Author |
Message |
Pádraig Collins
Member Username: Pádraig_collins
Post Number: 4231 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Sunday, January 08, 2012 - 02:27 am: | |
In Melbourne over the past few days: Nirvana - Live At Reading Sonic Youth - Hits Are For Squares Yes - Something's Coming: The BBC Recordings 1969-1970 Lewis Taylor - Lewis Taylor (I suspected I already had this, and of course I do. Someone will be getting it in the post soon!). Phosphorescent - Here's To Taking It Easy Lightspeed Champion - Life Is Sweet! Nice To Meet You David Candy - Play Power V/A - Be Yourself: A Tribute To Graham Nash's Songs For Beginners (Brendan Benson, Robin Pecknold, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy etc) Evelyn Forever - Good To Be Alive Two of the record shops I went to no longer existed when I got there. I should have tried to phone first! |
skulldisco
Member Username: Skulldisco
Post Number: 1541 Registered: 10-2008
| Posted on Sunday, January 08, 2012 - 08:50 am: | |
Padraig, the SY comp is exceptional, remarkable given that it was (in some cases) terrible choices of celebrities putting forward songs for inclusion. The Phosphorescent album is excellent, a modern day suceesor to Gene Clark and Gram Parsons, although admittedly not in their league yet. |
Randy Adams
Member Username: Randy_adams
Post Number: 2818 Registered: 03-2005
| Posted on Sunday, January 08, 2012 - 05:13 pm: | |
Wha wha wha? I just raced off to youtube. "Full Grown Man" sounds very good. Think I better make a quick stop at Amoeba this morning. I'm wildly overdue for an American enthusiam. Meanwhile, on the coffee table due to be entered into the computer database and shelved: 1. Alain Bashung--Play Blessures. Still brilliant. Will be played many times for many years. 2. Alain Bashung--Passe le Rio Grande. Needs another listen but definitely not among his greater work. 3. Alain Bashung--Figure Imposee. Same as above. 4. Alain Bashung--Novice. Bashung does synth pop, sort of. Brilliant. 5. Beach Boys--Pet Sounds (in stereo). I'm the sort of vulgarian who cares about the sound and I do NOT subscribe to the "mono is better" philosophy unless it's not possible to create a good stereo mix. This is a SUPERB stereo mix, a real refresher for a record I still remember hearing late at night on the radio in 1966 before it was officially released. 6. Beach Boys--Smile. A nice companion piece to the above. But I'm not enough of a Beach Boys fan to ever play the second disc. 7. Beau Brummels--Bradley's Barn expanded luxo version. 8. Belle Stars--80s Romance (the Complete). Ok, I pushed too far into the pop terrain. Not sure I'll keep this. 9. The Byrds--Complete Columbia Albums Collection 10. The Fall--The Unutterable. One of the albums I overlooked. It's a pretty good one! 11. The Fall--Dragnet. I've already said enough elsewhere on here. 12. The Fall--Hex Enduction Hour. Ditto. 13. The Fall--Slates. Ditto. 14. The Fall--Ersatz GB 15. The Fall--Live at the Witch Trials expanded edition. I got this for the extra tracks. Very much worth the purchase price. 16. Karma County--Last Stop Heavenly Heights. Ugly cover art, not yet sure about the vocals, excellent songs and arrangements. 17. Louise Attaque--s/t. Excellent French indie pop which needs to be played again as it's been unfairly overshadowed by some of these other recent purchases. 18. Primal Scream--Xtrmntr. I'm probably still not a Primal Scream person since I've only heard this twice and found less to grab me on the second listen than on the first. Maybe I'm just too old for this sort of noisy stuff. 19. Royalchord--The Good Fight. They went synth! 20. Nancy Sinatra--California Girl. Well, I thought I'd give it a try. 21. Walkmen--A Hundred Miles Off. I will get more. |
Hugh Nimmo
Member Username: Hugh_nimmo
Post Number: 350 Registered: 03-2007
| Posted on Monday, January 09, 2012 - 02:20 pm: | |
The Bats - Free All The Monsters Robert Scott - End Runs Together Khancoban - Arches Over The Sun Ned Collette & The Wirewalkers - Over The Stones, Under The Stars Agnes Kain - Across The Ocean Grey The Twerps - The Twerps Karma County - Last Stop Heavenly Heights Karma County - Olana Karma County - Into The Land Of Promise Karma County - Happy Birthday Dear Customer Azure Blue - Payment For The Rule Of Thirds The Mountain Movers - We've Walked In Hell And There Is Life After Death Mayday - Bushido Karaoke Mayday - I Know Your Troubles Been Long Mammoth Life - Kaleidoscope Art Pop Mammoth Life - An American Movement Dutch Uncles - Dutch Uncles Dutch Uncles - Cadenza |
Randy Adams
Member Username: Randy_adams
Post Number: 2820 Registered: 03-2005
| Posted on Monday, January 09, 2012 - 03:58 pm: | |
Hugh, you never do things by half-measures--all of the Karma County records! I saw the new Bats in the record store yesterday in the vinyl section. What do you think of it? And what's this about a Robert Scott record? |
Hugh Nimmo
Member Username: Hugh_nimmo
Post Number: 351 Registered: 03-2007
| Posted on Monday, January 09, 2012 - 05:12 pm: | |
Randy, Not quite all of the Karma County records. I am still trying to track down copies of 'Pacifico' and 'Headland' which were released in 2004 and 2008 respectively. 'Headland' is a two disc set with 36 tracks ( revisited and remastered tracks, some previously unreleased recordings plus a new song and a cover of 'Only You' by Yazoo.) I had never heard of the band before I saw your post but I liked their playing on 'Cattle and Cain' by Jimmy Little and thought I would give them a chance. I have the first three albums listed above but I am still waiting for 'Happy Birthday' to arrive. I like what I have heard so far. The quality of their artwork is pretty consistent. : -) I am also still waiting to take delivery of 'Free All The Monsters' and 'Ends Run Together.' I ordered them from a small independent record store here in the U.K. early last week and a 7/10 day delivery time is the norm for them. Robert has recorded a number of solo albums that I am aware of namely 'The Creeping Unknown; Tascam Hits; Ends Run Together.' Flying Nun released 'Ends Run Together' here in the U.K. last year. As far as I know, 'Tascam Hits' is a home recording made on a Tascam Recorder. I will get back in touch once I have had a chance to listen to both titles. One of my two CD Players stopped working on Boxing Day and I have since replaced it with a new Arcam FMJ CD17. Unfortunately for me, the Arcam does not seem to get along well with CD-R discs. Very disappointing given that I have quite of few homemade CD-R titles issued by Artists/Bands and Small Record Labels ( Series Two Records; Cloudberry; Kingem Records.) |
