Gil Evans, Sade, Jerry Dammers, Paul Weller, & Others : Absolute Beginners (LP, Vinyl record album) -- Dusty Groove is Chicago's Online Record Store
Skip navigation
Scripting is disabled or not working. dustygroove.com requires JavaScript to function correctly.
Style sheets are disabled or not working. dustygroove.com requires style sheets to function correctly.
CD, LP, Vinyl record album cover art
Enlarge       Note

Absolute Beginners

LP (Item 485509) Virgin/EMI, 1986 — Condition: Near Mint-
Temporarily Out Of Stock

LP, Vinyl record album

✈
❔
A great snapshot of jazzy London in the years before the acid jazz explosion of the late 80s – and a surprisingly great soundtrack that's stood the test of time much more than the actual film! The music here represents a jazz-based undercurrent of the London scene that was already turning its ears back in time – to a pre-mod era of the late 50s, which is the setting for Colin McInnes original novel used for the film – portrayed here in a pastiche of vocal and instrumental songs that often have a fair bit of classic touches! Gil Evans was brought in for most of the instrumentals, and turns out some really sparkling charts that have all the charm of his best work of the 50s – and other contemporary artists do a pretty great job themselves – at least on the more jazz-based numbers. Evans numbers include "Va Va Voom" – and the better jazzy tunes includes the excellent "Killer Blow" by Sade, plus "Have You Ever Had It Blue" by The Style Council, "That's Motivation" and "Absolute Beginners" by David Bowie, "Rodrigo Bay" by Working Week, "Selling Out" by Slim Gallard, and "Riot City" by Jerry Dammers.  © 1996-2024, Dusty Groove, Inc.
(Includes the printed inner sleeve. Cover has light wear.)

Near Mint - (minus)

  • Black vinyl that may show a slight amount of dust or dirt.
  • Should still be very shiny under a light, even with slight amount of dust on surface.
  • One or two small marks that would make an otherwise near perfect record slightly less so. These marks cannot be too deep, and should only be surface marks that won't affect play, but might detract from the looks.
  • May have some flaws and discoloration in the vinyl, but only those that would be intrinsic to the pressing. These should disappear when the record is tilted under the light, and will only show up when looking straight at the record. (Buddah and ABC pressings from the 70's are a good example of this.)
  • May have some slight marks from aging of the paper sleeve on the vinyl.
  • Possible minor surface noise when played.

Additional Marks & Notes

If something is noteworthy, we try to note it in the comments — especially if it is an oddity that is the only wrong thing about the record. This might include, but isn't limited to, warped records, tracks that skip, cover damage or wear as noted above, or strictly cosmetic flaws.



You might be interested


Mike Oldfield

Killing Fields
Virgin, 1984. Near Mint-
(UK pressing.) LP, Vinyl record album
Arista, 1978. Very Good+ 2LP Gatefold
(White label promo. Cover has a cut corner, light wear, unglued seams, and clear tape remnants at the top seam.) LP, Vinyl record album

Georges Garvarentz

That Man In Istanbul
Mainstream, 1966. Very Good+
Groovy soundtrack for this 60's international intrique film starring a young Horst Bucholz. Georges Garvarentz wrote and directed the music, with the sort of flair that he brings to the best of projects like these. The stuff's not as funky as his 70's stuff, but it's got a lot of nice moments, ... LP, Vinyl record album

Neil Young/Jimi Hendrix/Temptations

Where The Buffalo Roam
Backstreet, 1980. Very Good
Most tracks by Neil Young & The Wild Bill Band Of Strings – and also features tracks by Jimi Hendrix, Temptations, Bob Dylan, Four Tops, and Creedence Clearwater Revival. LP, Vinyl record album

Ennio Morricone

Fistful Of Dollars
RCA, 1967. Very Good
A landmark record – not only in the history of the western, but in that of Ennio Morricone! The soundtrack, written for this hit Clint Eastwood spaghetti western, is everything you'd want in a 60s western – driving orchestral passages, twanging guitar parts, and spooky little bits that ... LP, Vinyl record album
Philips (France), Early 1970s. Sealed
Includes themes from Heureux Qui Comme Ulysse, Black Orpheus, To Die In Madrid, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Slogan, Les Parisiennes, Jules & Jim, and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Ken Thorne/John Williams

Superman II – Original Soundtrack
Warner, 1981. Very Good
(On laser etched vinyl, with a mark that clicks on "Main Title March" and "Lift Into Space". Cover has a cut corner, hype sticker, and edge wear.) LP, Vinyl record album
Giant, 1988. Near Mint-
With selections by New Order, Cabaret Voltaire, Arthur Baker, The Hood, Dominique, and Jumpin' Jesus. LP, Vinyl record album

Michel Legrand

Breezy
MCA, 1973. Near Mint-
Breezy indeed – as the record has a light, floating approach that's every bit the best part of Legrand's work in the 70s! The album's mostly instrumentals – strings soaring over slinky bass and sublimated rhythms, in the manner of the best post-60s French soundtracks, occasionally ... LP, Vinyl record album
TV Tunes, 1986. Near Mint- 2LP Gatefold
2nd volume in this classic series – with a cool mix of TV themes to cartoons, sitcoms, and spy/crime shows! The 65 song set includes such favorites as The Three Stoges, Johnny Quest, Spiderman, Underdog, Route 66, I Spy, The Saint, Outer Limits, NBC Mystery Movie, Rawhide, Brady Bunch, ... LP, Vinyl record album

Carlo Rustichelli

Bebo's Girl
Capitol, Mid 60s. Very Good
A wonderfully groovy score from Carlo Rustichelli – best known to the world for his famous score for Divorce Italian Style, and working here in a style that mixes tight jazzy numbers with sparer themes in kind of a Nino Rota mode! There's some nice organ in the background on some of the best ... LP, Vinyl record album

Deodato

Deodato 2
CTI, 1973. Very Good+ Gatefold
Funky keyboards galore – and one of the greatest records ever from this legendary Brazilian jazz talent! The album follows nicely off Deodato's Prelude classic for CTI – and like that one, this set's built on long-flowing tunes that rise and fall with a wonderful sense of rhythm – ... LP, Vinyl record album
 



⇑ Top