I am interested in your opinions as to the best 5-10, 70's to present, Rock recordings ever
I have DSOM - MSFL release, AJA - Cisco release, SPLHCB - Japanese release and just ordered Abraxas - MSFL release but I need MORE choices for ear candy.
I'm looking for material that will make my humble system shine; where the engineering was par excellence, the sonics soar and energy leaps from the grooves.
Bad Company- self titled "Bad Company". Of course you'll find better material sonically, but this LP is absolutely fantastic and engaging for classic rock. I never really appreciated it fully until I got the LP and cranked it up. MFSL's original master of Little Feat's "Waiting for Columbus" is amazing too, IMO.
If you want some more recent recordings you might try the latest Wilco, The new Shelby Lynne (although I hear some of the LP's are having trouble), Spoon's latest, or maybe even the new Cat Power LP....... Amiee Mann- Lost in Space (MFSL) is a few years old, but is pretty cool too.
- rage against the machine - 1st lp - Any NIN's LP except the 1st one. Closer is probably the best to buy first. - Neil Young - Greendale - Led Zep 1, 11 or 4 - Jesus & Marychain - automatic - Deep Purple - machine head - Sisters of mercy - Vision thing
There are several obvious Pink Floyd,Beatles and Steely Dan choices, which are almost always reference quality recordings. I will try to recommend a few that are less obvious, but which keep me coming back repeatedly.
Stevie Wonder - Innervisions and/or Talking Book
John Mellencamp - Whenever We wanted. As someone who has played in rock bands 25+ years, this recording does an amazing job of replicating the live sound of individual instruments with lots of definition in space. It also happens to have his best songs.
Soundgarden - Superunknown
The Charlatans - Between 10th and 11th
Wilco - A Ghost is Born
Del Amitri - Twisted
Queens of the Stone Age - R (their first - very dry recording, lots of space, and VERY psychedelic. Not of for everyone, but if you like it, you'll probably love it. My favorite song is sung by Mark Lannegan of Screaming Trees).
Any Supergrass album except "Coco" sounds great on my system. I especially like "In It for the Money" and "Road to Rouen."
The original issue of Late for the Sky by Jackson Brown. The later (struggling for correct terminology here folks) vinyl did not sound anywhere as good.
I also like Pure Prairie League (the one with Amy) Bustin out was the name of the album I think.
I'll suggest a sleeper that you can probably find at your local thrift store for $2. Warren Zevon-Excitable Boy. This was his best material and the record itself sounds as good as it gets, lots of PRAT(favourite audiophile term)LOL. In fact if you own a humble Rega TT, this LP will show you just how good a low mass turntable can sound. Don't forget about "Who's Next" either.
buckingham and nicks first album is a wonderful record. DSOTM, Wall, Meddle, WYWH (pink floyd) are all very good, Most of the steely dan albums. I must agree with the pure prairie league, great sonics on this album. Moody blues seventh sojurn and childrens, childrens album is very good. These are some of my keep coming back to albums.
Without getting into high priced reissues I'd say Doors 1st couple albums on Electra are very good. Hendrix Electric Ladyland is excellent. Jeff Beck Truth with Rod Stewart & Nicky Hopkins on piano is very good. Any Beatles on Parlophone/EMI label(forget the Capitol trash), or many of the Japanese pressings. Early Cream is all bad and many Led Zeps are decent but just ok in my mind(others may disagree). Too bad most Stones are mostly just ok too but it's hard to deny there's a lot of good music. That's where a lower resolution system may be a blessing.
Given that opinions are like, well...Here's a few items off the top of my head:
Foreigner - Double Vision Zappa - Sheik Yerbouti Lowell George - Thanks, I'll Eat It Here Linda Ronstadt - Simple Dreams Richard Thompson - Old Kit Bag Santana - Moonflower Little River Band - S/T; Diamantina Cocktail Toto - IV Neil Young - Comes A Time Queen - The Game
Nearly any Little Feat, Supertramp, Steely Dan, Eagles, Talking Heads, to name but a few....
BTW, these are all original issues of these LPs - no remastered, half-speed, reissues. They all get high marks for both sonics and music. There's too much great music out there to buy based solely on sonics - I've heard too many systems where the tired old "audiophile chestnuts" are trotted out. C'mon man, play some music!! Good listening,
I tried but there are just too many. I can't come up with just 5 or 10.
I think Palasr had a good list. If you go with Supertramp - bolt down your table, play it loud and don't operate any machinery. I've heard that being interrupted while listeing to "Bloody Well Right" or "School" is a known cause of domestic disturbance.
i'd have to disagree here. "Brothers in arms" is a lousy recording if you ask me.
rock recordings are more about suiting the mood, not pure sonics. also i feel great recording has to have great music in front of it.
a few off the top of my head
randy newman "good old boys" nirvana "in utereo" van morrison "moondance" beatles "rubber soul" television "marquee moon" hendrix "axis bold as love " (mono version) richard thompson "pour down like silver"
Agreed about "Brothers in Arms" - this is a digital recording and no amount of remastering or buffing is ever going to change that; I've always found it a very clinical and sterile recording, though side 2 has a couple of moments. I'll take the first Dire Straits LP or Communique, both of which captivate me from beginning to end.
Fragile Thick as a Brick Waiting for Columbus Captain Fantastic Back in the High Life Crime of the Century Surfer Girl Dire Straits Aja Bookends Ghost in the Machine Radio KAOS Moondance The Wall Alone Together Fleetwood Mac Thriller American Beauty Triology Captain and Me
For the record, the early Zep albums sound like they were mixed in a Campbell's soup can.
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