skulldisco
Member Username: Skulldisco
Post Number: 1545 Registered: 10-2008
| Posted on Monday, January 09, 2012 - 05:32 pm: | |
Hugh, I have the FMJ CD17. It handles everything I throw at it including CD-R, maybe yours is faulty. Although funnily enough I upgraded to the FMJ CD17 about 3 or 4 months ago because my Arcam Alpha 9 was skipping on some CD-Rs. |
Hugh Nimmo
Member Username: Hugh_nimmo
Post Number: 352 Registered: 03-2007
| Posted on Monday, January 09, 2012 - 08:23 pm: | |
Kevin, I have only had the FMJ CD17 for twelve days and unfortunately I cannot prove that it is 'faulty' at this moment in time. It has played every CD that I have thrown at it so far. It has also played a fair number of my CD-Rs without any issues but unfortunately not all of them. To date I have experienced problems with three discs where one track will not play properly ( sound breaks up, volume drops off and distortion sets in.) My Denon DCD 1550AR plays the same discs with no issues whatsoever. The problem I have is that Arcam state quite clearly on their website that they are unable to guarantee that all CD-R discs will play on their machines. If I burn CD-Rs for myself or friends I always use good quality blank discs and burn them at the lowest speed possible. I rarely, if ever, have problems. The CD-R discs that are causing issues for me at the moment are ones purchased from Artists/Bands/Small Labels and I have no way of knowing what quality of discs and/or burning processes were used. I plan on ripping some of my own CDs and burning them onto CD-Rs in the next couple of days to see if I have any problems with them. If I do then I may send the player back to Arcam for them to check it out. Overall I like the Arcam FMJ CD17. Nice styling, decent construction ( with the exception of the remote control unit ) quality components and a nice refined sound. Mine is partnered with a Cyrus III / Cyrus PSX-R and Mission 751 Speakers on Metal Stands ( Soundstyle or Atacama if I remember correctly.) |
Pádraig Collins
Member Username: Pádraig_collins
Post Number: 4234 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Monday, January 09, 2012 - 08:54 pm: | |
I mentioned Karma County here two years ago! I liked Headland but have only played it that one time. The new Bats record is great Randy. The last time I mentioned the latest Robert Scott solo album you said you were going to get it! It's also great. Very Bats-like, which is, I think, a first for his solo work. Hugh, I heard The Twerps album in a record shop in Melbourne last week. It sounded good, but I could pick where they got the riff from in a few songs (and all those riffs came from Galaxy 500), so I didn't buy it. One of the guys in The Twerps is the son of Maurice Frawley, a legendary Australian guitarist (played and wrote with Paul Kelly for instance) who died a few years ago. There is a great three disc compilation where disc 1 is Frawley originals and the other two are contemporary Australian bands (eg Augie March) covering his songs. |
Hugh Nimmo
Member Username: Hugh_nimmo
Post Number: 353 Registered: 03-2007
| Posted on Monday, January 09, 2012 - 09:29 pm: | |
Padraig, I must have missed your earlier mention of Karma County. Apologies. I am familiar with The Twerps but have not actually heard anything by them. AmazonCo are advertising the album for sale at Ł7.99 so I thought I would give it a go. It is currently showing as 'Temporarily Out Of Stock' and I am not totally convinced that they will be able to source and supply it at that price. I will check out Maurice Frawley when I can. There are a few Amazon MarketPlace Sellers advertising 'Long Gone Whistle' for sale. |
cosmo vitelli
Member Username: Cosmo
Post Number: 379 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Wednesday, January 11, 2012 - 04:12 pm: | |
Hugh, I love Dutch Uncles (they are great live too) very tight, angled and muscular. Proggy but in a post punk way, really great guitars, I hear Television and XTC as well as a few prog bands that shall remain nameless less I put anyone off. |
Hugh Nimmo
Member Username: Hugh_nimmo
Post Number: 354 Registered: 03-2007
| Posted on Wednesday, January 11, 2012 - 05:18 pm: | |
Cosmo, It was your mention of the band in the 'Albums Of The Year 2011' thread that drew them to my attention. I was actually listening to 'Cadenza' when your e-mail notification message arrived in my Inbox. Now listening to their debut. I really like them. Latest purchases :- Karma County - Headland Karma County - Pacifico |
Michael Bachman
Member Username: Michael_bachman
Post Number: 2323 Registered: 01-2005
| Posted on Friday, January 13, 2012 - 10:38 pm: | |
A few 2011's I missed out earlier on: Laura Marling - A Creature I Don't Know Bill Callahan - Apocalypse Paul Simon - So Beautiful or So What And my first 2012 released album: Kathleen Edwards - Voyageur |
Pádraig Collins
Member Username: Pádraig_collins
Post Number: 4260 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Saturday, January 28, 2012 - 06:41 am: | |
On The Road Again: Tracks For Truckies - an awesome 40 track trucking country compilation Mike Watt - Ball-Hog Or Tugboat? Paw - Dragline David Ford - I Sincerely Apologise For All The Trouble I've Caused Michael Penn - March Shudder To Think - Music From The Motion Picture First Love, Last Rites (I knew I already had this but thought it was on cassette. Turns out it was CD. Oh well, somebody will get a surprise in the post). These were all $5 a piece in Re-pressed Records in Newtown. |
