COMING SOON IN THE FUTURE
↧
PUGS & CROWS - FANTASTIC PICTURES
↧
GRATEFUL DEAD - WAKE OF THE FLOOD
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab MFSL 1-366 (2011, Dec)
Originally on Grateful Dead (1973, Oct.)
Rating: 8.0/ D+ (Side A); 9.0/ A (Side B)
Format: Vinyl (180 gram LP at 33.33 rpm)
Musicians:
Grateful Dead
Recording Engineer – Dan Healy
Mixing Engineer – Tom Flye
Remastered and lacquer cut by Krieg Wunderlich at Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab in Sebastopol, CA.
Pressed by– Record Technology Incorporated in California.
Artwork– Rick Griffin
![http://www.mofi.com/product_p/mfsl1-366.htm]()
There are not many rock bands that will go the extra mile to achieve great sound not only in the studio but at the concert venue throughout their careers. British stalwarts Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Pink Floyd readily come to mind, so do the Grateful Dead on this side of the Atlantic. Though at first glance it may be tempting to comparatively pair the Brits because of their country of origin and often cited 'progressive' ties; instead a closer inspection reveals that the latter two share more in common than one might think.
![]()
![]()
![]()
Just like The Pink Floyd, The Grateful Dead - as both were known prior to dropping the adjective - formed in 1965 and released their debut LPs in the first half of 1967; a period of tremendous flux in culture and values, deeply reflected within the music. Whereas Floyd stood out from the blues based rock largely dominating the Kingdom, by cultivating a following in the underground scene in clubs such as the Countdown and the UFO; the Dead could be found jamming at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco just a few blocks away from the famed street corner of Haight and Ashbury. In their own ways, both were at the forefront of the psychedelic movement with Barrett & co. exploring the more experimental side of the equation while Garcia and friends tended towards the improvisational facets found in free jazz, acid rock and the bay area jam bands.
![]()
![]()
But by the end of the 1960s, the peak popularity of the psychedelic era had already passed, leading most of the bands to abandon ship or move onto greener pastures. Britain's big three innovators - The Pink Floyd, The Nice and The Soft Machine - gently transcended from psyche to 'spacey' art rock, progressive and jazz fusion respectively. In America, perhaps counterintuitively, they did not follow such a route. Instead of reaching for sofisticated new territories, bands such as The Byrds, Country Joe & The Fish and CCR returned to their roots embracing more earthy paths, the likes of country, folk and 'swamp'.
![]()
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On that note The Grateful Dead were no different; starting in June 1970 with Workingman's Dead [Warner Bros. WS 1869], the first to carry a complete virage into country and folk followed within a few months by the musically excellent and sonically outstanding American Beauty [Warner Bros. WS 1893 or Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab MFSL 1-014]. After a couple of live albums, the Dead returned with their sixth studio LP - Wake of the Flood - originally the first of many released on their own record label Grateful Dead Records [GD-01], distributed at the time by United Artist.
![]()
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Engineers Dan Healy and Tom Flye respectively recorded and mixed the band in August 1973 on 24-track analog - the new 'gold standard' at the time and still to be reckon with today. The original mastering engineer is not credited though it was mastered and cut at TLC - The Lacquer Channel in Sausalito which prominently featured producer and sound engineer Stephen Barncard who had worked on American Beauty. The first vinyl runs were done at the Monarch Record Mfg. Co. pressing plant in L.A. On this release, engineer Krieg Wunderlich remastered and cut the new lacquer from the original 2-track master tapes at Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab in Sebastopol, CA.
![]()
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American artist Rick Griffin - known for his San Francisco psychedelic posters, underground comic counterculture and associated Grateful Dead LP artwork - designed a beautiful front cover bathing in earth tones of ochre, seafoam and maroon with MoFi's hued-matching band tastefully added at the top while prolonging the black frame all around. The back cover also replicates the original but with the song titles printed in black added in the top left corner and MoFi's usual credits and info in smaller print further down. Consistent with the front, a top band is repeated plus the universal barcode with MoFi logos occupying the bottom black strip. Contrary to many of their regular series, this release did not benefit from a gatefold jacket 'makeover'.
![]()
Inside, the record is housed in their flexible anti static rice paper 'Original Master Sleeves'.In addition, a folded light carton comprising 36 album covers adorns the outer sides while CD's, SACD's and various products are featured on the inner sides, bringing further record protection. The heavy-weight LP is pressed at RTI in California. Both sides were flat, shiny lustered and deep black, i.e. visually perfect and reassuring for the eyes. As per usual with MoFi, the new label does not try to reproduce the original (in this case Grateful Dead) but instead is plain black with a silver top rim. Inscribed in the dead wax on both sides are 'kw @ MoFi' for MFSL's cutting engineer initials. Wunderlich chose an equal groove-spacing travel of 3 1/4 inches for both sides, leaving approximately 3/8 inches between the last note and label which is pretty much the minimum if to avoid severe stylus/groove distortion. With roughly an equal 22 1/2 minutes of music per side, this translates to just under 7 min./inch of linear cutting displacement. This verges just beyond the accepted 20 min. per side time limit for 33 1/3 rpm before significant sound compromises start to be felt in bandwidth and/or cutting level though softer program material will be less demanding than strong dynamic bass content. MFSL's use of half-speed mastering/cutting technique and typical lower cutting level will also reduce distortion in the highest frequencies and extend them by doubling the time the cutter head has to trace the groove.
![]()
"Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo" opens side A. The level cutting is a bit low as we have come to expect from a MoFi, so do not be shy of turning up the volume. If you are more familiar with the Dead's earliest period, you may be in for quite a surprise. Gone are any psychedelic references, replaced instead by a loose laid-back country vibe. Contrary to many recordings where the lead vocal or guitar soloist dominate the mix; here, as in typical - democratic - Dead character, every instrument is on a plain level field, reaffirming their egalitarian philosophy right down through the mix. American swing and bluegrass fiddler Vassar Clements' violin sounds oh so sweet, completely devoid of any grain and making it a true delight for the ears. Towards the end, the backing chorus comes in augmenting the stage. The general sound is warm and soft, supported by mild 1970-ish 'cushiony' compression; as such elevating your tonearm's VTA will help sharpen a bit the kick and overall tone envelope. Musically it is not my 'cup of tea' or make that 'moonshine' but the sound is pleasantly good nevertheless.
"Let Me Sing Your Blues Away" continues in the same vein both musically and sonically in a 'sloppy' laid back country feel featuring sax - a rarity in this musical genre. Nearly on par with the previous track.
The relaxed "Row Jimmy" has nice tone color regarding the guitar and interesting female back vocals but is let down by soft sounding drum toms yearning for better articulation. In both rating aspects, this is the least impressive song of the LP.
Fortunately the very smooth"Stella Blue" reverses the trend with the best track of side A. Lovely back vocals; wide dynamic range with lots of contrast; deep bass; excellent crispy presence on the guitar; this last one sharing ambiant touches with some of Floyd's David Gilmour stylings. This vinyl side was noise-free and perfect all the way.
![]()
Flipping to side B: "Here Comes Sunshine" is again smooth with good punchy kick and snare, sounding dry and warm as many studios of that decade were heavily carpeted in rugs and absorption material. Vocals are also very well recorded. On equal footing with the previous track.
From the very first notes, "Eyes Of The World"'s melody borrows from Marvin Gaye's 1971 classic "What's Going On" [Tamla TS-310 or MFSL 1-314]. As opposed to the preceding tracks, this one boasts a faster tempo, is lighter and more transparent. The exquisitely recorded guitar plus its chorus effect is incredibly limpid. The soundstage is wider; cymbals are finer in detail but still sweet plus lots of great vocal harmonies. All of the above lead me to pick it as the best track of the album in both criteria and worthy of demo material.
"Weather Report Suite" is the closing track of the album and is structured in three flowing parts: "Prelude", "Part I" and finally "Part II (Let It Grow)". The former features peerless panned guitars with impeccable finesse in the top end; pretty much the best I have encountered on record and owing as much to the original tape recording than to Krieg Wunderlich's skill using MoFi's half-speed cutting method - those that possess true super-tweeters will be rewarded. The melodic string riff remind me of The Rolling Stones "Angie" released barely two months prior to this LP. The kick drum is big and fat sounding; country slide or steel guitar hints at future Gilmour playing such as on Wish You Were Here [Harvest SHVL 814]. Floating panoramic backing vocals grace the splendid mix. A slow rising crescendo of hymns conjures up the sun relief after the flood. This soon changes style to a more progressive-art-folk form bearing harmonic influences from CSNY, The Guess Who's "No Time" from American Woman [RCA or Cisco Music LSP 4266] and America's self-titled debut [Warner Bros 2576 or Friday Music FRM 9001]. Trumpets, saxes and harmonica bring another dimension and feel to this explorative piece. Second best song of the album presented in superb sound. The RTI pressed vinyl maintained its perfect silence throughout.
![]()
Summing up, Wake of the Flood is more representive of the second period of the Dead and will appeal to those whose musical tastes embrace more country and folk than to the Jefferson - Hendrix - acid rock trip which is not that surprising given that this is 1973 and not 1967; an 'eternity' in music history. By the same token, the sound aesthetics are perfectly conformant with the time period. As with Priscilla Ahn's A Good Day [MFSL 1-363], mastering and disk-cutting engineer Krieg Wunderlich did another fine job on this reissue upholding the original's excellent recording. As my ratings below suggest, I much preferred the second side for its musical direction which lessened the country flavoring.
____________________________________________________________________
Originally on Grateful Dead (1973, Oct.)
Rating: 8.0/ D+ (Side A); 9.0/ A (Side B)
Format: Vinyl (180 gram LP at 33.33 rpm)
Musicians:
Grateful Dead
- Jerry Garcia – guitar, pedal steel guitar, vocals, production
- Donna Jean Godchaux – vocals, production
- Keith Godchaux – keyboards, vocals, production; lead vocals on "Let Me Sing Your Blues Away"
- Phil Lesh – bass guitar, production
- Bill Kreutzmann – drums, production
- Bob Weir – guitar, vocals, production
- Bill Atwood – trumpet
- Vassar Clements – violin
- Joe Ellis – trumpet
- Martín Fierro – saxophone (alto, tenor)
- Sarah Fulcher – vocals
- Matthew Kelly – harmonica
- Frank Morin – saxophone (tenor)
- Pat O'Hara – trombone
- Doug Sahm – bajo sexto
- Benny Velarde – timbales
Recording Engineer – Dan Healy
Mixing Engineer – Tom Flye
Remastered and lacquer cut by Krieg Wunderlich at Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab in Sebastopol, CA.
Pressed by– Record Technology Incorporated in California.
Artwork– Rick Griffin
There are not many rock bands that will go the extra mile to achieve great sound not only in the studio but at the concert venue throughout their careers. British stalwarts Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Pink Floyd readily come to mind, so do the Grateful Dead on this side of the Atlantic. Though at first glance it may be tempting to comparatively pair the Brits because of their country of origin and often cited 'progressive' ties; instead a closer inspection reveals that the latter two share more in common than one might think.
Just like The Pink Floyd, The Grateful Dead - as both were known prior to dropping the adjective - formed in 1965 and released their debut LPs in the first half of 1967; a period of tremendous flux in culture and values, deeply reflected within the music. Whereas Floyd stood out from the blues based rock largely dominating the Kingdom, by cultivating a following in the underground scene in clubs such as the Countdown and the UFO; the Dead could be found jamming at the Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco just a few blocks away from the famed street corner of Haight and Ashbury. In their own ways, both were at the forefront of the psychedelic movement with Barrett & co. exploring the more experimental side of the equation while Garcia and friends tended towards the improvisational facets found in free jazz, acid rock and the bay area jam bands.
But by the end of the 1960s, the peak popularity of the psychedelic era had already passed, leading most of the bands to abandon ship or move onto greener pastures. Britain's big three innovators - The Pink Floyd, The Nice and The Soft Machine - gently transcended from psyche to 'spacey' art rock, progressive and jazz fusion respectively. In America, perhaps counterintuitively, they did not follow such a route. Instead of reaching for sofisticated new territories, bands such as The Byrds, Country Joe & The Fish and CCR returned to their roots embracing more earthy paths, the likes of country, folk and 'swamp'.
On that note The Grateful Dead were no different; starting in June 1970 with Workingman's Dead [Warner Bros. WS 1869], the first to carry a complete virage into country and folk followed within a few months by the musically excellent and sonically outstanding American Beauty [Warner Bros. WS 1893 or Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab MFSL 1-014]. After a couple of live albums, the Dead returned with their sixth studio LP - Wake of the Flood - originally the first of many released on their own record label Grateful Dead Records [GD-01], distributed at the time by United Artist.
Engineers Dan Healy and Tom Flye respectively recorded and mixed the band in August 1973 on 24-track analog - the new 'gold standard' at the time and still to be reckon with today. The original mastering engineer is not credited though it was mastered and cut at TLC - The Lacquer Channel in Sausalito which prominently featured producer and sound engineer Stephen Barncard who had worked on American Beauty. The first vinyl runs were done at the Monarch Record Mfg. Co. pressing plant in L.A. On this release, engineer Krieg Wunderlich remastered and cut the new lacquer from the original 2-track master tapes at Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab in Sebastopol, CA.
American artist Rick Griffin - known for his San Francisco psychedelic posters, underground comic counterculture and associated Grateful Dead LP artwork - designed a beautiful front cover bathing in earth tones of ochre, seafoam and maroon with MoFi's hued-matching band tastefully added at the top while prolonging the black frame all around. The back cover also replicates the original but with the song titles printed in black added in the top left corner and MoFi's usual credits and info in smaller print further down. Consistent with the front, a top band is repeated plus the universal barcode with MoFi logos occupying the bottom black strip. Contrary to many of their regular series, this release did not benefit from a gatefold jacket 'makeover'.
Inside, the record is housed in their flexible anti static rice paper 'Original Master Sleeves'.In addition, a folded light carton comprising 36 album covers adorns the outer sides while CD's, SACD's and various products are featured on the inner sides, bringing further record protection. The heavy-weight LP is pressed at RTI in California. Both sides were flat, shiny lustered and deep black, i.e. visually perfect and reassuring for the eyes. As per usual with MoFi, the new label does not try to reproduce the original (in this case Grateful Dead) but instead is plain black with a silver top rim. Inscribed in the dead wax on both sides are 'kw @ MoFi' for MFSL's cutting engineer initials. Wunderlich chose an equal groove-spacing travel of 3 1/4 inches for both sides, leaving approximately 3/8 inches between the last note and label which is pretty much the minimum if to avoid severe stylus/groove distortion. With roughly an equal 22 1/2 minutes of music per side, this translates to just under 7 min./inch of linear cutting displacement. This verges just beyond the accepted 20 min. per side time limit for 33 1/3 rpm before significant sound compromises start to be felt in bandwidth and/or cutting level though softer program material will be less demanding than strong dynamic bass content. MFSL's use of half-speed mastering/cutting technique and typical lower cutting level will also reduce distortion in the highest frequencies and extend them by doubling the time the cutter head has to trace the groove.
"Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo" opens side A. The level cutting is a bit low as we have come to expect from a MoFi, so do not be shy of turning up the volume. If you are more familiar with the Dead's earliest period, you may be in for quite a surprise. Gone are any psychedelic references, replaced instead by a loose laid-back country vibe. Contrary to many recordings where the lead vocal or guitar soloist dominate the mix; here, as in typical - democratic - Dead character, every instrument is on a plain level field, reaffirming their egalitarian philosophy right down through the mix. American swing and bluegrass fiddler Vassar Clements' violin sounds oh so sweet, completely devoid of any grain and making it a true delight for the ears. Towards the end, the backing chorus comes in augmenting the stage. The general sound is warm and soft, supported by mild 1970-ish 'cushiony' compression; as such elevating your tonearm's VTA will help sharpen a bit the kick and overall tone envelope. Musically it is not my 'cup of tea' or make that 'moonshine' but the sound is pleasantly good nevertheless.
"Let Me Sing Your Blues Away" continues in the same vein both musically and sonically in a 'sloppy' laid back country feel featuring sax - a rarity in this musical genre. Nearly on par with the previous track.
The relaxed "Row Jimmy" has nice tone color regarding the guitar and interesting female back vocals but is let down by soft sounding drum toms yearning for better articulation. In both rating aspects, this is the least impressive song of the LP.
Fortunately the very smooth"Stella Blue" reverses the trend with the best track of side A. Lovely back vocals; wide dynamic range with lots of contrast; deep bass; excellent crispy presence on the guitar; this last one sharing ambiant touches with some of Floyd's David Gilmour stylings. This vinyl side was noise-free and perfect all the way.
Flipping to side B: "Here Comes Sunshine" is again smooth with good punchy kick and snare, sounding dry and warm as many studios of that decade were heavily carpeted in rugs and absorption material. Vocals are also very well recorded. On equal footing with the previous track.
From the very first notes, "Eyes Of The World"'s melody borrows from Marvin Gaye's 1971 classic "What's Going On" [Tamla TS-310 or MFSL 1-314]. As opposed to the preceding tracks, this one boasts a faster tempo, is lighter and more transparent. The exquisitely recorded guitar plus its chorus effect is incredibly limpid. The soundstage is wider; cymbals are finer in detail but still sweet plus lots of great vocal harmonies. All of the above lead me to pick it as the best track of the album in both criteria and worthy of demo material.
"Weather Report Suite" is the closing track of the album and is structured in three flowing parts: "Prelude", "Part I" and finally "Part II (Let It Grow)". The former features peerless panned guitars with impeccable finesse in the top end; pretty much the best I have encountered on record and owing as much to the original tape recording than to Krieg Wunderlich's skill using MoFi's half-speed cutting method - those that possess true super-tweeters will be rewarded. The melodic string riff remind me of The Rolling Stones "Angie" released barely two months prior to this LP. The kick drum is big and fat sounding; country slide or steel guitar hints at future Gilmour playing such as on Wish You Were Here [Harvest SHVL 814]. Floating panoramic backing vocals grace the splendid mix. A slow rising crescendo of hymns conjures up the sun relief after the flood. This soon changes style to a more progressive-art-folk form bearing harmonic influences from CSNY, The Guess Who's "No Time" from American Woman [RCA or Cisco Music LSP 4266] and America's self-titled debut [Warner Bros 2576 or Friday Music FRM 9001]. Trumpets, saxes and harmonica bring another dimension and feel to this explorative piece. Second best song of the album presented in superb sound. The RTI pressed vinyl maintained its perfect silence throughout.
Summing up, Wake of the Flood is more representive of the second period of the Dead and will appeal to those whose musical tastes embrace more country and folk than to the Jefferson - Hendrix - acid rock trip which is not that surprising given that this is 1973 and not 1967; an 'eternity' in music history. By the same token, the sound aesthetics are perfectly conformant with the time period. As with Priscilla Ahn's A Good Day [MFSL 1-363], mastering and disk-cutting engineer Krieg Wunderlich did another fine job on this reissue upholding the original's excellent recording. As my ratings below suggest, I much preferred the second side for its musical direction which lessened the country flavoring.
____________________________________________________________________
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↧
METAL MASTERS BLACK SABBATH - 13 + VOÏVOD - TARGET EARTH
Black Sabbath
13
Vertigo Republic Records B00185539-01 (2013, June)
Rating: 9.0 / A+
Format: Vinyl (2x180 gram LP at 33.33 rpm)
Musicians:
- Ozzy Osbourne - vocals
- Tony Iommi - guitar
- Terence "Geezer" Butler - bass
- Brad Wilk - drums
The year is 1968 and the summertime blues just got a bit heavier in San Francisco USA. Meanwhile, four lads from Aston, Birmingham, England are touring the club circuit as members of Earth; unaware they are planting the seeds for what will become a bold, new and lasting phenomenon...
As the peace and love/hippie movement dried out, the 'sixties' came to a close; culminating in the violence seen at the Altamont Free Concert. The Vietnam war raged on, with nuclear annihilation between the superpowers now becoming a cold hard reality. By the turn of the decade, heavy metal provided an outlet and conduit for teenage angst and adult anger juxtaposed against a backdrop of country-folk and soft rock dominating the FM dial. And while Led Zep certainly weighted down the scales on their self-titled debut LP [Atlantic 588171 or Classic Records SD8216] back in early 1969 with such songs as "Dazed and Confused" and "Communication Breakdown" conversely combining dissonant heaviness and fiery speed; it is really 1970's Black Sabbath [Vertigo VO6, 847 903 VTY] that layed the foundations for rock's darker direction and subsequent doom, sludge and stoner subsets.
Following in the footsteps of Hendrix, Cream, Blue Cheer, Iron Butterfly and Zeppelin; the quartet of Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Terence "Geezer" Butler and Bill Ward newly reborned as Black Sabbath set the gold standard for pure metal mastery. From the onset storm introducing the famous eerie riff, based on the diabolus in musica tritone intervall, there is no doubt that Sabbath's eponymous debut LP roused the fears of mainstream mélomanes, all the while cementing their place in musical history amid the cemetary tombstones.
INSERT PIC 10 HERE - [IRON BUTTERFLY - IN-A-GADDA-DA-VIDA]
INSERT PIC 11 HERE - [BLACK SABBATH - 1968]
INSERT PIC 12 HERE - [BLACK SABBATH - DEBUT]
INSERT PIC 13 HERE - [BLACK SABBATH - PARANOID]
INSERT PIC 14 HERE - [BLACK SABBATH - MASTER OF REALITY]
Like their British cohorts, heavy blues rock featured prominently in the album's song structures and playing style; even leaning towards jazz-like improvisation on certain tracks with Cream style undertones running beneath. Their landmark anti-war Paranoid [Vertigo 6360 011] released in September that same year, single-handedly epitomized the genre: "War Pigs"; "Paranoid"; "Iron Man"; "Electric Funeral" and "Hand of Doom" would become unsurpassed metal materpieces many times covered by later 'offsprings' of the species. Paired with a then unknown British producer by the name of Rodger Bain at the helm, this 'triumvirate' of success culminated with 1971's Master of Reality [Vertigo 6360 050] which included such classics as "Sweet Leaf"; "After Forever"; "Children of the Grave" and "Into the Void". Mainly Iommi-produced Vol. 4 would soon follow, mired by studio experimentation as much in white powder than in musical expression.
INSERT PIC 15 HERE - [BLACK SABBATH - VOL. 4]
INSERT PIC 16 HERE - [BLACK SABBATH - SABBATH BLOODY SABBATH]
INSERT PIC 17 HERE - [BLACK SABBATH - SABOTAGE]
Though 1973's Sabbath Boody Sabbath featuring Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman and 1975's Sabotage received some critical acclaim, unfortunately most of the follow up LP's - under different direction or self-produced - did not live up to the same high standards of the earlier 'doomier' period. Of course substantial drug and alcool abuse within the band did not help, ultimately leading to Ozzy's departure in 1979 after the musical disaster of Never Say Die! (ring a bell 007). Ex-Elf and Rainbow singer Ronnie James Dio took over the soaring vocals for the following two albums - Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules in 1980 and 1981 respectively while 1983's Born Again featured Ian Gillan, of past Deep Purple fame. Numerous personnel changes would ensue for the remainder of the Sabbath catalogue with Iommi being the one and only core member ever present.
INSERT PIC 18 HERE - [BLACK SABBATH + RUBIN]
INSERT PIC 19 HERE - [BRAD WILK]
INSERT PIC 20 HERE - [BILL WARD]
Timewarp to 2012 and the four lads now well into their mid-sixties reunite to record a new album with famed American producer Rick Rubin to the rescue. Because of a contractual dispute, Ward declines to attend the sessions while Rage Against the Machine and one time Audioslave drummer Brad Wilk is chosen to fill the bill. Now for many die-hard fans, just the absence of the original drummer and producer - be it to a lesser extent - would be enough to pass over this long overdue reunion. Granted, Ward was a great swinging rock drummer with roots stemming from Big Band jazz and early rhythm & blues and in an ideal world we all wished he'd be up there tracking and touring with his British bandmates but to stubbornly stick to that prerequisite would be a shame.
INSERT PIC 21 HERE - [RICK RUBIN + OZZY]
INSERT PIC 22 HERE - [DEF JAM - LOGO]
As for Rubin, anybody who has ever visited a few of the myriad rock or audiophile forums knows that he is no stranger to controversy. Since the mid-1980s, after founding Def Jam Recordings - which later became Def American and simply American - the man has worked with some of the hippist, coolist artist of the moment covering a wide spectrum of genres that often were initially at odds with each other such as hip hop rap, rock, thrash metal and even country. Beastie Boys, Aerosmith, Run DMC, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Johnny Cash, Rage Against the Machine, Metallica, System of a Down and Slipknot are just some of the 'biggies' to seek out his magic.
INSERT PIC 23 HERE - [SLAYER - REIGN IN BLOOD]
The very first metal act to sign on his new label were Slayer; who up until then had released two LPs of rather mediocre quality. Reign in Blood [Def Jam Recordings GHS 24131] changed all that. Regarded by many as the all time most influential album in extreme speed-thrash metal, Rubin is duly credited with transforming the sound of the band into one lean and mean metal machine. In 1994 he revived 'The Man in Black's fortunes with a series of stripped-down country folk and alternative rock cover albums that introduced Cash to a whole new generation not necessarily into country music. In 2008 it was Metallica's turn for a career rejuvenation with the release of Death Magnetic [Warner Bros. 512119-1].
INSERT PIC 24 HERE - [METALLICA - DEATH MAGNETIC - BOX SET]
After years of going down hill under the direction of producer Bob Rock, Rubin got the guys back to their thrash metal roots augmented by punchy complex time signatures a la ...And Justice for All [Elektra 60812-1]; in effect giving back what 'hardcore fans' were long ago pleading for. And that in a nutshell is what Rubin does best; he inspires bands to deliver what their core audience can only pray for. How I wish that more bands or producers would also 'get it'. Imagine what Rush teaming up with Rubin, Kramer or Albini would accomplish. Just ponder the following: 'Ok guys, now listen up! Mix in a bit of 2112 with some Farewell to Kings, Hemisphere and Permanent Waves, stir thoroughly and we'll pick the best out of 3 takes...'well one is allowed to dream wouldn't you agree?
So if Rubin is that good, where is the problem or controversy you may ask? Well at least in audiophile circles and even with some 'regular' rock fans, he is known to be heavy-handed on the dynamic compressor and 'pegging the meters' to get that 'crunchy' sound; the aforementioned Metallica album being a case in point. The CD version surprisingly garnered quite a lot of negative feedback to the extent that a petition to remix or remaster it with greater dynamics was circulated online while the Guitar Hero version did not suffer the same faith and the 45 rpm 5 LP boxset though clearly compressed is nonetheless quite punchy, fun and tonally balanced; in other words do not expect Nat King Cole dynamics for sure but it is still far better balanced and less fatiguing than 90% of 'modern' metal.
INSERT PIC 25 HERE - [GREG FIDELMAN - ENGINEER]
INSERT PIC 26 HERE - [ANDREW SCHEPS]
On this release, he turned to his trusted small circle for technical expertise; engineers Greg Fidelman, Mike Exeter and Dana Nielsen for recording; Andrew Scheps for mixing as well as Steven Marcussen and Stewart Whitmore for mastering. Fidelman, Nielsen and Scheps have collaborated many times on past Rubin productions such as Slayer's World Painted Blood [American Recordings 88697 41318 1, Columbia C 741318], Metallica's Death Magnetic and way too many Red Hot Chili Peppers albums to list here. The line that divides rock producer and engineer is often a slim and sinuous one and therein lies the crux of the matter; who is the most influential in the final sound of a record?
INSERT PIC 27 HERE - [BLACK SABBATH - LIVE 2013]
One of the key aspects behind this reunion release and tour was to get the ambiance just right. Thus it should come as no surprise that the first instructions Rubin gave to the band was to reconnect with their debut album to pick up on the bluesy doomy vibe permeating throughout it. What is more startling and of particular importance to us audiophiles I should think, is that he repeated the same mantra in addition to the following three albums to mixer Andrew Scheps to get the right 'feel and balance'. Back in the day, Black Sabbath was recorded at Regent Sounds in London on 4-track tape in only two 12-hour days for tracking and two 8-hour days for mixing coming just under a thousand dollars total budget. For Paranoid, Bain got them set up like a live date by performing preproduction at Rockfield Studios in South Wales so as they be well rehearsed and ready when came the actual recording instead of experimenting in the studio like so many artists.Backing parts were done once more at Regent, with the 4-tracks later bounced to the more modern church-converted 16-track facility at Island Studios built by Chris Blackwell of Island Records fame.
INSERT PIC 28 HERE - [REGENT SOUNDS STUDIO + STORE FRONT]
INSERT PIC 29 HERE - [BLACK SABBATH - PARANOID SESSIONS]
INSERT PIC 30 HERE - [BLACK SABBATH - PARANOID - BILL WARD]
INSERT PIC 31 HERE - [BLACK SABBATH - 13 - REHEARSING]
Regarding the tracking of 13, even though the band was also directed by Rubin and Greg Fidelman, to play 'live' together in the same room with a minimun of overdubs; a multitude of mics and tracks - well over 50 in fact - were installed and done at Rubin's Shangri-La studio in Malibu, CA. The latter was designed by producer and audio engineer Rob Fraboni and rendered famous by Bob Dylan and The Band's historic mid-1970s recordings including The Last Waltz. Very few plug-ins were used so as to keep the overall recording rough.
