Jackson Browne: The Pretender

The Pretender: MOFI's Technically Impressive but Incomplete Jackson Browne Reissue

Jackson Browne's fourth album, "The Pretender," marked a pivotal and emotionally charged moment in his career, being his first release following the tragic suicide of his first wife. Despite its somber backstory, the album achieved considerable commercial success, peaking at number five on Billboard's album chart and spawning two top 100 singles. "Here Come Those Tears Again," co-written with Browne's mother-in-law, became the album's highest-charting track, reaching number 23. The album's artistic merit was further recognized with a Grammy Award nomination in 1978.

Mobile Fidelity's Audiophile Treatment
Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs (MOFI) applied their signature audiophile approach to this reissue. Cut from the original master tapes and pressed using their half-speed production system, the album was mastered by Original Mastering Works™ and manufactured on "high definition super vinyl" by the Victor Company of Japan.

Sound Quality Excellence
From a purely technical standpoint, MOFI's pressing delivers impressive results. The vinyl surface is commendably quiet, allowing Browne's nuanced vocals to come through with remarkable presence and clarity. Instrumental details emerge with precision, and the dynamic range achieves the standards one expects from a premium audiophile pressing.

Compared to most available versions of this album, the sonic presentation is undeniably superior. MOFI's mastering choices reveal subtle textures and spatial cues that remain obscured on standard pressings, creating a more immersive listening experience.

The Fatal Flaw: Missing Content
Unfortunately, this MOFI release contains two significant and problematic departures from the original album:
The opening track, "The Fuse," features an alternate "cold" ending similar to Asylum's standard CD
release, rather than the long fade found on the original vinyl.

More egregiously, the title track "The Pretender" appears in a shortened version that completely
eliminates the entire second verse, mirroring the single edit rather than the full album version.

The Vinyl Verdict: Technical Excellence Undermined
While MOFI has created a sonically superior presentation of "The Pretender," the decision to use edited versions of key tracks fundamentally compromises the release's value. The omission of an entire verse from the album's title track is particularly inexplicable and disappointing.

For serious collectors and Browne enthusiasts, these alterations render this pressing essentially worthless despite its technical merits. The fundamental question remains: Why would anyone invest in a premium-priced audiophile reissue that delivers an incomplete version of the original artistic statement?

This release serves as a cautionary tale for audiophile labels and collectors alike—technical excellence cannot compensate for compromised musical content. When reissuing classic albums, preserving the integrity of the original work should always take precedence over other considerations. 💸

💰 Invest
 💵 Consider
💸 Pass