David Gagen
Member Username: David_g
Post Number: 372 Registered: 02-2007
| Posted on Thursday, February 09, 2012 - 11:59 am: | |
Folk, Blues & Beyond - Davy Graham LA Turnaround - Bert Jansch Rare Conundrum - Bert Jansch Santa Barbara Honeymoon - Bert Jansch The Sleeper - The Leisure Society |
Michael Bachman
Member Username: Michael_bachman
Post Number: 2334 Registered: 01-2005
| Posted on Monday, February 13, 2012 - 11:50 am: | |
First Aid Kit - The Lion's Roar Leonard Cohen - Old Ideas The Black Keys - El Camino Dexter Gordon - Tangerine Freddie Hubbard - Artistry of Freddie Hubbard Mike Longo - To My Surprise |
Pádraig Collins
Member Username: Pádraig_collins
Post Number: 4333 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Sunday, March 04, 2012 - 06:20 am: | |
Bought today in the bargain bin in JB Hi-fi at Macquarie Centre: The Tears - Here Come The Tears Batrider - They Said You're Hideous EP V/A - Kill Rock Stars compilation (Nirvana, Unwound, Jad Fair etc) Nobody & Mystic Chords Of Memory - Tree Colored See Mid-State Orange - Odds The Boggs - Forts Brent Cash - How Will I Know If I'm Awake Stuart A. Staples - Leaving Songs Three discs were $2.99, the rest were $4.99. |
Randy Adams
Member Username: Randy_adams
Post Number: 2870 Registered: 03-2005
| Posted on Monday, March 05, 2012 - 02:49 am: | |
Piled on the coffee table to be entered into the computer and shelved: 1. The Bats--Free All the Monsters. Warm and reassuring. Better than "Guilty Office." 2. Dave Berry -- This Strange Effect (Decca Sessions 1963 - 1966) 3. Dave Berry -- Picture Me Gone (Decca Sessions 1966 -- 1974). A case of completism here. I already had a 2/3 of the music on these. Dave Berry careened from wonderful drunken British R&B to some of the weirdest drippiest pop music made in the '60s, some of it good and some of it astonishingly bad. Along the way he cut unknown or under-exposed songs by Pete Dello (Honeybus), the Gibb Brothers and Godley & Creme. 4. Brilliant Corners -- Growing Up Absurd/What's In a Word/Fruit Machine. Excellent C86. 5. Brilliant Corners -- Somebody Up There Likes Me/Joy Ride. The thing about prolific C86 bands is that their music can sometimes start to blur together and that's what happens with "Somebody Up There Likes Me" on first listen. The second disc of this two-disc comp is the better one, with "Joy Ride" and some EP and single tracks. 6. Kev Carmody -- Bloodlines. Completism. I didn't have this album but I did already have nearly all of the good tracks from it. 7. Kiki Dee -- the Fontana Years 1963 - 1968. Completism again. I had about 2/3 of this already. 8. First Aid Kit -- The Lion's Roar. Awaiting its first listen as I just picked it up today. 9. Hurrah --Tell God I'm Here. The first disc is the album of that title. The second disc is a collection of singles and EP tracks. Hurrah amaze me because I'd swear they were either American or Aussie. They have that distinctive New World college radio sound. Think Hoodoo Gurus or maybe Smithereens. Not enough good songs. 10. Jasmine Minks -- Soul Station. This needs to be heard again. On the first play it blurred together as somewhat generic C86. 11. Karma County -- This Tin Stardom. I liked the first album better, Hugh. 12. Khancoban -- s/t. 13. Khancoban -- Limbs May Fall 14. Khancoban -- Arches Over the Sun. I'm really enjoying this band. You could sort of describe them as a low budget Aussie answer to Wilco. Love the singer's strong accent. 15. Beryl Marsden -- Changes. A figure on the old Merseybeat scene, I only had a couple of tracks she recorded in '63 and '64. This has some good stuff on it including a couple songs she did with Shotgun Express (with Rod Stewart and Pete Bardens in '66). Even a few of her newer tracks are good. 16. Phosphorescent -- Pride 17. Phosphorescent -- Aw come aw wry 18. Here's to Taking It Easy. I differ with Kevin on this artist. The earliest of these three is the most interesting but there are nice moments on Aw come aw wry, especially "Full Grown Man" which I absolutely love. The newest one laudably uses old-style instruments but the songs don't seem all that good. It makes me think of Okkervil River's "Black Sheep Boy". 19. Pigram Brothers -- Under the Mango Tree. I have their other two. This one seems less essential but it's only been heard once. 20. Robert Scott -- Ends Run Together. Fortunately both Padraig and Hugh nudged me to get this. 21. Torch Division -- The Wisdom of Harry. Another Pete Astor outlet, on first listen more consistently enjoyable than some of his solo or Weather Prophet records. 22. The Wake -- Harmony 23. The Walkmen -- Bows & Arrows 24. the Walkmen -- Lisbon. I really LOVE this album. The others have a lot of good moments but tend to be exaggeratedly noisy. "Lisbon" brings it down to something better. 25. Wild Swans --The Coldest Winter for a Hundred Years. Wonderful arrangements but the songs need some bridges or other structural variations. The lyrics are occasionally entertaining old fart rants about how Liverpool (or the U.K.) have gone down the drain. 26. Zoot Locker -- Best of the Zoot 1968 - 1971. The earlier more bubble gum stuff is the best. When they tried to earn respect after Rick Springfield joined them, dullness kicked in. I'm not unhappy; one half is quite good. |
Hugh Nimmo
Member Username: Hugh_nimmo
Post Number: 363 Registered: 03-2007
| Posted on Monday, March 05, 2012 - 01:16 pm: | |
Randy, Karma County released their debut album 'Last Stop Heavenly Heavenly Heights' in 1995. They followed that with 'Olana' in 1998 and 'Into The Land Of Promise' in 1999. My understanding is that 'This Tin Stardom' is a USA/Canada only release ( 2000 ) made up of tracks taken from 'Olana' and 'Into The Land Of Promise.' I really rate the band as you well know and like all of their albums but 'Olana' is probably my favourite. It is certainly the one I play most often. |