INSERT PIC 32 HERE - [SHANGRI-LA STUDIO - MALIBU]
INSERT PIC 33 HERE - [SHANGRI-LA STUDIO - DYLAN EQUIPMENT]
INSERT PIC 34 HERE - [MIKE EXETER - ENGINEER]
Mike Exeter later handled additional overdubs at Tone Hall, Warwickshire in England. Sonic flexibility was a key aspect of the elaborate session setup, enabling the band to work on more than one song during the day. At any time there could be over 20 tracks just for the drums, 5 for the bass, 15 for the guitar - clean and distorted - including 2 solo tracks plus 4 sustain tracks playing just one note for a better, smoother transition between the loud and quieter parts. To further add weight in the nether region, a piano chord tracked in stereo was mixed in to the sound wave envelope. Lastly, 2 vocal tracks completed the session.
Scheps admired the sound of Sabbath's first albums but was adamant not to follow that route, stating in interview: "sonically, what we were going to do would have almost nothing to do with those records...it simply is not what records sound like today. If I had tried to mix their new album to make it sound like their first albums, nobody would have liked it. It would not make sense." On that last point I beg to differ, giving as prime example last summer's two biggest chart selling hits: Daft Punk's RAM [Columbia Sony Music 88883716861] and Robin Thicke's single "Blurred Lines" [Star Trak LLC 3755893]; both of which borrowed heavily on the methods and sound aesthetics of the mid to late 1970s - good dynamics, low compression and warm tonal balance - while garnering rave reviews for music and sound production, not to mention a Grammy for Best Engineered album, Non-Classical. And the people never complained; in fact, it even got ordinary folks and the main press to start noticing the great 'non-fatiguing' sound which is all too rare. So my take is this: great sound, vintage or modern and hell, even bad sound, would not change much in the end; simply that fans are going to buy or download this latest reunion record because it is Sabbath getting back with Ozzy, period. But if you can make it sound good, why not?
In order to maintain a certain link to the past yet at the same time moderately modernise it, he relied on an 'old friend' of sorts with musicians of a certain era; behold the Neve 8068 analog mixing board. [To get a better understanding of the 'Neve cult following' and multitrack rock recording in its heyday, I recommend viewing the documentary film Sound City: Real to Reel (2013)by musician Dave Grohl for his semi-personal perspective on the subject at hand].
INSERT PIC 35 HERE - [NEVE - 8068]
INSERT PIC 36 HERE - [SOUND CITY - DAVE GROHL]
Having majored in all things digital in the late 1980s and specialising as a world renowned Synclavier engineer, it was a paradigm shift when Scheps met Rubin in 2001. Since then and previoulsy working entirely in the analog domain - from the mics, mixing board, 30 ips half-inch master tape right up to the lacquer - on Stadium Arcadium [Warner Bros 49996-1], the Red Hot Chilli Peppers' 2006 LP; he has bought the Neve not only for its unique sound but for the more tactile approach to mixing with real knobs instead of a mouse or digital plug ins. Which is not to say that he does not take full advantage of the latter when appropriate - this is not a Sheffield Lab 'direct 2 disc' purist recording after all but a true complex studio creation. Tons of vintage outboard gear and Tannoy SRM-10B monitors also occupy pride of place at Punkerpad West, his studio in Van Nuys CA.
INSERT PIC 37 HERE - [ANDREW SCHEPS - TANNOY + NEVE]
Sabbath is the kind of band that possesses such chemistry plus Iommi's legendary awesome guitar/amp sound mating with Ozzy's signature delivery made Scheps' job so much easier allowing him to subtly ride the faders, 'EQ' and parrallel compress the tracks as if he were mixing a 'front of house' live set. This hands on approach is all the more important when you are working with what is essentially only three or four instruments and a lead vocal stretched over long songs and want to keep stimulating the listener's interest. He will often emphasize the first introduction of a musical pattern or riff while gradually 'down riding' it lower as newer overdubs or musical shifts emerge along the way, leaving our ear/brain fill in the difference - "you want to be able to really get inside of a guitar tone, and change it subtly from section to section". Again Scheps: "The balance gets built up like that, without me using automation. I'll do this multiple times until all of a sudden I get the feeling the song is playing itself. If you'd look at the faders for each of these balances they would have looked very similar, but if every fader is in a different spot by half a decibel across 32 faders, you have a very different mix". This is a perfect example of applying psychoacoustic theories to real world sound design and exemplifies what separates the men from the boys regarding mixing engineers.
INSERT PIC 38 HERE - [BOARD TRACKS]
INSERT PIC 39 HERE - [BLACK SABBATH - 13 - FRONT]
INSERT PIC 40 HERE - [BLACK SABBATH - 13 - BACK]
Zip's design and art direction presents us with a nice sturdy gatefold LP jacket. London-based photogapher Jonathan Knowles graces the cover with a picture of a wicker sculpture created by Spencer Jenkins, depicting the number '13' burning amid a dark eerie background defended by trees. This in turn wraps around to the back cover in minimalist fashion with the eight song titles listed in white on black background taking centre stage plus the ubiquitous universal barcode at the bottom. Opening the gatefold is a bit of a nonevent for it is simply a wider more distant view of the same cover photo; a different shot or angle at the very least would have left a stronger lasting impact. The records are housed in two different 'glossy' inner sleeves; the first one in B&W with the song's lyrics printed over Vic Firth drumsticks and the second one with further lyrics plus numerous credits on a red tinged background that will light up many audiophiles and rock musicians with four big output tubes. Of course this visual attraction is not the best for protecting our precious vinyl, so I placed the latter in a separate flexible anti static rice paper 'Original Master Sleeves'.
INSERT PIC 41 HERE - [BLACK SABBATH - 13 - GATEF. INT.]
INSERT PIC 42 HERE - [BLACK SABBATH - 13 - CREATION]
INSERT PIC 43 HERE - [BLACK SABBATH - 13 - INNER SLEEVE A]
INSERT PIC 44 HERE - [BLACK SABBATH - 13 - INNER SLEEVE B]
INSERT PIC 45 HERE - [BLACK SABBATH - 13 - INNER SLEEVE C]
INSERT PIC 46 HERE - [BLACK SABBATH - 13 - INNER SLEEVE D]
INSERT PIC 47 HERE - [VERTIGO SWIRL - SABBATH - 13 - A]
INSERT PIC 48 HERE - [VERTIGO SWIRL - SABBATH - DEBUT - A]
INSERT PIC 49 HERE - [VERTIGO SWIRL - SABBATH - DEBUT - B]
The 180 gram heavy-weight LPs were pressed I believe at United Record Pressing. All sides were flat, shiny lustered, deep black, providing contrasting groove depth; all in all visually perfect and reassuring for the eyes. The four labels are identical and reprise the classic Vertigo 'swirl' of the early 1970s - the group's original UK label - reinforcing the link with the past and I might add, a classy touch. Inscribed in the dead wax on all sides are 'CB'. Mastering/cutting engineer Chris Bellman who joined forces with Bernie Grundman Mastering in Hollywood since 1984 has a career reaching back to the 'golden' disco years of Casablanca & co. Quite prolific, Discogs lists no less than 25 pages on him. Here he chose a groove-spacing travel of 3 inches for side A; just over 2 inches for side B thus leaving a wide 1 1/2 inches unmodulated; 2 3/4 inches for side C and just over 2 3/4 for side D. With roughly 17 minutes of music on side A; 9 1/2 on B; 12 on C and 15 on D; this translates to approx. 5.7 min./inch; 4.8 min./inch; 4.4 min./inch and 5.5 min./inch of linear cutting displacement respectively. At 33 1/3 rpm and normal cutting levels, all fall well below the recommended maximum limits for non-distorted sound.
INSERT PIC 50 HERE - [CHRIS BELLMAN - AT RIGHT]
Will the Bain legacy shine through this 'dark' reunion? That we shall see without further ado.
Right from the start up to the very end, 13 is a solid winner. The 'old school' Sabbath fan can rest assured; even without Ward nor Bain, Rubin has succeeded once again where so many have failed in the past: to bring about the rare and sought-after alchemy between band and producer, delivering it as a gift to die-hard metal fans worldwide. Musically this could be seen as a logical 'Vol. 4 candidate' in the sense that it is a more worthy follow-up to 1971's Master of Reality than the true Vol. 4 was at the time. This is pure heavy metal with a definite penchant for the doomier side rather than any stray towards prog, hard rock or thrash aspirations. There are more musically challenging albums out there; they did not reinvent the wheel for sure. As such, many new songs instantly recollect and reconnect with their glorious past.
Such is the case with the opener "End of the Beginning" whose slow tempo and desolate chords are a direct throwback to "Black Sabbath", the track that started it all. This is followed by the first single of the album - the 2014 Grammy winning "God Is Dead?". Side B continues heavy with "Loner" ripping it's riff right off of "N.I.B." while "Zeitgeist" calms things down quite a notch recalling "Planet Caravan" from Paranoid. After this smooth 'intermezzo', side C comes roaring back with a vengeance in what I believe are the two strongest tracks of the LP: "Age of Reason" and "Live Forever" prove without a a doubt that these 'old-timers' can more than hold their own against the new kids on the block when it comes down to combining heaviness with grooviness. Side D gets bluesier with "Damaged Soul" that features harmonica supposedly played by musician Stanley Behrens - yet nonetheless credited to Ozzy - recalling the feel of "The Wizard" from their debut LP. Lastly "Dear Father" ends in style with its outro annexed to the exact 'thunder and rain' intro taken from "Black Sabbath"; closing the circle - how perfectly fitting.
Audiophiles can breathe a sigh of relief also: the sound is uniformely and genuinely excellent. No it is not perfect when put up against top-flight demo material be it L.A. Woman, DSOTM, Rumors, RAM or the like; but in the context of metal and hard rock recordings which sadly have a rather poor or 'below par batting average', believe me this is in the upper echelon for the genre and I have a sizable metal collection to affirm the latter.
Going into more sonic detail: Iommi's guitar and tube amp sound is spectacular and steals the show. Fidelman's tracking and Exeter's overdubs capture the drive, density and energy of the electric guitar like I have rarely heard on record. It is warm, lush and so thick you could cut it with a knife; i.e. what guitarist and some audiophiles call full tone. Add to that non-processed, rather dry, low on reverb and echo but with plenty of power and sustain; all this producing a larger than life panoramic-wide effect yet still intimate in presence and proximity; somewhat counterintuitive at first glance I admit. You instinctively recognize his signature 'doom' sound but it is as if it took on serious steroid enhancement four decades later. Ozzy's vocals are quite good and young sounding; a miraculous timewarp to a period long gone. After all the 'lifestyle abuse' that mind and body went through and the extreme babbling incoherence we are used to seing in real life, you would be forgiven to expect a 'past due date' delivery? What you get is the exact opposite in fact. Like the guitar, the vocals have minimal processing with only two dedicated tracks: the lead and a double that Ozzy overdubbed reminiscent of his early years.
The old "Geezer"'s bass is a bit 'camouflaged' or overpowered by the guitar to my taste but one could argue that it blends better that way. Wilk's drums produce mixed results and are the primary reason that keeps this recording from attaining perfection. On the one hand they sound quite heavy, powerfully pounding in some parts which is great in this doom context but I find the kick would welcome a bit more attack and articulation to cut through the dense tone. This does improve slightly starting on side B and even more so on side C but the heavy use of drum and parrallel mix compression robs a little life out of it and that of the snare also. At the other end of the spectrum the ride cymbal comes out clean with nice natural metallic shimmer but regretfully there is some graininess or dirt heard on the hihat and crash.
As a comparison I took Rubin's advice and spun their first three albums - all Canadian first pressings on the 'olive green' Warner label - back to back: no filler-up material on these gems; they are still musically incredible and way ahead of their times on many musical aspects. Sonically Bain's production aided by Tom Allom, Barry Sheffield and Brian Humphries' engineering is variably good to excellent with their debut coming out leaner and cleaner with great cymbal detail and decay but some near-excess in the 'stereo mix' reverb while the following two LPs are much dryer, dig a bit deeper and sound a trifle veiled. The snare snap and low mid impact along with the fast rise time heard on the drumkit showcases well Wards' impressive dynamic playing. The general mixes were quite spot on but they do sound 'bandwidth-shy' when juxtaposed right after listening to 13. In that sense the new guys got it suprisingly right.
Fidelman's tracking and Scheps' mix is in fact compressed and limited in dynamic range when measured objectively but on a subjective angle, it passes rather well and does not provoke the typical listener fatigue so common in this day and age of loudness wars. Regarding the latter, I do not expect the same negative reaction that the infamous Death Magnetic provoked. I attribute this to a sublime - warm - tonal balance with just the right amount of density and distortion to relax the ear and listening experience. This, plus the band's excellent 'native' sound, Rubin's clear 'intelligent' production objectives and keeping things relatively uncomplicated from start to finish, seems to be the key here. Marcussen and Whitmore's mastering is remarkably consistent and of good taste. Chris Bellman's fine lacquer cutting insures a distortion-free, wideband balanced, non aggressive sound as one might expect more from the Hoffman-Gray duo than a Grundman cut. The vinyl surface proved near perfect from start to finish and modulated at a moderate level with no obtrusive inner-groove distortion; as expected given the sufficient dead wax and safe time distribution.
To conclude, depending on culture or one's point of view, the number '13' can be the bringer of either bad luck or good luck; in Sabbath's case, the latter definitely prevails. 13 can be considered one of their best albums in a long career, equalled or surpassed only by the band's first three offerings. I dare hesitate to call it one of the all time best metal albums for there are way too many LPs and subgenres that could challenge that statement. It is a safer bet to call it one of the best sounding metal albums ever produced. Rubin you truly are 'The Wizard'!
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Released just a few months prior to Sabbath's 13 is another album from a major metal act that garnered much less attention in the main press but remains a force to be reckon with...
Voïvod
Target Earth
Century Media 8961-2 (2013, Jan.)
Rating: 4.0 / A
Format: Limited edition purple Vinyl (2x180 gram LP at 33.33 rpm)
Musicians:
- Denis "Snake" Bélanger - vocals
- Daniel "Chewey" Mongrain - guitar
- Jean-Yves "Blacky" Thériault - bass
- Michel "Away" Langevin - drums
INSERT PIC 51 HERE - [VOIVOD - EARLIER YEARS]
Formed in 1982 in Jonquière, Québec, Voïvod - featuring Michel "Away" Langevin, Denis "Snake" Bélanger, Jean-Yves "Blacky" Thériault and the late Denis "Piggy" D'Amour - has never reached the mass appeal that the British pioneers have duly earned. On the other hand they do enjoy a large cult following in their home province and especially so in Europe, where more 'oblique' styles seem to flourish better than in the States. They remain Canada's most important metal act and one of the rare ones to achieve substantial notoriety; a strange thing considering La belle province's strong appeal for metal music. If heavy blues was the dominant DNA ingredient found in the earliest bands, an unlikely combination of hardcore noise, thrash and prog lay at the root of this creative quartet. Try to imagine the apocalyptic bleakness of Discharge, King Crimson's dissonant riffs a la "21st Century Schizoid Man", "Larks' Tongues in Aspic" or "Red" with Rush's harder concept period fused into one. This may explain their unmistakable unique style of composing.
INSERT PIC 52 HERE - [DISCHARGE - HEAR NOTHING...]
INSERT PIC 53 HERE - [KING CRIMSON - IN THE COURT...]
INSERT PIC 54 HERE - [KING CRIMSON - LARKS' TONGUES...]
INSERT PIC 55 HERE - [KING CRIMSON - RED]
INSERT PIC 56 HERE - [VOIVOD - WAR AND PAIN]
INSERT PIC 57 HERE - [VOIVOD - RRROOOAAARRR]
INSERT PIC 58 HERE - [VOIVOD - KILLING TECHNOLOGY]
Marking their debut in 1984 with War and Pain [Banzai BRC 1925] followed by Rrröööaaarrr [Banzai BRC 1973 or Noise International N 0040] in 1986 and Killing Technology [Noise International N 0058] recorded in Berlin, Germany in 1987; all three tended to veer towards noisier versions of Motörhead with the latter LP just hinting at possible prog inclinations. This gradual shift from noisy speed into more complex time signatures and focused compositions accelerated with the release of Dimension Hatröss [Noise International N 0106-1] featuring "Tribal Convictions"; a great track with accompanying video - highly original in song structure and for its 'primeval' percussion.
INSERT PIC 59 HERE - [VOIVOD - DIMENSION HATROSS]
INSERT PIC 60 HERE - [VOIVOD - NOTHINGFACE]
The quartet would reach its musical zenith in 1989 with their most progressive oriented metal album to date: the superb Nothingface [Mechanic MCA 6326]. A veritable tour de force of odd meters and musical creativity coalesced ingeniously into one metal masterpiece; which included an original cover of Pink Floyd's "Astronomy Domine" taken from their debut The Piper at the Gates of Dawn [Columbia SX 6157 or SCX 6157]. This would turn out to be their 'Sgt. Pepper' and subsequent LPs would not live up to this high benchmark.
INSERT PIC 61 HERE - [VOIVOD - ANGEL RAT]
INSERT PIC 62 HERE - [VOIVOD - THE OUTER LIMITS]
1991's Angel Rat [MCA 10293] produced and poorly recorded by Terry Brown - who ironically worked on Rush's best albums - departed from their previous styles, toning down some of the prog complexities for a strange alternative rock metal hybrid, saw the departure of bassist Blacky; replaced initially by Eric Forest and eventually by ex-Metallica bassist Jason Newsted aka Jasonic.Two years later, The Outer Limits [MCA -10701] brought back hard and prog elements and featured their lengthiest composition ever, the out of this world 17 1/2 minute "Jack Luminous" - think 2112 meets Gentle Giant; it also signalled singer Bélanger sitting out for the next two LPs. With Seattle taking over the entire rock scene and grunge replacing thrash as the new darlings of the 'heavy' crowd, metal descended underground while extreme subgenres intensified in the form of death, black and sludge leaving many to disappear under the radar for the better part of the decade. Like Metallica, Anthrax and many of the first wave of speed thrashers, Voïvod took a back seat to creativity; in the process causing me and others alike to lose interest.
But here is the conundrum for any artists or band: we expect them to innovate, yet when they do change direction or surprise us, we are often displeased and yearn for a return to the 'good old days' as if we wish to discover a NOS of unreleased material when the band were at their apex. Which explains in part the favourable reception that Sabbath got with 13 and why Voïvod's Target Earth - the band's sixteenth album -is also preaching to the choir. At first I found it to be a sequel to Nothingface but on my second spin I would rather qualify it as a prequel. It shares all the complexities of the latter but is less polished, more brute force than finesse, rougher and darker; stirring images of Alien and Blade Runner. This is the missing link between Dimension Hatröss and Nothingface, now providing a bridge to cross that large leap; just like "Cygnus X1 Book I - The Voyage" from Rush's A Farewell to Kings [Anthem ANR-1-1010]was the transit to "Book II: Hemispheres" [Anthem ANR-1-1014].
INSERT PIC 63 HERE - [RUSH - A FAREWELL TO KINGS]
INSERT PIC 64 HERE - [RUSH - HEMISPHERES]
INSERT PIC 65 HERE - [VOIVOD - TARGET EARTH - FRONT]
INSERT PIC 66 HERE - [VOIVOD - TARGET EARTH - INSIDE GATEF.]
As with previous albums drummer "Away" handled the artwork. The colorful gatefold jacket depicts an imaginary alien armed warrior. The back cover lists the songs inside a circle surrounded by red, yellow, green and purple hues commensurate with the front. Inside are the four members captured by photographer Ronald Mc Gregor clad in black t-shirts, half of them graced by gray hair; a far cry from the young metal warriors of War and Pain. The reddish orange inner sleeves made of thick semi rigid paper are adorned with stylised 'sci fi' animalesque drawings obscured by the black printed lyrics and credits.
Target Earth introduces younger guitarist Daniel "Chewey" Mongrain stepping into Denis "Piggy" D'Amour's shoes. They are big shoes to fill and he does it seamlessly; in fact one must have a keen musician's ear to appreciate the playing and sound nuances between both. The Fripptonian dissonant chords are all there and blend perfectly with the original reunited remaining trio yet he distinguishes himself from "Piggy" more with his forthright 'rock-ish' leads than the dark decadent riffs. Bélanger's limited vocal range has not improved with time; in fact I found it less in tune or passionate than in the past but just like Motörhead's Lemmy, it has become part of the band's signature sound. Langevin and Thériault live up to their previous high standards.
Which is not the case I can confirm concerning the recording and final sound quality of Target Earth. We are not mere planets but universes apart from the excellence found on Nothingface that was produced, engineered and mixed by Glen Robinson, recorded digitally at the vintage Victor Studio in Montreal with assistance by Benoit Lavallée and mixed digitally at Powerplay Studio, Long Island with assistance by Rob Sutton. This great engineering team had done a splendid 'near-audiophile' job of capturing the band with a rare combination - especially in metal - of a balanced dry mix with fine precision and wide bandwidth; you could easily follow every instrument at any point with no listener fatigue.
This time a whole new team of players have delivered just the opposite: a highly compressed, unarticulated sonic 'soup'. With few exceptions, the kick drum has no punch, the snare has no snap, cymbals are mostly veiled and ill-defined. The electric bass lacks body and impact and is distorted though this appears more of an artistic choice. Vocals are grainy and hard to follow through the thick haze while the guitar's native sound is quite interesting and on the cool side but is slightly hampered by the over-processed mix drenched in reverb and brick wall limiting.
"Target Earth" and "Kluskap O'Kom" fill side A; the bandwidth and soundstage are narrow but do get a bit wider on side B with some small improvement in the lows, kick and top end. "Empathy for the Enemy" starts off with what sounds like citar - a rarity for the genre - bringing in middle eastern flavouring while "Mechanical Mind"'s intro of blocks, bells and chimes borrows liberally from Rush's "Xanadu" intro from A Farewell to Kings. Side C opens with what I consider the strongest track of the album: "Warchaic" with its too short intro of cinematic grandeur and Coplandesque aspirations, delivers tympani and fuzzy bass with all the depth and heft worthy of top audiophile pedigree. To our dismay it rapidly falls under the thinner compressed assault like the remainder of the LP. Contrary to Sabbath, there is no warmth, intimacy or sound cohesion; resembling more a 'white noise' accompanied soon by some ear fatigue. I have heard worse and it is not that far below the mediocre average for this genre but it is all the more maddening when the musical content merits so much better and that it once was so superior.
Not being present during the sessions and post production, it is difficult to point the finger at one particular stage more than the other for this outcome but having compared the LP with the CD, I can attest that the latter was sligthly worse; so we must deduce that the fault lies earlier in the chain. A good recording can be marred by a bad mastering but a bad recording or mixing is hard to improve at the mastering stage whatever you throw at it. So without further ado, here are the personnel responsible in some form or the other for the album's sound: for starters the band decided to produce it themselves; it was recorded by ex-Obliveon guitarist Pierre Rémillard and Jean-Yves Thériault at Wild Studio in St-Zénon February 2012 and Studio Plateau in Montreal June 2012, both in Québec; mixed by Sanford Parker at Hypercube and mastered by Collin Jordan at The Boiler Room, both in Chicago, IL. Assisted by Martin Brunet and GrimSkunk guitarist Peter Edwards. Surprisingly Parker is friends with Steve Albini and regularly records at his Electrical Audio studio in Chicago even claiming to be inspired by him - if so I did not hear it on this album.
INSERT PIC 67 HERE - [PIERRE REMILLARD]
INSERT PIC 68 HERE - [SANFORD PARKER - MIXING]
INSERT PIC 69 HERE - [SANFORD PARKER]
INSERT PIC 70 HERE - [COLLIN JORDAN - MASTERING]
INSERT PIC 71 HERE - [OPTIMAL MEDIA GMBH - PREMASTERING STUDIO]
INSERT PIC 72 HERE - [OPTIMAL MEDIA GMBH - DMM CUTTER HEAD]
INSERT PIC 73 HERE - [OPTIMAL MEDIA GMBH - PRESSING]
INSERT PIC 74 HERE - [OPTIMAL MEDIA GMBH - RED PRESSING]
INSERT PIC 75 HERE - [OPTIMAL MEDIA GMBH - VINYL]
The lacquers were mastered and cut by MK at Optimal Media GmbH in Germany. The double 180 gram vinyl pressings are available in black, blue, orange, red and purple. Although black vs colored vinyl often yield slight sonic differences, I did not have the luxury to compare, possessing only the purple edition but matrix runouts confirm they are all sourced from the same stamper. According to the company: "Colored and marbled discs are poorer in sound quality. This is caused by the zinc oxide in the white color that needs to be added to the vinyl compound so other colors can be created. Optimal Media have developed their own vinyl compound and color range." As in everything audio, subjectively some may still prefer the colored pressings over the traditional black. All four sides were flat and silent with the dead wax averaging a satisfactory 1 1/8 inches except side C coming closer to 1/2 inch only.
In conclusion, Target Earth is up there with Voïvod's best material though not surpassing their more refined and tremendoulsly better recorded Nothingface. It would be in the band's best interest to hook up in the future with a top rock producer/engineer the likes of Eddie Kramer, Steve Albini or Rick Rubin who do not limit themselves to metal, have vast experience with top artists in real studios and have not exposed their ears to years of 110dB+ gigs playing guitar or drums; top that off with a renowned rock mastering engineer like Steve Hoffman, Kevin Gray or Chris Bellman and you would assure yourself a win win situation. With that in mind I strongly recommend this album strictly on musical merit. It is a shame that this simply reinforces the bad sonic reputation of metal among discerning audiophiles and tends to validate my long-held suspicion that musicians clearly listen to their material with a different set of ears than the rest of us.
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STEVIE WONDER - TALKING BOOK
Tamla (1972, Oct.)
Original U.S. pressing T319L
Motown
Rating: 8.0 / A (CAN. Motown)
Rating: 7.7 / A (U.S. Tamla)
Rating: 6.6 / A (MoFi)
Category: Soul / Funk
Format: Vinyl (140 gram LP at 33 1/3 rpm)
Musicians:
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I remembered a friend who had a mid-1970s 'indigo' Motown pressing (gatefold with squared maple leaf emblem but pre-barcode [T 319L B5 RS-8106/07]). As luck would have it, while still not perfect, it nevertheless fit the bill for navigating right in the middle between bottom heavy-shelved top and shelved lows-ascending treble. Surprisingly transparent for a Canadian (most probably) second pressing; usually the Canadian counterparts have a bit less top end detail than the U.S. and imports. The cutting level fell in between also and compensated for.
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Original U.S. pressing T319L
Motown
Canadian pressing T319L B5 RS-8106/07
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab (2011)
reissue MOFI 1-009
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab (2011)
reissue MOFI 1-009
Rating: 8.0 / A (CAN. Motown)
Rating: 7.7 / A (U.S. Tamla)
Rating: 6.6 / A (MoFi)
Category: Soul / Funk
Format: Vinyl (140 gram LP at 33 1/3 rpm)
Musicians:
- Produced, Arranged and Written by: Stevie Wonder
- Programming, Engineer, Associate Producer: Malcolm Cecil
- Engineer, Associate Producer: Robert Margouleff
- Engineered by: Austin Godsey
- Assistant Engineers: Joan Decola
- Recorded at Air Studios in London, Electric Lady Studios in New York, Crystal Studios in Los Angeles, and Record Plant in Los Angeles.U.S.A.
- Originally Mastered by: George Marino
- Remastered and Lacquer-Cutted by Paul Stubblebine for Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, Sebastol, CA, U.S.A.
- Pressed at RTI, CA, U.S.A.
- Cover Design:
- Photography: Robert Margouleff
Stevie Wonder not only distinguishes himself by being one of the rare artist to remain loyal to his debut record label but also nearly fifty years later, the longest signed to the legendary Motown family. In fact, even The Miracles' own Smokey Robinson - named vice president in 1961 - temporarily left the company in the 1990s. Which is all the more astonishing given the fact that just a year before recording Talking Book, when turning twenty-one and as a prior agreement, Motown paid him a million dollars that they held onto while he was minor. Not bad for a birthday present you might think, as long as you ignore the fact that the label owed him 30 million in unpaid royalties.
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That's when Wonder founded Taurus Productions and Black Bull Music publishing to assert future control of music and financial rights. Those early years at parent company Tamla and its subsidiary Gordy was a veritable who's who of what was to become the biggest names in (Detroit) soul music in the nineteen-sixties and early-seventies; The Temptations, The Supremes, The Four Tops, Junior Walker, Marvin Gaye and of course Little Stevie Wonder as he was known at that time. Of that list - and not in the least discarding the great musical contributions of the remainders - the latter two, stand out as the true pioneer 'rule breakers' from the 'Berry Template'.
That's when Wonder founded Taurus Productions and Black Bull Music publishing to assert future control of music and financial rights. Those early years at parent company Tamla and its subsidiary Gordy was a veritable who's who of what was to become the biggest names in (Detroit) soul music in the nineteen-sixties and early-seventies; The Temptations, The Supremes, The Four Tops, Junior Walker, Marvin Gaye and of course Little Stevie Wonder as he was known at that time. Of that list - and not in the least discarding the great musical contributions of the remainders - the latter two, stand out as the true pioneer 'rule breakers' from the 'Berry Template'.
Just like Marvin's 1971 groundbreaking What's Going On [Tamla]; Stevie's Where I'm Coming From [Tamla] released within a month the same year, departed from the well-oiled 'Motown machine recipe' and set the stage for what is considered his peak creative period. Starting with Music of My Mind the following year and culminating with Songs in the Key of Life in 1976; the apex of which arguably being 1972's Talking Book or 1973's Innervision [all on Tamla].
