I love ‘Worrisome Heart’ by Melody Gardot and ‘Wood’ by Brian Bromberg. The imaging and engineering on both are excellent. Melody’s voice is silk. With your sub, Brian’s bass will knock your socks off.
Truly Stunning Vinyl Album
Hey friends, I'm relatively new here, first topic post but I read Audiogon topics daily. I'm a total neophyte with a not-inexpensive mid-fi system (Rogue Cronus iii Dark amp, Michel Gyro SE TT, Maggie 3.7i speakers, and a single Perlisten D15s sub, and an Eversolo DMP A8 streamer), and a growing vinyl collection that I'm partial to over streaming (unless I'm working and can't bother to flip the record). I love classic rock, Neil Young, the Stones, and the Grateful Dead, but really I like almost all genres (not into rap or thrasher metal) and since setting up my system I routinely play jazz and classical albums, and artists I never paid much attention to but now listen to quite frequently because their albums sound great on my system (e.g. Jethro Tull, Santana). So with all of that context, what I'm interested in is any TRULY STUNNING vinyl albums you can recommend, in any genre. I'm not asking for a desert island list, or any list of your favorite albums. I have those lists too, but they're dominated by musicians/groups I love and aren't necessarily "stunning" beyond my own subjective tastes. I'm interested in hearing about the one or two albums in your collection that just blow you away for whatever reason (and please explain). I'll kick it off with the Impex reissue of chamber music by Jascha Heifetz in mono, called The Lark. If you had told me that one of the top 3 records in my collection would be a mono chamber music album, I'd have laughed you out of my house. But it just blows me away. I listen to it daily. Why does it blow me away? Mostly it's the opening piece, Heifetz and an organist playing Vitali's Chaconne. It starts off with somber organ tones that I feel in my soul thanks to the Perlisten D15s sub, and then all of a sudden Heifetz comes crashing in with his piercing violin, and it is so darn stunning and beautiful I could listen to it daily until they plant me. And I don't even have a mono cartridge! So that's the type of album I'm looking for, in any genre. Something younwould play for anyone, and regardless of what genre they prefer, they would likely agree this album is truly stunning. Can you recommend anything like that? And in case you're interested, here's a great review of the Heifetz album:
https://positive-feedback.com/reviews/music-reviews/jascha-heifetz-the-lark/
Thanks for any recommendations!
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Absolutely stunning is what I understand is the first digital recording made available to the general public, the LP Fredrick Fennell conducting the Cleveland Symphonic Winds on Telarc Stereo 5038. Infectious music by Holst, Handel and Bach with the introduction of the infamous Telarc bass drum that will make your sub stand up and salute. Avoid the CD release, however, it’s horrendous. Gotta hear Erich Leinsdorf and the Los Angeles Philharmonic performing Wagner on a Sheffield direct disc Sheffield Lab 7. Reference level dynamics and instrumental textures. Mel Torme and the Buddy Rich Big Band at their absolute peak in “Together Again for the First Time” a 1978 direct to disc album from Century records (CRDD1100), a Grammy winner in 1979. I was lucky to see them live in 1979. Unique in my experience, this album was also released in a “normal” release on Gryphon G-784. Exactly the same performance but the D2D was recorded with 2 mics on the band and a solo mic for Mel while the Gryphon was recorded and with the more typical multi-mic arrangement to tape. Interesting comparison… Finally, a Harry Pearson favorite on Lyrita, Malcolm Arnold: English, Irish, Scottish, & Cornish Dances. This is music you can play for your friends who hate classical music. The original LP is rare and expensive if you can find one, but the CD, Lyrita SRCD.201, is excellent and still available for like $15 on Amazon. |
Masterpieces by Duke Ellingtonhttps://www.musicdirect.com/music/vinyl/duke-ellington-masterpieces-by-ellington-180g-mono-vinyl-lp/ |
Little Feat, Waiting for Columbus. Must be played at 95 dBSP The ultimate test of system Imaging, Luigi Cherubini's String Quartets, Melos Quartett Stuttgart. Archiv Produktion 2723 044 Bill Evans Riverside Recordings, Analog Productions 45 RPM box set. Waltz For Debby never sounded so good. Fourplay, Between the Sheets. Smoooooth Jazz at its best. Amazing production Mark Lettieri, The Baritone Sessions One and Two. The intensity of a young stud. Primus, The Brown Album. Les Claypool's bass thunders. Again 95 dBSP at least and I hope your subwoofers have fuses! Edgar Winter, Brother Johnny. This is what Johnny Winter's albums should have sounded like all along. Amazing tribute album. Rock N Roll Hoochie Koo Pentangle, Finale Amazing 3 record live set recorded british style. The players jump right out of your speakers. VIN180LP120 Kate Bush, Before the Dawn. Another totally amazing British Live album Johannes Brahms. The Four Symphonies, Von Karajan DGG 479 7429 A live recording German style, precision. |
Dire Straits, brothers in arms Frank Zappa, Apostrophe Pierre Moelen's Gong, Time is the key Serge Gainsbourg, histoire de Melody Nelson Red hot chili peppers, Blood sugar sex magik Johnny Cash, The man comes around David Bowie, Blackstar Talking heads, Stop making sense Kevin Ayers, Diamond jack Randy Pie, Magic ferry Roxy music, Avalon All these are of exceptional sound quality. I have many more but but this will have to do. Note that every album has better vinyl versions. They are all different. In general, the original version from the country of origin is best, but not always. It's too time consuming to list here. Part of the fun is the search.
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