Vinyl plays nicely (play-graded). Cover looks good; a few creases near edges; light-scuffing and surface impressions (front/back); back has a few discoloration spots. Inner-sleeve is original (photo/lyrics/credits); top edge has a few tears and wrinkles. Spine is easy-to-read with mild-wear. Shelf-wear along top/bottom-edge both of which have come partially unglued. Some wear to corners. Opening is crisp with signs of light use and divots. (Not a cut-out.)
2:00 AM Paradise Cafe, by singer-songwriter Barry Manilow, went platinum and peaked at No. 28 on the Billboard 200. The album was a radical departure from Manilow's previous work of highly polished pop. Manilow wrote in the liner notes that the record's concept came to him in a dream. Johnny Mercer's widow, Ginger, entrusted Manilow with a cache of Mercer's lyrics that had never been set to music. Although Manilow used only Mercer's When October Goes for the project, he created an album of all original songs with a torchy, smokey jazz style. He recruited veteran jazz musicians Bill Mays, Gerry Mulligan, Shelly Manne, Mundell Lowe, and George Duvivier. Also enlisted for vocal duets were Mel Torme and Sarah Vaughan. The entire album was rehearsed for three days, then recorded entirely live (in one take) without overdubs at Westlake Studio 'C' in Los Angeles, California and released in 1984.