Compared to Wonder's poppish soul characterized by his formative recording years, Talking Book explores new grounds in instrumentation such as synthesizer and clavinet; putting a heavier emphasis on funk than previous albums. Also, and like soul innovator Marvin Gaye, he retained more artistic freedom than ever before; being credited as songwriter, producer and playing a great many of the instruments.
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In effect it is immediately clear that we are in another universe as far as the Motown Sound is concerned; there is nary a hint of the famous Holland-Dozier-Holland nor Smokey signature. As for his later period; like so many of his contemporaries, the 'creative juices' did not seem to be 'au rendez-vous' so much. While still retaining commercial success in the 1980s, the rich multilayered compositions and musical advances of the previous decade were no longer - the low point being no doubt the perennial wedding favorite "I Just Called to Say I Love You" from - you guessed it - 1984 (there's that year again) and 1982's 'wishy-washy' duet with Paul McCartney, "Ebony and Ivory"; quite ivory indeed when juxtaposed against a song like "Living for the City".
In effect it is immediately clear that we are in another universe as far as the Motown Sound is concerned; there is nary a hint of the famous Holland-Dozier-Holland nor Smokey signature. As for his later period; like so many of his contemporaries, the 'creative juices' did not seem to be 'au rendez-vous' so much. While still retaining commercial success in the 1980s, the rich multilayered compositions and musical advances of the previous decade were no longer - the low point being no doubt the perennial wedding favorite "I Just Called to Say I Love You" from - you guessed it - 1984 (there's that year again) and 1982's 'wishy-washy' duet with Paul McCartney, "Ebony and Ivory"; quite ivory indeed when juxtaposed against a song like "Living for the City".
This is the second record under MFSL's 'Silver Label Series' that I am evaluating; the first one being July's KC & The Sunshine Band that impressed me greatly for its many improvements over the original. I was eager to find out if MoFi could produce another winner with Talking Book.
Apart from the silver band at the top, the gatefold jacket-cover remains a near exact replica of the original, minus the bottom left 'TAMLA square' and a hint more emphasis in the reds. The back cover maintains the original's printed lyrics, supplemented by the universal barcode and MoFi logos.
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Opening the jacket, the 'sunset picture' along with the usual credits are faithfully reproduced.
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Mobile's slightly heavier rigid carton is both reassuring for long time preservation and gladly surprising considering the lower price of this series; no cutting corners packaging wise (some of the competing labels should take note). Inside, the record is housed in their flexible anti-static rice paper 'Original Master Sleeves'. In addition, a folded light carton with twelve album covers taken from the 'Silver Label Series' adorning one side and various products on the flip side, brings further record protection. The standard-weight LP appeared a bit lighter than 150 grams plus seemingly more flexible than the KC & The Sunshine Band of the same series - probably closer to 140 grams; the original vinyl is sturdier and a bit thicker. It is an unfortunate fact that pressing plants will exhibit from time to time, small variants in vinyl weight, strength and surface noise due to so many variants; vinyl pellets, temperature, humidity, release times and stamper quality just to name a few (artistic, technical and environmental aspects all come into play). Pressed at RTI in California; it was shiny and black with a few light visual - almost tangential - scuff marks mainly on Side 2 on the second and third track; these are common enough under good lighting conditions but not that worrisome. As per usual with MoFi, the new label does not try to reproduce the original (in this case the yellow+brown Tamla) but instead is plain black with a top rim of white. The groove spacing is close to the original U.S. Tamla pressing, but in reverse; where the original utilized just over 3 1/8 inches on side A and 3 1/4 inches on side B of width modulation, the MoFi is modulated 3 1/4 on A and 3 1/8 on B, leaving an adequate dead-wax margin. With roughly 21 to 23 min./side, there could be some compromise regarding cutting level versus frequency bandwidth for the chosen speed. The original was mastered and cut by George Marino at The Cutting Room while the MoFi was handled by Paul Stubblebine.
Opening the jacket, the 'sunset picture' along with the usual credits are faithfully reproduced.
Mobile's slightly heavier rigid carton is both reassuring for long time preservation and gladly surprising considering the lower price of this series; no cutting corners packaging wise (some of the competing labels should take note). Inside, the record is housed in their flexible anti-static rice paper 'Original Master Sleeves'. In addition, a folded light carton with twelve album covers taken from the 'Silver Label Series' adorning one side and various products on the flip side, brings further record protection. The standard-weight LP appeared a bit lighter than 150 grams plus seemingly more flexible than the KC & The Sunshine Band of the same series - probably closer to 140 grams; the original vinyl is sturdier and a bit thicker. It is an unfortunate fact that pressing plants will exhibit from time to time, small variants in vinyl weight, strength and surface noise due to so many variants; vinyl pellets, temperature, humidity, release times and stamper quality just to name a few (artistic, technical and environmental aspects all come into play). Pressed at RTI in California; it was shiny and black with a few light visual - almost tangential - scuff marks mainly on Side 2 on the second and third track; these are common enough under good lighting conditions but not that worrisome. As per usual with MoFi, the new label does not try to reproduce the original (in this case the yellow+brown Tamla) but instead is plain black with a top rim of white. The groove spacing is close to the original U.S. Tamla pressing, but in reverse; where the original utilized just over 3 1/8 inches on side A and 3 1/4 inches on side B of width modulation, the MoFi is modulated 3 1/4 on A and 3 1/8 on B, leaving an adequate dead-wax margin. With roughly 21 to 23 min./side, there could be some compromise regarding cutting level versus frequency bandwidth for the chosen speed. The original was mastered and cut by George Marino at The Cutting Room while the MoFi was handled by Paul Stubblebine.
Recorded in 1972 by engineers Joan De Cola and Austin Godsey at four different studios in London, L.A. and New-York. With our man handling more than his fair share of the instruments, we can ascertain with certainty that this was a pure analog muIti-track - 16 track most probably - tape recording and the 'sound fashion' of those early seventies was typically fat groovy warmth plus soft and smooth highs trumping loudness level; quite the opposite of today's 'fashion' and even of the preceding 'Motown Sound' for that matter.
I started the 'spinning shootout' with my original United States Tamla first pressing. The opening notes of "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" was pretty much as I remembered; warm generous bass and low mids but a definite lack of airiness in the top end, making a pleasant but ill-defined soft sound. Singer James Gilstrap enters first on the left followed by Lani Groves on the right before Stevie takes over in the middle as lead vocal. The vocals are 'creamy' with warm palpability and retain a rare dry naturalness; no artificial reverb here. Cymbals are a bit far and curtailed in the mix. Switching to the MoFi, I was surprised and disappointed that the lows were attenuated and the vocals lost the very positive qualities mentioned above. The one minor improvement was a 'lifting of veils' in the higher frequencies, producing better clarity but at the expense of tone; as if the treble details were somehow distracting or intruding on the gestalt of the music. That said on certain systems and with different sound priorities, some audiophiles may prefer this opposite tonal tilt. As seems to be a recurring theme with the 'newer' MoFi LPs, the cutting level registers roughly 4dB lower on the sound meter; so of course levels were re-adjusted between swaps.
"Maybe Your Baby" takes us on a radical departure from the sophisticated suave pop of the prior track. Here things turn grittier with a slow tempo heavy-funk worthy of Sly Stone that did not get the fair amount of airplay that it deserved. Synthesizer maven Robert Margouleff and bassist Malcolm Cecil who had work previously with Stevie on Music of My Mind bring their magic to this awesome cut.
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Already working as a duo under the name Tonto's Expanding Head Band, the three would later collaborate on Billy Preston's 1975 album It's My Pleasure [A&M] with ex-backup Motown singer, friend and former wife Syreeta Wright lending voice on one track. Margouleff often served as a bridge between the creations of electro-whiz Robert Moog and adventurous musicians. Their elaborate keyboard programming enabled Wonder to expand the sonic landscape encompassing urban ghetto-soul, P-Funk and electronic sounds; opening up doors for future black musicians to integrate more electronic sounds in their music. The sonic differences between both copies remained pretty much the same, with the original pushing the lower fundamentals of the vocals upfront with a nice warm densely sustain on the electric guitar blending in the mix and more in the background; again everything a bit veiled and muffled. The MoFi was less veiled with the cymbals more pronounced, this widening a bit the soundstage. The vocals pushing more the harmonics, sounded as if higher pitched a bit. Too bad the diminished bottom robbed some of the bass power of the song. Nevertheless this is probably the track to come out the strongest or balanced in sound regarding the MoFi version.
Already working as a duo under the name Tonto's Expanding Head Band, the three would later collaborate on Billy Preston's 1975 album It's My Pleasure [A&M] with ex-backup Motown singer, friend and former wife Syreeta Wright lending voice on one track. Margouleff often served as a bridge between the creations of electro-whiz Robert Moog and adventurous musicians. Their elaborate keyboard programming enabled Wonder to expand the sonic landscape encompassing urban ghetto-soul, P-Funk and electronic sounds; opening up doors for future black musicians to integrate more electronic sounds in their music. The sonic differences between both copies remained pretty much the same, with the original pushing the lower fundamentals of the vocals upfront with a nice warm densely sustain on the electric guitar blending in the mix and more in the background; again everything a bit veiled and muffled. The MoFi was less veiled with the cymbals more pronounced, this widening a bit the soundstage. The vocals pushing more the harmonics, sounded as if higher pitched a bit. Too bad the diminished bottom robbed some of the bass power of the song. Nevertheless this is probably the track to come out the strongest or balanced in sound regarding the MoFi version.
"You and I (We Can Conquer the World)" is the worse sounding track of the album regardless of which pressing; displaying lots of sibilance in the reverb tail of the vocals, close to distortion and a lack of weight on the piano; moreso on the MoFi. Although a hit, music wise it was never my cup of tea. A bit of surface noise could be heard in the right channel but not surprisingly my second-hand original had even more.
With "Tuesday Heartbreak", Stevie returns to form in this lighter funky soul piece. This, along with “Maybe Your baby”, is the high points of side A in terms of original composition, arrangements as well as on sonic terms. Comparisons in sound remained constant and in line with those described in the prior tracks.
"You've got It Bad Girl" closes the first half of the album. It is obvious that the tape suffers from excessive distortion mainly caused by the truly disturbing sibilance and what resembles some flute - though none are mentioned in the credits - like playing. The mix seems almost saturated as if the meters were pegging '+5dB' on the soundboard or the tape heads at the time. Add to that the less favorable 'end of side / inner-groove' handicap pushing twenty-three minutes and you've got yourself a recipe for disaster. On the original, with its shelved treble, the distortion is a bit less obtrusive if you are not in comparative mode but once exposed, it is there alright and hard to ignore.
At this juncture, it seemed evident that both pressings were far from ideal and that - sibilance aside - an 'in-between' solution (as far as tonal balance / equalization is concerned) was still wanting; enter the 'Classic Canadian Compromise'.
I remembered a friend who had a mid-1970s 'indigo' Motown pressing (gatefold with squared maple leaf emblem but pre-barcode [T 319L B5 RS-8106/07]). As luck would have it, while still not perfect, it nevertheless fit the bill for navigating right in the middle between bottom heavy-shelved top and shelved lows-ascending treble. Surprisingly transparent for a Canadian (most probably) second pressing; usually the Canadian counterparts have a bit less top end detail than the U.S. and imports. The cutting level fell in between also and compensated for.
Side B opens with the blockbuster funk classic "Superstition". Originally offered to Jeff Beck who had created the drum beat, Wonder was persuaded by Berry Gordy to make it his own first. The 'Man' may have got it wrong a few times, but there is no doubt he got it right this time and was the best advice he ever gave to his protégé. Reaching number one on the charts, with its instantly recognizable funky clavinet riff along with Margouleff & Cecil`s Moog and Arp sounds, it remains one of the grooviest song ever put to wax.
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Towards the coda the tenor and trumpet trade places thanks to 'Mr. Pan Pot' keeping things exciting 'til the last notes. The original has great weight and grunt in the bottom plus lots of presence in the mids conveying a very groovy feel to the song. The 'nasty' Hoener clavinet has good clear bite. Negatively the hi-hat is lacking in overtones which is really a shame. The MoFi lacked quite a bit of weight reducing the groove factor but had more detail in the top end. The Canadian alternative got it almost spot on, with impressive clarity in the treble plus nice hi-hat definition balanced at just the correct level. Only minor caveat was a slight penalty in the bottom bass impact and low mid warmth proximity which couldn't displace the U.S. Tamla.
"Big Brother" takes on another direction with some oriental aspirations.
"Blame It On the Sun", another strong composition, comes out best on the original with very good tonal balance, tremendous lows, creamy vocals and the highs a bit better leveled and detailed than the rest of the album. The Canadian is a close second.
"Lookin' for Another Pure Love" with Jeff Beck on electric guitar, is equally as strong if not more so. Sonic differences between all three pressings remain constant.
The album closes off with the much covered "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)".
After completing my evaluation I roamed the forums and the web (I never do before to prevent pre-bias influence) to gather added info on the subject. I subsequently found out that Stevie Wonder preciously withholds the two-track Master Tape and there is no way it ever leaves its master. So we cannot be sure of the fidelity of the copy, that mastering engineer Paul Stubblebine had to work with.
Summing up, cautiously recommended only if you don't already own an original Tamla in good condition or have always found it to be shelved and veiled on top. If you feel funky but are hesitating between this reissue and MoFi's KC & The Sunshine Band [MOFI 1-012], wait no longer and go for the latter. It may not carry the artistic recognition that Talking Book has earned throughout the years - not surprising given the 'anti-disco' attitude of the mainstream press - but with no filler-up material, it displays less distortion and a much better - near perfect - tonal balance. Or if you feel more soulful, Marvin's What's Going On [MFSL 1-314] may be better - I have not had the chance to assess theirs, but know the original recording was really excellent. In any case, with their vast selection of music styles, there are plenty other MoFi titles that I would recommend for sound before this one. For the most neutral tonal balance, try to find an early to mid-1970s Canadian Motown pressing. If your tastes cater more to a weighty low-mid palpable creaminess and can tolerate the missing top end harmonics, go for the original United States Tamla first pressing on the second-hand market. Rating them, the original Tamla and Canadian Motown would garner between a 7.5 and 8. The latter sounds like an excellent neutral MOSFET transistor, while the former compares more to a well-played vintage tube with its charms and limits.
The pitfalls of having done mastering and owning a neutrally revealing system is the tendency to second-guess one's peers. There are so many 'what ifs': what if the engineer added a 3dB lift under 80 Hz to retained the weight or tamed down the 5 kHz to 10 kHz octave by half a dB or so to lessen the sibilance and even more important; what if Mobile had had access to the Original Master Recording that resides 'stashed in the Maestro's Vault'? So many questions...
For now, only Stevie may well know the answer while one has to Wonder.________________________________________________________________
↧
TOP ALL TIME FAVORITE RECORDINGS
The following records are chosen based on my personal music appreciation and also in some cases for their superior sound quality; the latter rated by a [G] for good, [E] for excellent, [O] for outstanding and [P] for as close to perfection as can be. In other words, if there is none of these four ratings preceding the title, the recording is either sonically compromised in some aspects to my tastes or I have not had the opportunity to seriously evaluate it. A [? ] preceding the aforementioned letters indicates the probable rating, given general reviews and past experience when I have not had the actual pressing in hand to evaluate. The equivalent numerical range ratings are given below.
Many of these sound recommendations may reflect only a specific pressing, such as an original copy or a superior audiophile remastering; as such one should not automatically construe that a different pressing than stated below will be as sonically impressive nor will it be necessarily awful either.
'RE' indicates Remastered/Reissue along with the year in question following the original release date. When not specified, pressings can be considered 'original US' while the other 'imports' are indicated by country abbreviation.
Lists are compiled foremost by broad musical genres; followed by the artists/groups placed along a historic line; with their selective creative output ranked in chronological release order. All are subject to timely revisions and constant evolution.
Global ratings:
[G] = 7.5-8.2
[E] = 8.3-8.9
[O] = 9.0-9.5
[P] = 9.6-10
Bill Haley & His Comets:(1952)
[G] Rock with Bill Haley and the Comets (1954) - Essex
Shake, Rattle and Roll (1955) - Decca
Rock Around the Clock (1955) - Decca
Elvis Presley:(1954-07)
Elvis Presley (1956) - RCA
[O] Elvis Is Back! (1960) (1997 RE) - DCC or 2nd choice: (2010) - A. Prod. (2x45rpm)
[E] Elvis 24 Karat Hits! [recordings: 1956 to 1969] (1997) - DCC
2nd choice (2010) - Anal. Prod. (3x45rpm)
Buddy Holly:(1956-04)
[G] Buddy Holly (1958) (1995 RE) - MCA
The Ventures:(1960-02)
[G] Walk, Don't Run (1960) - Dolton
[G] The Ventures Play Telstar and the Lonely Bull (1963) - Dolton
[G] Surfing (1963) - Dolton
[G] The Ventures in Space (1964) - Dolton
[G]Wild Things! (1966) - Dolton
[G] Play the Batman Theme (1966) - Dolton
[G] Hawaii Five-O (1969) - Liberty
The Beach Boys:(1961-11)
[?E] Pet Sounds (1966) (2015 RE mono) - Analogue Productions
Wild Honey (1967) - Capitol
[G] The Smile Sessions [recorded: 1965 to 1971] (2011 RE) - Capitol
The Beatles:(1962-10)
[?E] Please Please Me (1963) (2014 RE mono) - Parlophone Universal UK
[?E]With the Beatles (1963) (2014 RE mono) - Parlophone Universal UK
[?E] A Hard Day's Night (1964) (2014 RE mono) - Parlophone Universal UK
[?E] Beatles for Sale (1964) (2014 RE mono) - Parlophone Universal UK
[?G] Help! (1965) - Parlophone UK
[?G]Rubber Soul (1965) - Parlophone UK
[G]Revolver (1966) - Parlophone UK
[E] Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) (1983 RE) - MoFi
[?G] Magical Mystery Tour (1967) - (1981 RE) - MoFi
The Hollies:(1963-05)
Bus Stop (1966) - Imperial UK
Distant Light (1971) - Parlophone UK
The Rolling Stones:(1963-06)
[G] The Rolling Stones (1964) - Decca UK
Aftermath (1966) - London US
Beggars Banquet (1968) - Decca UK
Let It Bleed (1969) - Decca UK
Sticky Fingers (1971) - Decca UK
The Kinks:(1964-02)
Kinks (1964) - Pye UK
Kinks-Size (1965) - Reprise US
The Yardbirds:(1964-05)
For Your Love (1965) - Epic US
The Spencer Davis Group:(1964-05)
Gimme Some Lovin' (1967) - United Artists
I'm a Man (1967) - United Artists
David Bowie:(1964-06)
David Bowie (also released as Space Oddity) (1969) - Philips UK
The Man Who Sold the World (1970) - Mercury UK
Hunky Dory (1971) - RCA UK
[?G]The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders... (1972) - (1981 RE) MoFi
Aladdin Sane (1973) - RCA UK
Diamond Dogs (1974) - RCA UK
Young Americans (1975) - RCA UK
Station to Station (1976) - RCA UK
"Heroes" (1977) - RCA UK
Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps) (1980) - RCA UK
[E] Blackstar(2016) - ISO, Columbia, Sony Music UK
The Who:(1964-07)
My Generation (1965) - Brunswick UK or (2005 RE) - Classic Records
The Who Sell Out (1967) - Track Record UK or (2005 RE) - Classic Records
Tommy (1969) - Track Record UK or (2006 RE) - Classic Records
Live at Leeds (1970) - Track Record UK or (2005 RE) - Classic Records
Who's Next (1971) - Track Record UK or (2005 RE) - Classic Records
The Zombies:(1964-08)
[G] Begin Here (1965) - Decca UK
[G] The Zombies (1965) - Parrott US
[?G] Odessey and Oracle (1968) - CBS UK
The Moody Blues:(1964-09)
[O] Days of Future Passed (1967) - Deram UK or (1981 RE) MoFi
[?E]In Search of the Lost Chord (1968) - Deram UK
[?E]On the Threshold of a Dream (1969) - Deram UK
[?E]To Our Children's Children's Children (1969) - Threshold Records UK
[?E]A Question of Balance (1970) - Threshold Records UK
[?E]Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (1971) - Threshold Records UK
The Byrds:(1964-10)
Mr. Tambourine Man (1965) - Columbia
Turn! Turn! Turn! (1965) - Columbia
Fifth Dimension (1966) - Columbia
Younger Than Yesterday (1967) - Columbia
The Notorious Byrd Brothers (1968) - Columbia
Sweetheart of the Rodeo (1968) - Columbia
Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde (1969) - Columbia
The Seeds:(1965-03)
The Seeds (1966) - GNP Crescendo
A Web of Sound (1966) - GNP Crescendo
Future (1967) - GNP Crescendo
Raw & Alive: The Seeds in Concert at Merlin's Music ... (1968) - GNP Crescendo
The Lovin' Spoonful:(1965-08)
Hums of the Lovin' Spoonful (1966) - Kama Sutra
Country Joe and the Fish:(1965-10)
[G]Electric Music for the Mind and Body (1967) - Vanguard
I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die (1967) - Vanguard
The Troggs:(1966-02)
From Nowhere (1966) - Fontana UK
Jefferson Airplane:(1966-02)
Jefferson Airplane Takes Off (1966) - RCA
[?O] Surrealistic Pillow (1967) (2015 RE mono) - MoFi (2x45rpm)
After Bathing at Baxter's (1967) - RCA
Crown of Creation (1968) - RCA
Love:(1966-03)
[G] Love (1966) - Elektra
Da Capo (1966) - Elektra
Forever Changes (1967) - Elektra
Four Sail (1969) - Elektra
Out Here (1969) - Blue Thumb Records
False Start (1970) - Blue Thumb Records
Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band:(1966-03)
[G] Trout Mask Replica (1969) - Straight
The Mothers of Invention/Frank Zappa:(1966-06)
Freak Out! (1966) - Verve
Absolutely Free (1967) - Verve
Lumpy Gravy (1967) - Verve
We're Only in It for the Money (1968) - Verve
Uncle Meat (1969) - Bizarre
Hot Rats (1969) - Bizarre or ?(2009 RE) Barking Pumpkin - Classic Records
Burnt Weeny Sandwich (1970) - Bizarre
Weasels Ripped My Flesh (1970) - Bizarre
Grateful Dead:(1966-06)
[?E] The Grateful Dead (1967) - Warner Bros. or (2011 RE) Rhino
[?E]Anthem of the Sun (1968) - Warner Bros. Seven Arts or (2011 RE) Rhino
[?E]Aoxomoxoa (1969) - Warner Bros. Seven Arts or (2011 RE) Rhino
[?E] Live/Dead (1969) - W. Bros. Seven Arts or (2003 RE) Rhino or (2011 RE) - MoFi
[?O] Workingman's Dead (1970) Warner Bros. or (2014 RE) MoFi (2x45rpm)
[O]American Beauty (1970) - Warner Bros. or (2014 RE) MoFi (2x45rpm)
[?E]Grateful Dead (Skull & Roses) (1971) - Warner Bros. or (2012 RE) - MoFi
[E] Wake of the Flood (1973) (2011 RE) - MoFi
The Velvet Underground:(1966-07)
The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967) - Verve
White Light/White Heat (1968) - Verve
The Velvet Underground (1969) - MGM
[G] Loaded (1970) - Cotillion
? and The Mysterians:(1966-08)
96 Tears (1966) - Cameo Parkway
Action (1967) - Cameo Parkway
The Monkees:(1966-08)
More of The Monkees (1967) - Colgems
Cream:(1966-10)
[E]Fresh Cream (1966) - (1996 RE) - DCC
[G]Disraeli Gears (1967) - Reaction UK
Wheels of Fire (1968) - Polydor UK
Blues Magoos:(1966-11)
Psychedelic Lollipop (1966) - Mercury
Electric Comic Book (1967) - Mercury
Basic Blues Magoos (1968) - Mercury
The Jimi Hendrix Experience:(1966-12)
[E] Are You Experienced (1967) (2010 RE) - Experience Hendrix Legacy
[O] Axis: Bold as Love (1967) (2010 RE) - Experience Hendrix Legacy
[?E]Electric Ladyland (1968) (2010 RE) - Experience Hendrix Legacy
Jimi Hendrix:
[?E] Band of Gypsys (1970) (1997 RE) - Classic Records
Posthumous albums
[E]First Rays of the New Rising Sun (1997) (2010 RE) - Experience Hendrix Legacy
[?E]South Saturn Delta (1997) (2011 RE) - Experience Hendrix Legacy
[E]Valleys of Neptune (2010) (2010 RE) - Experience Hendrix Legacy
[G] People, Hell and Angels (2013) - Experience Hendrix Legacy
The Doors:(1967-01)
[G] The Doors (1967) (1992 RE) - DCC
[O] Strange Days (1967) (1992 RE) - DCC
[O]Waiting for the Sun (1968) (1998 RE) - DCC
[?E]The Soft Parade (1969) (2012 RE) - Elektra Analogue Productions (2x45rpm)
[?E] Morrison Hotel (1970) (2012 RE) - Elektra Analogue Productions (2x45rpm)
[O] L.A. Woman (1971) (1998 RE) - DCC or ? (2012 RE) A. Productions (2x45rpm)
Soft Machine:(1967-02)
The Soft Machine (1968) - Probe UK
Volume Two (1969) - Probe UK
Third (1970) - CBS UK
Fourth (1971) - CBS UK
Fifth (1972) - CBS UK
Six (1973) - CBS UK
Seven (1973) - CBS UK
Bundles (1975) - Harvest UK
Softs (1976) - Harvest UK
Many of these sound recommendations may reflect only a specific pressing, such as an original copy or a superior audiophile remastering; as such one should not automatically construe that a different pressing than stated below will be as sonically impressive nor will it be necessarily awful either.
'RE' indicates Remastered/Reissue along with the year in question following the original release date. When not specified, pressings can be considered 'original US' while the other 'imports' are indicated by country abbreviation.
Lists are compiled foremost by broad musical genres; followed by the artists/groups placed along a historic line; with their selective creative output ranked in chronological release order. All are subject to timely revisions and constant evolution.
