What are you listening to and WHY might anyone be interested? (Vol. XII)
Posted by: Richard Dane on 01 January 2016
2016 has arrived today, so time to start this thread afresh.
Last year's thread (and links to previous years) can be found here;
Another recent discovery lurking on a non iTunes area of my NAS:
David Bowie - Low, FLAC.
BigH47 posted:Another recent discovery lurking on a non iTunes area of my NAS:
David Bowie - Low, FLAC.
I have this already very long, it's a great album with a dark atmosphere...
Frederic Chopin: Yakov Flier (piano)
Mazurkas
Initially, after listening to Dmitri Alexeev play the Mazurkas last week one could feel a sense of let down here as the recording feels plain and unadorned. Rather frank and less affectionate. However, that sense quickly goes away and the magic (as subtle as it is here) is quite interesting. Maybe it is just me but I find that below the surface here one can sense such a fine rubato and rhythm that it quite compelling. Again, I don't think Flier is very deliberate about it as some pianists can be. This is so subtle and effective that it tends to leave me asking, 'how does he do it?" With unfamiliarity or just not having an interest to really listen or think deeply about the score, I suspect you could easily overlook such hidden treasure. It is the magic of old school playing.
It is generally acknowledged, as far as I know, that the first piece of music that Chopin wrote as a child was a Polonaise and his last piece was a Mazurka. For me, it is such special music. Not music for the masses with large crowds in concert halls. Rather, it is the music I prefer most to anything on earth. That is, music for one person alone with your instrument.
Steve Winwood "Back In The High Life"
joerand posted:
Roger Waters. Amused To Death. On original CD from 1992. Imagine if every CD was produced/mastered to this level of SQ (the clarity, soundstage, imaging). There may have been no loudness wars, MP3's, desire for hi-res, streaming, or vinyl revival. By all accounts the remaster is even better, but I'm smitten with the original in all its glory, and content to sit pat.
I agree x100! I was given a copy of the 192/24 version for Christmas - and have just played it and the CD version one after another - and overall I much prefer the original CD version. Something in the remix has lost the 'punch', eg in the bass drum at the start of The ballad of being out of range, which in the CD version sounds like a live drum, and subdued the bass in places, like just after the start of Perfect sense Pt 1, and in other places shifted the level balance between sounds.
The original version is simply stunning, a brilliant example of what can be achieved. As for 3D soundstage, I remember that at the time of The Final Cut Pink Floyd collaborated with someone experimenting with what they called 'holophonic recording', which had a 3D effect and wondered if Amused to Death was, too - the answer is no, but it has apparently used another 3D process called QSound.
Bruce Hornsby and the Range "Night On The Town"
Mud crutch "Mudcrutch"
On vinyl, and because this is one of RPs best LPs. Love his early stuff.
Marillion, Clutching At Straws. 1999 Remaster CD I just pick up in HMV for £5.99 and very good it is too. I have the original first pressing CD, the remaster definitely has the edge.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band "The Dirt Band"
A recent purchase. I took a punt on this following Mr Underhill's post on the 'Vinyl is where it's at??' thread when he mentioned that Du Pre's performance of Elgar's Cello Concerto had moved him. While my collection of classical music is quite small, I like a 'dose' now and again. This piece on Disc 1 is familiar to me - I listen to Classic FM - but I haven't heard it played or re-produced this well before. I can understand Mr Underhill's reaction. This beautiful music provokes the emotions. Nice one!
Having enjoyed some Elgar, as they say on Monty Python, now for something completely different....
MDS posted:
A recent purchase. I took a punt on this following Mr Underhill's post on the 'Vinyl is where it's at??' thread when he mentioned that Du Pre's performance of Elgar's Cello Concerto had moved him. While my collection of classical music is quite small, I like a 'dose' now and again. This piece on Disc 1 is familiar to me - I listen to Classic FM - but I haven't heard it played or re-produced this well before. I can understand Mr Underhill's reaction. This beautiful music provokes the emotions. Nice one!
i might try this as well :-)
enjoy
ken
Sounding good on vinyl
SHMCD rip.
Steve Earle "El Corazon"
A wonderful album of covers by the inimitable RLJ...
Quite a few months since I've played this. I've always much preferred disc 1 over disc 2. Fly on the Windshield and The Chamber of 32 Doors have been long-favourite songs of mine.
Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell "The Traveling Kind"
Driving, angular rock. Cover by Danielle Dax.
