I wanted to start a thread so we can discuss some of our favorite LP’s we are listening to right now. I really think vinyl deserves it’s own thread since so often the analog version is so different - better or worse - compared to CD’s and SACD’s. Here goes…
I just received my copy of MoFi’s reissue of Derek and the Dominos “Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs”. I have always though the CD was just OK sounding. A little bass anemic and somewhat muddy overall, even if the music is fantastic. The MoFi version changes all that. Solid bass with more percussive punch and more clear across the board. This really allows Clapton’s raw emotions to show through in his playing. And wow, was the Duane Allman/Eric Clapton combo amazing! Allman’s slide work is out of this world on this record. Highly recommended!
In a slightly different way, I find Bill Evans’ amazing “Trio '65” to every bit as enjoyable. Reissued on 45 RPM by Verve records, it’s a tour de force in jazz virtuosity. Of course, there’s Bill Evans. What is there to say about, in my view, the best jazz pianist of all time? The man never hit a wrong note. Like ever. Evans always demonstrated impeccable feel, timing, and phrasing, and he certainly does on this record. Even though this trio isn’t as hallowed as his first trio, Chuck Israels and Larry Bunker on bass and drums, respectively, are simply wonderful on this record. I prefer Bunker’s style to Paul Motian’s, actually, and he absolutely is sublime on this record. I realize that Israels is not Scott Lafaro. Who is? Lafaro and Evans had a telepathy musically few others have ever matched. That being said, I find Israels’ playing wonderful on this record with amazing creativity and life. He has impeccable technique and the tone and rhythm from his double bass is fantastic. This record doesn’t have any new material being a redo of many of Evans’ classics, but Evans manages to make them sound new, nonetheless. “Israel” is the first song on side one and Evans’ fills at the end of Chuck Israels’ solo leave my jaw agape. Amazing. The rest of the album is more of the same. Great sonics and music. I listened to the digital Tidal stream, and while it is very good, it doesn’t quite have the body of the vinyl. This one is essential for Evans fans!
‘Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs’ ; allways been one of my good old favourites;
This is the Japanese 40th anniversary superdeluxe box set edition, with the 2011 remastered 180gr vinyl edition, 4SHM-CD’s + bonus tracks, 5.1 surround DVD, book and goodies. All sounding very well, a nice issue for a fair comparison between vinyl and cd.
I may have posted this elsewhere, but I got the new MoFi releases of Ry Cooder’s “Paradise and Lunch” on vinyl and SACD (just to be safe). I have not heard anything to compete with my original vinyl copy (maybe there have not been any re-releases, I wouldn’t know).
The SACD is fine, clean, whatever - but not anywhere near as “wow” as I had hoped… but the LP is Great. And I’m not particularly a fan of the sound of a lot of MoFi stuff, though I own a lot of it, due to being told I should. Also got Boomer’s Story which is also great sounding. If you don’t have these, you should.
Also the MoFi vinyl of Procol Harum’s, “A Salty Dog” sounds great.
BTW, amgradmd, love the new dog pic : ) What’s his/her name?
Hey Beef! Thanks re: the dog pic. That’s my bulldog, Tug. That dog always cracks me up and has more character than any dog I’ve just about ever seen. Since I am surrounded by emotional women otherwise (wife, two teenage girls and a female american bulldog - not complaining!), Tug is my counterbalance male companion. That pic had him sleeping in what my wife and I call “superman pose” with his front legs straight back and his face buried in a pillow, snoring away. I try to update my avatar with various Tug shots to keep it fresh.
I’ve never really listened to Ry Cooder or Procol Harem, other than browsing through Tidal. I’ve been meaning to listen more closely since they both enduringly loved artists. One thing I try to do when thinking about buying new vinyl (I don’t have a problem, I don’t have a problem, I don’t have a problem) is to listen to the Tidal stream through Roon, but sometimes you lose the significant differences in mastering of the vinyl version. So that’s a risky way of screening, I guess. Maybe I’ll pony up and buy these LPs. I can always sell on Discogs later! (which I love, BTW)
One thing some don’t realize is that the guitar player on a few Procol albums was Robin Trower. My neighbor is a big Trower fan, but was too young for Procol.
the books - “The Lemon of Pink” reissue from Vinyl Me Please. Had never heard of the band, or this 15-year old album. Unlike anything else - pretty much unclassifiable, but easily the most interesting record I’ve heard in years. Maybe not for everybody. A beautiful treatment on the cover and inserts and the vinyl itself - and it’s also a really good sounding pressing. It also seems to be one of those records you just have to experience on a good vinyl rig. I’ve done a good rip of it, but somehow the magic doesn’t transfer. It’s loaded with subtle textures and details, including (on some cuts) the sound of vinyl tracking, which is subtle enough that you think it’s just the sound of the record - until the track ends, and it’s silent between tracks. Fun stuff!
That sounds interesting. I’m also in VMP, which I usually enjoy. The nice thing is that the records become instant collectors items and sell easily if you don’t like it, for the most part. I’ve sold a few on Discogs and actually made money on them. I really like the VMP version of Fiona Apple’s “Tidal”. Also St Vincent’s “Masseduction” was surprisingly enjoyable. Is “The Lemon of Pink” a recent issue? I haven’t seen it. Maybe I can buy in after the fact. I’m also really looking forward to this month’s record “Sorcerer” by Miles. Should be interesting.
That’s interesting, as I wasn’t into a lot of it, so good to know they’re worth the price (did a year sub) - but a few of them, and the ability to swap, made it more than worthwhile. So, the books (intentional lack of capitalization) was last year at some point.