Global ratings:
[G] = 7.5-8.2
[E] = 8.3-8.9
[O] = 9.0-9.5
[P] = 9.6-10
TOP ROCK ALBUMS
Bill Haley & His Comets:(1952)
[G] Rock with Bill Haley and the Comets (1954) - Essex
Shake, Rattle and Roll (1955) - Decca
Rock Around the Clock (1955) - Decca
Elvis Presley:(1954-07)
Elvis Presley (1956) - RCA
[O] Elvis Is Back! (1960) (1997 RE) - DCC or 2nd choice: (2010) - A. Prod. (2x45rpm)
[E] Elvis 24 Karat Hits! [recordings: 1956 to 1969] (1997) - DCC
2nd choice (2010) - Anal. Prod. (3x45rpm)
Buddy Holly:(1956-04)
[G] Buddy Holly (1958) (1995 RE) - MCA
The Ventures:(1960-02)
[G] Walk, Don't Run (1960) - Dolton
[G] The Ventures Play Telstar and the Lonely Bull (1963) - Dolton
[G] Surfing (1963) - Dolton
[G] The Ventures in Space (1964) - Dolton
[G]Wild Things! (1966) - Dolton
[G] Play the Batman Theme (1966) - Dolton
[G] Hawaii Five-O (1969) - Liberty
The Beach Boys:(1961-11)
[?E] Pet Sounds (1966) (2015 RE mono) - Analogue Productions
Wild Honey (1967) - Capitol
[G] The Smile Sessions [recorded: 1965 to 1971] (2011 RE) - Capitol
The Beatles:(1962-10)
[?E] Please Please Me (1963) (2014 RE mono) - Parlophone Universal UK
[?E]With the Beatles (1963) (2014 RE mono) - Parlophone Universal UK
[?E] A Hard Day's Night (1964) (2014 RE mono) - Parlophone Universal UK
[?E] Beatles for Sale (1964) (2014 RE mono) - Parlophone Universal UK
[?G] Help! (1965) - Parlophone UK
[?G]Rubber Soul (1965) - Parlophone UK
[G]Revolver (1966) - Parlophone UK
[E] Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) (1983 RE) - MoFi
[?G] Magical Mystery Tour (1967) - (1981 RE) - MoFi
The Hollies:(1963-05)
Bus Stop (1966) - Imperial UK
Distant Light (1971) - Parlophone UK
The Rolling Stones:(1963-06)
[G] The Rolling Stones (1964) - Decca UK
Aftermath (1966) - London US
Beggars Banquet (1968) - Decca UK
Let It Bleed (1969) - Decca UK
Sticky Fingers (1971) - Decca UK
The Kinks:(1964-02)
Kinks (1964) - Pye UK
Kinks-Size (1965) - Reprise US
The Yardbirds:(1964-05)
For Your Love (1965) - Epic US
The Spencer Davis Group:(1964-05)
Gimme Some Lovin' (1967) - United Artists
I'm a Man (1967) - United Artists
David Bowie:(1964-06)
David Bowie (also released as Space Oddity) (1969) - Philips UK
The Man Who Sold the World (1970) - Mercury UK
Hunky Dory (1971) - RCA UK
[?G]The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders... (1972) - (1981 RE) MoFi
Aladdin Sane (1973) - RCA UK
Diamond Dogs (1974) - RCA UK
Young Americans (1975) - RCA UK
Station to Station (1976) - RCA UK
"Heroes" (1977) - RCA UK
Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps) (1980) - RCA UK
[E] Blackstar(2016) - ISO, Columbia, Sony Music UK
The Who:(1964-07)
My Generation (1965) - Brunswick UK or (2005 RE) - Classic Records
The Who Sell Out (1967) - Track Record UK or (2005 RE) - Classic Records
Tommy (1969) - Track Record UK or (2006 RE) - Classic Records
Live at Leeds (1970) - Track Record UK or (2005 RE) - Classic Records
Who's Next (1971) - Track Record UK or (2005 RE) - Classic Records
The Zombies:(1964-08)
[G] Begin Here (1965) - Decca UK
[G] The Zombies (1965) - Parrott US
[?G] Odessey and Oracle (1968) - CBS UK
The Moody Blues:(1964-09)
[O] Days of Future Passed (1967) - Deram UK or (1981 RE) MoFi
[?E]In Search of the Lost Chord (1968) - Deram UK
[?E]On the Threshold of a Dream (1969) - Deram UK
[?E]To Our Children's Children's Children (1969) - Threshold Records UK
[?E]A Question of Balance (1970) - Threshold Records UK
[?E]Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (1971) - Threshold Records UK
The Byrds:(1964-10)
Mr. Tambourine Man (1965) - Columbia
Turn! Turn! Turn! (1965) - Columbia
Fifth Dimension (1966) - Columbia
Younger Than Yesterday (1967) - Columbia
The Notorious Byrd Brothers (1968) - Columbia
Sweetheart of the Rodeo (1968) - Columbia
Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde (1969) - Columbia
The Seeds:(1965-03)
The Seeds (1966) - GNP Crescendo
A Web of Sound (1966) - GNP Crescendo
Future (1967) - GNP Crescendo
Raw & Alive: The Seeds in Concert at Merlin's Music ... (1968) - GNP Crescendo
The Lovin' Spoonful:(1965-08)
Hums of the Lovin' Spoonful (1966) - Kama Sutra
Country Joe and the Fish:(1965-10)
[G]Electric Music for the Mind and Body (1967) - Vanguard
I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-to-Die (1967) - Vanguard
The Troggs:(1966-02)
From Nowhere (1966) - Fontana UK
Jefferson Airplane:(1966-02)
Jefferson Airplane Takes Off (1966) - RCA
[?O] Surrealistic Pillow (1967) (2015 RE mono) - MoFi (2x45rpm)
After Bathing at Baxter's (1967) - RCA
Crown of Creation (1968) - RCA
| Bless Its Pointed Little Head (1969) - RCA |
Love:(1966-03)
[G] Love (1966) - Elektra
Da Capo (1966) - Elektra
Forever Changes (1967) - Elektra
Four Sail (1969) - Elektra
Out Here (1969) - Blue Thumb Records
False Start (1970) - Blue Thumb Records
Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band:(1966-03)
[G] Trout Mask Replica (1969) - Straight
The Mothers of Invention/Frank Zappa:(1966-06)
Freak Out! (1966) - Verve
Absolutely Free (1967) - Verve
Lumpy Gravy (1967) - Verve
We're Only in It for the Money (1968) - Verve
Uncle Meat (1969) - Bizarre
Hot Rats (1969) - Bizarre or ?(2009 RE) Barking Pumpkin - Classic Records
Burnt Weeny Sandwich (1970) - Bizarre
Weasels Ripped My Flesh (1970) - Bizarre
Grateful Dead:(1966-06)
[?E] The Grateful Dead (1967) - Warner Bros. or (2011 RE) Rhino
[?E]Anthem of the Sun (1968) - Warner Bros. Seven Arts or (2011 RE) Rhino
[?E]Aoxomoxoa (1969) - Warner Bros. Seven Arts or (2011 RE) Rhino
[?E] Live/Dead (1969) - W. Bros. Seven Arts or (2003 RE) Rhino or (2011 RE) - MoFi
[?O] Workingman's Dead (1970) Warner Bros. or (2014 RE) MoFi (2x45rpm)
[O]American Beauty (1970) - Warner Bros. or (2014 RE) MoFi (2x45rpm)
[?E]Grateful Dead (Skull & Roses) (1971) - Warner Bros. or (2012 RE) - MoFi
[E] Wake of the Flood (1973) (2011 RE) - MoFi
The Velvet Underground:(1966-07)
The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967) - Verve
White Light/White Heat (1968) - Verve
The Velvet Underground (1969) - MGM
[G] Loaded (1970) - Cotillion
? and The Mysterians:(1966-08)
96 Tears (1966) - Cameo Parkway
Action (1967) - Cameo Parkway
The Monkees:(1966-08)
More of The Monkees (1967) - Colgems
Cream:(1966-10)
[E]Fresh Cream (1966) - (1996 RE) - DCC
[G]Disraeli Gears (1967) - Reaction UK
Wheels of Fire (1968) - Polydor UK
Blues Magoos:(1966-11)
Psychedelic Lollipop (1966) - Mercury
Electric Comic Book (1967) - Mercury
Basic Blues Magoos (1968) - Mercury
The Jimi Hendrix Experience:(1966-12)
[E] Are You Experienced (1967) (2010 RE) - Experience Hendrix Legacy
[O] Axis: Bold as Love (1967) (2010 RE) - Experience Hendrix Legacy
[?E]Electric Ladyland (1968) (2010 RE) - Experience Hendrix Legacy
Jimi Hendrix:
[?E] Band of Gypsys (1970) (1997 RE) - Classic Records
Posthumous albums
[E]First Rays of the New Rising Sun (1997) (2010 RE) - Experience Hendrix Legacy
[?E]South Saturn Delta (1997) (2011 RE) - Experience Hendrix Legacy
[E]Valleys of Neptune (2010) (2010 RE) - Experience Hendrix Legacy
[G] People, Hell and Angels (2013) - Experience Hendrix Legacy
The Doors:(1967-01)
[G] The Doors (1967) (1992 RE) - DCC
[O] Strange Days (1967) (1992 RE) - DCC
[O]Waiting for the Sun (1968) (1998 RE) - DCC
[?E]The Soft Parade (1969) (2012 RE) - Elektra Analogue Productions (2x45rpm)
[?E] Morrison Hotel (1970) (2012 RE) - Elektra Analogue Productions (2x45rpm)
[O] L.A. Woman (1971) (1998 RE) - DCC or ? (2012 RE) A. Productions (2x45rpm)
Soft Machine:(1967-02)
The Soft Machine (1968) - Probe UK
Volume Two (1969) - Probe UK
Third (1970) - CBS UK
Fourth (1971) - CBS UK
Fifth (1972) - CBS UK
Six (1973) - CBS UK
Seven (1973) - CBS UK
Bundles (1975) - Harvest UK
Softs (1976) - Harvest UK
| Pink Floyd:(1967-03) [?G] The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967) - Columbia UK or (2016 RE) P.F. Rec. [?G]A Saucerful of Secrets (1968) - Columbia UK or (2016 RE) Pink Floyd Records More (1969) - Columbia UK or (2016 RE) Pink Floyd Records UK Ummagumma (1969) - Harvest UK or ? (2016 RE) Pink Floyd Records UK [E] Meddle (1971) - Harvest UK or (1984 RE) MoFi Obscured by Clouds (1972) - Harvest UK [O] The Dark Side of the Moon (1973) - Harvest UK or (1981 RE) MoFi UHQR or (2003 RE) EMI Harvest 30th anniv. Euro [E] Wish You Were Here (1975) - Harvest UK [G] Animals (1977) - Harvest UK [G] The Wall (1979) - Harvest UK or ? (2012 RE) Harvest US Procol Harum:(1967-05) A Whiter Shade of Pale -12" 45rpm - (1967) - Cube UK [P] A Whiter Shade of Pale -12" 45rpm - (1967) (200?) Regal Zonoph. Classic Rec. Iron Butterfly:(1967-12?)
|
↧
↧
MILES + MOFI + MAGIC
Nefertiti (1968, Jan. or March?) Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab MFSL 2-436 (2014)
Miles in the sky (1968, July) Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab MFSL 2-437 (2015, May)
Filles de Kilimanjaro (1969, Feb) Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab MFSL 2-438 (2015, Aug.)
Originally released on Columbia CS 9594; CS 9628; CS 9750 respectively
Ratings:
Global Appreciation: 9.6
- Music: A+
- Recording: 9.0
- Remastering + Lacquer Cutting: 9.7
- Pressing: 10
- Packaging: First Rate
Category: Jazz
Format: Vinyl (2x180 gram LPs at 45 rpm) each.
Musicians:
Miles Davis - trumpet
Wayne Shorter - tenor saxophone
Herbie Hancock - piano, and Fender Rhodes electric piano
Chick Corea - piano RMI Electra-piano
Ron Carter - double and electric bass
Dave Holland - double bass
Tony Williams - drums
George Benson - electric guitar on "Paraphernalia" (M.Sky)
Additional credits:
Produced by Teo Macero and Howard Roberts
Recorded in Studio C at Columbia 30th Street and in Studio B at CBS Building 52nd Street, Manhattan NYC
Engineered by Fred Plaut, Ray Moore and Stan Tonkel, Frank Laico, Arthur Kendy
Originally mastered by Rob Schwarz
Remastered and cut by Krieg Wunderlich and assisted by Shawn R.Britton at Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab
Design, Cover Art for MoFi by John A.Beck
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![http://www.mofi.com/product_p/mfsl2-437.htm]()
![http://www.mofi.com/product_p/mfsl2-438.htm]()
How time flies!
Twenty five years almost to the day after Miles Davis passed away and close on the heels of Mobile Fidelity's 40th anniversary, the confluence of one of the most influential and iconic jazz figures with the world's preeminent record reissue label obviously brings with it, sky high expectations. To find out just how high, read on...
First and foremost from a musical standpoint you cannot go wrong with just about anything from Davis' visionary and vast body of work. In contrast to many artists, Davis to his great credit, did not stay stuck or feel confined to a certain style or era; instead he kept things in motion, discovering up-and-coming musicians along the way - most of whom would later become giants in their own right. And like any other artist pushing the envelope, he was not always understood initially by the critics but often praised much later on.
The albums under evaluation are the last three of what is generally viewed as Davis'second great quintet - thisin reference to the famous first great quintet of 1955-58 then comprising tenor saxophonist John Coltrane, bassist Paul Chambers, pianist Red Garland and drummer Philly Joe Jones; admittedly these were all big names and once disbanded, very 'big shoes to fill'. Respectively it fell upon Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock and a 17-year-old named Tony Williams recruited a year earlier to 'shape the sound' of this second great quintet from 1964-68. With the exception of Shorter who had joined Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers a few years prior and Hancock's 1962 debut on Blue Note, all four were just starting off their career. In hindsight it is easy to see why he brought them together under his tutelage and wing. Many music historians consider the collective as one of the most influential jazz ensemble ever, serving as a bridge between Davis' modal post bop acoustic period and the electric jazz rock fusion that would soon follow.
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This transitional phase is well documented on TheComplete Plugged Nickel Sessions [Mosaic MQ10-158] a 10xLP box set cut from a 1965 concert in Chicago. In that context the group reinterpret some of their older material with abrupt changes in tempo and with such structural liberty, that some are barely recognizable; all the while showcasing the astonishing intuitiveness, intensity and dexterity delivered throughout these live sets. In contrast, these three albums feature strictly brand new studio material with more restraint in the aforementioned qualities yet still exploring new territory by dipping into avant-garde and free form, all the while without losing sight of the central groove.
Without going the full 'ultra deluxe' route, each album jacket is nontheless presented in gatefold manner on heavy duty matte carton conveying substantial quality and confidence in the finished product and much superior to the original's regular single slit. MFSL's John A. Beck did a splendid job adapting these new double LP designs; combining Victor Atkins' original cover art and Hiro's b&w back photography, providing record collectors long term value. Inside, the gatefold is tastefully rendered in minimalist fashion with the recording studio and engineers taking pride of place in central page, a rare and nice touch given the importance we audiophiles care about the sound.
Inside, the records are housed in their familiar anti static rice paper 'Original Master Sleeves'.In addition, a folded light carton comprising many releases adorns the outer sides while CD's, SACD's and various products are featured on the inner sides, bringing further record protection. The 180 gram LPs are pressed at RTI in California. All 12 sides were stunningly flat, shiny lustered and deep black, i.e. visually perfect save for a tiny scuff on side B of Miles in the sky which turned out to be totally inconsequential upon listening. This confirms that RTI - when closely monitored - are capable of producing the best pressings worldwide and that MoFi have very strict QC to be this consistent on every release compared to other labels that press at the same plant. As customary with MoFi, the new label does not try to reproduce the original (in this case Columbia) but instead is plain black with a silver top rim. Inscribed in the dead wax on all sides are 'kw' for MFSL's cutting engineer.
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Working in Sebastopol California, mastering and cutting engineers Krieg Wunderlich and Shawn R.Britton did not take any chances curtailing the high frequencies chosing to stay far away from the label even leaving up to 2 inches of dead wax on one side; almost exactly half of the 4 inch groove width permissible.
"Hello darkness my old friend..."
Paul Simon summed it up nicely when he composed The Sound(s) of Silence since that is the first thing that springs to mind when the stylus hits that outer groove. Contradictory as those words may seem there is indeed a wonderful warm 'sound to the pitch blackness' of these RTI pressings underlying the music and culminating into the dead wax. The visual that comes to mind everytime are the lunar landscape shots from 2001: A Space Odyssey. You can feel that darkness depth on the screen just as you can in this case, with the cantilever travelling the grooved surface, contributing to a great detente of the ear and mind. This was consistent on all three albums so kudos to RTI and the personnel in charge of the stampers for this flawless quiet noisefloor.
Starting with Porgy and Bess [CS 8085]in 1959 and with nearly all of his Columbia catalogue save for a few exceptions such as E.S.P. [CS 9150],producer extraordinaire Teo Macero manned the helm, crafting the genius of Miles by extracting the very best parts of the recording sessions while painstakingly splicing them back together. A New Yorker jazz saxophonist and composer in his own right, Macero 'rose to fame' on the heels of two seminal productions, both released the same year - 1959 - and considered the best selling jazz albums of all time: Kind of Blue [MFSL 2-45011 or Classic Records CS 8163-45] and Dave Brubeck's Time Out [CS 8192-45QPC]. The latter two need no further introduction in audiophile circles, having benefited numerous times of high quality reissues. Which makes perfect sense given they shared the same chief engineer and recording venue - Fred Plaut and Studio C from Columbia's 30th Street Studio in Manhattan, New York City - recognized as one of the finest recording studios in the world. First constructed as a Presbyterian church back in 1875, Columbia bought and transformed the place in 1949. Sporting 100 foot ceilings and 100 feet of floor space, most of the first reflections were naturally staggered farther apart in time than in a small room. Regrettably it was demolished in the mid 1980s, as so many others since the dawn of DIY DAW (Digital Work Stations).
First released in early 1968, Nefertiti is Davis' last all acoustic production recorded by engineers Fred Plaut, Ray Moore and Stan Tonkel at the church in June and July 1967. Born in Munich, Germany and after a stint in Paris designing recording gear, Plaut emigrated to the States in 1940 and was soon hired by Columbia. Of the three albums under evaluation, this one exhibited more of the airiness that comes with a huge room or church venue such being the case here. And yet it remains intimate just the same with at times a hint of heigthened reverb on the brass, situated in the central stage with the sax a little to the left and Davis dead center. The drum's ride cymbal up front and panned hard left is truly captivating and some would rightfully argue steals the show due to Williams' unrelenting playing whereas the piano panned hard right is rather sparse in notes. The contrast in sound between these two instruments cannot go unnoticed: the drum and in particular the cymbals are captured and cut to vinyl with such precision and realism you can easily differentiate the myriad variations in textures of the wooden tip from the drum stick along the ride cymbal and its corresponding metallic overtones and fluctuations - something extremely rare in reproduced sound - while the piano appears bandwidth limited, more concentrated in the mids, lacking fundamentals and harmonics. The latter is directly related to the original recording's artifacts, either by deliberate mic choice or placement and common enough for the era - unless the leader was the pianist - and as such is not improvable even during remastering. This was more pronounced on side B than on side A while sides C and D showed much better attack and decay of the ivory keys' harmonics bringing a ghostly presence to life over the dead quiet vinyl background; just don't expect to hear the lower registers nor weight presence on par with such piano references as Basie's 88 Street on Pablo/AP [AJAZ 2310-901] or Three Blind Mice's classic Midnight Sugar [TBM-23]. The sax and trumpet harmoniously intertwine but never dominate; in that sense Miles Davis is not starring as one might expect a band leader to do but rather sharing the spotlight within the quintet. This is reflected also in the sound presentation, totally opposite to 1957's Round Midnight [MFSL 1-373 or CL949] in mono that features him upfront, big and intimate. Call it equal opportunity among peers. The double bass sounds a bit cushiony; in amplifier terms, more akin to a 'McIntosh bass' than a high damping Bryston 4B or Classé DR9! It does get better defined with sides C and D where we can follow the typical double bass 'walking', making sides C and D my top choices for music selection and demo purposes.
This is Cinerama!
Recorded in January and May 1968 and released in July the same year, Miles in the sky brings quite a change in landscape musically and sonically. Electrification of the bass and piano make their first entry within the quintet on the opening track "Stuff" and George Benson adding electric guitar on the following track "Paraphernalia", both providing 'blueprints' forBitches Brew, still a full two years into the future. Recording engineers Arthur Kendy and Frank Laico take over duties in a different venue - Columbia's Studio B in New York on the second floor of the seven-story CBS Studio Building on 52nd Street; where Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" would soon be recorded. Like "The Church", the signal path passed through the 'in house designed' Columbia Records' 10-input console, utilising 3-Track / 4-Track rotary fader vacuum tube boards (3 LEFT busses, 3 CENTER busses, 3 RIGHT busses and one buss for CHANNEL 4). In addition Pultec EQs and Ampex 300 tape decks were the norm at Columbia. I mention these here rather than previously because I felt that the chunky tube signature of this beautiful vintage studio gear came out more strongly, contributing to the impressively meaty sheer weight of the drum kit's hi-hat panned hard left as well as the otherworldly gigantic lows from the bass. If your audio rig is either flubby or boomy in the low registers you will probably find this tonal balance on the heavy side of 'neutral'. Thankfully throughout the years I have spent many late hours and many tweaks to fine tune my bass reproduction to my liking i.e. very well articulated without sounding thin or over-analytical and as such am able to appreciate and take full advantage of the organic bass that was recorded and now for the first time cut to full power on vinyl. Sharpening my critique pen I would have wished for a smidgen more of pitch precision as one typically gets on say a Roy DuNann Lester Koenig Contemporary production. But then again I relish this rare opportunity to actually feel the lows spreading out on the stage horizontally. We normally only experience this in a live concert when the bass player, plugged into his bass amp/cabinet, has it resting on a big wooden stage. That MoFi had the audacity to transfer this fully into the grooves without the typical 'low-cut' filter that original pressings were forced to implement - to lessen 'skipping' on cheap turntables, maximize side length program and prolong cutter head life - is to be highly commended.
During this same time period, Davis met model and future funk queen Betty Mabry who courted company with the likes of The Chambers Brothers, Jimi Hendrix and Sly Stone; all three innovators in their own right, fusing funk, soul and psychedelic rock. By introducing Davis to them, Miles soon realised the adoration and fascination from these younger and much larger crowds associated with the rock world rather than what the usual jazz scene offered and in so doing, began incorporating these key elements to his music. They hit it off and soon married - and divorced the year after - and it is her face that graces the cover of the following album with the closing track named after her.
Recorded in June and September 1968 and released in February of the following year, Filles de Kilimanjaro has the musician's placement reversed compared to the two preceding albums with electric piano and Fender Rhodes now on the left and drums on the right - trumpet and tenor sax remaining dead center and electric bass filling the room with powerful presence primarily towards the middle stage. I found engineers Kendy and Laico did a superior job in these sessions of capturing the tenors' tone with better biting force and rawness. The overall sound envelope is again full range but 'busier' and denser in saturation rather than the airier feel of Nefertiti. Again the realism of the drum kit is to die for and I believe among the best ever recorded and cut on record. Tony Williams' metronomic foot activated hi-hat and energetic syncopated snare patterns, propels the music with tremendous drive and momentum on what is arguably some of the quintet's most creative and liberating playing ever. Hancock and Corea enjoying a fun game of 'cat and mouse' respectively with Carter and Holland while Davis and Shorter preferring to intervene rather sparingly but always convincingly. Though not credited, longtime collaborator Gil Evans supposedly contributed arrangements and expertise on many of the tracks even with Macero heavily involved in production. And while these are studio sessions, there is this constant 'jam-live' feel to the presentation, with synergic interplay between these top-notch players, somehow miraculously interlocked with such precision, grace and spiritual adventure that makes everything seem oh so easy. It is obvious how this particular time period of Miles has had a profoung influence on Swiss-born French trumpeter Erik Truffaz. This can be felt and heard on The Dawn [Blue Note 493916 1] and Bending New Corners [Blue Note 522123 1] from 1998 and 1999 and to a certain extent projected in sound and in the mix on the impressive Instanbul Sessions meeting with Ilhan Ersahin [Nublu NUB040] from 2009.
Wrapping things up, to say I was not disappointed, would be a gross understatement. By and large, these three releases from Mobile Fidelity not only met but exceeded pretty much all past references in my record collection. They are up there with what I consider the crème de la crème; where outstanding music is served by outstanding sound, proud to stand side by side with my 5 LP box set of The Nat King Cole Story [Capitol A. Prod. AAPP 1613-45]; Sonny Rollins' Way Out West [A. Prod. AJAZ 7530 S7017]; Johnny Griffin's The Kerry Dancers [A. Prod. Riverside AJAZ 9420] and harking back to their pioneering JVC days - Gino Vannelli's Powerful People [MOFI MFSL 1-041] - just to name a few. The only caveats keeping it from a perfect score are the somewhat 'narrow' piano range and a mild distance or lack of boldness from the brass on some sides more than others, all limited by the original master tape recording. But just as one would not fault a Ferrari Enzo solely for its heavy fuel consumption, I did not feel that the above sonic reservations deluted any bit my overall appreciation; indeed the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. I have not had the chance of listening to the remainder of Davis' Columbia remasterings by MoFi but if any equal or remotely come close to these three, they would be well worth seeking out while still available; for when they are gone, you can be sure they will soon be out of reach like so many of their past catalogue as are those of Classic Records, DCC and Analogue Productions.
Highest recommendation!
____________________________________________________________________
Miles in the sky (1968, July) Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab MFSL 2-437 (2015, May)
Filles de Kilimanjaro (1969, Feb) Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab MFSL 2-438 (2015, Aug.)
Originally released on Columbia CS 9594; CS 9628; CS 9750 respectively
Ratings:
Global Appreciation: 9.6
- Music: A+
- Recording: 9.0
- Remastering + Lacquer Cutting: 9.7
- Pressing: 10
- Packaging: First Rate
Category: Jazz
Format: Vinyl (2x180 gram LPs at 45 rpm) each.
Musicians:
Miles Davis - trumpet
Wayne Shorter - tenor saxophone
Herbie Hancock - piano, and Fender Rhodes electric piano
Chick Corea - piano RMI Electra-piano
Ron Carter - double and electric bass
Dave Holland - double bass
Tony Williams - drums
George Benson - electric guitar on "Paraphernalia" (M.Sky)
Additional credits:
Produced by Teo Macero and Howard Roberts
Recorded in Studio C at Columbia 30th Street and in Studio B at CBS Building 52nd Street, Manhattan NYC
Engineered by Fred Plaut, Ray Moore and Stan Tonkel, Frank Laico, Arthur Kendy
Originally mastered by Rob Schwarz
Remastered and cut by Krieg Wunderlich and assisted by Shawn R.Britton at Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab
Design, Cover Art for MoFi by John A.Beck
How time flies!
Twenty five years almost to the day after Miles Davis passed away and close on the heels of Mobile Fidelity's 40th anniversary, the confluence of one of the most influential and iconic jazz figures with the world's preeminent record reissue label obviously brings with it, sky high expectations. To find out just how high, read on...
First and foremost from a musical standpoint you cannot go wrong with just about anything from Davis' visionary and vast body of work. In contrast to many artists, Davis to his great credit, did not stay stuck or feel confined to a certain style or era; instead he kept things in motion, discovering up-and-coming musicians along the way - most of whom would later become giants in their own right. And like any other artist pushing the envelope, he was not always understood initially by the critics but often praised much later on.
The albums under evaluation are the last three of what is generally viewed as Davis'second great quintet - thisin reference to the famous first great quintet of 1955-58 then comprising tenor saxophonist John Coltrane, bassist Paul Chambers, pianist Red Garland and drummer Philly Joe Jones; admittedly these were all big names and once disbanded, very 'big shoes to fill'. Respectively it fell upon Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock and a 17-year-old named Tony Williams recruited a year earlier to 'shape the sound' of this second great quintet from 1964-68. With the exception of Shorter who had joined Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers a few years prior and Hancock's 1962 debut on Blue Note, all four were just starting off their career. In hindsight it is easy to see why he brought them together under his tutelage and wing. Many music historians consider the collective as one of the most influential jazz ensemble ever, serving as a bridge between Davis' modal post bop acoustic period and the electric jazz rock fusion that would soon follow.
This transitional phase is well documented on TheComplete Plugged Nickel Sessions [Mosaic MQ10-158] a 10xLP box set cut from a 1965 concert in Chicago. In that context the group reinterpret some of their older material with abrupt changes in tempo and with such structural liberty, that some are barely recognizable; all the while showcasing the astonishing intuitiveness, intensity and dexterity delivered throughout these live sets. In contrast, these three albums feature strictly brand new studio material with more restraint in the aforementioned qualities yet still exploring new territory by dipping into avant-garde and free form, all the while without losing sight of the central groove.
Without going the full 'ultra deluxe' route, each album jacket is nontheless presented in gatefold manner on heavy duty matte carton conveying substantial quality and confidence in the finished product and much superior to the original's regular single slit. MFSL's John A. Beck did a splendid job adapting these new double LP designs; combining Victor Atkins' original cover art and Hiro's b&w back photography, providing record collectors long term value. Inside, the gatefold is tastefully rendered in minimalist fashion with the recording studio and engineers taking pride of place in central page, a rare and nice touch given the importance we audiophiles care about the sound.
Inside, the records are housed in their familiar anti static rice paper 'Original Master Sleeves'.In addition, a folded light carton comprising many releases adorns the outer sides while CD's, SACD's and various products are featured on the inner sides, bringing further record protection. The 180 gram LPs are pressed at RTI in California. All 12 sides were stunningly flat, shiny lustered and deep black, i.e. visually perfect save for a tiny scuff on side B of Miles in the sky which turned out to be totally inconsequential upon listening. This confirms that RTI - when closely monitored - are capable of producing the best pressings worldwide and that MoFi have very strict QC to be this consistent on every release compared to other labels that press at the same plant. As customary with MoFi, the new label does not try to reproduce the original (in this case Columbia) but instead is plain black with a silver top rim. Inscribed in the dead wax on all sides are 'kw' for MFSL's cutting engineer.
Working in Sebastopol California, mastering and cutting engineers Krieg Wunderlich and Shawn R.Britton did not take any chances curtailing the high frequencies chosing to stay far away from the label even leaving up to 2 inches of dead wax on one side; almost exactly half of the 4 inch groove width permissible.
"Hello darkness my old friend..."
Paul Simon summed it up nicely when he composed The Sound(s) of Silence since that is the first thing that springs to mind when the stylus hits that outer groove. Contradictory as those words may seem there is indeed a wonderful warm 'sound to the pitch blackness' of these RTI pressings underlying the music and culminating into the dead wax. The visual that comes to mind everytime are the lunar landscape shots from 2001: A Space Odyssey. You can feel that darkness depth on the screen just as you can in this case, with the cantilever travelling the grooved surface, contributing to a great detente of the ear and mind. This was consistent on all three albums so kudos to RTI and the personnel in charge of the stampers for this flawless quiet noisefloor.
Starting with Porgy and Bess [CS 8085]in 1959 and with nearly all of his Columbia catalogue save for a few exceptions such as E.S.P. [CS 9150],producer extraordinaire Teo Macero manned the helm, crafting the genius of Miles by extracting the very best parts of the recording sessions while painstakingly splicing them back together. A New Yorker jazz saxophonist and composer in his own right, Macero 'rose to fame' on the heels of two seminal productions, both released the same year - 1959 - and considered the best selling jazz albums of all time: Kind of Blue [MFSL 2-45011 or Classic Records CS 8163-45] and Dave Brubeck's Time Out [CS 8192-45QPC]. The latter two need no further introduction in audiophile circles, having benefited numerous times of high quality reissues. Which makes perfect sense given they shared the same chief engineer and recording venue - Fred Plaut and Studio C from Columbia's 30th Street Studio in Manhattan, New York City - recognized as one of the finest recording studios in the world. First constructed as a Presbyterian church back in 1875, Columbia bought and transformed the place in 1949. Sporting 100 foot ceilings and 100 feet of floor space, most of the first reflections were naturally staggered farther apart in time than in a small room. Regrettably it was demolished in the mid 1980s, as so many others since the dawn of DIY DAW (Digital Work Stations).
First released in early 1968, Nefertiti is Davis' last all acoustic production recorded by engineers Fred Plaut, Ray Moore and Stan Tonkel at the church in June and July 1967. Born in Munich, Germany and after a stint in Paris designing recording gear, Plaut emigrated to the States in 1940 and was soon hired by Columbia. Of the three albums under evaluation, this one exhibited more of the airiness that comes with a huge room or church venue such being the case here. And yet it remains intimate just the same with at times a hint of heigthened reverb on the brass, situated in the central stage with the sax a little to the left and Davis dead center. The drum's ride cymbal up front and panned hard left is truly captivating and some would rightfully argue steals the show due to Williams' unrelenting playing whereas the piano panned hard right is rather sparse in notes. The contrast in sound between these two instruments cannot go unnoticed: the drum and in particular the cymbals are captured and cut to vinyl with such precision and realism you can easily differentiate the myriad variations in textures of the wooden tip from the drum stick along the ride cymbal and its corresponding metallic overtones and fluctuations - something extremely rare in reproduced sound - while the piano appears bandwidth limited, more concentrated in the mids, lacking fundamentals and harmonics. The latter is directly related to the original recording's artifacts, either by deliberate mic choice or placement and common enough for the era - unless the leader was the pianist - and as such is not improvable even during remastering. This was more pronounced on side B than on side A while sides C and D showed much better attack and decay of the ivory keys' harmonics bringing a ghostly presence to life over the dead quiet vinyl background; just don't expect to hear the lower registers nor weight presence on par with such piano references as Basie's 88 Street on Pablo/AP [AJAZ 2310-901] or Three Blind Mice's classic Midnight Sugar [TBM-23]. The sax and trumpet harmoniously intertwine but never dominate; in that sense Miles Davis is not starring as one might expect a band leader to do but rather sharing the spotlight within the quintet. This is reflected also in the sound presentation, totally opposite to 1957's Round Midnight [MFSL 1-373 or CL949] in mono that features him upfront, big and intimate. Call it equal opportunity among peers. The double bass sounds a bit cushiony; in amplifier terms, more akin to a 'McIntosh bass' than a high damping Bryston 4B or Classé DR9! It does get better defined with sides C and D where we can follow the typical double bass 'walking', making sides C and D my top choices for music selection and demo purposes.
This is Cinerama!
Recorded in January and May 1968 and released in July the same year, Miles in the sky brings quite a change in landscape musically and sonically. Electrification of the bass and piano make their first entry within the quintet on the opening track "Stuff" and George Benson adding electric guitar on the following track "Paraphernalia", both providing 'blueprints' forBitches Brew, still a full two years into the future. Recording engineers Arthur Kendy and Frank Laico take over duties in a different venue - Columbia's Studio B in New York on the second floor of the seven-story CBS Studio Building on 52nd Street; where Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" would soon be recorded. Like "The Church", the signal path passed through the 'in house designed' Columbia Records' 10-input console, utilising 3-Track / 4-Track rotary fader vacuum tube boards (3 LEFT busses, 3 CENTER busses, 3 RIGHT busses and one buss for CHANNEL 4). In addition Pultec EQs and Ampex 300 tape decks were the norm at Columbia. I mention these here rather than previously because I felt that the chunky tube signature of this beautiful vintage studio gear came out more strongly, contributing to the impressively meaty sheer weight of the drum kit's hi-hat panned hard left as well as the otherworldly gigantic lows from the bass. If your audio rig is either flubby or boomy in the low registers you will probably find this tonal balance on the heavy side of 'neutral'. Thankfully throughout the years I have spent many late hours and many tweaks to fine tune my bass reproduction to my liking i.e. very well articulated without sounding thin or over-analytical and as such am able to appreciate and take full advantage of the organic bass that was recorded and now for the first time cut to full power on vinyl. Sharpening my critique pen I would have wished for a smidgen more of pitch precision as one typically gets on say a Roy DuNann Lester Koenig Contemporary production. But then again I relish this rare opportunity to actually feel the lows spreading out on the stage horizontally. We normally only experience this in a live concert when the bass player, plugged into his bass amp/cabinet, has it resting on a big wooden stage. That MoFi had the audacity to transfer this fully into the grooves without the typical 'low-cut' filter that original pressings were forced to implement - to lessen 'skipping' on cheap turntables, maximize side length program and prolong cutter head life - is to be highly commended.
During this same time period, Davis met model and future funk queen Betty Mabry who courted company with the likes of The Chambers Brothers, Jimi Hendrix and Sly Stone; all three innovators in their own right, fusing funk, soul and psychedelic rock. By introducing Davis to them, Miles soon realised the adoration and fascination from these younger and much larger crowds associated with the rock world rather than what the usual jazz scene offered and in so doing, began incorporating these key elements to his music. They hit it off and soon married - and divorced the year after - and it is her face that graces the cover of the following album with the closing track named after her.
Recorded in June and September 1968 and released in February of the following year, Filles de Kilimanjaro has the musician's placement reversed compared to the two preceding albums with electric piano and Fender Rhodes now on the left and drums on the right - trumpet and tenor sax remaining dead center and electric bass filling the room with powerful presence primarily towards the middle stage. I found engineers Kendy and Laico did a superior job in these sessions of capturing the tenors' tone with better biting force and rawness. The overall sound envelope is again full range but 'busier' and denser in saturation rather than the airier feel of Nefertiti. Again the realism of the drum kit is to die for and I believe among the best ever recorded and cut on record. Tony Williams' metronomic foot activated hi-hat and energetic syncopated snare patterns, propels the music with tremendous drive and momentum on what is arguably some of the quintet's most creative and liberating playing ever. Hancock and Corea enjoying a fun game of 'cat and mouse' respectively with Carter and Holland while Davis and Shorter preferring to intervene rather sparingly but always convincingly. Though not credited, longtime collaborator Gil Evans supposedly contributed arrangements and expertise on many of the tracks even with Macero heavily involved in production. And while these are studio sessions, there is this constant 'jam-live' feel to the presentation, with synergic interplay between these top-notch players, somehow miraculously interlocked with such precision, grace and spiritual adventure that makes everything seem oh so easy. It is obvious how this particular time period of Miles has had a profoung influence on Swiss-born French trumpeter Erik Truffaz. This can be felt and heard on The Dawn [Blue Note 493916 1] and Bending New Corners [Blue Note 522123 1] from 1998 and 1999 and to a certain extent projected in sound and in the mix on the impressive Instanbul Sessions meeting with Ilhan Ersahin [Nublu NUB040] from 2009.
Wrapping things up, to say I was not disappointed, would be a gross understatement. By and large, these three releases from Mobile Fidelity not only met but exceeded pretty much all past references in my record collection. They are up there with what I consider the crème de la crème; where outstanding music is served by outstanding sound, proud to stand side by side with my 5 LP box set of The Nat King Cole Story [Capitol A. Prod. AAPP 1613-45]; Sonny Rollins' Way Out West [A. Prod. AJAZ 7530 S7017]; Johnny Griffin's The Kerry Dancers [A. Prod. Riverside AJAZ 9420] and harking back to their pioneering JVC days - Gino Vannelli's Powerful People [MOFI MFSL 1-041] - just to name a few. The only caveats keeping it from a perfect score are the somewhat 'narrow' piano range and a mild distance or lack of boldness from the brass on some sides more than others, all limited by the original master tape recording. But just as one would not fault a Ferrari Enzo solely for its heavy fuel consumption, I did not feel that the above sonic reservations deluted any bit my overall appreciation; indeed the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. I have not had the chance of listening to the remainder of Davis' Columbia remasterings by MoFi but if any equal or remotely come close to these three, they would be well worth seeking out while still available; for when they are gone, you can be sure they will soon be out of reach like so many of their past catalogue as are those of Classic Records, DCC and Analogue Productions.
Highest recommendation!
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↧
JUNE IN THE FIELDS
Fidelio Music FALP044 (2013, Sept.)
Rating: 9.0/ B
Category: contemporary folk
Format: Vinyl (180 gram LP at 33 1/3 rpm)
Musicians:
Jean-Michel Renaud – vocals and guitar
Mélissa Brouillette – vocals
Sébastien Saliceti – double bass
Additional credits:
René Laflamme – recording, 'mixing' and mastering engineer
Recorded at Planet Studios in Montréal, Québec, Canada
Bernie Grundman – lacquer cutting engineer in Hollywood, California
Pressed at Philips' former pressing plant in Holland
Michel Bérard – photography
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Let's face it: opposites attract. What else would be more extreme, than combining a pipe organ and brass quintet for a colossal classical work in a big church, in contrast with capturing a simple folk duo strutting in the fields. Fidelio begs to answer that question by taking up the challenge. From Holst's majestic Planets performed admirably by Mélanie Barney and the Buzz Brass quintet two years ago, we are now jettisoned to June in the Fields' debut album.
When label founder and recording engineer René Laflamme asked if I would be interested in reviewing his latest project, I enthusiastically but relunctantly said yes. Why the latter you may wonder? Loyal readers will remember that I wholeheartedly recommended the aforementioned Barney-Buzz LP, giving it one of my all time highest ratings. That was not always the case with previous Fidelio recordings. Not that they didn't meet many of the traditional 'audiophile standards' in resolution and such but I found they had not yet hit the 'big leagues' prior to that recording. In addition the sound aesthetics did not tickle my fancy, in the same way that low-efficient narrow baffles neither cut it with me. Just like in loudspeaker design where there are many schools of thought, such is the case with sound recording; consider me more a 'disciple' of the Roy DuNann-Contemporary school with its strong emphasis on close intimacy as oppose to loads of distant and reverberant decay that a certain audiophile segment crave. With that reference organ LP, Laflamme had struck the perfect ratio between proximity and venue grandeur in the great Mercury 'Living Presence' tradition and by that same token set the bar quite high–possibly even 'trapping himself'–regarding future projects. The question remains could he uphold this superior level of excellence on this latest 'labor of love' exploring another end of the musical spectrum?
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Attending the 2014 Salon Son & Image in Montréal Québec, I had the pleasure of meeting briefly the young duo consisting of Jean-Michel Renaud on vocals and guitar and Mélissa Brouillette on vocals only. Mélissa exuberated an innocent smile and simplicity while Jean Michel without any pretension or fanfare began tickling the ivories. They were sharing the same room as Laflamme and others presenting high end componants. Unfortunately I missed one of their live acoustic sets which I was told by a trusted colleague had impressed him greatly, in effect convincing him to buy their record on the spot. They met about a year and a half ago and are a team since; hence June in the Fields was born.
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He has travelled extensively, guitar strapped to his back, making stops and friends along the way in Europe, India and Pakistan; taking inspiration from the deep musical riches of these cultures, always happy to return to Québec where he shares his passion in many settings and venues. Music has always played an important part of her world also; discovering her love for singing at a very young age and persuing her studies first in the classical domain in college and more recently towards jazz at university in Montréal, where you can catch her performing on a regular basis. Sébastien Saliceti on double bass lent a hand on some of the songs.
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On their self-titled debut, the pair chose to express their feelings in the contemporary folk tradition. This second folk revival appeared towards the late 1950s and rose to prominence throughout the following decade coinciding with the war protests and civil rights movement. Headed by such luminaries as Pete Seeger; Joan Baez; Bob Dylan; Peter, Paul & Mary; Simon & Garfunkel and CSNY; cross-pollination eventually would produce folk rock, country folk and soft rock offspring. The coming of age of the singer-songwriter in the early to mid-1970s exemplified by Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Carol King and Cat Stevens showed the shift from war and world issues to a more introspective approach. Naturally these Canadian, American and British influences did not stop at the border and were in fact well received in the duo's home province and native French language. Québec's own progressive folk group Harmonium–led by Serge Fiori–dominated the close-knit music scene back in the day. Closer to us in time, Jack Johnson brought a breath of fresh air at the turn of the Millennium combining fresh melodies and arrangements and along with the latter group, exemplary sonics.
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In prior projects, Laflamme was mainly working in hi-res digital from the initial sound take to the final mastering to be offered either on CD, USB key or high quality downloads. The 'Planets production though recorded at 24/96 and later upsampled to DSD under Fidelio's X2HD proprietary process introduced three new elements to the story: 1/4 inch analog tape via a tubed Ampex reel to reel deck–as source for the cutting lathe–a master lacquer and obviously vinyl LPs. One could view this as a hybrid or transitionary phase. For this project he went even further by taking the purist pursuit to the ultimate conclusion: no digital, purely analog from beginning to end. It is a return to how things were done before Soundstream Incorporated introduced digital via Telarc way back in 1978. Ironically they were ahead of the game–at least in digital–both in sound and technical matters boasting a 50 kHz sampling frequency instead of Philips and Sony's red book 44.1 kHz limit adopted for the Compact Disc two years later. Digital proponents will argue that we have moved way beyond that point in this age of HDtracks and near-infinite conversion numbers while die-hard analog fans swear that 'cutting it up' anyway you want it remains once too many.
In total, seven microphones were used to capture the live–non overdubbed–studio performance. Starting with the guitar: a pair of Schoeps M 222 condensers in quasi-ORTF configuration placed some 14 inches from it. These 'pencil' type tube mics have a detachable capsule and their power supply can be run on either normal AC mains or 12V DC; here they were fitted with the cardio capsule and run on a 12V battery for superior performance, isolated from any electrical interference. For the non-amplified double bass: the elegant reissue of the Telefunken ELA M 251 E, originally built from 1960 to 1965.
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This large diaphram multi-pattern sought-after mic based on the classic U47 was made by AKG in response to Neumann GmbH not renewing their distribution deal, following cessation of the Telefunken VF14 steel pentode tube. The 6072a tubed condenser sports omni, figure-8 and cardio patterns; this last one chosen here. For Jean-Michel's vocals: another 1960s classic, the tubed Neumann U67–a successor to the U47 with less emphasis in the presence region; considered by many to be the all time favorite 'pop' vocal mic. Mélissa's vocals were handled by a Neumann M149; more modern than the aforementioned mics, it provides no less than nine different patterns and being transformeless is claimed to be more transparent to the source, thus no vintage sweetening or EQ tonal shaping to compensate. Both singer's capsules were switched to cardio and naturally close-mic'ed. Finally, Contemporary engineer Roy DuNann's favorite mic, a pair of tubed AKG C12's–set to omni about two feet apart and parallel to each other–were added for room ambiance approximately 15 feet away.
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Mic preamps were a Millennia M2-B and the highly revered Pendulum MDP-1; both pure class A tube transformerless designs. Vocals were treated to a tiny amount of EMT 240 reverb plate–the smaller version of the original 140–plus the classic LA2A tube leveling limiter/compressor of the early 1960s. Not surprisingly these vintage 'toys' have been renewed since then in plug-in form but Laflamme stuck to the 'real thing'. Everything was mixed or rather balanced through the Neve A6610–a custom 8078; its output 'printed' on 2 track 1/4 inch analog RGMi SM 468–a reissue of the BASF/EMTEC 468, a high bias tape popular with Nagra machines which Laflamme used a lot in the beginning–at 15 ips on his vintage Ampex 354 tube recorder with no noise reduction. Recorded at Planet Studios in Montreal; with adjacent brick and wood walls; hardwood floors adorned with beautiful persian carpets; comfortable seating furniture and warm lighting; it provided a cozy and creative atmosphere for the artists and engineers.
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The master tape was sent to Bernie Grundman Mastering in Hollywood, California, who had cut their previous Holst organ LP. Having done a superb job, it was only logical to stick with them. For this project the lacquers were cut 'flat' with no tweaking at 33 1/3 rpm, then shipped to Holland to create the stampers for the pressings. These were done at Philips' former pressing plant, recognized for its silent pressings throughout the 1960s and 1970s.
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The stock carton is plain regular and not to tight for the inner sleeve but far from anything deluxe. Photographer Michel Bérard went with an understated graphic design of quasi-monochrome tone. Both front and back covers capture the duo from behind strolling in the fields and up a country road at close and far distance respectively, reflecting the subdued mood of the album. A matching monochrome semigloss insert sheet presents the artists and their respective bios with credits in French and English plus two small photos of them as well as the Ampex 354 recorder on one side and the song lyrics on the flip side. The record is well protected in a non-flimsy white paper sleeve with fixed poly-film inside to warn off any scratches during insertion/removal while loose enough not to increase static; basically the ideal choice in my opinion. Both labels duplicate a portion of the back cover with the Fidelio logo at the bottom. All things considered, the presentation is ok but a tad underwhelming when compared to their gatefold Planets double-LP or some competing labels.
The credits list Bernie Grundman as the cutting engineer when after closer inspection, Chris Bellman is more likely to be the reality based on the 'CB' dead wax inscription; no doubt a slip-up due to the fact the latter is part of Grundman's mastering team along with engineers Brian Gardner and Patricia Sullivan. Bellman chose a groove lateral spacing of just over 2 3/4 inches of linear cutting displacement for both side A and B; leaving sufficient 'wax' not to entice inner groove distortion. At about 21 min. for side A and 18 min. for side B, this translates to approx. 7.5 min./inch and 6.5 min./inch respectively. Given the music style and sound spectra, the single 33 1/3 rpm format seems adequate. The 180 gram LP was rigid, straight and shiny with sharp edges typical of euro pressings vs the curvier-edge RTI pressings and minutely off-centered which may increase wow depending on arm geometry, cartridge compliance and one's own sensitivity to pitch variations. Both sides were flawlessly black with no scratches, blemishes, scuffing or press residues as one would always wish for but rarely gets. The varying groove patterns were beautiful to contemplate under the light and inspired visual confidence.
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"Andaman Sea" opens the album in an uptempo country-flavoured track with blue-grass seasonings. Shades of Harmonium's "Dixie" from their second album Si on avait besoin d'une cinquième saison [Célébration CEL 1900] permeate along the way and make it the 'catchiest' song of the album. Jean-Michel's playing style is attractively light, agile and fast with a high degree of fluidity and finesse. Alas, his singing does not reach that same level of sophistication, in range nor in richness and there is no mistaking his 'French Québécois' accented English that left me a bit ambivalent; then again some may find it charming. Saliceti's double bass rhythmically accompanies him and perhaps because of the latter role, sounds slightly soft. While not 'stealing the spotlight', a bit more precision and articulation on his string fingering would be welcomed. On the other hand the guitar and vocal parts are very natural in tone with striking dynamics and strong presence respectively. The U67 and its placement relative to the singer brings uncanny honesty and truth of timbre. The close miking provides great clarity and proximity; bewildering to the extent you can hear throat inflexions with minimal sibilance placing this recording high up the ladder in raw vocal realism.
The guitar is almost on an equal footing with plenty of wood body resonances, soundboard percussive effects and fretboard-finger glissandi, all of which are too often missing from recordings usually leaving behind an emasculated guitar impression. To nitpick, I would have prefered to hear a bit more of the string's upper harmonic content relative to the 'boxier sounds' which were somewhat unbalanced in decay and level. The absence of any compression on the instrument allows wonderful dynamic shifts with startling speed, spontaneity and realism.
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"Back in the Country" sees the return of Mélissa. The title is appropriate given the country-blues-folk influence recurring in some parts of the song; you can almost imagine the old steam engine on the tracks among the cotton fields belonging to a long gone era. An interesting musical bridge changes the atmosphere. She also gets to explore more of her vocal range by climbing the scale and here again the vocals are rendered oh so natural. This is another solid track that stands out. Nit-picking once more, I would have ever so slightly changed the level ratio of the three tracks, mixing the guitar and her voice a bit higher and his a smidgen lower.
"With You That I Wanna Grow" closes side A. There is no inner groove distortion apparent but I noticed a small degree of pitch variation in some of the string strumming in relation to the off-centering that I speculate is more pronounced as the groove radius decreases towards the center. This could be viewed by a slight swaying in and out of the tonearm. Again, arm geometry may play a role in the perceived effect and it did not offend to the extent of detracting from my listening enjoyment.
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Flipping sides has "Your Grandmother's Wedding Ring" followed by "Big Plans"; "Dragonfly (Beautiful Day for Writing Songs)" and lastly "Computer by the Window (I Won't Surrender)". The level of composition, performance and sound quality are sufficiently constant and close to par with the previous songs that it would be redundant to dissect each one separately. If you liked side A, chances are you will like side B as much.
Both sides were dead silent regarding vinyl noise floor while tape hiss was barely audible to non-existant during and between tracks; this despite no form of noise reduction being used while probably 'hitting' the high bias tape harder compared to other formulations. This implies also that the near-all tube equipment had extremely good signal to noise ratio from beginning to end; putting an end to the false theory that analog and tubes are at a disadvantage vis-à-vis digital and solid state silence. The change of pressing plant is a major improvement in terms of ticks and pops over the previous LP projects but the slight off-centering–due to the 'punching' of the stamper I speculate–would mandate in the future stricter approval based on the test pressing before giving the 'green light' for the pressings.
The general sound of the LP is very close to a direct-to-disc recording with barely a hint of tape insertion or sweetening; which to my ears is still the closest you will get to the real thing. More so than DSD where I do find more resolution and openness than red book CD but still lacking in palpability, presence and solidity vs vinyl. That said, do not expect the typical warm overdubbed 16 track of a 1970 A&M first pressing of Cat Stevens or Grateful Dead's American Beauty on an 'olive green' Warner Bros. Even Jack Johnson's 2005 In Between Dreams [Brushfire B0004149-01]–mastered by Bernie no less–while very well balanced and nuanced shows more compression and studio 'sweetening' which some audiophiles may prefer than the 'rawer' though never harsh presentation found here.
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So the steaks were quite high. Does Fidelio's June in the Fields' debut release live up to its prior LP project? The music and circumstances are so vastly different that a simple answer is nearly impossible. On the one hand engineer René Laflamme has up the ante by eliminating any digital conversion or infiltration in the full tube analog chain–save for the Neve board–and utilising 'la creme de la creme' of vintage and modern gear with good taste I might add. On the other hand, this seems like a promising debut for the young duo but future releases should focus on refining the lyrical and musical diversity as well as the composer's vocal delivery. It would be interesting also to leave a larger space for Mélissa Brouillette to shine while Jean-Michel Renaud explores more the guitar facet.
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Thus, with some minor caveats, another reference in sound is born but on a smaller scale.
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Rating: 9.0/ B
Category: contemporary folk
Format: Vinyl (180 gram LP at 33 1/3 rpm)
Musicians:
Jean-Michel Renaud – vocals and guitar
Mélissa Brouillette – vocals
Sébastien Saliceti – double bass
Additional credits:
René Laflamme – recording, 'mixing' and mastering engineer
Recorded at Planet Studios in Montréal, Québec, Canada
Bernie Grundman – lacquer cutting engineer in Hollywood, California
Pressed at Philips' former pressing plant in Holland
Michel Bérard – photography
Let's face it: opposites attract. What else would be more extreme, than combining a pipe organ and brass quintet for a colossal classical work in a big church, in contrast with capturing a simple folk duo strutting in the fields. Fidelio begs to answer that question by taking up the challenge. From Holst's majestic Planets performed admirably by Mélanie Barney and the Buzz Brass quintet two years ago, we are now jettisoned to June in the Fields' debut album.
When label founder and recording engineer René Laflamme asked if I would be interested in reviewing his latest project, I enthusiastically but relunctantly said yes. Why the latter you may wonder? Loyal readers will remember that I wholeheartedly recommended the aforementioned Barney-Buzz LP, giving it one of my all time highest ratings. That was not always the case with previous Fidelio recordings. Not that they didn't meet many of the traditional 'audiophile standards' in resolution and such but I found they had not yet hit the 'big leagues' prior to that recording. In addition the sound aesthetics did not tickle my fancy, in the same way that low-efficient narrow baffles neither cut it with me. Just like in loudspeaker design where there are many schools of thought, such is the case with sound recording; consider me more a 'disciple' of the Roy DuNann-Contemporary school with its strong emphasis on close intimacy as oppose to loads of distant and reverberant decay that a certain audiophile segment crave. With that reference organ LP, Laflamme had struck the perfect ratio between proximity and venue grandeur in the great Mercury 'Living Presence' tradition and by that same token set the bar quite high–possibly even 'trapping himself'–regarding future projects. The question remains could he uphold this superior level of excellence on this latest 'labor of love' exploring another end of the musical spectrum?
Attending the 2014 Salon Son & Image in Montréal Québec, I had the pleasure of meeting briefly the young duo consisting of Jean-Michel Renaud on vocals and guitar and Mélissa Brouillette on vocals only. Mélissa exuberated an innocent smile and simplicity while Jean Michel without any pretension or fanfare began tickling the ivories. They were sharing the same room as Laflamme and others presenting high end componants. Unfortunately I missed one of their live acoustic sets which I was told by a trusted colleague had impressed him greatly, in effect convincing him to buy their record on the spot. They met about a year and a half ago and are a team since; hence June in the Fields was born.
He has travelled extensively, guitar strapped to his back, making stops and friends along the way in Europe, India and Pakistan; taking inspiration from the deep musical riches of these cultures, always happy to return to Québec where he shares his passion in many settings and venues. Music has always played an important part of her world also; discovering her love for singing at a very young age and persuing her studies first in the classical domain in college and more recently towards jazz at university in Montréal, where you can catch her performing on a regular basis. Sébastien Saliceti on double bass lent a hand on some of the songs.
In total, seven microphones were used to capture the live–non overdubbed–studio performance. Starting with the guitar: a pair of Schoeps M 222 condensers in quasi-ORTF configuration placed some 14 inches from it. These 'pencil' type tube mics have a detachable capsule and their power supply can be run on either normal AC mains or 12V DC; here they were fitted with the cardio capsule and run on a 12V battery for superior performance, isolated from any electrical interference. For the non-amplified double bass: the elegant reissue of the Telefunken ELA M 251 E, originally built from 1960 to 1965.
This large diaphram multi-pattern sought-after mic based on the classic U47 was made by AKG in response to Neumann GmbH not renewing their distribution deal, following cessation of the Telefunken VF14 steel pentode tube. The 6072a tubed condenser sports omni, figure-8 and cardio patterns; this last one chosen here. For Jean-Michel's vocals: another 1960s classic, the tubed Neumann U67–a successor to the U47 with less emphasis in the presence region; considered by many to be the all time favorite 'pop' vocal mic. Mélissa's vocals were handled by a Neumann M149; more modern than the aforementioned mics, it provides no less than nine different patterns and being transformeless is claimed to be more transparent to the source, thus no vintage sweetening or EQ tonal shaping to compensate. Both singer's capsules were switched to cardio and naturally close-mic'ed. Finally, Contemporary engineer Roy DuNann's favorite mic, a pair of tubed AKG C12's–set to omni about two feet apart and parallel to each other–were added for room ambiance approximately 15 feet away.
Mic preamps were a Millennia M2-B and the highly revered Pendulum MDP-1; both pure class A tube transformerless designs. Vocals were treated to a tiny amount of EMT 240 reverb plate–the smaller version of the original 140–plus the classic LA2A tube leveling limiter/compressor of the early 1960s. Not surprisingly these vintage 'toys' have been renewed since then in plug-in form but Laflamme stuck to the 'real thing'. Everything was mixed or rather balanced through the Neve A6610–a custom 8078; its output 'printed' on 2 track 1/4 inch analog RGMi SM 468–a reissue of the BASF/EMTEC 468, a high bias tape popular with Nagra machines which Laflamme used a lot in the beginning–at 15 ips on his vintage Ampex 354 tube recorder with no noise reduction. Recorded at Planet Studios in Montreal; with adjacent brick and wood walls; hardwood floors adorned with beautiful persian carpets; comfortable seating furniture and warm lighting; it provided a cozy and creative atmosphere for the artists and engineers.
The credits list Bernie Grundman as the cutting engineer when after closer inspection, Chris Bellman is more likely to be the reality based on the 'CB' dead wax inscription; no doubt a slip-up due to the fact the latter is part of Grundman's mastering team along with engineers Brian Gardner and Patricia Sullivan. Bellman chose a groove lateral spacing of just over 2 3/4 inches of linear cutting displacement for both side A and B; leaving sufficient 'wax' not to entice inner groove distortion. At about 21 min. for side A and 18 min. for side B, this translates to approx. 7.5 min./inch and 6.5 min./inch respectively. Given the music style and sound spectra, the single 33 1/3 rpm format seems adequate. The 180 gram LP was rigid, straight and shiny with sharp edges typical of euro pressings vs the curvier-edge RTI pressings and minutely off-centered which may increase wow depending on arm geometry, cartridge compliance and one's own sensitivity to pitch variations. Both sides were flawlessly black with no scratches, blemishes, scuffing or press residues as one would always wish for but rarely gets. The varying groove patterns were beautiful to contemplate under the light and inspired visual confidence.
The guitar is almost on an equal footing with plenty of wood body resonances, soundboard percussive effects and fretboard-finger glissandi, all of which are too often missing from recordings usually leaving behind an emasculated guitar impression. To nitpick, I would have prefered to hear a bit more of the string's upper harmonic content relative to the 'boxier sounds' which were somewhat unbalanced in decay and level. The absence of any compression on the instrument allows wonderful dynamic shifts with startling speed, spontaneity and realism.
"Maryann" changes the mood and is more reflective of the rest of the album in tempo and feel. The string riff reminds me of "Pour un Instant", another classic from Harmonium's 1974 self-titled debut [Célébration CEL 1893]; itself borrowing heavily from The Beatles'"Here Comes the Sun". On this track his singing is much more convincing, captured with outstanding sound intimacy as if he was singing just for me, only a few away. Mélissa makes her entrance; the pair sing in unison with wonderful bloom expanding in the soundstage. Her sweet and soft timbre is very delicate without any obvious accent and captured with great purity by the 'non-editorialising' nature of the M149. I found this song to be my favorite for its tender and lovely angelic ambiance as well as the most sonically impressive of the album; demo material for sure when promoting sound intimacy at its maximum.
"Summer Road" sees him singing solo again. I found the chorus and vocal delivery to be weaker on this track.
"With You That I Wanna Grow" closes side A. There is no inner groove distortion apparent but I noticed a small degree of pitch variation in some of the string strumming in relation to the off-centering that I speculate is more pronounced as the groove radius decreases towards the center. This could be viewed by a slight swaying in and out of the tonearm. Again, arm geometry may play a role in the perceived effect and it did not offend to the extent of detracting from my listening enjoyment.
Flipping sides has "Your Grandmother's Wedding Ring" followed by "Big Plans"; "Dragonfly (Beautiful Day for Writing Songs)" and lastly "Computer by the Window (I Won't Surrender)". The level of composition, performance and sound quality are sufficiently constant and close to par with the previous songs that it would be redundant to dissect each one separately. If you liked side A, chances are you will like side B as much.
Both sides were dead silent regarding vinyl noise floor while tape hiss was barely audible to non-existant during and between tracks; this despite no form of noise reduction being used while probably 'hitting' the high bias tape harder compared to other formulations. This implies also that the near-all tube equipment had extremely good signal to noise ratio from beginning to end; putting an end to the false theory that analog and tubes are at a disadvantage vis-à-vis digital and solid state silence. The change of pressing plant is a major improvement in terms of ticks and pops over the previous LP projects but the slight off-centering–due to the 'punching' of the stamper I speculate–would mandate in the future stricter approval based on the test pressing before giving the 'green light' for the pressings.
The general sound of the LP is very close to a direct-to-disc recording with barely a hint of tape insertion or sweetening; which to my ears is still the closest you will get to the real thing. More so than DSD where I do find more resolution and openness than red book CD but still lacking in palpability, presence and solidity vs vinyl. That said, do not expect the typical warm overdubbed 16 track of a 1970 A&M first pressing of Cat Stevens or Grateful Dead's American Beauty on an 'olive green' Warner Bros. Even Jack Johnson's 2005 In Between Dreams [Brushfire B0004149-01]–mastered by Bernie no less–while very well balanced and nuanced shows more compression and studio 'sweetening' which some audiophiles may prefer than the 'rawer' though never harsh presentation found here.
So the steaks were quite high. Does Fidelio's June in the Fields' debut release live up to its prior LP project? The music and circumstances are so vastly different that a simple answer is nearly impossible. On the one hand engineer René Laflamme has up the ante by eliminating any digital conversion or infiltration in the full tube analog chain–save for the Neve board–and utilising 'la creme de la creme' of vintage and modern gear with good taste I might add. On the other hand, this seems like a promising debut for the young duo but future releases should focus on refining the lyrical and musical diversity as well as the composer's vocal delivery. It would be interesting also to leave a larger space for Mélissa Brouillette to shine while Jean-Michel Renaud explores more the guitar facet.
Thus, with some minor caveats, another reference in sound is born but on a smaller scale.
____________________________________________________________________
↧
DIAMOND VERSION
EP1 Mute 12DVMUTE1(2012, Sept.)
EP2 Mute 12DVMUTE2 (2012, Nov.)
EP3 Mute 12DVMUTE3 (2013, Jan.)
EP4 Mute 12DVMUTE4 (2013, May)
EP5 Mute 12DVMUTE5 (2013, July)
Rating: 10/ A
Category: dark techno; glitch; industrial
Format: Vinyl (Five 180 gram EPs at 45 rpm)
![]()
Optron
n.
1. A device that consists of a light-emitter and a photodetector that are optically coupled and are placed in a common envelope.
2. A musical device comprising three fluorescent tubes commonly found in most Japanese homes and offices. As with an electric guitar, a pick up microphone is fitted into each of the tubes. By altering the voltage applied to the tubes, the lights pulsate and the microphones pick up the electromagnetic noise in accordance with the modulating light, before final sound amplification.
Combining the visual arts with experimental music is nothing new; performance artists such as Yoko Ono, Cabaret Voltaire, Laurie Anderson, Björk and by extension Andy Warhol's Exploding Plastic Inevitable - the multimedia roadshow which pioneered the fusion of art, innovative lighting with the original and experimental music of The Velvet Underground and Nico - have existed since the mid 1960s, albeit mostly under the radar or with limited appeal.
![]()
But Robin Thicke isn't the only one blurring the lines between the senses; more recently Diamond Version - the Berlin based duo project - has been making waves; filtered sine, square and saw tooth that is. Music and sound creators Olaf Bender and Carsten Nicolai better known by their alter egos Byetone and Alva Noto had been performing live solo sets in venues lending itself to experimental electronic music and the digital arts; places such as Sónar in Barcelona and Montreal's Elektra and MUTEK - two well respected international festival organisations founded around 1999 and held annually in late May and early June - now joined together under the banner EM15. After which they would sometimes perform encores combining their creative strengths in spontaneous and improvised tracks to the delight of their audience. Bender along with musician Frank Bretschneider had founded electronic music label Rastermusik while Nicolai was running sub label Noton; the fusion of both produced Raster Noton - a German record label and network combining art, design and sound. Since 2012 they have signed onto London's Mute records, made famous since the early 1980s by synthpop bands such as Fad Gadget, Yazoo and of course mega stars Depeche Mode and which continues to flourish with newer bands.
![]()
Visual and sound artist Atsuhiro Ito, a veteran of the Japanese improv scene as well as inventor of the aformentioned Optron has occasionally joined Diamond Version live on stage. He brings to the table a noisier counterpoint to the duo's minimalist dark-techno. Although a joint record collaboration has not to the best of my knowledge yet materialised, his sonic influence on this present five EP project seems a given.
Growing up in Chemnitz East Germany and under the Marxist-Leninist regime, Bender and Noto were quite constrained compared with their western counterparts in regard to diverse musical influences. Once the world’s leading textile producer, the city's vibe pulsated to the sounds of the Jacquard weaving machines controlled by some of the first mechanical computers - each punch card dictating the machine to a specific weaving pattern. So by witnessing the various stages of the digital evolution, they could relate these processes with digitalizing sounds. Cosmic electronic music pioneers like Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze along with industrialist Einstürzende Neubauten were a few of the German bands to pass through the strict state censorship that only started to ease up towards the mid-1980s.
![]()
![]()
These 'old school' musicians as well as the majority of 20th century 'melodic electronica' relies basically on subtractive synthesis whereby through the use of oscillators and frequency-phase filters, basic waveshapes containing many harmonics are tone-filtered as to modify the sound envelope thus creating new timbres. It is the basis of most analog synths - the Moog and its many siblings being one of the best known - as well as other digital synths and software emulators. Think of it as subtractive sculpture which consist of removing material from stone or wood from a given object. The sonic results can be magnificent of course but somewhat confined to a certain 'sound universe'.
What distinguishes the Diamond duo from the latter mindset is their exploration into a whole other universe more in sync with this century's technology that relies rather on granular synthesis. Similar to music sampling, granular divides the sample into smaller pieces between 1 and 50 ms of duration only. These dissected sound snippets or grains extracted from the original envelope be it in the attack, body or decay are now free to be reconfigured in any possible manner - run forward, backward, time stretched, sped up-down, pitch or phase shifted, modulated, randomized; in other words, limited by one's imagination only. Using the same analogy as above, this may be compared with additive sculpture where the artist adds objects together rather than chiseling them out. In the visual art world Pointillism as practiced by Seurat and Signac provides another perspective with punctualism its main musical reciprocal.
![]()
![]()
Categorized as a mixture of techno, glitch, industrial and noise, their style has roots reaching back to the 1950s when French pioneers of musique concrète and électroacoustique, Pierre Schaeffer and Pierre Henry of the Groupe de Recherche Musicales at the ORTF in Paris followed closely by Karlheinz Stockhausen's elektronische musik in Cologne West Germany explored and established this new 'symphony of sounds'. These early electronic pieces were often tape-spliced together producing an almost aleatoric effect and would entail huge rooms of expensive equipment, placing it out of reach for most musicians, let alone the common soul. Since then affordable personal computers and sophisticated software have open up the realms of the world to any creative person who wishes to dabble in sound.
In an interview with Emil Schult of Kraftwerk fame, Bender and Nicolai explain the following: "using the computer allowed us to veer away from traditional compositional constraints. And the same thing went for visuals. The computer allowed us to compose music and to design visuals at the same time with the same machine. And the most important thing for us was that we could actually see the music. Composing became a visual thing on the screen thanks to the translation of sound into waveforms. For us, this was like a revolution".
They go on to say: "This to me shows how much growing up with abstract music - if not electronic music - has altered the way we perceive sound. What used to be perceived as noise we hear today as a tone or sound. Our listening habits seem to have changed completely. Our relationship with sound is culturally conditioned. In the Renaissance, our music wouldn’t have sounded like music at all...Kraftwerk were also inventors of sounds. And since we talked about sampling before, I want to stress that I always would support the idea that you can sample whatever you want, including an original sound by Kraftwerk. But you’re also somehow obliged to alter the sound to the point of unrecognizability. Otherwise it would be a rip-off".
And a bit of wise advice perhaps for those starting out: "today’s software encourages you to think in pre-set patterns. The whole idea of the loop resembles a dogma that you actively have to question as an artist...We recorded everything very carefully but when we tried to play it on our computer speakers, we couldn’t hear anything. Our compositions consisted only of very high tones and very low sub-basses. Nowadays, the speakers of laptops are much better, but back then… Anyhow, due to that experience we learned and put more effort into customizing our frequencies. And maybe that’s one of the reasons why our tracks stand out from the mainstream".
Extensive research in sound phenomena, exploiting both the extremes and minutiae from subsonic to ultrasonic on the auditory senses. By designing their own user interfaces and control panels for the live concerts, this ensures audience and music fan a more personalized sound.
![]()
![]()
The Bauhaus art school design philosophy renowned for its minimalist 'form follows function' is reflected not only in their music but even more so in their cover art where a simple diamond shaped icon in the bottom right side corner cleverly includes a 'D' and 'V' highlighted in white on the black background framed by a white perimeter. All five EP front covers share the same basic pattern and are identical save for the corresponding numerical next to the icon while the back sides persue the same minimalist theme showing only the track titles. The black inner sleeve consist of a semi-rigid paper with top angled corners and label cutout - classy but unfortunately not ideal for record protection so adding a 'smoother' surface type inner-sleeve is highly recommended. The 180 gram EPs were rigid, straight and shiny. All ten sides were flawlessly deep black with no scratches, blemishes, scuffing or press residues. The varying groove patterns were beautiful to contemplate under the light and inspired visual confidence; in one word: exemplary.
![]()
Bender and Nicolai handled the recording and production while engineer Andreas [LUPO] Lubich at D&M in Berlin was in charge of the mastering and lacquer cutting. Strangely he is credited - in tiny print on the back cover - on EP1 only but the 'Loop-o/D&M' inscribed in the matrix runout on all five EPs confirm that he largely deserves credit on every single one of them. A recording and mixing engineer since 1995, Lubich is best known for his work at Dubplates & Mastering from 1999 up until 2013. A quick search of Discogs' data base on the German facility shows over 3000 entries with 126 to his name - impressive figures considering that many of the titles are released on vinyl as well as other formats. Since then he has moved on to Calyx Mastering also situated in Berlin that offers Premium Pure Analog Mastering circumventing any digital conversion in addition to some serious tube outboard gear and even a modified EMT 948 with TSD 15 no less. Way to often we tend to forget in our small audiophile circle that there is life beyong the Ricker, Sax, Grundman, Gray and Hoffman mastering maestros. Believe me when I say LUPO is the real deal. Man can this guy cut! No mercy whatsoever for the cutter head. Each EP contains one to two tracks per side with a total of 7 to 11 minutes of modulation per side; pretty much approaching the safe recommended limit for a 45 rpm cut for this type of material before high end degradation sets in.
You want bass? You got it. You want to feel it deep down in your gut like in a club? Ditto - if your speakers are up to the task that is. It gave my 8-inchers a run for their money, taunting me to relieve them of their misery with my vintage Altec 416As sitting on the shelf but quite impressive nonetheless. This rarely heard subterranean bass was especially marked and appreciated on the very first cut of EP1 with the track "Technology at the Speed of Life"; talk about making a great first impression! But in order to keep an equilibrium and avoid a boring rumble like a cheap car subwoofer, there is adequate energy in the high end of the frequency spectrum to keep things tidy and tight. Mind you this ain't no German vegan dish, there is plenty of meat and fat on the bone; if only Kraftwerk would have cultivated such a full bandwidth sound - next to this, Man Machine or Die Mensch·Maschine [Kling Klang, EMI Electrola - 1 C 058-32 843]sounds as emaciated as their wax-like robotic models project. On that subject, one particular track - "Live Young" taken from the B side of EP 4 - reminds me of "Nummern" from Computerwelt [Kling Klang, EMI Electrola - 1 C 064-46 311]. The incremental count from 1 to 100 has that similar machine-like voice pattern.
I will refrain by dissecting each and every track. Suffice to say that there is no filler-up material; some will prefer the slower heavier pounding ones while others will delight in the stellar staccato syncopation of the busier compositions. My sole minor musical reservation is that many of the tracks though constructive in nature are quite repetitive and an abrupt shift in pace or structure could cerebrally challenge the senses better. The sound quality throughout the duo's project is uniformely mind boggling. I am not exaggerating when I state that this is the best 'techno & co.' sound I have ever heard and felt on record; nitpicker as most of you know I am, I would not change a fraction of a dB anywhere. Part of the credit must go to Bender and Nicolai for exploring such a wide gamut in sound textures and their ongoing fascination with frequency extremes; but as well to Andreas Lubich for transcribing these huge contrast in modulation to wax that would sweat out any normal mastering engineer; kudos LUPO. The quality of the pressings were up there with the very best. No surface noice to distract on all ten sides; all too rare in this day and age of low QC.
To conclude, even if you do not consider yourself a fan of the breed, as an open-minded audiophile you owe it to yourself and your rig to get at least one if not all of the EPs from the Diamond Version project. Rumors has it there will be a sequel soon and I will be first in line to buy it.
____________________________________________________________________
EP2 Mute 12DVMUTE2 (2012, Nov.)
EP3 Mute 12DVMUTE3 (2013, Jan.)
EP4 Mute 12DVMUTE4 (2013, May)
EP5 Mute 12DVMUTE5 (2013, July)
Rating: 10/ A
Category: dark techno; glitch; industrial
Format: Vinyl (Five 180 gram EPs at 45 rpm)
Optron
n.
1. A device that consists of a light-emitter and a photodetector that are optically coupled and are placed in a common envelope.
2. A musical device comprising three fluorescent tubes commonly found in most Japanese homes and offices. As with an electric guitar, a pick up microphone is fitted into each of the tubes. By altering the voltage applied to the tubes, the lights pulsate and the microphones pick up the electromagnetic noise in accordance with the modulating light, before final sound amplification.
Combining the visual arts with experimental music is nothing new; performance artists such as Yoko Ono, Cabaret Voltaire, Laurie Anderson, Björk and by extension Andy Warhol's Exploding Plastic Inevitable - the multimedia roadshow which pioneered the fusion of art, innovative lighting with the original and experimental music of The Velvet Underground and Nico - have existed since the mid 1960s, albeit mostly under the radar or with limited appeal.
But Robin Thicke isn't the only one blurring the lines between the senses; more recently Diamond Version - the Berlin based duo project - has been making waves; filtered sine, square and saw tooth that is. Music and sound creators Olaf Bender and Carsten Nicolai better known by their alter egos Byetone and Alva Noto had been performing live solo sets in venues lending itself to experimental electronic music and the digital arts; places such as Sónar in Barcelona and Montreal's Elektra and MUTEK - two well respected international festival organisations founded around 1999 and held annually in late May and early June - now joined together under the banner EM15. After which they would sometimes perform encores combining their creative strengths in spontaneous and improvised tracks to the delight of their audience. Bender along with musician Frank Bretschneider had founded electronic music label Rastermusik while Nicolai was running sub label Noton; the fusion of both produced Raster Noton - a German record label and network combining art, design and sound. Since 2012 they have signed onto London's Mute records, made famous since the early 1980s by synthpop bands such as Fad Gadget, Yazoo and of course mega stars Depeche Mode and which continues to flourish with newer bands.
Visual and sound artist Atsuhiro Ito, a veteran of the Japanese improv scene as well as inventor of the aformentioned Optron has occasionally joined Diamond Version live on stage. He brings to the table a noisier counterpoint to the duo's minimalist dark-techno. Although a joint record collaboration has not to the best of my knowledge yet materialised, his sonic influence on this present five EP project seems a given.
Growing up in Chemnitz East Germany and under the Marxist-Leninist regime, Bender and Noto were quite constrained compared with their western counterparts in regard to diverse musical influences. Once the world’s leading textile producer, the city's vibe pulsated to the sounds of the Jacquard weaving machines controlled by some of the first mechanical computers - each punch card dictating the machine to a specific weaving pattern. So by witnessing the various stages of the digital evolution, they could relate these processes with digitalizing sounds. Cosmic electronic music pioneers like Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze along with industrialist Einstürzende Neubauten were a few of the German bands to pass through the strict state censorship that only started to ease up towards the mid-1980s.
These 'old school' musicians as well as the majority of 20th century 'melodic electronica' relies basically on subtractive synthesis whereby through the use of oscillators and frequency-phase filters, basic waveshapes containing many harmonics are tone-filtered as to modify the sound envelope thus creating new timbres. It is the basis of most analog synths - the Moog and its many siblings being one of the best known - as well as other digital synths and software emulators. Think of it as subtractive sculpture which consist of removing material from stone or wood from a given object. The sonic results can be magnificent of course but somewhat confined to a certain 'sound universe'.
What distinguishes the Diamond duo from the latter mindset is their exploration into a whole other universe more in sync with this century's technology that relies rather on granular synthesis. Similar to music sampling, granular divides the sample into smaller pieces between 1 and 50 ms of duration only. These dissected sound snippets or grains extracted from the original envelope be it in the attack, body or decay are now free to be reconfigured in any possible manner - run forward, backward, time stretched, sped up-down, pitch or phase shifted, modulated, randomized; in other words, limited by one's imagination only. Using the same analogy as above, this may be compared with additive sculpture where the artist adds objects together rather than chiseling them out. In the visual art world Pointillism as practiced by Seurat and Signac provides another perspective with punctualism its main musical reciprocal.
Categorized as a mixture of techno, glitch, industrial and noise, their style has roots reaching back to the 1950s when French pioneers of musique concrète and électroacoustique, Pierre Schaeffer and Pierre Henry of the Groupe de Recherche Musicales at the ORTF in Paris followed closely by Karlheinz Stockhausen's elektronische musik in Cologne West Germany explored and established this new 'symphony of sounds'. These early electronic pieces were often tape-spliced together producing an almost aleatoric effect and would entail huge rooms of expensive equipment, placing it out of reach for most musicians, let alone the common soul. Since then affordable personal computers and sophisticated software have open up the realms of the world to any creative person who wishes to dabble in sound.
In an interview with Emil Schult of Kraftwerk fame, Bender and Nicolai explain the following: "using the computer allowed us to veer away from traditional compositional constraints. And the same thing went for visuals. The computer allowed us to compose music and to design visuals at the same time with the same machine. And the most important thing for us was that we could actually see the music. Composing became a visual thing on the screen thanks to the translation of sound into waveforms. For us, this was like a revolution".
They go on to say: "This to me shows how much growing up with abstract music - if not electronic music - has altered the way we perceive sound. What used to be perceived as noise we hear today as a tone or sound. Our listening habits seem to have changed completely. Our relationship with sound is culturally conditioned. In the Renaissance, our music wouldn’t have sounded like music at all...Kraftwerk were also inventors of sounds. And since we talked about sampling before, I want to stress that I always would support the idea that you can sample whatever you want, including an original sound by Kraftwerk. But you’re also somehow obliged to alter the sound to the point of unrecognizability. Otherwise it would be a rip-off".
And a bit of wise advice perhaps for those starting out: "today’s software encourages you to think in pre-set patterns. The whole idea of the loop resembles a dogma that you actively have to question as an artist...We recorded everything very carefully but when we tried to play it on our computer speakers, we couldn’t hear anything. Our compositions consisted only of very high tones and very low sub-basses. Nowadays, the speakers of laptops are much better, but back then… Anyhow, due to that experience we learned and put more effort into customizing our frequencies. And maybe that’s one of the reasons why our tracks stand out from the mainstream".
Extensive research in sound phenomena, exploiting both the extremes and minutiae from subsonic to ultrasonic on the auditory senses. By designing their own user interfaces and control panels for the live concerts, this ensures audience and music fan a more personalized sound.
The Bauhaus art school design philosophy renowned for its minimalist 'form follows function' is reflected not only in their music but even more so in their cover art where a simple diamond shaped icon in the bottom right side corner cleverly includes a 'D' and 'V' highlighted in white on the black background framed by a white perimeter. All five EP front covers share the same basic pattern and are identical save for the corresponding numerical next to the icon while the back sides persue the same minimalist theme showing only the track titles. The black inner sleeve consist of a semi-rigid paper with top angled corners and label cutout - classy but unfortunately not ideal for record protection so adding a 'smoother' surface type inner-sleeve is highly recommended. The 180 gram EPs were rigid, straight and shiny. All ten sides were flawlessly deep black with no scratches, blemishes, scuffing or press residues. The varying groove patterns were beautiful to contemplate under the light and inspired visual confidence; in one word: exemplary.
Bender and Nicolai handled the recording and production while engineer Andreas [LUPO] Lubich at D&M in Berlin was in charge of the mastering and lacquer cutting. Strangely he is credited - in tiny print on the back cover - on EP1 only but the 'Loop-o/D&M' inscribed in the matrix runout on all five EPs confirm that he largely deserves credit on every single one of them. A recording and mixing engineer since 1995, Lubich is best known for his work at Dubplates & Mastering from 1999 up until 2013. A quick search of Discogs' data base on the German facility shows over 3000 entries with 126 to his name - impressive figures considering that many of the titles are released on vinyl as well as other formats. Since then he has moved on to Calyx Mastering also situated in Berlin that offers Premium Pure Analog Mastering circumventing any digital conversion in addition to some serious tube outboard gear and even a modified EMT 948 with TSD 15 no less. Way to often we tend to forget in our small audiophile circle that there is life beyong the Ricker, Sax, Grundman, Gray and Hoffman mastering maestros. Believe me when I say LUPO is the real deal. Man can this guy cut! No mercy whatsoever for the cutter head. Each EP contains one to two tracks per side with a total of 7 to 11 minutes of modulation per side; pretty much approaching the safe recommended limit for a 45 rpm cut for this type of material before high end degradation sets in.
You want bass? You got it. You want to feel it deep down in your gut like in a club? Ditto - if your speakers are up to the task that is. It gave my 8-inchers a run for their money, taunting me to relieve them of their misery with my vintage Altec 416As sitting on the shelf but quite impressive nonetheless. This rarely heard subterranean bass was especially marked and appreciated on the very first cut of EP1 with the track "Technology at the Speed of Life"; talk about making a great first impression! But in order to keep an equilibrium and avoid a boring rumble like a cheap car subwoofer, there is adequate energy in the high end of the frequency spectrum to keep things tidy and tight. Mind you this ain't no German vegan dish, there is plenty of meat and fat on the bone; if only Kraftwerk would have cultivated such a full bandwidth sound - next to this, Man Machine or Die Mensch·Maschine [Kling Klang, EMI Electrola - 1 C 058-32 843]sounds as emaciated as their wax-like robotic models project. On that subject, one particular track - "Live Young" taken from the B side of EP 4 - reminds me of "Nummern" from Computerwelt [Kling Klang, EMI Electrola - 1 C 064-46 311]. The incremental count from 1 to 100 has that similar machine-like voice pattern.
I will refrain by dissecting each and every track. Suffice to say that there is no filler-up material; some will prefer the slower heavier pounding ones while others will delight in the stellar staccato syncopation of the busier compositions. My sole minor musical reservation is that many of the tracks though constructive in nature are quite repetitive and an abrupt shift in pace or structure could cerebrally challenge the senses better. The sound quality throughout the duo's project is uniformely mind boggling. I am not exaggerating when I state that this is the best 'techno & co.' sound I have ever heard and felt on record; nitpicker as most of you know I am, I would not change a fraction of a dB anywhere. Part of the credit must go to Bender and Nicolai for exploring such a wide gamut in sound textures and their ongoing fascination with frequency extremes; but as well to Andreas Lubich for transcribing these huge contrast in modulation to wax that would sweat out any normal mastering engineer; kudos LUPO. The quality of the pressings were up there with the very best. No surface noice to distract on all ten sides; all too rare in this day and age of low QC.
To conclude, even if you do not consider yourself a fan of the breed, as an open-minded audiophile you owe it to yourself and your rig to get at least one if not all of the EPs from the Diamond Version project. Rumors has it there will be a sequel soon and I will be first in line to buy it.
____________________________________________________________________
↧
TOP 500 SUPERSONIC LIST
"This is a journey into sound. A journey which along the way will bring to you new colour, new dimension, new value..."
What better way to introduce this new long term project than to quote Geoffrey Sumner's spoken words at the beginning of the classic 1958 Decca compilation A Journey Into Stereo Sound [SKL 4001]. Nearly six decades since the introduction of stereo sound onto vinyl, and seven since Columbia cut the first 33 1/3 rpm micro-groove LP for commercial release–the latter coincident in time with the advent of magnetic tape recording in the U.S.–, I felt it appropriate to create this Reference List for those about to 'jump on this train' for the very first time, and for those already aboard; perhaps eager to discover some new or old hidden gem to add to their precious collection. In that frame of mind, I am limiting the scope of the project to great recordings, going back to that early hifi period right up to the present, released on vinyl, either as LPs, EPs, or singles. I am estimating completion within 4 to 5 years at a rate of approximately 10 selections per month. In order to keep things rolling, a capsule-type review instead of an in-depth evaluation will accompany each selection, along with the picture of the album or single, and the recommended label pressing and country of origin. When not specified, the U.S. pressing is always the default option. If a full review of a selection already exist, a link to the latter will be provided at the end of the capsule. There are no individual ratings but I will try to set the 'sonic bar' at no less than 8/10 and give priority to those surpassing 9/10 in my judgement. Contrary to a 'Rolling Stone-type' of list where albums are chosen on musical merit or relevance with no mention of sound quality whatsoever, and the extreme polar opposite–a 'purely audiophile-only' list–where sometimes sub-par music value is overlooked by extraordinary sound, I will endeavor to bridge the gap between these two solitudes. One last note: the order within the list is by and large arbitrary and only there to reflect where we are situated in the project's time frame; i.e. number 25 is not necessarily better or worse than number 50; it is impossible to assign a preference order when dealing with so many different music and production styles. Like any list out there, personal tastes will differ between individuals, so always keep in mind that these are my Top 500 favorites chosen from the 'roughly' ten thousand titles from my Vinyl Vault after 42 years of collecting records.
Buckle your seat and let the journey begin...
1- Santana – Abraxas Columbia – KC 30130 (1970), MoFi – UD1S 2-001 Box (2016), (2x45 rpm) #0338. Genre: latin rock, latin jazz, fusion, psychedelic rock, heavy rock
I pondered the question numerous times: what would be my very first entry? Then I thought, why not launch the new year and Top 500 List with the recent reissue of Santana's second and best album by a label celebrating its 40 year anniversary in 2017. Always dedicated to delivering the best possible sound from past 'catalog classics', this limited edition LP box represents the first of a new unique series of records designated 'UD1S', wherein the 180 gram vinyl is pressed following a 'one-step' process instead of the industries' standard three-step: the stamper ("convert" is MoFi's term) is made from a part pulled from the lacquer; in effect, skipping the father and mother intermediates altogether; and by logical assumption, approaching with greater fidelity the original lacquer and by extension, the master tape. Being the oldest audiophile reissue label out there and I assume having one of, if not the largest, most diverse catalogue, they've experienced some hits and misses along the way through the years, but I can say with all certainty that this latest Santana hits a homerun, and occupies a league all of its own. It is outstanding in every sonic parameter: tons of detail, from the opening wind chimes and cymbals; followed by Carlos' electrifying lead guitar; percussive congas, tablas, and timbales; powerful drums, keyboards, heavy organ, and organic bass; super-wide, deep, and tall soundstage; dynamics; perfect tonal balance; non-fatiguing, airy sound; impressive immediacy and raw energy; need I say more? Credit must be given in part to recording engineers David Brown and John Fiore, who's wonderful work is now more apparent than ever with this remastering-cutting by Krieg Wunderlich assisted by Shawn R. Britton. It vastly surpasses the previous version in 2008–the single 33 1/3 rpm half-speed mastered by Britton [MFSL 1-305]–which at the time I found quite good, rating it around an 8.5 or so; but when juxtaposed in sequence, track by track, respectively, the standard MoFi takes quite a dive to the latest one, showing less presence; size; impact;...well everything; as if diluted; with even a hint of listener fatigue creeping in on some tracks. Needless to say, it blows away my old '360 Sound' Canadian pressing nearly to the 'dustbin'. Having being impressed by passed remasterings by SRB,–think Pixies' Surfer Rosa [MFSL 1-296]–thus putting aside any cutting engineer superiority of one over the other, and supposing MoFi used the same Santana master tape in 2008 as this time, we must come to the conclusion that the major improvement is due to the double-45 rpm format and/or the UD1S pressing. Based on their latest 45 rpm editions like I Robot and Miles Davis' for example, which were quite a leap from their regular 33 1/3 rpms, I would guesstimate roughly a 60% improvement ratio due to the higher speed and the remaining 40% for the 'one-step' method. The box-type packaging is super-deluxe in texture and looks; quite above their usual fare. Now if only all records were made like this, we would be in heaven. Definitely one of the best, if not the best rock recording and tape to disc transfer ever; such a shame it was already sold out for good within a month or so upon release.
2- Nat King Cole – The Nat King Cole Story Capitol – SWCL1613 (1961), Analogue Productions – AAPP 1613-45 (2010), (5x45 rpm), Compilation Box Set. Genre: traditional pop standards, easy listening, vocal jazz
Nat King Cole along with Frank Sinatra are my two favorite male singers of all time and I am not alone in that regard. Both are considered masters of their craft in their own way, their voice always delivered with perfect phrasing, timing, and emotional sincerity. Luckily Capitol Studios and the golden age of recording–from the mi-1950s to the early 1960s–served them well sonic wise. This is especially true here with Cole and the dedication by remastering engineers Steve Hoffman and Kevin Gray who instead of relying on the usual 2-track masters went one step further: back to the original 3-track analog session reels and with lots of TLC, remixed the blend of the central vocal track against the left and right orchestral tracks, using a lighter touch on the reverb knob compared to the excess of the period, and cut at 45 rpm no less. It pays off handsomely and all comes down to the most impressive vocal recording ever in areas of size, power, delivery, dynamic contrasts, transparency, clarity, and intimacy; sometimes startlingly so by Cole 'jumpin out' way past the front of the soundstage. Not to forget the sweet refined timbral qualities of the orchestra and its strings in particular, plus a spot-on analog warm tonal balance without overdoing it. The deluxe packaging is top notch and superior to the original with a canvas-bound embossed box, including an informative album-size booklet with b&w photos of 'King' in studio. Without doubt, so is the sound which makes this collection of sweet love songs and traditional pop, a no-brainer. Many other N.K. Cole LPs of the period were reissued and remastered by this same team of players and worthy of inclusion but if condemned to own only one, this is the one to get.
3- Diamond Version – Diamond Version Boxset EP1 Mute 12DVMUTE1(2012); EP2 Mute 12DVMUTE2 (2012); EP3 Mute 12DVMUTE3 (2013); EP4 Mute 12DVMUTE4 (2013); EP5 Mute 12DVMUTE5 (2013); 45 rpm each + LP CI STUMMDV1 33 1/3 rpm; Box Set Compilation. Genre: minimalist dark techno. Euro pressing
Growing up in East Germany, the Diamond duo composed of Olaf Bender and Carsten Nicolai distinguish themselves from many other electro groups and styles by their exploration into a whole other universe that relies on granular synthesis. Similar to music sampling, granular divides the sample into smaller pieces between 1 and 50 ms of duration only, making this particular production all the more special. This is without a doubt the most impressive recording, mastering, and lacquer-cutting I have heard, and even viewed vinyl wise, in this electro subgenre. This gives new meaning to Decca/London's original 'ear trademark'ffrr. These EP's really do reach deep down into the lowest registers and all the way up to the other end of the spectrum, with world class solidity and stunning staccato pounding and hammering. Trust me this will test the tenacity of your speakers and system; think German industrial military precision and you start to get the idea. It is mind boggling, listening and realising, just how much a simple 'stone riding a groove' can physically impart such sheer visceral force, drive, and intensity. Mastering/cutting engineer Andreas Lubich aka LUPO is not one to 'slap on' a low-cut filter just for the sake of extending the life of his cutter head; sonic compromise is not part of his vocabulary. At the time, I had bought these five EPs separately, but a year later London-based Mute records regrouped them–plus threw in a bonus in the form of an additional LP–in a nice matching box which makes this recommendation all the more enticing. A more in-depth evaluation is posted on another page.
4- Gino Vannelli – Powerful People A&M – SP-3630 (Can.) (1974), MoFi – MFSL 1-041 (1980), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: funky synth-pop, disco, jazzy soulful pop
This is the Italian-Canadian singer's second and best album, musically and sonically, and it's no wonder why Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs had chosen way back in their half-speed JVC-pressed virgin vinyl days, of showcasing their superior version to the regular A&M original. Although Gino and older brother Joe would keep 'the river flow' with hits streaming from 1976's The Gist of the Gemini; 1978's Brother to Brother [both on A&M]; and in a totally different style and colder compressed sound; 1984's Black Cars [Polydor]; Powerful People remains the only LP worthy of recommendation on this List at the present time. Vannelli's compositions with bro's sophisticated arrangements, showcase the singer's sensuous soaring vocals, supported by some powerfully tight musicianship, mixing majesty with energy, and providing a beautiful balance of smooth and faster tempi material with a few flirts of jazz overtones. As the discofied groove of "People Gotta Move" packs a punch upon first entry, the initial and lingering impression is one of stupendous speed, solidity, and soundstage size. Swirling synths and organs, spiced up with organic percussive instruments, electrify the room's air molecules, complementing each other on every track. With meticulous mixing and engineering by Larry Forkner and Tommy Vicari; this 'old' MoFi LP, cut by the late and great Stan Ricker, has it all in spades: full range even-balanced frequency, tight punchy drumkit, 'elastic' bouncy bass and most impressive of all, is the sense of a limitless dynamic ceiling with unbounded soundstage dimensions that defies any common logic.
5- Sonny Rollins – Way Out West Contemporary – C3530 (mono) (1957) – Stereo Records S7017 (1958), Analogue Productions – AJAZ 7530 (2003) (2x45 rpm). Genre: jazz, hard bop
Following the critical success of Saxophone Colossus for Prestige the year before, this 1957 recording sees the master tenor joined by Ray Brown on bass and Shelly Manne on drums, making it his first foray as a trio and for Contemporary Records. Started in 1951 by Lester Keonig, the small independant Los Angeles label was at the forefront of recording jazz stereophonically as far back as 1956, two years prior from stereo LPs entering the main market. This coincides with engineer Roy DuNann–formely of Capitol since a decade–bringing his skills to their new 'studio'; in reality, the corner of a tight backstore sharing space with the shipping room, surrounded by shelves of records. Armed with a handful of outstanding mics, AKG C12s and Neumann U47s–both high output, tube condenser types–fed directly into an Ampex 350-2 tape recorder with only hand-built 'pots' inserted for level-ajustment; this is Rollins' best sounding LP, especially in terms of warmth and sheer realism. By all accounts, this seems to be the very first jazz vinyl reissue by Acoustic Sounds' then newly-formed label, Analogue Productions. Initially remastered by Doug Sax with tube electronics and released as a single 33 1/3 rpm in 1992 [APJ-008], it sounded awesome and was already a great reissue at the time. Fast forward a full decade later when they decide to re-release it as a double 45 rpm, this time by the remastering duo par excellence–Steve Hoffman and Kevin Gray–to even more impressive heigths than before: with better double bass plucking and pitch precision; as well as superior top octave extension and intimacy on the cymbals; snare brush-stroke patterns; and percussive drumstick nuances. According to tech notes and photos, the instruments were captured close up and dry, leaving the mastering engineer the task of adding 'plate reverb' at the very end just prior to the cutting stage and which, in this instance, appears either left out or kept at a minimum–to my great delight I might add. Being extra critical, I would wish for a fraction of a dB more in the lower mids (around 400 to 600 Hz) to better unleash Rollins' power and 'bark' but that's it as far as nit-picking goes. From 1956 to 1963, DuNann and Contemporary never released a boring or bad sounding LP and believe me their 'batting average' was way high, placing them at the very top with Orrin Keepnews' Riverside label up to par or coming in a close second soundwise.
6- Felipe De La Rosa – Flamenco Fever M&K Realtime Records – RT-107 (1978), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: traditional flamenco. Live direct to disc cutting. German pressing (yellow label).
It is somewhat rare when high end audio manufacturers decide to dip their toes into the art of recording and disc pressing–think Mark Levinson; Wilson Audio; Linn–oftentimes with lackluster results and excitement; what is rarer though, is when said company actually produces quite the opposite: a truly hot demo recording of reference calibre. Such is the case with this 1978 release from M&K Realtime Records–aka M&K Sound of (Jonas) Miller & (Ken) Kreisel subwoofer fame, who entered the D2D LP niche audiophile market back in 1976; pretty much during the heyday of that minimalist 'back to basics', ancient, and restricted practice of 'putting to wax' live music. If ever a record redefined the definition of PRAT and simultaneously presented a major challenge for every link in the recording and reproducing chain, all the while engagingly captivating its audience, this is the one absolutely. The rapid-fire percussion from the palmas of the hands in conjunction with the flat and tap of the feet from the flamenco dancer sharing the stage either with a spanish guitar or dynamic drumkit, are a feast for the ears, as must have been for the eyes of those present. Captured and cut with stunning slam and physical impact along with realistic, tight, tom drum timbres; this German pressing is a sure show stopper when properly reproduced. My only reservation regarding the recording is some slight saturation on the close-miked vocals during the singer's climactic fortes–perhaps 'overtaxing' the mic's diaphragm or preamp–and which may be system-dependent up to a certain point, in the context of groove trackability and acoustic dynamic compression.
7- The Alan Parsons Project – I Robot Arista – SPARTY 1012 (UK) (1977), MoFi – MFSL 2-455 (2016), (2x45 rpm). Genre: electronic, art rock, symphonic rock, prog rock, contemporary
After gaining great notoriety engineering one of the quintessential multitrack albums of its decade–the landmark Pink Floyd 1973 masterpiece, The Dark Side of the Moon–Parsons launched his progressive Project three years later with the ambitious Tales of Mystery and Imagination. Along with its subsequent LP–1978's Pyramid–I Robot probably represents the pinnacle of Parsons' essential 'tri-pack' worth owning, after which the compositions and 'creative juices' did not run so constantly, turning out uneven material musically speaking. Initially released in 1977, this album mixes many styles rarely heard together; including symphonic-aspiring rock with mesmerizing hypnotic electronica, evoking Germanic sequenced loops ala Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk, and Moroder. At opposite ends of the spectrum are the hit single "I Wouldn't Want to Be Like You" with its disco-infused rhythm pattern, and the atonal cluster chords and choir found in Ligeti's Lux Aeterna which clearly permeates"Total Eclipse" throughout the track. There has certainly been no shortage of choice throughout the years when it comes to this particular Parsons' LP. Heck MoFi alone has released it on vinyl on three separate occasions: in 1982 as MFSL 1-084; then in UHQR form a year later as MFQR 1-084 and this newest version; not to forget neither an 'all tube' done by Bernie Grundman [Classic Records 7002-200G] in 2000. The latter was a warmer and more detailed improvement over my fairly good original UK pressing which showed signs of mild compression and top end curtailing in comparison. The latest Mofi has the theoretic advantage of being spread on 4 sides at 45 rpm and with all the care that Krieg Wunderlich and Rob LoVerde must have put into this, it bears fruit by beating the Classic to a good degree in all the usual audiophile aspects: soundstage dimensionality; dynamic range; deep sub solidity; distortion-free instrument separation; midrange transparency; top end airiness; analogue ease; and a sense of unbounded ceiling height. If pressed to roughly rate them in order: I would give an 8 for the original UK; a 9 for the Classic; and a 9.8 for the latest 45 rpm MoFi.
8- Fleetwood Mac – Rumours Warner Bros. Records – BSK 3010 (1977) – Reprise – Warner Bros. Records – 517787-1 (2011), (2x45 rpm). Genre: soft rock, pop rock
Formed by Peter Green, Mic Fleetwood, John McVie–all three, ex-John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers–, and Jeremy Spencer in 1967 and later joined by wife Christine (formely Perfect) McVie, they were originally a traditional British blues band. They say you gotta feel the blues in order to really sing the blues. The latter is often caused by great emotional turmoil and internal tensions ravaging relationships and that certainly was transpiring within the group by the mid-1970s–with the addition of Americans Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks in the mix–ironically shedding the blues influences of their early years for some softer rock and artistic pop. After gaining fame and greater acclaim in 1975 with the release of their second self-titled LP, featuring 3 major hits singles, the quintet finally reached superstardom status two years later with Rumours, one of the best selling albums of all time and luckily for us audiophiles, one of the best recorded pop rock albums also. Producers-engineers Ken Caillat and Richard Dashut assisted by Chris Morris spent the better part of 1976, recording and mixing the band at the Record Plant in Sausalito, California on a 3M 24-track tape deck and API mixing board with mostly AKG condenser and dynamic mics in a 30 feet by 20 feet 'dry-sounding' room–all the while making sure the blend of all the acoustic and electric instruments, plus the many vocal and harmony parts were equally shared and distributed within the entire frequency range, ensuring instrumentation clarity throughout the album. The last 4 months were spent at Wally Heider Studios in Los Angeles. Despite the–not uncommon for the times–drug-fuelled proliferation, hedonistic behavior, and countless hours of multitracking every instrumental solo lick, the end result was a sonic delight and when came time to re-release it 34 years later, Reprise did the right thing by hiring Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman to handle the remastering and lacquer-cutting process, which they executed perfectly. The tonal balance is natural and more neutral than overtly warm, yet thankfully, not falling into the hyper-detailed analytic sound trap that a DMM cutting would have generated and ruined. The quiet Pallas pressing helps with the micro-dynamics and fine degree of spatial separation, string finesse, and midrange transparency. It surpasses my still excellent-sounding first-press UK copy by a certain degree, with a bit more bottom weight and overall refinement. All in all, one of the finest remastering jobs of the AcousTech duo right after their N.K.Cole Story box set.
9- James Brown – Bodyheat Polydor – PD-1-6093 (1976), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: disco, funk, soul
The Godfather of Soul was very prolific throughout a lenghty career starting as far back as 1956–at times releasing up to 4 LPs per year; not forgetting roughly 100 singles entering the charts, 17 of which hitting number-one. Almost single-handedly inventing the funk genre in the mid-1960s and backed up by The J.B.'s during most of the 1970s, this is Brown's 47th album; his last truly inspiring before his creative style got totally eclipse by the sweeping wave of disco. First signed to King, then Smash, and later to Polydor–with sound quality varying from poor to excellent–this LP is the only one I would qualify as outstanding and not warranting any retouch. This is 'my go to' record when I want to demonstrate to someone what a 'groovy bass' recording sounds like; or test if a loudspeaker or complete sound system is capable and convincing of conveying the musicians' emotional rhythmic vibe. Back in the day, when "Bodyheat" would play, believe me 'you were in business' if you had a pair or two, of big JBL 4520 'double-scoops' delivering the punch and propelling the patrons onto the dancefloor into a frenzy of excitement and sheer sensuality. The opening riff by the saxes sets the stage with superb presence and warmth; the four-on-the-floor kick drum and accompanying electric bass seem to be 'modulated' by an expander, creating dynamic tension and movement within the locked organic groove; panoramic guitars are extra limpid; the ride cymbal beating the 8th notes, sports a natural metallic shine without ever veering analytical. In fact the overall tonal balance is just perfectly warm, sweet, and with an 'alnico-type' midrange all through the title-track and most of the album–mastered and cut at Frankford/Wayne in NYC. There are two main parts within the track and the abrupt back and forth switches between them, are swift and tight. So if sound is your main criteria, this is your best bet for Brown and first one to collect. As James states on the back cover: "Listen to this album. Not only will the spiritual feeling get to you, but the 'groove' will too."
10- Various, The New Symphony Orchestra of London, Alexander Gibson – Witches' Brew RCA VICTOR RED SEAL – LSC-2225 (1958), CLASSIC RECORDS – LSC-2225, Living Stereo – LSC-2225 (1996), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: classical modern
This is probably one of the 10 best classical orchestral sound recordings in my collection, and among Classic Records' finest reissues of the RCA LSC catalogue; and I might add, of their entire output, period. Whereas certain Bernie Grundman remastering-cuts are a bit hot, harsh, and dry, leading to some audiophiles to seek out original Shaded Dogs for more sweetness on top and limpid warmth in the mids–though at some sacrifice in the bottom octave–, this one seems to not suffer the same fate and garners high praise for its huge dynamics, full range frequency extension, unbounded soundstage solidity, and unfettered force. No doubt the original December 1957 recording engineered by the great Kenneth Wilkinson at Kingsway Hall in England by UK Decca, using the famous 'Decca Tree' mic method, plays a tremendous part in its sonic glory, but one must also acknowledge the lacquer-cutting and stamper challenges this must have presented to get it just right. Both sides are equally impressive and make a worthy demo disc for hifi shows or 'showing off' between friends–just make sure your rig is up to the task or you may regret 'dropping the needle' on this one. The musical aspects–instrumental color, composition, drama, tension, performance–are particularly captivating on side B. My copy is the first Classic reissue that came out: the single 33 1/3 rpm 180 gram version but two rarer, pricier issues, consisting of 4 single-sided LPs cut at 45 rpm–at first standard black and later on their Clarity Quiex-SV-P II series–were available but I have not compared them with mine. All things being equal, the faster speed should be superior, especially in the top end and 3D spaciousness; on the other hand, the carbon-free clear vinyl is up for debate, and from my experience and point of vue, less attractive visually and sonically, based on other past comparisons between black, clear, and colored vinyl–the black carbon providing better body, intimacy and weight to my ears, perhaps at a slight expense of detail transparency.
A final note:
Now don't go 'bonkers' if you have not found your favorite recording included in this list, just remember: we are only at the beginning of a long journey...into sound.
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BILL EVANS TRIO - SUNDAY AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab UD1S 2-002 Box (2017, June), #2103 of 3000
Originally released on Riverside – RLP 9376 (1961, Oct.)
Ratings:
Global Appreciation: 9.6
- Music: A
- Recording: 9.2
- Remastering + Lacquer Cutting: 10
- Pressing: 10
- Packaging: Deluxe
Category: jazz
Format: Vinyl (2x180 gram LPs at 45 rpm)
Musicians:
Bill Evans - piano
Scott LaFaro - double bass
Paul Motian - drums
Additional credits:
Produced by Orrin Keepnews
Recorded at The Village Vanguard, NYC
Engineered by Dave Jones
Originally mastered at Plaza Sound Studios
Remastered and cut by Krieg Wunderlich at Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab in Sebastopol Ca
Plated and Pressed by RTI, Ca, USA
Album Design by Ken Deardoff
Cover art by Donald Silverstein
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Recorded live at the Vanguard in Greenwich Village, NYC, on a famous Sunday afternoon and night of June 25, 1961–the legendary venue situated on Seventh Avenue South, served host for a historic moment in time. Playing a total of 13 songs in the smoky, triangular-shaped basement, this was the last day of a two-week gig, and sadly ten days before Scott LaFaro's tragic car accident. 'Village' along with its counterpart Waltz forDebbie–drawn from the same sessions–have long been considered quintessential live trio recordings; both for masterful musicianship, and deep audiophile admiration for their natural timbres, and airy ambiance. For these reasons alone, both albums should share similar shelf space in one's LP collection.
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Produced by Orrin Keepnews, and captured magically by recording engineer Dave Jones–with three mics, mixed in an Ampex MX-35 tube mic/line mixer-preamp onto an Ampex 350-2 or 351-2 two-track running Scotch 111 at 15 ips–alongside subtle tinkling glass intrusions, minimal chatter interventions, and 'polite' applause; this was Evans' fifth release for Riverside–his first appropriately titled New Jazz Conceptions [Riverside RLP 12-223]–and remaining a best seller ever since.
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It showcases the impressive intuitive interplay between him, bassist LaFaro, and drummer Paul Motion–both of which he first collaborated with, back in 1957 and 1955 respectively. Not surprisingly there have been numerous reissues since its initial inception.
This is the second limited edition 'UltraDisc One-Step' 45rpm box set released by Mobile Fidelity after the stunning sound success of Santana's Abraxas [UD1S 2-001], sold out within its first month–manifestly to be the same scenario here. As in the latter case, the two LP's are housed, and presented in a deluxe one-inch thick, black carton box with gold-colored lettering and trimmings, framing the original b&w cover art–by famed photogapher Donald Silverstein–in a reduced 8 1/2 x 8 1/2 inch slightly sunken square.
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Upon opening, a dark grey foam hides the inner jewels; under which, two elegant 10 x 12 inch, high quality b&w photos–by American photographer Steve Shapiro. Renowned among other things for his work documenting the Civil Rights Movement, and in his first year as a freelancer–one captures the trio backstage; the other, the maestro hunched over the 'ivories', intensely immersed in the moment.
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Next in line is a thin cardbord with pictograms explaining in great detail the unique 'one-step' process. This is followed by a double-sided, full-sized cardbord printed replica of the original front and back cover art, with MoFi's ubiquitous strip added at the top instead of the usual "Stereo Riverside".
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Finally we reach the treasured vinyl, inserted in individual numbered cardbord sleeves similar to the box cover art, with the track titles printed on the back side, and the LP's further protected, by MoFi's inner HDPE sleeves inside a white folded cardbord. As usual with MoFi, no attempts were made to duplicate the original Riverside label, replaced instead with the same design as their other UD1S LP.
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Lastly a second foam, 'cushions the blow' of box handling. While other labels may 'throw in' a t-shirt, a CD or a free digital download card, MoFi sticks with the essentials, valued by demanding audiophiles: outstanding record protection mated with a classy refined presentation. In other words my friends, this is the 'Rolls Royce' of vinyl packaging!
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I do not have an original pressing to compare with, but I do own the 2002Analogue Productions [AJAZ 9376] double 45rpm done by Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman which is generally excellent, rating it around an 8.7–the bass lacking some weight and precision compared for instance to another Evans release [AJAZ 9487] by the same technical team that sonically surpasses it. All four sides of the MoFi were stunningly shiny, black, with no scratches, nor scuff marks.
I visually compared the modulated groove vs dead wax space betweem both 'Village'audiophile reissues in question. Below are the approximate 'linear' measurements in inches 'rounded off':
A. P.: Side A = 3 1/8 mod. groove + 5/8 wax.
MoFi: Side A = 3 mod. groove + 3/4 wax.
A. P.: Side B = 2 7/8 mod. groove + 7/8 wax
MoFi: Side B = 2 1/4 mod. groove + 1 1/2 wax
A. P.: Side C = 2 3/4 mod. groove + 1 wax.
MoFi: Side C = 2 1/4 mod. groove + 1 1/2 wax.
A. P.: Side D = 2 7/8 mod. groove + 7/8 wax
MoFi: Side D = 2 7/8 mod. groove + 7/8 wax
We can ascertain that certain sides (like D) are identical in spacing ratios while all the other sides favor a bit more distance from the label on the MoFi cutting, the latter playing it 'safer' regarding the high frequencies, inner groove distortion, and 'pinch effect' which typically increase as the groove radius decreases.
In a nutshell, whereas a normal 'three-step' release utilises the following chain: [lacquer + father + mother + stamper], the 'one-step' method skips the father and mother intermediary steps, going from lacquer directly to stamper or 'convert' in this case. Because of the limited number of pressings that the delicate convert can withstand in the typical press before audible deterioration creeps in–supposedly somewhere around 500 or so for 180g LP's–it implies that a minimum set of 5 converts per side must be created from a set of 5 lacquers per side to meet the expected target of 3000 copies. This not only takes the remastering/cutting job five times longer to perform but also exposes the precious original master tape to more wear and tear–the iron oxide, binder (glue), and acetate, mylar or polyester carrier coming apart sometimes with time, aka 'binder breakdown', and remedied only by 'baking' the tapes for precise times and temperatures. Considering all of the above, the $100 asking price seems well justified, and I would not be surprised if they make less money or profit on these than their regular releases.
It also suggest that there could very well be minor differences in sound among the 5 'plate' sets, and as such, differences in sound between box sets, relative to the 'batch' number that the consumer happens to get–more so than the usual MoFi release or any other label following the normal three-step process, all else being equal (which admittedly is rarely the case, especially regarding vinyl because of the multitude of variables from master tape before reaching your platter, and everything subsequent to that). One can also ponder if for example the fifth cutting run is either 'penalized' because of the tape wear or rather privileged for getting the EQ and groove-spacing 'spot-on'; then again are all the parameters/choices 'locked-in' for the total 'project run' to maximize uniformity? What about the cutting stylus–does it get changed for every set? So many questions, so little time.
Following that logic, there are at leasts 5 sets of A, B, C, and D. Now one would presume that the first batch (#1 to 600) would be etched 'A1; B1; C1; D1' and the last batch (#2400 to 3000) would be 'A5; B5; C5; D5'. Strangely that is not the case, for my #2103 copy bore the respective matrix / runout stamper etchings:
'UD1S2-002 A5; B2; C1r; D1 KW@MoFi'
...whereas the copy entered in Discogs' database #144 indicates: 'A1; B4; C3; D4'
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I ignore the significance of 'r' after the 'C1' but the KW as usual stands for engineer Krieg Wunderlich, who in this instance worked alone instead of being assisted by Shawn R. Britton–as was the case with the Santana–if the credits are complete. I was curious to find out if the level of superiority first encountered between the two Santana versions (see selection #1 of my Top 500 SuperSonic List) would repeat itself this time to the same degree with a different recording; let's now find out...
In the very first moments the recording begins, you can hear and feel a brief low vibration that instills a sense of venue scale and stage presence–curiously encountered on the said Santana within a similar time frame–but completely absent on the A. Prod LP. Immediately, what startles the listener is the quality and quantity of the double-bass which is astounding by any measure, and clobbers the A. Prod. in that specific area, with a triad of unwavering solidity, pitch precision, and presence like I've never encountered before on record–with the exception of the Santana, and Diamond Version's Boxset [TOP 500 #3]–which in my opinion 'steals the show' right from the opening bars. Kudos to Krieg Wunderlich who must have used judicious amounts of precise parametric EQ or perhaps even some finely focused dynamic EQ to obtain this extreme level of 'addictive' refinement. This brings LaFaro so much more upfront 'in the mix', the 'dude' dominating stage left; his dexterity along the fingerboard and strings is mesmerizing, making him much easier to follow–for that alone making my purchase all the more justified. What sets him and the trio apart from other bassists and trios of that era is the seminal role he and Evans had in redefining what a jazz trio stands for–from tradionally accompanying the piano in a supportive way to 'equal partners' in melodic explorations instead of simply rhythmic backing, as was still pretty much the norm then. His tragic departure at age 25, all the more devastating given his immense talent, and the musical imprint he left behind.
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The piano and drums also 'move closer' gaining greater presence, along with better contrasts due in large part to the blacker background of the 'dead-silent' RTI pressing, made from MoFi's noise-free converts. Not one tick or pop was detected from start to finish. Going back to the A. Prod. is akin to being displaced 'ten rows further back'! If you tend to sit in the first or second row at live venues like I always do, the MoFi gets you so much closer to the 'real deal'. On the other hand if you tend to sit midway or far from the stage, the softer sounding A. Prod. could be more your cup of tea, though admittedly at the sacrifice of musical performance detail. Keep in mind that if you never get the chance of listening to the MoFi UD1S, you probably will find the A. Prod. quite enjoyable.
Evans' piano playing tends to concentrate more in the middle and higher registers, so do not expect to hear bluesy 'Basie-esque' hefty lows a la Pablo productions or you risk being disappointed; instead impressionistic influences such as Debussy, Ravel, Fauré, Satie, and Gould–another 'huncher', and admirer no less–come to mind. This should not come as a surprise given his early training in the great classical repertoire.
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In the mid-1950s he would cross paths with pianist, composer, and arranger George Russell who was in the midst of conceiving his Lydian Chromatic Concept, relying on tonal gravity, and the Lydian mode or musical scale, hence opening the gates for modal jazz. Later on this would serve him well as he put theory to practice under the guidance of Miles, culminating in the all time best selling jazz album–Kind of Blue. Always self-critical, and often lacking confidence in his musical abilities–like so many jazz greats of those years–he got hooked to heroin.
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Similar to the Santana UD1S, the tonal balance is full range, reaching deep down into 'seismic territory', then up to 'insect territory' with tons of wonderful detail. If your system is hyper-detailed to begin with, you may find both UD1S titles just a bit over the top. My system is not voiced in that direction but rather ever so slightly, in a 'downward slope', leaving the bass and low mids 'in charge', which fits just right with these thoroughbreds, and most releases. For those in the former camp, you may try lowering a touch the tonearm's VTA at the main bearing end if it is adjustable, and only if the detail density, detracts your focus from the 'big picture'. The overall sound envelope is neither romantic, nor overly-analytic, but rather 'ruler flat'–by the latter I do not mean boring or compressed, but balanced with no obvious emphasis or gaps. It shares some semblance with an outstanding direct-to-disc sound–fast, dynamic, etc.–but with added 'meat to the bone', i.e. not only 'lean muscles'. If it were a film, it would definitely be a technicolor IB print with full saturated hues.
To conclude, Mobile Fidelity's second UD1S release–Sunday at the Village Vanguard by Bill Evans Trio–is a worthy successor to their debut–Santana's Abraxas [UD1S 2-001]. 'Master cutter' Krieg Wunderlich pulled it off once more bringing a sound improvement almost as large, where I would rate it a 9.7 about–refrained only by Motion's nearly uninterrupted use of the brushes on the cymbals that produce a constant 'sandish sound' which I found a bit obtrusive in the long run. Of course that is part of the recording, and therefore is out of MoFi or anybody else's hands; it is simply more apparent or present when you eliminate two steps from the pressing process, and prior to this release, I had not noticed it as much. When he does shift towards the snare, the result is realistic in tone, and dynamics. Even though I couldn't compare with an original Riverside pressing, I am fully confident in stating that it is impossible that the latter would surpass or even approach the quality of this remastering. In some cases, original mids and highs sometimes preside, but in this instance the (one) step is simply too steep to climb, be it just for the bass alone!