Randy Adams
Member Username: Randy_adams
Post Number: 2871 Registered: 03-2005
| Posted on Monday, March 05, 2012 - 03:55 pm: | |
Hugh, I wondered if "This Tin Stardom" was a mashup. But it used the same cover as "Olana" so I thought maybe it was a change of title for the different market. I have to correct an error regarding "Phosphorescent." "Aw Come Aw Wry" is the earliest of the three records I have. "Pride" is the middle of those three. My chief criticism for Mr. Houck is his over-use of generic county/folk chord progressions. You can do that for one or two songs per album without a problem but he exceeds that, at which point you really aren't writing songs. |
skulldisco
Member Username: Skulldisco
Post Number: 1628 Registered: 10-2008
| Posted on Monday, March 05, 2012 - 04:09 pm: | |
Randy, Phosphorescent are in a different league to Okkervil River surely? Here's To Taking It Easy was one of my favourite albums of 2010, but I agree the earlier albums are superior. I do believe however that his next album will be truly great, I think he has it in him. His Willie Nelson covers album is sublime, don't know if you have it but I'll send you a few songs anyway. |
Randy Adams
Member Username: Randy_adams
Post Number: 2872 Registered: 03-2005
| Posted on Monday, March 05, 2012 - 04:11 pm: | |
I made a comparatively rare visit to the local Amoeba yesterday. This is a very big frustrating store. I wanted a copy of the newly mastered Smiths debut because I know how much a good remaster can transform a record and the first album is really the only Smiths record I want. No go. I can only buy the $75 box. I'm not a Smiths fan and the box will be crazy overkill. I might have to break down and get it anyway because if I try to order the first album by itself over the internet the seller will say it's the remaster and send me the old piece of crap. I've had that happen a lot more than once. Then I went looking for the 2 CD version of Dominique A's "Remue" because, again, I don't want to be sent the wrong version over the internet. There is a decent-sized French music section and a card for Dominque A. And nothing behind the card. You can't have a French music section and not have any Dominique A. At least they had a sealed secondhand copy of the new First Aid Kit album (no doubt only because Conor Oberst is associated with it), to make up for the one I ordered on the internet that disappeared in the mail. The most heinous thing of all is that the City of Los Angeles has recently put meters all around the store extending for many blocks with a ONE HOUR time limit. You cannot go to a record store with a one hour limit if you are going to browse. I now must do surgical strikes or walk the two miles from my house or take the bus. Other people probably don't have quite the same options. This single move by the City may very well kill off a popular store which anchors the area. |
skulldisco
Member Username: Skulldisco
Post Number: 1629 Registered: 10-2008
| Posted on Monday, March 05, 2012 - 04:59 pm: | |
Randy, Amazon.com have the Smiths box set for $47. The UK Amazon have a used version which with shipping costs would cost you approx $40. http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing /B005DKLPQ0/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&cond ition=used I know you might only be interested in the debut album, but the box does include the essential Hatful Of Hollow and 2 excellent compilations. Strangeways Here We Come is a great album as well, and the box is also beautifully presented with 8 mini LP replica sleeves, I reckon either deal from Amazon is money well spent. Alternatively I could do you a CD-R of the debut album, just mail me your address details. |
Jeff Whiteaker
Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker
Post Number: 2333 Registered: 10-2004
| Posted on Monday, March 05, 2012 - 09:45 pm: | |
Randy, I second getting the box set on Amazon. For $47, it's a steal, especially considering all that you're getting. Plus, Rhino did an excellent job with the packaging. The mini-LP replica style sleeves look awesome (even though you need a magnifying glass to read the text!). Of course, if you buy it for (and only end up liking) the debut, that's not such a great deal! Also, it looks like Rhino is parting them out individually (http://www.rhino.com/artist/The-Smiths), so maybe you could order the debut directly through them (and double-check just to make absolutely certain that you are getting the remaster, although I don't know why you wouldn't be). |
skulldisco
Member Username: Skulldisco
Post Number: 1630 Registered: 10-2008
| Posted on Tuesday, March 06, 2012 - 12:27 am: | |
Its not the remaster. The release date is 1998 - check the link. Its also in a jewel case, I would imagine any remaster would be a digipak? http://www.rhino.com/shop/product/the-sm iths-the-smiths-0 |
Jeff Whiteaker
Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker
Post Number: 2334 Registered: 10-2004
| Posted on Tuesday, March 06, 2012 - 06:40 am: | |
But why would Rhino not be selling the remaster when that's the only version they've licensed? It just wouldn't make any sense at all. For the other albums, they have the original CD release dates. That doesn't make much sense either. As for it being a jewel case, Rhino has done that before with remasters, where they've had a deluxe version in a double-digipak, but then later issued a less expense, non-deluxe single-disc (but still remastered) version in a jewel case. I suppose if anyone is interested in these, they can email Rhino and find out what the deal is. |
Jeff Whiteaker
Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker
Post Number: 2335 Registered: 10-2004
| Posted on Tuesday, March 06, 2012 - 12:42 pm: | |
