@slaw ok, thanks.
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this Ron Miles record is very good music but doesn’t sound all that great. I suspect maybe this is one of those European operations, like Jazz Wax Records, I’ve read about that cut records from cds. The tone isn’t what I’d expect at all and the bass is a muddle. Keeping track of good and bad labels might be too much to ask of me. Oh well... |
James, just let us know what you think brother. |
Leonard Cohen "Thanks For the Dance" arrived today. |
Wooden Wand "Briarwood", I actually like this one better than "Death Seat"
SQ is definitely better on Briarwood. |
Pixies "Bossanova" 30th/4AD |
@slaw Leonard Cohen "Thanks For the Dance" arrived today. Steve, would love to know what you think. That set has been on my list ‘to buy’ for quite some time. |
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@mammothguy54 @bkeske try the 25th Anniversary Edition release of Graceland. The SQ is incredible, way over the top. Sit in the sweet spot and your jaw will be on the floor. Playing my my original release almost had the same effect, the soundstage effect is pretty well done. There were sounds coming from, it seems, all over the room. I’ll keep my eyes out. |
Brian, do you have "You Want it Darker" on vinyl? |
@slaw Brian, do you have "I Want it Darker" on vinyl? No, I don’t. The only Cohen I have on vinyl is ‘Songs of Love and Hate’. Been too busy buying classical since getting back into vinyl again 😉 Would like to get more of his albums on vinyl though. My ‘want list’ on Discogs is pretty long right now. |
Well, " You Want It Darker’ will be the lp I’ll compare LC last lp to. It will be a Tall order! |
Colter Wall "Western Swing & Waltzes and (Other Punchy Songs)." |
You guys made me think to look for Leonard Cohen in my collection. I thought that I have one, and I do. Haven't played it in years so I'll play it this weekend.
"Songs From A Room" Original pressing, Columbia, perfect condition.
This is the album with 'Bird On A Wire' which inspired Jennifer Warnes to connect with Leonard and create her excellent album "Famous Blue Raincoat". I recently got that reissue from Impex, limited edition to just 1,000 copies, mastered from Jennifer's personal original master tape. It's fabulous! |
@mammothguy54,
What about the Buffalo Springfield box? |
@boxer12,
Sure it's been a stressful week. Hope your family is OK. |
Breaking open one of my wonderful Decca Solti-Edition box sets. Vol. 6. Was in the mood for some choir works on this Friday.
Starting at the beginning with Beethoven’s Missa solemnis in D major, Op. 123. Sides 1-4. Will probably listen to more.
This never sounded so good. I’m so pleased with this new rig. |
Hey Brian,
How many hours on the Zepher? |
"Blackbirds" playing after a deeep clean .Sounds wonderful!
After a slow steam, and an additional US clean. It sounds wonderful! |
Slaw, I played the first two, both in mono. The first album is OK for SQ but not what I was hoping for. The music, however, is wonderful as it always has been. I will certainly be playing it many more times. The second album, "Again", is excellent in SQ. I was very impressed with that, enveloping me deeper with each song. It sounds wonderful and it really made my night. I love the music on that album and now I have the best sounding copy ever. I look forward to many more times with it on the turntable. I will play the third album this weekend.
I haven't played too much music this week. I had a dedicated 20 amp line drawn in to my electronics room on Tuesday. That required opening up plenty of wallboard. That means plenty of wallboard patch, knockdown to match, and paint. Fortunately, I am pretty good at wallboard patch and knockdown match. I'm just about to roll the last coat of paint. Back to normal for the weekend.
By the way, Acoustic Sounds is now taking preorders on the forthcoming reissue of Aqualung. This is the latest and best of all reissues. It's a UHQR (remember those, from MoFi, back in the early 80s?) utilizing pure audiophile grade vinyl that is uncolored, 200 gram, 45 RPM, mastered at Bernie Grundman Mastering, pressed at QRP in a limited edition of only 5,000 copies and packaged in a stunning box. Not cheap, $125. This album is part of my life so yes, I ordered one. Shipping in about 3 weeks. They have a great 3 minute video on the album page that shows the entire UHQR process. Very cool!
I only learned recently they did the same with Jimi Hendrix, 'Axis Bold As Love', a year ago. Sold out and no longer available. I wish I had known then, I certainly would have bought a copy. It too, is part of my life. If you feel deeply about Aqualung then hurry and grab a copy. When they are gone, they are gone for good. |
@slaw Hey Brian,
How many hours on the Zepher? Good question. I would have to guess, right around 60. |
@mammothguy54,
Thanks;
Did not know about Aqualung I don't like Chad based upon my conversation with him years ago.
May order it but focusing on SRV "Couldn't Stand The Weather"
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I do not order anything directly from him. |
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Explosions In The Sky / Those who tell the truth shall die |
More from the Solti-Edition box set #6. Sides 5-8
Verdi - Missa Da Requiem
Wiener Philharmonic and Choir, 1970
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I understand your feelings about the owner. But heck, the vinyl production is superb. I don't know the guy and likely never will. Maybe for the better? Either way, Analogue Productions and QRP make outstanding vinyl and I do my best to purchase LPs from that pressing plant. They are always top notch.
SRV "In Step" by Analogue Productions and QRP pressing is phenomenal. I highly recommend getting that one, if you don't already have a copy. |
Donald Fagen - Morph the Cat. Holy smokes, this sounds amazing! New demo record. |
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Manfred Mann The Roaring Silence |
Roxy music/avalon
Grateful Dead/terrapin station
black sabbath/ paranoid |
Slaw,
A rough week for sure but we are all doing well. He was a good man & will always be remembered as such. Thanks for asking
Noromance,
Thanks
The Bears / Rise & shine |
Diana Krall - The Look of Love. I thought her voice had gotten much deeper, then realized it's a 45 RPM record. |
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Reiner conducts Brahms Violin Concerto in D. Heifetz w/Chicago Symphony Orchestra. RCA Victor, Canadian pressing. Release date unknown. ‘Shaded Dog’ stereo label.
Wow. Nice. Big. Stage.
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LOL Greg, that would do it
Adrian Belew / Inner revolution |
Horowitz plays Schumann - solo piano - Variations On A Theme By Clara Wieck & Kreisleriana. Columbia Masterworks 1970 |
Syd Barrett / The madcap laughs |
Andre Previn conducts Rachmaninoff Piano Concertos 1 & 4. Leonard Pennario and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. RCA Victor Red Seal. Originally released 1965, reissue, late 60’s per label design. |
Silver Jews "Bright Flight" |
+1 Slaw, That is one of my favorites!
Bob Dylan / Another side of Bob Dylan |
Family Band "Grace & Lies" |
Blood on the Tracks "Test Pressing" from RSD 2019/ is awesome! |
Big_Greg, Thank you!
I listened to Morph The Cat a year and a half ago and did not care much for it. But that was before getting a new cartridge, phono stage, springs under my tt 😄 and upgrading from MMG’s to 1.6’s. After reading your post and being a Steely Dan / Donald Fagen fan since the 70’s, I just had to give it another listen.
Wow...a win - win situation. "Discovered" a really great album that I had overlooked and...got some more validation for the changes made and dollars spent!
Cheers! |
@boxer12 The Madcap Laughs is insanely good. I have an original and it's got so expensive, I've held back playing it! |
@noromance, I bought a UK copy of The Madcap Laughs when it was originally released (even though I didn't care for Pink Floyd or Psychedelia in general). We were at that time looking for anything "weird", but this album is WAY beyond that; it's terrifying and alarming. Hearing it is like being in a room with a seriously mentally ill person. No, not mentally ill, full-on insane. In the late-60's/early-70's there were a not-inconsiderable number of people walking around in the Bay Area (Ground Zero for psychedelics) who had taken acid far too many times (George Harrison said The Beatles did it only a handful of times). Skip Spence ended up in San Jose after he was ushered out of the Agnew State Mental Hospital (when Governor Reagan cut off funding, all tax payer-funded State mental health facilities were closed. "Your on your own, losers."), walking the downtown streets babbling to himself, bumming cigarettes and spare change. What a sad spectacle, and a waste of talent. It's an unfortunate fact that talent and self-destructiveness often go hand-in-hand. Brian Jones, Brian Wilson, Peter Green, Chris Farley (comic genius), plenty of others. |
@mwinkc That's one of the fun things about this thread. I'm often reminded of things I haven't listened to in a while, or hear of things I haven't before. It's great for discovery of new/old music.
I've listened to that recording many times digitally and it's my second favorite Fagen album next to the Nightfly, but I'd always felt like it was a bit bass heavy. Listening to the vinyl, I still had a bit of that impression. With the vinyl I got a better sense of the musicians being a little looser than the typical Dan/Fagen affair. The music is really "dense"... there's a lot going on there, but it was easy to pick out all the different instruments and vocals and the bass made it a visceral experience, close to listening to live music. I think I paid way too much for that record in some ways, but at the same time a listening experience like that which I can repeat again and again was well worth it.
Glad you enjoyed it! |
I would have to second Eric's opinion on Madcap Laughs.
It is plain scary but not surprising when you consider the mind it came from at the time.
A little saner on now.
See See the Sun ..... Kayak |
@bkeske,
Just finished my first listen to "Thanks for the Dance". A little different than "You Want it Darker" in that there's a little more here in the way of vocal accompaniment, some solo guitar, and some chorus. His voice is still very deep but I think on "YWID" his vocals are more precise/crisp. I'll listen again today sometime I'm sure. Side one has some small ticks so I slow steamed it and back in the Vibrato.
SQ is great. On first listen, I think I like 'YWID" more, we'll see. They are both great records. |
