What are you listening to and WHY might anyone be interested? (Vol. X)

CD first press MCLD release ripped as FLAC and sounding superb.

G

On vinyl...

This afternoon / evening moving on to Die Walküre. Just approaching the end of Act One, Scene Two -  tomorrow Siegmund will fight Hunding!

I am listening to this through the NDS, CD ripped to NS01 in WAV format. It sounds better than I ever recall when I used to play the CD, there is more atmosphere, more tension. It's altogether more involving. This might become my favourite recording of this masterpiece. Absolutely marvellous!

Things tend to sound a bit better through the NDS - is also my experience.

Paul McCartney    "Band On The Run"

(iTunes download)

 It's been 14 years since D'Angelo released his dirt-encrusted soul opus in the first month of the new millennium, and we have yet to see a follow-up but when an artist cites : Jimi Hendrix, Sly Stone, George Clinton, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield, Al Green, Otis Redding and Prince as his musical and spiritual guides, it has to be worth a listen?

Volumes have been written about this album so Google is your friend but my favourite fact is that the artist insisted on using 2 track analog tapes, some 120 reels in total! You gotta miss the mega studio budgets of that era.

Inspired by "Something About You" 

Sade    "Soldier Of Love"

(iTunes download)

… and quickly followed by …...

Original Folklore vinyl. One of the godfathers of British Blues, along with Alexis Korner, who died tragically young.

This languid, seductive gem may well be Grant Green's greatest moment on record. Right from the opening bars of the classic title cut, Idle Moments is immediately ingratiating and accessible, featuring some of Green's most stylish straight jazz playing. Whether he's running warm (pianist Duke Pearson's "Idle Moments"), cool (the Modern Jazz Quartet's "Django"), or a bit more up-tempo (Pearson's "Nomad," his own "Jean de Fleur"), Green treats the material with the graceful elegance that was the hallmark of his best hard bop sessions, and that quality achieves its fullest expression here. He's helped by an ensemble that, as a sextet, is slightly larger and fuller-sounding than usual, and there's plenty of room for solo explorations on the four extended pieces. Pearson's touch on the piano is typically warm, while two players best known on Blue Note for their modernist dates mellow out a bit -- the cool shimmer ofBobby Hutcherson's vibes is a marvelously effective addition to the atmosphere, while Joe Henderson plays with a husky, almost Ike Quebec-like breathiness. That cushion of support helps spur Green to some of the loveliest, most intimate performances of his career -- no matter what the tempo, it's as if his guitar is whispering secrets in your ear. It's especially true on the dreamy title track, though: a gorgeous, caressing, near-15-minute excursion that drifts softly along like a warm, starry summer night. Even more than the two-disc set The Complete Quartets With Sonny Clark, Idle Moments is the essential first Green purchase, and some of the finest guitar jazz of the hard bop era.

The guitar of Johnny Smith / the sax of Stan Getz

Elbow    "Build A Rocket Boys"

(iTunes download)

Streaming

Airbag Identity stunning recording and great album 

LP (p) 1975 : )

Original

Having a Goldfrapp evening ...

Goldfrapp - Tales of Us. Played earlier, 24bit, 98kHz WAV. A magical album easily the best of the set for me. Bought after several recommendations on here. Followed by ...

Goldfrapp - Black Cherry, ripped to FLAC then ...

Goldfrapp - Felt Mountain, ripped to FLAC.

Bob Dylan    "Tempest"

(iTunes download)

It seemed apt

That's a nice way to spend an evening. "Felt Mountain" is probably still my favourite. 

Steve 

Although I've had this CD for a while, I haven't given it a proper listen as I tend to default to August and Everything After when I want a dose of Counting Crows.  The vocals from this band always remind of the Eagles.