Adding to the confusion, check out this link on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000002 L5P/ref=s9_simh_gw_p15_d0_g15_i1?pf_rd_m =ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r= 14NRR7PK2FA5AAVAWD0E&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p =470938631&pf_rd_i=507846 It looks like you'd be getting the 2011 remaster if you buy it digitally, but what do you get if you buy the actual CD? This is all annoyingly unclear. |
Randy Adams
Member Username: Randy_adams
Post Number: 2873 Registered: 03-2005
| Posted on Tuesday, March 06, 2012 - 03:51 pm: | |
Hence why I'll probably have to buy the box. Jeff, I noticed in some of the comments people said that the mastering is louder and the writers seemed less impressed than you and Kevin have reported. That might be mostly related to the subsequent albums. It's the first, tinny album that I'm focused on. I'm hoping for a transformation along the lines of "Tallulah" or the Triffids' "In the Pines" and "Treeless Plain." All of these records were totally reborn when they were remastered. Can you and Kevin provide any further elaboration about the sound? |
skulldisco
Member Username: Skulldisco
Post Number: 1631 Registered: 10-2008
| Posted on Tuesday, March 06, 2012 - 04:01 pm: | |
Randy, my impressions were it was less muffled, brighter(but not in a bad way, I hate bright recordings). The drums sounded more prominent, and the bass was a revelation to me. Andy Rourke is a good bassist, you wouldn't have known it from the original album. I also recall keyboard swells that I had never heard before. I guess another factor is what kind of equipment you play it on. I never had great hifi's back in the day, just the same as everybody else really. Now I have pretty decent equipment and that probably makes a difference. It also sounds great on headphones. Another thing, I would love to buy it if they ever released a remastered standalone vinyl version of the album, thats probably how it should be heard. |
Jeff Whiteaker
Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker
Post Number: 2336 Registered: 10-2004
| Posted on Tuesday, March 06, 2012 - 04:25 pm: | |
Randy, yes, it's a bit louder, but it's not brick-walled or hyper-compressed or distorted or anything like that. Still in the realm of listenability, and quite natural sounding. I hate albums that are mastered LOUD, so I definitely would've commented about that in other posts if that had been an issue. The Smiths' debut is always going to be on the bright side. That's just how it was recorded. But this remaster sounds fuller, a bit more fleshed out. It's more detailed as well. Like Kevin says, there are little flourishes here and there (like the organ swells) that come out in the mix more. Also, the remaster sounds almost kind of less compressed, and a bit punchier. The original sounds kind of timid or constrained, by comparison. Something that's fun to do (if you're a complete dork like me) is to do a direct comparison by a/b-ing the original with the remaster, which allows you to really hear the differences. Of all the 8 albums included in the box, the debut is definitely the album that was most noticeably improved by the remastering. Randy, you also might like the Troy Tate version of the debut. I don't know if you know the back story, but the Smiths originally recorded the album with then ex-Teardrop Explodes guitarist Troy Tate. It's rougher and less restrained, much more like how the Smiths would've sounded live at the time. Rough Trade and/or the band weren't happy with the mixes, so they scrapped them and rerecorded everything from scratch with John Porter. There are actually two different mixes. This has been circulating in bootleg form for years, and I know a lot of fans have been wishing that they'd release a deluxe version of the debut with the Tate sessions on a bonus disk. Some people (Spence included) think he Tate version is better than the official version. |
Jeff Whiteaker
Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker
Post Number: 2337 Registered: 10-2004
| Posted on Tuesday, March 06, 2012 - 04:30 pm: | |
..and of course, the BBC versions of the debut album's songs that are featured on Hatful of Hollow are widely considered to be superior to the versions on the debut. So, if you do get the box, Randy, definitely give Hatful of Hollow a listen. |
skulldisco
Member Username: Skulldisco
Post Number: 1632 Registered: 10-2008
| Posted on Tuesday, March 06, 2012 - 04:32 pm: | |
Jeff, I have struggled for years to find a word that described the sound of the original Smiths debut album. And all along that word has been timid- you completely nailed it! |
Jeff Whiteaker
Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker
Post Number: 2338 Registered: 10-2004
| Posted on Wednesday, March 07, 2012 - 07:08 pm: | |
And it's a shame because going on what live footage I've seen, the Smiths' live sound at that time was anything but timid. |
Pádraig Collins
Member Username: Pádraig_collins
Post Number: 4343 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Friday, March 16, 2012 - 06:07 am: | |
Shackleton & Appleblim - Soundboy's Gravestone get Desecrated by Vandals (I bought this purely because it says Skull Disco on the cover! Turns out it's the name of the label, and not our friend Kevin ... or is is?) Jucifer - L'autrichienne (best metal album I've heard in a quarter century. Best concept album about Marie Antoinette ever.) Alejandro Escovedo - Thirteen Years (two disc version) Alejandro Escovedo - The Boxing Mirror Von Sudenfed - Tromatic Reflexxions (Mark E. Smith fronting Mouse On Mars. Kevin and Jeff approved I presume?) My Morning Jacket - At Dawn/Tennessee Fire Demos Package Guillemots - Red Secret Machines - Secret Machines James Dean Bradfield - The Great Western Underworld & Gabriel Yared - Breaking And Entering soundtrack Meat Puppets - Huevos Meat Puppets - Rise To Your Knees Don McGlashan - Show Of Hands soundtrack Brendan Canning - Something For All Of Us Joe Gideon & The Shark - Harum Scarum The Soundtrack Of Our Lives - A Present From The Past Stephen Duffy - The Ups & Downs All of these were $4.99 each in the bargain bin of JB Hifi on Pitt St. |
