Best Recorded / Best Sounding Compact Discs?

Posted by: Kevinbro on 22 January 2002

I'd love suggestions for CD's that were recorded/mastered really well?

I have good Naim gear (CDS2, SCAP, 72, 135s) and I love CDs that project a true realism (live or in studio)!

Thanks,

kevin

Posted on: 22 January 2002 by Name

Give Catie Curtis " A Crash Course in Roses" a wee listen especially the track ROSES.

Posted on: 22 January 2002 by Peter Stockwell

Depends on what you like, but this one amazed me last night, after I hadn't listened to it for months. Very natural sounding, sparse instrumentation, and swings!

Peter

Posted on: 23 January 2002 by Martin M

Nils Petter Malvaer - Solid Ether.

Posted on: 23 January 2002 by Nigel Cavendish

Eagles - Hell Freezes Over (well you did ask!)

Cowboy Junkies - Lay It Down, Trinity Sessions.

Nick Cave - Murder Ballads

La Bottine Souriante - Rock and Reel, En Spectacle

Diamanda Galas - Malediction and prayer(you won't like it though)

and many more.

cheers

Nigel

Posted on: 23 January 2002 by Andrew Randle

Nils Petter Molvaer's "Khmer" is truely brilliant too.

Peace Orchestra (Peter Kruder's orchestrated downbeat dance-fest) is amazing.

Leggo Beast "From Here to G" beats you into submission and then scares the [lah-dee-dar] out of you on the track 'Tumbledown'

Ben Vaughn, "Paint it Black" - fantastic swinging rock and the recording really does it justice.

Andrew

Andrew Randle
Currently in the "Linn Binn"

Posted on: 23 January 2002 by Keith Mattox

"Heartbeat Drummers of Japan"

On the Sony label, unfortunately it may be out of print - the Kodo site doesn't even mention it.

Cheers

Keith.

Posted on: 23 January 2002 by Colin Lorenson

Bill Frisell - Gone, Just like a train - the acid test for low end control.

Run, Lola Run - OST - Great electronica

Ghostyhead - Rickie Lee Jones

Shakti - The believer ... Jazz / Indian fusion

Colin Lorenson

Posted on: 23 January 2002 by steveb

Can-Rite Time, analogue recordings superbly produced, great ambience, instruments all clearly identified, typical of Holger Czukay(also try his Good Morning Story)
Japan-Tin Drum
Robbie Robertson-Robbie Robertson & Storyville

Posted on: 23 January 2002 by bam

Lyle Lovett: Joshua Judges Ruth
Jazz at the Pawnshop

Posted on: 24 January 2002 by Pete

naim's own label have exemplary recordings and mastering, so have a look in the catalogue and see if there's anything you fancy.

SFX, Electric Glide and Acoustic Revenge are remasters rather than original recordings: still good, but not as good as the rest.

The ones Ken Christianson recorded straight to 2-track are at least as vivid as any other recordings I've heard. Which you select depends on your tastes, of course: anything you particularly like or hate?

Pete.

Posted on: 24 January 2002 by Keith Mattox

Anything recorded on the Three Blind Mice label. I've never heard piano recorded so well.

Can't say a lot about the music though...

Cheers

Keith.

Posted on: 30 January 2002 by Jaitch

Try these!
Paul Rodgers - Muddy Water Blues c.1993
Keb'Mo - (1st. album) c.1994

Posted on: 30 January 2002 by Keith Mattox

"Songs for Distingue' Lovers" with Billie Holiday.

Stunning Music, Stunning Sound.

Cheers

Keith.

Posted on: 01 February 2002 by Shayman

I always find Gomez's album Bring It On sounds fantastic, although when it was released they kept banging on about how it was recorded in one of their Dads' garages.

Any one explain how that can have happened? I'm sure the fore mentioned Dad charges less per hour than most studios.

Jonathan

Posted on: 01 February 2002 by Steve G

quote:
Originally posted by Nigel Cavendish:

Cowboy Junkies - Lay It Down, Trinity Sessions.

I must admit that I'm not convinced about the Trinity Sessions as there are a lot of noises in the background (not just background noise if you know what I mean!) which I find annoying.

Regards
Steve

Posted on: 01 February 2002 by Pete

quote:
Originally posted by Steve G:

I must admit that I'm not convinced about the Trinity Sessions as there are a lot of noises in the background (not just background noise if you know what I mean!) which I find annoying.

In that case don't even think about getting Over The Rhine's "Good Dog, Bad Dog", where even the sleeve notes point out you can hear people moving the furniture and the piano creaking quite a bit. However, if you want to hear good music recorded simply and emotively, and if you like the likes of the Cowboy Junkies, then very heartily recommended.

It doesn't really bother me, in the same way as people with colds at a concert don't ruin it by the odd cough.

Pete.

Posted on: 01 February 2002 by Pete

quote:
Originally posted by Shayman:

Any one explain how that can have happened? I'm sure the fore mentioned Dad charges less per hour than most studios.

Studios let you monitor things closely on a multitude of cannels, do stuff like overdubs easily, work with different musicians at different times and provide accoustically neutral spaces where the room doesn't come into what goes on. These can be handy, but certainly aren't necessary.

Note how most of the naim CDs are recorded outside of studios, simply by selecting an accoustic space that suits the artist and careful positioning of two very good AKG mics therein, followed by recording straight to two-track. Since the music is all "live" (as in played by the band in one take with all parts happening at the same time) studio facilities for other setups become largely irrelevant.

So it depends on how you're recording whether a studio will be an asset or a great way of burning money unnecessarily.

Pete.

Posted on: 03 February 2002 by redeye

Urge you to try..

Everythings Fine by Willard Grant Conspiracy

If you have even the remotest prejudice against alt. country this one will sort you out. Glows beautifully thru a 72/180

Posted on: 12 February 2002 by bam

I just rediscovered this at the bottom of my CD collection. A sort of "jazzy Afropean hip-hop...recorded with acid jazz musicians on board" says the label. More likey jazz musicians on acid! Two French female vocalists with excellent playing. Really well recorded. Definitely worth a listen.

Posted on: 13 February 2002 by Alex S.

David Torn, Mick Karn & Terry Bozzio.

Best recorded CD I own.

If you want to find out if your system can do drums this is the one to find out with.

Alex

Posted on: 15 February 2002 by JohanR

Deep Purple "Machine Head" is recorded in a hotel corridor! It's not only one of the classic rock albums, it sounds very good to. I have the anniversary edition on CD from 1997. One also got a remixed "bonus" disc, wich sounds crap!

Rolling Stones live att Camden Theatre 1964-03-19. Only available as bootleg, but sounds superb. It was recorded by the Beeb as test broadcasting in stereo.

Early stuff with Jonathan Richman sounds like it was recorded in the living room. Maybe sounds more "interesting" than actually good!

Janis Joplin, Trouble in Mind. Here someone is typing on a typewriter. Loud and clear.

I could probably go on and bore you for ever / JohanR