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;

https://forums.naimaudio.com/cr...nt/45070658828583310

Posted on: 14 February 2016 by ewemon

Part of the new Tulsa sound.

Posted on: 14 February 2016 by ewemon

kuma posted:
ewemon posted:
Always wonder what would have happened to Dire Straits sound if Vince had accepted the offer to join the band.
omg! he porked out! :0

Old age and good living. I can no longer get into 29" waist jeans.

Posted on: 14 February 2016 by EJS

Bert Schurink posted:
Started the morning with Pollini to check my concert experiences of last night. While I am not a fan of him in the pieces he clearly was a mile away from what I head in th concert yesterday evening.

For me, Zimerman and Pollini have between them cornered the market for the Ballades. This record especially is a rush from start to finish. Pollini has rerecorded some of this music more recently, but here he shows what he does best: long tension arches, unmatched clarity of purpose and direction, and some great pianism to boot. Your mileage may vary - if one is looking for Chopin a la creme, Pollini won't do.

Cheers EJ

Posted on: 14 February 2016 by Bert Schurink

EJS posted:
Bert Schurink posted:
Started the morning with Pollini to check my concert experiences of last night. While I am not a fan of him in the pieces he clearly was a mile away from what I head in th concert yesterday evening.

For me, Zimerman and Pollini have between them cornered the market for the Ballades. This record especially is a rush from start to finish. Pollini has rerecorded some of this music more recently, but here he shows what he does best: long tension arches, unmatched clarity of purpose and direction, and some great pianism to boot. Your mileage may vary - if one is looking for Chopin a la creme, Pollini won't do.
Cheers EJ

I think it's very acurate what you describe and I am more of an a la creme lover......

As I have it as part of my collection though, shows that every now and then I like to revisit his reading...

Posted on: 14 February 2016 by GraemeH

One to blame for punk rock...but worth a play every so often.

Posted on: 14 February 2016 by wenger2015

Love that album...although probably my favourite is 'trick of the tail' ..

Posted on: 14 February 2016 by Borders Nick

Ryan Adams - Ryan Adams. I must have bought most of his albums over the years except this one. Via Tidal - not bad at all but maybe not his best.

Posted on: 14 February 2016 by BigH47

Thanks to Quad33 for pointing this one out.

What a great album some great versions. Never been a massive fan, but life would have been so much worse without many of his classic songs.

Listening on Tidal:-

David Bowie - Stage.

Posted on: 14 February 2016 by Richard Dane

This morning we sat in bed and listened to this one all the way through. Even the dogs seemed to enjoy it...

Posted on: 14 February 2016 by wenger2015

Excellent album, superb vocals...

Posted on: 14 February 2016 by GraemeH

I sold a pair of PMC TB2's to the guy who mixed this (using Lindsey Buckingham's BMW car stereo in his garage for playback apparently). We correspond occasionally - He still has them on his mixing desk.

Posted on: 14 February 2016 by Bert Schurink

Bert Schurink posted:
At the end of the year a lot of reviews had this one on the top or close to the top of the list. Reason enough for me to give it another try. Initially I couldn't get enough access to this. So I am now in the middle of the Bach Goldberg variations. And while it still will not be my favorite version, it speaks more to me right now. Let's see what happens with the others - or if I switched away before as it was too much...

Had now a complete listen and have to say that I appreciate it more than initially...

Posted on: 14 February 2016 by BigH47

Now I'll give this one a go, agin via Tidal:-

Dream Theatre - The Astonishing

Posted on: 14 February 2016 by Sloop John B

An Andy Kershaw recommendation a good few years back now, I miss his exuberance and knowledge of "world" music.

SJB

Posted on: 14 February 2016 by Haim Ronen

Bidu Sayao: Opera Arias & Brazilian Folksongs

Released twenty years ago, three years before Sayao passed away.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLZD0XplYrI

Posted on: 14 February 2016 by GraemeH

I prefer Wes Montgomery on his live discs...and this is a corker.

Posted on: 14 February 2016 by Florestan

Franz Liszt: Michael Korstick (piano)

Harmonies poétiques et religieuses

Korstick seems to choose or prefer bright pianos recorded in the shower. So the opening Invocation pushes the limits briefly but in the softer works the recorded sound works better for me. By the end of this journey, one by one, Korstick does build a compelling argument here. So other than my aversion to recordings that tend toward bright and reverberant I was mostly taken in with the musical message. Of course, my views regarding an interpretation are not always objective when it comes to music I love. Emotionally, I hear what is in my head and might transpose over what is there.