skulldisco
Member Username: Skulldisco
Post Number: 1647 Registered: 10-2008
| Posted on Friday, March 16, 2012 - 08:57 am: | |
Thats where I got the name Skulldisco from Padraig. Shackleton is a very innovative guy, I have all of his stuff on the many comp albums he releases (the days of buying 12" singles are gone, so luckily these new producers like Shackleton tend to compile their stuff regularly) |
skulldisco
Member Username: Skulldisco
Post Number: 1648 Registered: 10-2008
| Posted on Friday, March 16, 2012 - 09:01 am: | |
The Von Sudenfed is a decent album, but MES and Mouse on Mars have obviously done much better works in their own right. Whats the Stephen Duffy like? Is this pre or post Lilac Time? Some of The Lilac Time stuff was sublime, especailly the debut which just seemed to come out of nowhere about 20 years ago now. |
cosmo vitelli
Member Username: Cosmo
Post Number: 404 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Friday, March 16, 2012 - 02:29 pm: | |
Ups and Downs is the early pop stuff Kev, Kiss Me, Icing on the Cake etc. The Lilac Time albums are all good and get regular dusting offs in cosmo cottage |
skulldisco
Member Username: Skulldisco
Post Number: 1652 Registered: 10-2008
| Posted on Friday, March 16, 2012 - 08:35 pm: | |
More Skulldisco goodness from 2007 - this sounds so far ahead of what everybody else is doing in dubstep/electronic music. Shackleton is a true standard bearer http://boomkat.com/cds/33160-shackleton- appleblim-soundboy-punishments |
Randy Adams
Member Username: Randy_adams
Post Number: 2882 Registered: 03-2005
| Posted on Saturday, March 17, 2012 - 01:08 am: | |
I had never heard (or even heard of) Lilac Time until Spence sent me some tracks a handful of years ago including the transcendant "On Black Velvet" (which by coincidence my iPod chose to play today). I have the first three albums, through "And Love for All". Should I continue? |
Pádraig Collins
Member Username: Pádraig_collins
Post Number: 4347 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Saturday, March 17, 2012 - 01:26 am: | |
Randy, I can recommend Stephen Duffy's double CD anthology, Memory & Desire - 30 Years In The Wilderness. |
Pádraig Collins
Member Username: Pádraig_collins
Post Number: 4399 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Sunday, April 01, 2012 - 06:09 am: | |
The latest haul from JB Hi-fi's bargain bin: Sarah Borges & The Broken Singles - Diamonds In The Dark Justin Adams & Juldeh Camara - Soul Science Telekinesis - Telekinesis ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - Worlds Apart |
skulldisco
Member Username: Skulldisco
Post Number: 1676 Registered: 10-2008
| Posted on Monday, April 02, 2012 - 04:43 am: | |
Orbital - Wonky. The Chills - Kaleidoscope World. Had this on vinyl but sold it years ago when I had my ill advised vinyl purge! Graham Coxon - A+E The Cure - Boys Dont Cry (another lost in the vinyl purge) Talk Talk - Spirit of Eden (2012 remaster) U Roy - I Am The Originator The Triffids - Beautiful Waste Tom Waits - Franks Wild Years The Men - Open Your Heart. |
Michael Bachman
Member Username: Michael_bachman
Post Number: 2355 Registered: 01-2005
| Posted on Tuesday, April 03, 2012 - 02:20 pm: | |
Sarah Jarosz - Follow Me Down Wailin Jennys - 40 days On the jazzy side of the street: Walter Davis Jr. - Davis Cup Halie Loren - Heart First |
Jeff Whiteaker
Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker
Post Number: 2380 Registered: 10-2004
| Posted on Tuesday, April 03, 2012 - 09:53 pm: | |
Just got the Simple Minds X5 box set. Amazon UK was selling it so cheaply that I couldn't resist. Much of what I'd had digitally was needle drops from my LPs anyhow. What I've listened to so far of this X5 set sounds pleasantly open and detailed, not too loud or compressed. The packaging of this thing pales in comparison to the Smiths Complete box set. Would've been nice if this set came with some liner notes, or hell, even some inner sleeves for the mini-LP replica packaging. But with the generous price, I can't complain too much. |
andreas
Member Username: Andreas
Post Number: 970 Registered: 04-2006
| Posted on Friday, April 13, 2012 - 07:33 pm: | |
Talk Talk The Colour of Spring and Spirit of Eden new EMI Vinyl reissues (it must be 180 gramm)both with a Audio DVD containing a bonus track the vinyl looks great. does it also sound great? yes, it does (until now just listened to the colour of spring). clear, no crackles. by just listening to the vinyl my first thoughts were wow, what a sound. i compared it with the sound of my old cd from 1997, and now i have to confess that the difference seems not to be very big. nevertheless, it is good to have this fine albums - and that they are. this is brilliant music- on vinyl. to the dvd i haven't listened until now. cheers, andreas |
andreas
Member Username: Andreas
Post Number: 972 Registered: 04-2006
| Posted on Friday, April 13, 2012 - 07:52 pm: | |
in addition to my above post i took notice that talk talk's laughing stock is in press once again (after the first press of last years' ba ba ding reissue was rapidly sold out) and is resp. will be released right now. i read that this second press shall be much better than the lousy first press (btw: the reason why i did not bought it). it seems that i will buy it now. hope that ba ba ding will give also the mark hollis solo album a second, much more better press. |
andreas
Member Username: Andreas
Post Number: 973 Registered: 04-2006
| Posted on Friday, April 13, 2012 - 07:54 pm: | |
sorry, it must be read as BA Da Bing records.... |
andreas
Member Username: Andreas
Post Number: 983 Registered: 04-2006
| Posted on Tuesday, May 01, 2012 - 12:36 pm: | |