This one isn’t the best sounding VMP release (I imagine the master is fatigued or was never very HiFi), but is nonetheless a seminal record if you’re into Reggae. Lee “Scratch” Perry and the Upsetters. Spawned the whole Dub genre, and several others. When I was in Denver and Boulder this past week, the rental car had Sirius XM, which I don’t necessarily/particularly like for sound, but like for some of the stuff you get played for you without having to choose while you drive. Left it on ‘The Joint’ the whole time, as it seemed appropriate - when in Rome, and all - despite the fact that I did not partake while there (too much good beer). Boulder Brewing Mojo Nitro. A delicious IPA, but nitro’ed like a stout. Takes a full minute or two to settle upwards into a creamy glass of deliciousness. Sadly, you have to be there to get it at this point, AFAIK.
Sirius is kinda like streaming generally to me - I don’t see any use of arguing over streaming vs. hard copies, etc., as most of us can do, and have both. It’s all good. Some of it is gooder than others, though ; )
I do, however feel my eyebrows raise when I read some of the equipment lists (20+ items in the chain) of the hardcore streaming geeks. Makes me want to drop a needle in the groove.
Haven’t heard that one but I’ll check it out. Not a huge reggae guy, honestly, but like it on occasion.
I hear you about the lengths people go to optimize their streaming integrity. I was on that path for a little bit but found diminishing returns pretty quickly. Pretty happy where I am, for the most part. I am, however, interested in how the Octave server will sound. Pretty sure I don’t want to pay $6k, though. Not sure how big the market will be for a server at that price point.
Another recent LP purchase I really enjoy is the 25th anniversary reissue of R.E.M.'s Automatic for the People. What a great album! One of the most interesting things about the album is that it opens with “Drive”, a rather low key song to open an album. Apparently there’s a recipe to song order on albums, as well as concerts, and opening up with a slower song is a distinct no-no. It works, though. And I must say that “Everybody Hurts” is one of the most powerful songs in their catalog, which is saying something. In my mind, this was the last of their great albums and basically was a farewell to their raucous youth, in a way. My copy came with a few hard baked clicks at the end of “Drive” that irritate. Also there’s a distinct change in background “hiss” around the same time, almost like it’s recorded from an analog master tape and the change in hiss is from splicing. I don’t know. It’s a little distracting and may just be my copy. Regardless, the sonics are otherwise very good, but I wouldn’t call them spectacular. R.E.M. was never about incredible sonics, though. Especially in their IRS Records phase. Automatic is a must own for R.E.M. fans, though.
To follow up amgradmd’s Bill Evans story…my current favorite is the MFSL One Step recording of the Live @Village Vanguard.
I have all the (to me) important Bill Evans recordings (which are many) in form of the best available remasterings and partly also originals. I also very much cherish the Acoustic sounds 45RPM versions…just in this case the MFSL is even better.
All such high quality vinyl releases of vintage analog recordings (or originals) are a main reason for vinyl for me. If these and some other superior examples wouldn’t exist and I wouldn’t have a large collection, I possibly wouldn’t newly start with vinyl due to the quality of the DS.
That’s my bad, Jazznut. I just assumed that since I stated I was a Bill Evans fan, that it was understood that the Bill Evans Mofi Ultradisc was in heavy rotation on my table! What a wonderful record. It’s so great I just wish they would also do “Waltz for Debbie”, the music on which I may like more than “Sunday at the Village Vanguard”. I also find “The Nightfly” ultradisc every bit as good sonically as the Bill Evans ultradisc (or Abraxas, for that matter). They are all superb. Love what MoFi is doing with this series. I just wish they would do MORE.
I will have to check those out. I’m wondering if, given my recent experience with liking new MoFis, yet not liking them particularly before - if it just has to do with switching from many years of Benz Micro carts to Soundsmith…
It might be just that. My Soundsmith seems to loooove the new MoFi. A fellow audiophile buddy of mine came over last night for a vinyl and DS listening session (mainly vinyl) and was astounded at how good the Donald Fagen sounded. He loved it despite him never having cared for the album previously. He loved “Layla and Other Love Songs” too. Part of it probably has to do with the Stellar M700 monos which have broken in. They are amazing!
Listening to one of my favorite albums today, Wayne Shorter’s “Speak No Evil” from Blue Note’s 75th anniversary series reissue. What a great lineup this record has with Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Freddie Hubbard! Some people saw Shorter in his early years as merely a Coltrane disciple, but I don’t get that at all. I find Shorter much more melodically pleasing that Coltrane and his compositions are some of the best in jazz. The whole album is one gem after another with incredible sonics, courtesy of Rudy Van Gelder. I don’t have an original pressing to compare it to, but the reissue has a little more warmth than the Tidal stream, which I believe is the original master, and has slightly different drum pan to the right speaker. I think that the trumpet and horn blat is more natural in this edition, IMO. Also a big fan of another of similar era Shorter recording in “JuJu”. Highly recommended! BTW, are you a Shorter fan @jazznut?
Amgradmd - I am a Shorter fan, having somehow managed to see him live a couple of times in my youth, despite not having any idea of his repetoire at the time, or particularly being a horn fan, though I knew his name. Nonetheless, I was struck by him and his playing, and sorted it out eventually.
Saw him with Weather Report and Joni Mitchell, if I remember correctly.
Dayum Beef! I’ll bet you would like to go back and see that show again! Was Jaco Pastorious playing with WR? I would have killed to see him play. He absolutely revolutionized modern bass playing.
Yes - as a bass player, he was an equal focus for me as Joni, and Weather Report. So much great musicianship on that stage. There’s a really good Hollywood Bowl show on YouTube from right around that time, with Jaco (just prior to losing it), Michael Brecker and Pat Metheny (drawing a blank on the drummer at the moment: