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Your Not-So-Obvious Best Fidelity LPs

I’ve spent over three years building up to the system I have now.  I’m really happy with it and my wife and I love sitting in our listening room spinning various vinyl most evenings.  Rather than researching and testing gear, I want to spend this year adding great recordings to our collection.

So what are the albums you have that every time you play it you're continually amazed at its fidelity?  You might have spent $80 on it or just $1 or maybe it was a hand-me-down decades ago.  Any genre really.

And if we can please avoid the most obvious choices (which are truly wonderful) such as Pink Floyd, The Eagles, Diana Krall, etc.  I’m looking for albums, (vinyl only please) that probably fly under the radar for most folks.

I'll start….

James Taylor - Dad Loves His Work - this was just given to me by a friend a couple of weeks ago as he had an extra copy.  I have plenty of JT albums but I didn’t have this one yet.  As soon as I put it on I could tell it was special.

Edie Brickell - Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars - My wife requested this one so I found a NM copy on Discogs for a reasonable price.  This kind of blew my socks off.  Sounds really wonderful and present and the music still holds up.

Counting Crows - August and Everything After - I surprised my wife with this one as it’s one of her favorite albums.  They really nailed the recording and pressing on this one.  It’s quite impressive. 

Ben Folds - What Matters Most - He’s one of our favorite songwriters but trying to find a copy of anything of his or Ben Folds Five for under $80 is nearly impossible.  This album was released just last year and they obviously paid special attention to the recording quality.  Sounds just phenomenal. 

Steely Dan - Northeast Corridor - Obviously everyone knows how amazing their studio recordings are but this album might be unknown to some as it came out just a few years ago.  I bought it on a whim knowing nothing about it.  It’s amazing.  As if they would release an album with less than stellar fidelity.  If you’re a Dan fan, this album is a no-brainer.

REM - Automatic for the People - Completely hypnotic.  Stunning recording.

OK, that’s enough from me.  

paulietunes

Showing 5 responses by coltrane1

coltrane1's avatar
coltrane1
691 posts
 


@paulietunes , if there was only one record that was an absolutely must have it would be Billy Paul’s 360 Degrees of Billy Paul. Each song is superbly well done, and a hit in its own right. His take on Elton John’s ‘Your Song’ and Al Green’s ‘Let’s Stay Together’ were the highlights of my high school days in 1971. Check it out on LP’s from eBay or even a CD. It’s an absolute must have!

And I don’t know if you’ve heard Eva Cassidy, but if you haven’t check her out on YouTube. First time I heard her sing Somewhere Over The Rainbow it brought me to tears. She’s got a voice from the Angels, and many compelling albums worthy of any collection. You and your wife will truly enjoy her!

coltrane1's avatar
coltrane1
691 posts
 

@mckinneymike to be honest there are so many soul hits between 1963 and 1979. Between Motown, Stax, and Philadelphia International Music, for those of us who grew up during this period our musical experience was unequivocal. And to top it off we had the best of RR during this same period too. We lived a blessed existence never thinking that it would someday end. The period of the 80’s and 90’s was interesting too, for who could ever forget Whitney. But the days of who is killing who, or the disrespect of women, replaced some of the most positive music ever created. And did I even mention 3 of my favorite groups, Chicago, Tower of Power, and EWF?!

coltrane1's avatar
coltrane1
691 posts
 

The Stylistics - Album titled by same

Curtis Mayfield - Curtis

Marvin Gaye - What’s going on, and I want you

Issac Hayes - Shaft LP, Hot Buttered Soul, Black Moses, Joy

The Spinners - Mighty Love

The Ojays - Ship Ahoy

Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes - Wake Up Everybody

Stevie Wonder - Songs In The Key Of Life, Innervisions, Talking Book

Billy Paul - 360 Degrees of Billy Paul

Donny Hathaway - Extension of a man, DH Live

I’m a jazz musician and man, but Soul was the music of my youth, and the musical root of my existence.

 

coltrane1's avatar
coltrane1
691 posts
 

@paulietunes , Congratulations Paulie! If you dig soul check out anything from the Philadelphia International Records catalog released from 1971-1977. The owners of the company, Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, were actually superb songwriters and producers themselves, and produced many if not most of the biggest soul hits released during that timeframe. They operated from Philadelphia, and built a multi million dollar corporation producing the greatest hits. Philadelphia had surpassed Motown by hits and music production by this time as Motown had been sold. Just a bit of musical history my brother. Enjoy!

coltrane1's avatar
coltrane1
691 posts
 

@paulietunes , I’m happy that you’re experiencing some wonderful albums, and each are very different singers. And it’s a pity that Eva Cassidy didn’t get the notoriety in life as she has after passing. She’s one of the most original and gifted musicians I’ve ever heard. Enjoy my friend!

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