Got this from Rough Trade last month and finally got around to listening to it.....had to stop listening to it as the pressing sounds so bad.

White vinyl and same issues with sound quality. This, coupled with the multiple 'limited edition' releases, has not made for a good first experience with Black Focus Records.

Truly awful pressing...at least the white vinyl UK pressing is. Ended up returning it to rough trade who listened to it and confirmed the bad pressing.....they've had tones of returns. Black vinyl pressing seems to be OK. Avoid the white vinyl - awful.

I really enjoyed the Yussef Kamaal album and was really looking forward to this album when I pre ordered it. Now that I have it, I’m sorry to say but the music and the whole vibe of the album is forced, soulless and inauthentic. I guess it’s now clear that the real soul of Yussef Kamaal was Yussef Dayes. In terms of his chops, I don’t think Kamaal Williams has enough to carry a whole album. The album is just kind of boring. The cut with a fourth musician, a 1970s-style fusion guitarist, is a little better, but it really doesn’t match the passion of any cut on the Yussef Kamaal album. I found particularly annoying all the cries of “woo” and “yeah” that pop up randomly across The Return, as if the musicians are so carried away by their own funkiness that they have to cry out. Frankly, it’s embarrassing and sad. If interested in keyboard led soulful jazz funk, I’d say start with the two albums by Hysear Don Walker, the early 1970s albums by Ramsey Lewis and, if you can afford it, Seasons by Pete Jolly.

As a fellow music snob, it is evident that this release was a poorly executed cash grab. From the packaging, to the grooves and the sonics. But, if this music is truly the optimal output of the artist, it is still better than a load of other musicians immensely more "successful" than Kamaal. 6/10

Production & sound quality a bit questionable too...and yeah, why the "oohs" & "ahs"?

Fair enough, but I don't agree. I DO agree that Black Focus is a better record - but that was close to perfect. This is just extremely good

Just got a brand new copy of the white album. Experienced very noticeable vinyl defects and "scratchy" static, especially on side B on the last few tracks. Unfortunate because its a really good album and but its a bummer you can't listen thought since the vinyl static makes its virtually unlistenable on some of the best tracks.

I have the same issues! WTF! whats going on with quality control and how the hell did they approve the TPs before official pressings!!

Same problem with the black vinyl I got. Virtually unlistenable...

White copy from Bleep. Vinyl perfectly flat and sounds crystal clear..

Anyone else received s slightly warped copy of the white vinyl ? Mine is warped- not quite the fruit bowl effect and it's playable. Just getting fed up upon receiving badly pressed or warped rekkid of late..

Yeah I got the black vinyl. A lot of scratches And scuffs clearly visible on the vinyl. Very crackly in parts. Overall quite noisy sounding record... Good music on it though.

Ask them if it is possible to return the return.

sorry to hear that :(i'm waiting for the white vinyl version to arrive as well, now wondering if I made a mistake. what's the sound quality like on this release?

That's not good- brand new sealed copies should be in mint condition. Sounds like you need to send your copy back & I shall do the same. try my luck with another copy from a different shop..

i got a black copy. not warped, but covered in scuffs and crackly in quieter parts. bummed.