talk talk - laughing stock. i received the album. the sound quality is good, but the pressing is definitely poor. no comparison to the a.m. EMI reissues. crackles, crackles, crackles. if you pull out the record out of the sleeve you can see at first look that the quality of the vinyl isn't the best. i think this is lousy and this album needs a better treatment. dissapointed as i was, i wrote to ba da bing. i think that they should know about that. no reply until now. sad! |
skulldisco
Member Username: Skulldisco
Post Number: 1765 Registered: 10-2008
| Posted on Wednesday, May 02, 2012 - 01:44 pm: | |
Andreas, that sucks. I would send it back to them. I reckon that vinyl manufacturing these days is not a patch on the 70's and 80's when I was buying it by the truckload. I am regularly disappointed when I buy new vinyl, there are always snap crackles and pops to be heard. If the standard of vinyl was higher, and price lower I would buy a lot more vinyl than I currently do |
Pádraig Collins
Member Username: Pádraig_collins
Post Number: 4488 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Thursday, May 03, 2012 - 10:46 pm: | |
Amanda Brown - Son Of A Lion soundtrack Two Gallants - Two Gallants Sonny Vincent - The Good, The Bad, The Ugly Ed Harcourt - The Beautiful Lie Danny Cohen - Shades Of Dorian Gray The Autumn Defense - The Autumn Defense The Superbees - High Volume The Early Years - The Early Years 4Hero - ...Mixing The Ripps - Long Live The ripps Daniel Martin Moore - Stray Age Dave Gahan - Hourglass Terry Hall & Mushtaq - The Hour Of Two Lights Clinic - Bubblegum These were all from the JB Hi-fi Warringah Mall bargain bin - the day before I could have got them for another 20% off. Never mind, they were only $5 each and I didn't know then they were going to that night advertise a one day sale for the following day. I also bought a lot of stuff in that sale and some more in the Red Eye Pitt St closing down sale. It closes for good on Sunday. |
Pádraig Collins
Member Username: Pádraig_collins
Post Number: 4509 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Friday, May 11, 2012 - 04:06 am: | |
Today in the bargain bin in JB Hi-fi in Leichhardt: The Standard - August 50 Foot Wave - Golden Ocean Altered Images - Happy Birthday The Hovercrafts - The Get Around EP |
Pádraig Collins
Member Username: Pádraig_collins
Post Number: 4525 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Sunday, May 13, 2012 - 01:55 am: | |
Yesterday at the Fish Records sale in the Italian Forum in Leichhardt (they are moving exclusively to classical music and so are selling off all their other stuff from the recently closed Newtown and Balmain shops). Tex, Don & Charlie - All Is Forgiven MGMT - Late night Tales The Jam - Dig The New Breed Nada Surf - Lucky The Big Pink - Future This Smith Westerns - Die It Blonde V/A - Sweet Inspiration: The Songs Of Dan Penn & Spooner Oldham V/A - Keep Your Soul: A Tribute To Doug Sahm V/A - The Bridge: A Tribute To Neil Young V/A - The Lost Notebooks Of Hank Williams V/A - Rave On Buddy Holly The Brian Jonestown Massacre - The Singles Collection 1992-2011 Tired Pony - The Place We Ran From Thurston Moore - Demolished Thoughts Fred Smith - Dust Of Uruzgan Khancoban - Limbs May Fall Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul Guns N' Roses - Use Your Illusion I Manic Street Preachers - Send Away The Tigers R.E.M. - Live At The Olympia (I already owned this, but bought it as it includes the DVD, which I didn't get when I previously bought it) Thin Lizzy - Live And Dangerous DVD, with live CD from another show Yes - Greatest Video Hits DVD Paul Weller - Live At The Royal Albert Hall DVD/CD Brian Wilson - Smile DVD |
Randy Adams
Member Username: Randy_adams
Post Number: 2939 Registered: 03-2005
| Posted on Sunday, May 13, 2012 - 04:50 am: | |
Padraig, you are giving the most detailed report on the demise of record stores of anybody on here. It's depressing. I go to my local Amoeba from time to time and I'll buy a stack of releases I've always meant to get but didn't, but it is undeniable that I cannot get a lot of the best things that I search out over the internet. For example, they have a card for Dominique A but not one single disc in there. He is almost certainly France's most important currently-recording artist. I did find one of the early Comsat Angels CDs; that was nice. (Until I discovered to my astonishment that I already have a copy; my only explanation is that it was at the end of a shelf and the Renascent edition is skinny and easy to miss--Kevin, when I get around to it you have a free copy of the "Waiting for a Miracle" CD coming your way). |
skulldisco
Member Username: Skulldisco
Post Number: 1780 Registered: 10-2008
| Posted on Sunday, May 13, 2012 - 08:44 am: | |
Randy, I have that same problem with The Sound albums, they are very easy to lose on the shelf arent they? Thats when alphabetic filing comes into play I guess!! I group my CD's by genre and they each have their own niche on the shelves - reggae, electronic, us rock, jazz, blues etc - but I just randomly file them within each genre which is lazy and silly!! Thanks in advance btw! |
skulldisco
Member Username: Skulldisco
Post Number: 1783 Registered: 10-2008
| Posted on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 - 02:11 am: | |
Actress - R.I.P MBV - Isnt Anything/Loveless/EP's 1988-91 Lightships - Electric Cables Graham Coxon - A+E Shackleton - Music for the Quiet Hour / The Drawbar Organ EPs Talk Talk - Spirit of Eden(2012 remaster) |
Randy Adams
Member Username: Randy_adams
Post Number: 2955 Registered: 03-2005
| Posted on Friday, May 25, 2012 - 09:09 am: | |
I went to Rough Trade yesterday. I picked up a copy of a reissue of Richard Hawley's first mini album and also a copy of Gareth Liddiard's 2010 album. I like the curatorial comments added by the shop on the shrink-wrap. On the other hand, the complete failure of the "British -European" section to have any Dominique A or other Francophone music genuinely shocked me. And, no, the "world" section doesn't have it either. |
Pádraig Collins
Member Username: Pádraig_collins
Post Number: 4581 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Friday, May 25, 2012 - 11:49 pm: | |
