't split the seams of the cover in shipment. Then I put them in a 2 or 3 mil plastic sleeve & then wrap a plastic bag or two around them to keep them from flopping around in the mailer, this method seems to work best since it adds air & almost works like bubble wrap (keeps the LP's usually under a pound & saves a lot on shipping rates worldwide compared to using cardboard inserts), breakage rate has been way less than 1 in 1000 using this method, if I added cardboard it also would make the weight of it more prone to the corners getting dented in transit if dropped. 10" records & 12" singles count as 1 LP for shipping, single laserdiscs count as 2 LP's for shipping (& I pack 2+ records differently & I have oversized boxes for larger packages...don't worry I've been sending out stuff about 5 days a week for over 20 years now & know exactly what I'm doing over here). I also add plain white inner sleeves so custom innersleeves don't get spit in shipping also (if either company or specialty sleeves came with the record).

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