LATEST ADDITIONS

Album Reviews
Dark Side of the Moon Yet Again? And Again?
Michael Fremer  |  Dec 01, 2011  |  1 comments

Another decade, another reissue of DSOTM, this one using the very fragile original two track master tape, again supervised by James Guthrie. Guthrie had determined that the tape was in fragile shape back in 2003, which is why he opted for a remix in the analog domain. That edition was very good and worth having, especially if you didn't have a very clean early UK pressing, but in retrospect it departs from the original much as the Mo-Fi does: the EQ is a bit much at the frequency extremes, which bleaches out the mids. As for the mix's micro-elements and how close Guthrie came to reproducing the original mix, I have to surrender that to the DTOTM fanatics, of which I'm not one.

Continue Reading »
Album Reviews
Divine Miss M's Debut Gets Mo-Fi Silver Label Treatment
Michael Fremer  |  Dec 01, 2011  |  1 comments

Before there was Lady Ga-Ga, there was Bette.

Continue Reading »
Album Reviews
Impex Dips Into Rich Bernstein Columbia Catalogue
Michael Fremer  |  Dec 01, 2011  |  2 comments

You'll never confuse Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 2 composed in 1957 with piano concertos composed during the romantic era, except when you get to the squooshy center where the composer goes all Rachmaninoff on you. The cinematic first movement sounds both ominous and light-hearted like a Hitchcock chase scene and it's easy to hear how Bernard Herrmann may have been influenced by this rousing first movement. It will get your heart pounding. 

Continue Reading »
Album Reviews
Mobley Borrows Miles Band Mates
Michael Fremer  |  Dec 01, 2011  |  1 comments

No one suggests this is among the "essential Blue Notes," especially since it really wasn't issued as an album when the session was first recorded. In fact, it sat on the shelf for 24 years, much to astonishment of annotator and distinguished jazz producer Michael Cuscuna. It wasn't issued until 1986.

Continue Reading »
Album Reviews
Willner Produces Faithful Classic
Michael Fremer  |  Dec 01, 2011  |  0 comments

Does an album that didn’t make a Billboard chart blip when first issued in 1987 deserve to be reissued on double 45rpm 180g gram vinyl?

Continue Reading »
Album Reviews
Folksinger Yet Again?
Michael Fremer  |  Dec 01, 2011  |  1 comments

Instead of re-issuing this yet again, some folks argue that Analogue Productions should reissue newer albums. They are tired of hearing again what they already have. What they forget is that the last reissue of this classic was many years ago. Sorry, but time flies, especially as you get older. And guess what else? That issue by Classic Records is long out of print as is the one Mobile Fidelity first issued around twenty years ago when the label decided to re-enter the vinyl market and press its own records in Sebastopol.

Continue Reading »
Album Reviews
Solemn Sinatra Scores on Goldwyn Soundstage
Michael Fremer  |  Dec 01, 2011  |  0 comments

Back in 1963, Frank Sinatra, the brawling "rat packer," lounge-lizard wise-cracker took a short retirement to record this album of classic Broadway show tunes, with the emphasis on Rodgers and Hammerstein, lushly orchestrated by Nelson Riddle.

Continue Reading »
Album Reviews
Very First Jazz Messengers Record + Bonus Tracks
Michael Fremer  |  Dec 01, 2011  |  0 comments

It's easy to make a case for buying this double mono LP reissue of a 1956 Columbia release—unless you're not a jazz fan.

Continue Reading »
Album Reviews
Nyro's Early Songs Shine on Audio Fidelity Reissue
Michael Fremer  |  Dec 01, 2011  |  0 comments

(Laura Nyro was nominated to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame December, 2011)

Continue Reading »
Album Reviews
Rock Veteran Makes Intro to Moptop Generation
Michael Fremer  |  Dec 01, 2011  |  0 comments


No, this is not up there with After School Session or Berry is on Top but this Chuck Berry album, his first after being released from prison for having violated the Mann Act (transporting minors across state lines to have sex) and issued as Beatlemania swept the world, has plenty of hits along with a lot of filler.

Continue Reading »

Pages

X