The new Cult album. It's great. Hope they tour Australia again. |
Pádraig Collins
Member Username: Pádraig_collins
Post Number: 4582 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Friday, May 25, 2012 - 11:53 pm: | |
Randy, Rough Trade doesn't have a vast stock, at least not in the RTE shop. Don't be so shocked that Dominique A isn't stocked. Apart from you mentioning the name I've never heard of her. But there are 100,000 French people in London, so I'm sure you can get her records somewhere. Maybe in the HMV shop near Tottenham Court Road? |
Pádraig Collins
Member Username: Pádraig_collins
Post Number: 4587 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Saturday, May 26, 2012 - 11:17 pm: | |
And now I found out that Dominique A is a bloke... |
TROU
Member Username: Trou
Post Number: 302 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Tuesday, June 12, 2012 - 02:48 pm: | |
Because of this shitty wheather, I surfed too much on Amazon these days... Destroyer - Kaputt Propaganda - Wishful thinking (remix album). Didn't remembered that John Mc Geoch played on it. ABC -Zillionnaire This is PIL, pretty limited (and cheap) edition Hugh Cornwell - Guilty Diverse Billy Mackenzie an Associates records Lilac Time : the Fontana trinity and others Duffy stuff John Foxx - The shape of things Robert Gomez - Etherville Sad Lovers and Giants - Feed the Flame (I prefer this lovely band to the Chameleons and this record is still very listenable so I took the 'best of' in addition) And in a shop, Cocteau Twins - Echoes in a shallow bay. I try to stop now, I must resist to the new edition of EBTG's Love Not money |
Guy Ewald
Member Username: Guy_ewald
Post Number: 264 Registered: 02-2005
| Posted on Wednesday, June 13, 2012 - 10:56 pm: | |
Well, working from memory I came up with 25 recent purchases… Patti Smith - Banga Guy Clark - Old No. 1 Hiss Golden Messenger - Poor Moon (highly recommended) Hiss Golden Messenger - Bad Debt (a download of acoustic demos) The Stooges - Raw Power (remastered 2-LP version) Champion Jack Dupree - Blues From The Gutter Dock Boggs - His Folkways Years ’63-68 Johnny Cash - The Junkie And The Juicehead Minus Me Paul McCartney - RAM The Trypes - Music For Neighbors The Black Lips - Good Bad Not Evil The Equals - Viva! Best Of The Abyssinians - Arise Bailterspace - Tanker + Nelsh The Black Angels - Passover Isidore - Life Somewhere Else Clinic -Funf The dB’s - Falling Off The Sky Dean & Britta - Variations Lotus Plaza - Spooky Action At A Distance (excellent) Gregory Isaacs - Mr. Isaacs Jimmy Dale Gilmore & The Wranglers - Heirloom Music Lower Dens - Nootropics Primitons - Don’t Go Away: Collected Works Jon Langford - All The Fame Of Lofty Deeds |
skulldisco
Member Username: Skulldisco
Post Number: 1851 Registered: 10-2008
| Posted on Thursday, June 14, 2012 - 12:22 am: | |
Mr Isaacs - that is a seriously good album Guy. In the year of excellent comebacks (Dexys, PIL, Paul Buchanan and others), The dB's record is another quiet triumph. Really enjoying what I have heard so far. |
Guy Ewald
Member Username: Guy_ewald
Post Number: 266 Registered: 02-2005
| Posted on Thursday, June 14, 2012 - 01:49 pm: | |
I'll probably be going to see The dB's tomorrow night at Le Poisson Rouge. I hate the club and I saw The dB's do an excellent set at the Hoboken Street Fair just last month. But a friend has an extra ticket, I do love the band and my arm is easily twisted when it comes to music and drink. |
skulldisco
Member Username: Skulldisco
Post Number: 1858 Registered: 10-2008
| Posted on Saturday, June 16, 2012 - 09:38 am: | |
Drexcia - Journey of The Deep Sea Dweller vol2 Hot Chip - In Our Heads Sugar - Copper Blue, Beaster and F.U.E.L (2012 remasters) Liars - WIXIW Moritz Von Oswald Trio - Fetch The dB's - Falling Off The Sky Felt - Forever Breathes The Lonely Word Various - Studio One Sounds Dexys - One Day I'm Going To Soar PIL - This is PIL The Walkmen - Heaven My Bloody Valentine - Isnt Anything,Loveless, EP's (2012 remasters) Paul Buchanan - Mid Air |
Pádraig Collins
Member Username: Pádraig_collins
Post Number: 4669 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Friday, June 29, 2012 - 01:42 am: | |
Adele & Glenn - Carrington Street Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs - Under The Covers Vol 1 Japandroids - Celebration Rock Goldrush - Extended Play EP Various artists - Head Your Mind, A Dreamtime Sampler The Darkness - The Platinum Collection The Walkmen - Heaven Sugar - Copper Blue (Deluxe Version) Yes - Tormato [Expanded & Remastered] Yes - Going For One [Expanded & Remastered] Yes - Relayer [Expanded & Remastered] Hal - The Time The Hour My Bloody Valentine - EPs 1988 - 1991 Richard Hawley - Standing At the Sky's Edge Curve - The Way Of Curve Damon Albarn - Dr Dee The Grays - Ro Sham Bo School Of Language - Sea From Shore Justin Currie - No, Surrender EP Basement Birds - Basement Birds |
David Gagen
Member Username: David_g
Post Number: 387 Registered: 02-2007
| Posted on Sunday, July 01, 2012 - 08:20 am: | |
Bit of splurge at JBs this arvo Gaslight Radio - Hitch On The Leaves Radiohead - Amnesiac Gyroscope - Cohesion Jack Johnson- To The Sea The Felice Brothers - Tonight At The Arizona Rodney Crowell - Sex & Gasoline Teddy Thompson - A Piece Of What You Need Bee Gees - The Studo Albums 1967 - 68 (1st, Horizontal, Idea plus extras) America - Original Album Series (America, Homecoming, Hat Trick, Holiday, Hearts) Patti Smith - Banga Neil Young - Americana Emmylou Harris - All I Intended To Be |
Pádraig Collins
Member Username: Pádraig_collins
Post Number: 4684 Registered: 05-2005
| Posted on Sunday, July 01, 2012 - 08:25 am: | |
Nice haul David! |
Michael Bachman
Member Username: Michael_bachman
Post Number: 2389 Registered: 01-2005
| Posted on Tuesday, July 03, 2012 - 02:13 pm: | |
John Coltrane - Fearless Leader boxset My Bloody Valentine - Ep's 1988-1991 The Wailin' Jennys - Bright Morning Star Jackie McLean - Capuhin Swing Brandi Carlile - Bear Creek |