Nice quality, but the sound is just a little bit muddy. Not sure if not a needledrop (If so than from a very good source). Would like to compare with digital remaster (if such exists :) )

Beggars Opera began their career as an excellent heavy organ/guitar prog band that used a lot of classical motifs (even “borrowing” little segments of light classical music). On “Act One” they serve up an intense (mostly instrumental) over-the-top, vintage rock with frantic drumming, blistering guitar and powerful organ. This is their MOST organ-driven record. I love some of those “carnival” sounds achieved by Alan Park. Some of the long instrumental jams recall early Deep Purple, not least because Ricky Gardener achieves a plaintive sound like Ritchie Blackmore which works well over pulsing keyboards and “galloping” rhythm section. Singer Martin Griffiths is the mad ringmaster of this pomp carnival. His vocals would be given much more space on later albums. The album relies on intense instrumental blowouts rather than smooth production or studio effects. Its raw, “period” sound will appeal to lovers of organ-driven British progressive.

We're at the heart of early seventies prog here and this fulfills all your expectations, the best and the worst. Mock-classical music on the ominously titled ''Passacaglia'' (no, it's not a track by Benjamin Britten in case you wondered) illustrates convincingly everything that can go awry. Pretentious doodling executed with great technical skill plus especially irritating organ pyrotechnics. Baroque influences are everywhere and they are mostly displayed with the intention to impress. But when the organ restrains itself to accompaniment, the music at times rises to the occasion and gets genuinely moving. Almost all of ''Memory'' serves like an oasis with arching melodies in the classical desert and the profuse quoting of ''Light cavalry'' contains just enough irony to make it worthwhile. A checquered effort. The band took their name from the opera by John Gay from 1728.