Both UD1S titles garner a global appreciation rating of 9.6 or more, taking into account the original recording quality, remastering+cutting advancement, vinyl quietness, sophisticated box art presentation, allied to artistic creativity, highly refined musicianship, and historical perspective. By sheer nature of the musical genre–an explorative, intuitive jazz trio–this latest one is a notch less 'spectacular' when compared to the colorful fusion of latin, rock, psychedelic, and percussive elements found in the Santana LP. Like the latter, it will be a tough act to follow.
Originally released on Riverside – RLP 9376 (1961, Oct.)
Ratings:
Global Appreciation: 9.6
- Music: A
- Recording: 9.2
- Remastering + Lacquer Cutting: 10
- Pressing: 10
- Packaging: Deluxe
Category: jazz
Format: Vinyl (2x180 gram LPs at 45 rpm)
Musicians:
Bill Evans - piano
Scott LaFaro - double bass
Paul Motian - drums
Additional credits:
Produced by Orrin Keepnews
Recorded at The Village Vanguard, NYC
Engineered by Dave Jones
Originally mastered at Plaza Sound Studios
Remastered and cut by Krieg Wunderlich at Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab in Sebastopol Ca
Plated and Pressed by RTI, Ca, USA
Album Design by Ken Deardoff
Cover art by Donald Silverstein
Recorded live at the Vanguard in Greenwich Village, NYC, on a famous Sunday afternoon and night of June 25, 1961–the legendary venue situated on Seventh Avenue South, served host for a historic moment in time. Playing a total of 13 songs in the smoky, triangular-shaped basement, this was the last day of a two-week gig, and sadly ten days before Scott LaFaro's tragic car accident. 'Village' along with its counterpart Waltz forDebbie–drawn from the same sessions–have long been considered quintessential live trio recordings; both for masterful musicianship, and deep audiophile admiration for their natural timbres, and airy ambiance. For these reasons alone, both albums should share similar shelf space in one's LP collection.
Produced by Orrin Keepnews, and captured magically by recording engineer Dave Jones–with three mics, mixed in an Ampex MX-35 tube mic/line mixer-preamp onto an Ampex 350-2 or 351-2 two-track running Scotch 111 at 15 ips–alongside subtle tinkling glass intrusions, minimal chatter interventions, and 'polite' applause; this was Evans' fifth release for Riverside–his first appropriately titled New Jazz Conceptions [Riverside RLP 12-223]–and remaining a best seller ever since.
It showcases the impressive intuitive interplay between him, bassist LaFaro, and drummer Paul Motion–both of which he first collaborated with, back in 1957 and 1955 respectively. Not surprisingly there have been numerous reissues since its initial inception.
This is the second limited edition 'UltraDisc One-Step' 45rpm box set released by Mobile Fidelity after the stunning sound success of Santana's Abraxas [UD1S 2-001], sold out within its first month–manifestly to be the same scenario here. As in the latter case, the two LP's are housed, and presented in a deluxe one-inch thick, black carton box with gold-colored lettering and trimmings, framing the original b&w cover art–by famed photogapher Donald Silverstein–in a reduced 8 1/2 x 8 1/2 inch slightly sunken square.
Upon opening, a dark grey foam hides the inner jewels; under which, two elegant 10 x 12 inch, high quality b&w photos–by American photographer Steve Shapiro. Renowned among other things for his work documenting the Civil Rights Movement, and in his first year as a freelancer–one captures the trio backstage; the other, the maestro hunched over the 'ivories', intensely immersed in the moment.
Next in line is a thin cardbord with pictograms explaining in great detail the unique 'one-step' process. This is followed by a double-sided, full-sized cardbord printed replica of the original front and back cover art, with MoFi's ubiquitous strip added at the top instead of the usual "Stereo Riverside".
Finally we reach the treasured vinyl, inserted in individual numbered cardbord sleeves similar to the box cover art, with the track titles printed on the back side, and the LP's further protected, by MoFi's inner HDPE sleeves inside a white folded cardbord. As usual with MoFi, no attempts were made to duplicate the original Riverside label, replaced instead with the same design as their other UD1S LP.
Lastly a second foam, 'cushions the blow' of box handling. While other labels may 'throw in' a t-shirt, a CD or a free digital download card, MoFi sticks with the essentials, valued by demanding audiophiles: outstanding record protection mated with a classy refined presentation. In other words my friends, this is the 'Rolls Royce' of vinyl packaging!
I do not have an original pressing to compare with, but I do own the 2002Analogue Productions [AJAZ 9376] double 45rpm done by Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman which is generally excellent, rating it around an 8.7–the bass lacking some weight and precision compared for instance to another Evans release [AJAZ 9487] by the same technical team that sonically surpasses it. All four sides of the MoFi were stunningly shiny, black, with no scratches, nor scuff marks.
I visually compared the modulated groove vs dead wax space betweem both 'Village'audiophile reissues in question. Below are the approximate 'linear' measurements in inches 'rounded off':
MoFi: Side A = 3 mod. groove + 3/4 wax.
A. P.: Side B = 2 7/8 mod. groove + 7/8 wax
MoFi: Side B = 2 1/4 mod. groove + 1 1/2 wax
A. P.: Side C = 2 3/4 mod. groove + 1 wax.
MoFi: Side C = 2 1/4 mod. groove + 1 1/2 wax.
A. P.: Side D = 2 7/8 mod. groove + 7/8 wax
MoFi: Side D = 2 7/8 mod. groove + 7/8 wax
We can ascertain that certain sides (like D) are identical in spacing ratios while all the other sides favor a bit more distance from the label on the MoFi cutting, the latter playing it 'safer' regarding the high frequencies, inner groove distortion, and 'pinch effect' which typically increase as the groove radius decreases.
In a nutshell, whereas a normal 'three-step' release utilises the following chain: [lacquer + father + mother + stamper], the 'one-step' method skips the father and mother intermediary steps, going from lacquer directly to stamper or 'convert' in this case. Because of the limited number of pressings that the delicate convert can withstand in the typical press before audible deterioration creeps in–supposedly somewhere around 500 or so for 180g LP's–it implies that a minimum set of 5 converts per side must be created from a set of 5 lacquers per side to meet the expected target of 3000 copies. This not only takes the remastering/cutting job five times longer to perform but also exposes the precious original master tape to more wear and tear–the iron oxide, binder (glue), and acetate, mylar or polyester carrier coming apart sometimes with time, aka 'binder breakdown', and remedied only by 'baking' the tapes for precise times and temperatures. Considering all of the above, the $100 asking price seems well justified, and I would not be surprised if they make less money or profit on these than their regular releases.
It also suggest that there could very well be minor differences in sound among the 5 'plate' sets, and as such, differences in sound between box sets, relative to the 'batch' number that the consumer happens to get–more so than the usual MoFi release or any other label following the normal three-step process, all else being equal (which admittedly is rarely the case, especially regarding vinyl because of the multitude of variables from master tape before reaching your platter, and everything subsequent to that). One can also ponder if for example the fifth cutting run is either 'penalized' because of the tape wear or rather privileged for getting the EQ and groove-spacing 'spot-on'; then again are all the parameters/choices 'locked-in' for the total 'project run' to maximize uniformity? What about the cutting stylus–does it get changed for every set? So many questions, so little time.
Following that logic, there are at leasts 5 sets of A, B, C, and D. Now one would presume that the first batch (#1 to 600) would be etched 'A1; B1; C1; D1' and the last batch (#2400 to 3000) would be 'A5; B5; C5; D5'. Strangely that is not the case, for my #2103 copy bore the respective matrix / runout stamper etchings:
'UD1S2-002 A5; B2; C1r; D1 KW@MoFi'
...whereas the copy entered in Discogs' database #144 indicates: 'A1; B4; C3; D4'
I ignore the significance of 'r' after the 'C1' but the KW as usual stands for engineer Krieg Wunderlich, who in this instance worked alone instead of being assisted by Shawn R. Britton–as was the case with the Santana–if the credits are complete. I was curious to find out if the level of superiority first encountered between the two Santana versions (see selection #1 of my Top 500 SuperSonic List) would repeat itself this time to the same degree with a different recording; let's now find out...
In the very first moments the recording begins, you can hear and feel a brief low vibration that instills a sense of venue scale and stage presence–curiously encountered on the said Santana within a similar time frame–but completely absent on the A. Prod LP. Immediately, what startles the listener is the quality and quantity of the double-bass which is astounding by any measure, and clobbers the A. Prod. in that specific area, with a triad of unwavering solidity, pitch precision, and presence like I've never encountered before on record–with the exception of the Santana, and Diamond Version's Boxset [TOP 500 #3]–which in my opinion 'steals the show' right from the opening bars. Kudos to Krieg Wunderlich who must have used judicious amounts of precise parametric EQ or perhaps even some finely focused dynamic EQ to obtain this extreme level of 'addictive' refinement. This brings LaFaro so much more upfront 'in the mix', the 'dude' dominating stage left; his dexterity along the fingerboard and strings is mesmerizing, making him much easier to follow–for that alone making my purchase all the more justified. What sets him and the trio apart from other bassists and trios of that era is the seminal role he and Evans had in redefining what a jazz trio stands for–from tradionally accompanying the piano in a supportive way to 'equal partners' in melodic explorations instead of simply rhythmic backing, as was still pretty much the norm then. His tragic departure at age 25, all the more devastating given his immense talent, and the musical imprint he left behind.
The piano and drums also 'move closer' gaining greater presence, along with better contrasts due in large part to the blacker background of the 'dead-silent' RTI pressing, made from MoFi's noise-free converts. Not one tick or pop was detected from start to finish. Going back to the A. Prod. is akin to being displaced 'ten rows further back'! If you tend to sit in the first or second row at live venues like I always do, the MoFi gets you so much closer to the 'real deal'. On the other hand if you tend to sit midway or far from the stage, the softer sounding A. Prod. could be more your cup of tea, though admittedly at the sacrifice of musical performance detail. Keep in mind that if you never get the chance of listening to the MoFi UD1S, you probably will find the A. Prod. quite enjoyable.
Evans' piano playing tends to concentrate more in the middle and higher registers, so do not expect to hear bluesy 'Basie-esque' hefty lows a la Pablo productions or you risk being disappointed; instead impressionistic influences such as Debussy, Ravel, Fauré, Satie, and Gould–another 'huncher', and admirer no less–come to mind. This should not come as a surprise given his early training in the great classical repertoire.
In the mid-1950s he would cross paths with pianist, composer, and arranger George Russell who was in the midst of conceiving his Lydian Chromatic Concept, relying on tonal gravity, and the Lydian mode or musical scale, hence opening the gates for modal jazz. Later on this would serve him well as he put theory to practice under the guidance of Miles, culminating in the all time best selling jazz album–Kind of Blue. Always self-critical, and often lacking confidence in his musical abilities–like so many jazz greats of those years–he got hooked to heroin.
Similar to the Santana UD1S, the tonal balance is full range, reaching deep down into 'seismic territory', then up to 'insect territory' with tons of wonderful detail. If your system is hyper-detailed to begin with, you may find both UD1S titles just a bit over the top. My system is not voiced in that direction but rather ever so slightly, in a 'downward slope', leaving the bass and low mids 'in charge', which fits just right with these thoroughbreds, and most releases. For those in the former camp, you may try lowering a touch the tonearm's VTA at the main bearing end if it is adjustable, and only if the detail density, detracts your focus from the 'big picture'. The overall sound envelope is neither romantic, nor overly-analytic, but rather 'ruler flat'–by the latter I do not mean boring or compressed, but balanced with no obvious emphasis or gaps. It shares some semblance with an outstanding direct-to-disc sound–fast, dynamic, etc.–but with added 'meat to the bone', i.e. not only 'lean muscles'. If it were a film, it would definitely be a technicolor IB print with full saturated hues.
To conclude, Mobile Fidelity's second UD1S release–Sunday at the Village Vanguard by Bill Evans Trio–is a worthy successor to their debut–Santana's Abraxas [UD1S 2-001]. 'Master cutter' Krieg Wunderlich pulled it off once more bringing a sound improvement almost as large, where I would rate it a 9.7 about–refrained only by Motion's nearly uninterrupted use of the brushes on the cymbals that produce a constant 'sandish sound' which I found a bit obtrusive in the long run. Of course that is part of the recording, and therefore is out of MoFi or anybody else's hands; it is simply more apparent or present when you eliminate two steps from the pressing process, and prior to this release, I had not noticed it as much. When he does shift towards the snare, the result is realistic in tone, and dynamics. Even though I couldn't compare with an original Riverside pressing, I am fully confident in stating that it is impossible that the latter would surpass or even approach the quality of this remastering. In some cases, original mids and highs sometimes preside, but in this instance the (one) step is simply too steep to climb, be it just for the bass alone!
Both UD1S titles garner a global appreciation rating of 9.6 or more, taking into account the original recording quality, remastering+cutting advancement, vinyl quietness, sophisticated box art presentation, allied to artistic creativity, highly refined musicianship, and historical perspective. By sheer nature of the musical genre–an explorative, intuitive jazz trio–this latest one is a notch less 'spectacular' when compared to the colorful fusion of latin, rock, psychedelic, and percussive elements found in the Santana LP. Like the latter, it will be a tough act to follow.
↧
VINCENT BÉLANGER - PURE CELLO
Audio Note Music – ANM 1601 (UK) (2017, March)
Ratings:
Global Appreciation: 9.7
- Music + interpretation: A+
- Recording: 10
- Mastering: 10 - Lacquer Cutting: 9.5
- Pressing: 9.5
- Packaging: above average
Category: Classical
Format: Vinyl (2x180 gram LPs at 45 rpm)
Credits:
Executive director Michel Plante
Produced, edited, and mixed by Jacques Roy
Recorded by Stephan Ritch and assisted by David Cope
Recorded at Clark Chapel at Pomfret school in Pomfret, CT, USA, June 8 to 12, 2015
Mastered by Guy Hébert with Stephan Ritch
LP lacquers cut by Philip Gosselin at Lab Mastering in Montreal, Canada
Plated and Pressed by Optimal in Germany
Cover photo by Luc Robitaille
Inside photo by Stephan Ritch
Sleeve Design by Unseen Works
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Named official 'musical ambassador' for Audio Note Music, Canadian cellist Vincent Bélanger is part of an all too rare breed: an authentic audiophile/musician. Dedicated to raising awareness around his beautiful bicentennial or so instrument, the busy 38-year-old is on an ongoing mission to bring back the fun and excitement of listening to live classical music, while going to great lengths to transpose that essence to record. Playing since the age of eight, it is only since 2011 that he discovered the art of great sound. Nowadays, he is well known among the 'hifi circuit'–his many show-stoppers wherein he plays in synch with or alternates between a recording and himself, seems to be one of his signature stratagems. Of course the degree of success of the old "Is it live or is it Memorex?" query lies as much in the reproductive chain quality than the recording itself.
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Which brings us to the latter part of that equation, in this instance the LP titled Pure Cello–the first and only record release (as of writing) from the renowned UK high end company led by manic music lover, and record collector extraordinaire Peter Qvortrup. Back in June 2015, and with a $30k cost breakdown budget, what started out as a–$10k goal Indegogo–crowdfunding project to produce an entire album of solo cello, blossomed into an ambitiously impressive release. This is the protagonist's fourth album, after Bélanger & (Anne) Bisson's Conversations [Universal Music Canada CM5-2222] in 2016–she being a well known show regular from Québec with 'audiophile-approved' pedigree, and like Vincent, was once featured through Montreal's premier label Fidelio Music. The latter team released his first album titled Là, back in 2011–though at the time available in digital format only; it is presently in preparation for future release on vinyl.
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Regarding that particular format, Bélanger–being born near the dawn of the 1980s–was way passed the golden age for vinyl, nor never knew the generally good multitrack analog sound of that previous decade. In fact it is safe to say that with the exception of MoFi, Analogue Productions, Classic Records, and a few independent labels, he grew up in the era of what can be considered vinyl's 'crappiest age', not only in terms of cheap pressing quality, but also right smack in the loudness war's conflict affecting both CD, and vinyl! Thankfully, somebody or something convinced him that in this day and age, when done properly, vinyl still rules. Initially suppose to be released as a 331/3 rpm, they soon opted for the advantages of cutting at 45 rpm on four sides instead of 'squeezing' the grooves to fit two sides–though costlier in manufacturing and consequently passed on to the consumer, it was the right decision to make when ultimate sound is your main priority.
Another ironic twist one could say, was the deliberate choice of not surrounding himself with the typical classical 'circle' of technical personnel, be that for production or engineering. He often finds the modern classical or chamber recordings too distant sounding, and thus 'robbing' the listener of the presence one gets at a live concert, close up to the musician. I totally share the same sentiment, which is the reason why I try to sit in the very first rows, regardless of musical genre, and position my loudspeakers close up with vectors crossing right in front of my head, resembling in part Audio Note's recommendations, though far from the corners. What is interesting is that the cast of assembled accomplices were chosen rather from the audiophile, and pop/rock community, and the recording philosophy more in line with a jazz recording, i.e. miked quite close to the instrument.
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Of equal consideration is his view that the 'new guard' of musicians–contemporaries of his so to speak–are risk averse, relating to repertoire or interpretation; commonly playing it safe or conservative to a point of blandness. It reminds me of one of the all time greats–Russian-born American cellist Gregor Piatigorsky–who was not afraid of taking certain stylistic liberties to better impart the drama, passion, and power of the piece, solidly supported by his impressive sustained vibrato. The master probably figured out early on that the 'medium' through tape, records, and even the distance separating the performance from the audience dilutes the emotional aspects of the partition, and therefore one must judiciously compensate to fully restore the full expressive force from the composer, channeled through the performer. One could even extrapolate this thesis in the home reproductive system, concluding there are multiple minute losses in the entire complex recording chain–while some choosing horns for emphasizing the musical drama, and tension of the music, but I digress.
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Audio Note's David Cope chose the charming Clark Chapel close to the Pomfret school in Pomfret, Connecticut USA for its superb acoustics as well as the deep level of sound isolation provided by the six-inch thick doors, and surrounding stone walls–a visual delight as well. Les Studios Opus' Jacques Roy produced, edited, and mixed the session, while Plurison's Stephan Ritch, who is also a freelance sound engineer recorded it with assistance from Cope. Two pairs of mics were chosen: a primary pair of Lauten Horizon LT-321 tube condenser cardioids in what at first glance resembles a typical Blumlein configuration, i.e. capsule to capsule facing one another 'polar-rotated' at 90 degrees–which normally would employ two 'crossed-figure-8's–but the 321 being a cardioid, classifies it more into the 'XY' pattern (at 180 instead of the typical 90 degree alignment) placed roughly at head level, inclined 45 degrees, 22 inches from the cello, plus a pair of DPA 4003 omnis spaced 10 feet apart, approximately 20 feet away towards the back for room ambiance. The Lauten visually distinguishes itself by sporting a 'lollipop' head capsule instead of the typical rectangular Neumanns or common fare. Its high sensitivity enables lower gain from the preamp, plus a wide bandwidth pretty flat down to 30Hz, and a broad 2dB plateau from 4 to 15kHz, brings a bit of 'bite' to the instrument–more so than a regular ribbon mic. Both mic sets were amplified by separate solid state Moon Audio 3500 MP preamps–renowned for their extremely low noise, non-colored, and flat frequency, extending up to 250kHz. The output(s) sent to an Apple's Logic Pro X on a MacBook Pro using an Apogee Ensemble Thunderbolt DAW at 24-bit/192kHz resolution. Cabling was AN SOGON LX silver.
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Fortunately for us, Bélanger is as demanding of sound quality as he his of his musicianship. Maximizing the time they had at their disposal in the chapel, he spent nearly 8 hours playing while the team recorded the entire session. At a later date, producer Roy–a veritable modern-day Macero–selected, and even edited Bélanger's best takes in order to deliver us the 'perfect performance'. Try as I might, I could not detect any edit or musical oddity whatsoever–we are very far from the infamous "Take Five" splice just preceding Morello's improvised drum solo. The repertoire encompasses the baroque period from Bach to more modern material with Spanish cellist Cassadó, passing through the 19th century with German cellist Grützmacher–in which 12 etudes have their debut recording–and composer, pianist, organist, and conductor Max Reger, better known for his organ works than the cello.
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In the end, it took three masterings, and two or three lacquer cuttings to give the go-ahead! Karisma's Guy Hébert handled the former while Philip Gosselin at Lab Mastering in Montreal, Canada accomplished the latter on his fully refurbished Neumann VMS-70 lathe equipped with SX-74 cutter head. He is the sole cutting engineer among seven mastering engineers–him included–quite an impressive number all working under one roof; even more so considering the plethora of self-produced music, and myriad mastering apps available online these days. Keep in mind, we are not talking New York, Nashville or L.A., but Montreal, Québec! Plating and pressings were provided by Optimal's plant situated in Germany, and limited to 2000. Ironically, Montreal's metropolis briefly had a vinyl pressing plant a few years ago known as RIP-V, but as destiny would have it, its acronym anticipated its own demise.
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Unseen Works designed the album sleeve. Luc Robitaille captured the musician, cello in hand, spread between the front and back cover on a white bare background. It reminded me of some classical-new age or pop covers from the 1980s and 1990s, which in my opinion, does not convey the true high calibre material lurking within this release. They appear to have been inspired conscientiously or not by Nancy Donald and Hooshik's design of Céline Dion's Falling Into You from 1996. My preference would have veered more towards an authentic B&W photo or a darker background with the cellist in 'deep thought' or actually playing his instrument. On a more positive note, the sleeve opens as a gatefold, wherein 13 photos–mostly B&W–frame a central larger one in color, tastefully taken throughout the couse of the day, informing us on the team's personnel, equipment, the chapel's beautiful interior, and even the actual cutting of the master lacquer at a later date. Inserted in one of the sleeve's openings, is a full-sized glossy sheet containing brief infos regarding the musical selections plus Bélanger's bio, both in English on one side, and french on the reverse. The LP's are safely housed in what is my preferred method: i.e. wedged-corner paper with poly lining the inside, providing protection plus strength.
All four labels match the front cover's hues (as did Dion's LP also). Closely examining the vinyl, inscribed in the dead wax are 'LAB PG' for Montreal cutting engineer Philip Gosselin as well as A1 B2 C3 D1 respectively indicating I presume which of the master plates were chosen to make the stampers. This unmodulated area averages a radius around one-inch wide, with side B closer to 7/8 of an inch–each side roughly varying between 10 and 13 minutes, the latter approaching the maximum time recommended for 45 rpm with limited bass content. I think Gosselin got just the right compromise between maximum groove spread vs minimal inner-groove distortion, and in effect, I could not perceive any diminishing of high frequency purity throughout. I had the rare opportunity of borrowing two copies from friends, to compare with mine: all three were perfectly flat, beautifully black, and very shiny, with no scuff marks. Most sides were devoid of any ticks, except for one copy that had a few minor ones near the end of side B, plus another copy that had a small 'v-shaped dent' about half an inch from the outer groove affecting both side A and B in the same spot for a few platter turns, heard in the form of a 'low thud' as if someone was gently 'tapping his foot' at the recording venue. That said the vinyl surface noise floor was nearly as quiet as the best MoFi's pressed by RTI, which suggests that Optimal are capable of generating great quiet pressings but need to improve somewhat there QC methods if they wish to reach the pinnacle of vinyl manufacturing. Also on all three copies, I could detect a faint 'cyclic' noise throughout side A–the remaining sides seemed ok or at worst barely perceptible. I could not confirm but was told that this low level noise does not appear on the CD version, inferring that it was not present at the recording site, and therefore is part of the vinyl chain, either at the cutting lathe or during plating procedures. Note that with the vast majority of albums, the music content and–in 'pre-dolby days'–analog tape hiss, would cover these minor noises. But because of the nature of this recording–i.e. a solo cello, the musician exploring extreme dynamic phrasings, a pure digital, direct to MacBook Pro pathway, and hence no tape hiss–everything is laid bare to hear, especially so if your system is dead quiet like mine is, and puts the onus on every step of the project. That said, in the end it did not diminish my listening pleasure.
Now onto the listening: It is by far the best cello recording I have heard anywhere regarding sound, and one of if not the best, most natural sounding LP in my roughly 8000 record collection. The tone, and textures eminating from the bow, strings, f-holes, and resonant wooden belly, bespeak a deep degree of realism rarely encountered through any format medium. Bélanger's passionate performance of this rarely recorded repertoire, makes it just as enjoyable from a musical standpoint–running the full gamut of emotive range, from mere melancholy to bold bowing bravura, with every (Audio) Note resonating in between. He brings a breath of fresh air to the sometimes stale state of playing we get from certain classical musicians since the last couple of decades. It demands a lot of dexterity, forcefulness, finesse, not forgetting an absolute command of one's instrument to pull off this outstanding level of mastery. Just one example are the double-stops delivered on side D, leading us to wonder falsely if two are actually sharing the score, such is the quality of execution. We can sense the presence and physicality–his every efforts, easily captured by the main mics, and see-through sound. The entire recording-production team proved adept at mixing just the perfect proportion of proximity vs room ambiance. As a result, we get to relish the intimacy, power, and pizzicati precision of the cellist close up, plus Clark Chapel's consonant colors embellishing the soundstage, and informing us on the venue's inner dimensions–ultimately transporting us to its first pews in Pomfret, Connecticut. The sound is neither overly warm nor 'clinical' cool, but simply neutrally natural–nothing hints at any 'digititis'. In fact, it sounds a lot like a direct-to-disc LP but without the added pressure that the musician, and cutting engineer usually encounter during these sessions, which not surprisingly affects the performance. A one-step plating instead of the normal three-step would have been interesting also. Contrary to most music labels, Audio Note was wise enough to conserve the full frequency response, and vast dynamic range of the recording, not compressing in any direction the session. High praise also must be credited to Hébert, and Ritch for the fine mastering, engineer Gosselin at Le Lab Mastering for skillfully cuttting the master lacquer, and the artist himself for refusing to settle for anything less than the best.
A must-have in any collection. Kudos to all!
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Ratings:
Global Appreciation: 9.7
- Music + interpretation: A+
- Recording: 10
- Mastering: 10 - Lacquer Cutting: 9.5
- Pressing: 9.5
- Packaging: above average
Category: Classical
Format: Vinyl (2x180 gram LPs at 45 rpm)
Credits:
Executive director Michel Plante
Produced, edited, and mixed by Jacques Roy
Recorded by Stephan Ritch and assisted by David Cope
Recorded at Clark Chapel at Pomfret school in Pomfret, CT, USA, June 8 to 12, 2015
Mastered by Guy Hébert with Stephan Ritch
LP lacquers cut by Philip Gosselin at Lab Mastering in Montreal, Canada
Plated and Pressed by Optimal in Germany
Cover photo by Luc Robitaille
Inside photo by Stephan Ritch
Sleeve Design by Unseen Works
Named official 'musical ambassador' for Audio Note Music, Canadian cellist Vincent Bélanger is part of an all too rare breed: an authentic audiophile/musician. Dedicated to raising awareness around his beautiful bicentennial or so instrument, the busy 38-year-old is on an ongoing mission to bring back the fun and excitement of listening to live classical music, while going to great lengths to transpose that essence to record. Playing since the age of eight, it is only since 2011 that he discovered the art of great sound. Nowadays, he is well known among the 'hifi circuit'–his many show-stoppers wherein he plays in synch with or alternates between a recording and himself, seems to be one of his signature stratagems. Of course the degree of success of the old "Is it live or is it Memorex?" query lies as much in the reproductive chain quality than the recording itself.
Which brings us to the latter part of that equation, in this instance the LP titled Pure Cello–the first and only record release (as of writing) from the renowned UK high end company led by manic music lover, and record collector extraordinaire Peter Qvortrup. Back in June 2015, and with a $30k cost breakdown budget, what started out as a–$10k goal Indegogo–crowdfunding project to produce an entire album of solo cello, blossomed into an ambitiously impressive release. This is the protagonist's fourth album, after Bélanger & (Anne) Bisson's Conversations [Universal Music Canada CM5-2222] in 2016–she being a well known show regular from Québec with 'audiophile-approved' pedigree, and like Vincent, was once featured through Montreal's premier label Fidelio Music. The latter team released his first album titled Là, back in 2011–though at the time available in digital format only; it is presently in preparation for future release on vinyl.
Regarding that particular format, Bélanger–being born near the dawn of the 1980s–was way passed the golden age for vinyl, nor never knew the generally good multitrack analog sound of that previous decade. In fact it is safe to say that with the exception of MoFi, Analogue Productions, Classic Records, and a few independent labels, he grew up in the era of what can be considered vinyl's 'crappiest age', not only in terms of cheap pressing quality, but also right smack in the loudness war's conflict affecting both CD, and vinyl! Thankfully, somebody or something convinced him that in this day and age, when done properly, vinyl still rules. Initially suppose to be released as a 331/3 rpm, they soon opted for the advantages of cutting at 45 rpm on four sides instead of 'squeezing' the grooves to fit two sides–though costlier in manufacturing and consequently passed on to the consumer, it was the right decision to make when ultimate sound is your main priority.
Another ironic twist one could say, was the deliberate choice of not surrounding himself with the typical classical 'circle' of technical personnel, be that for production or engineering. He often finds the modern classical or chamber recordings too distant sounding, and thus 'robbing' the listener of the presence one gets at a live concert, close up to the musician. I totally share the same sentiment, which is the reason why I try to sit in the very first rows, regardless of musical genre, and position my loudspeakers close up with vectors crossing right in front of my head, resembling in part Audio Note's recommendations, though far from the corners. What is interesting is that the cast of assembled accomplices were chosen rather from the audiophile, and pop/rock community, and the recording philosophy more in line with a jazz recording, i.e. miked quite close to the instrument.
Of equal consideration is his view that the 'new guard' of musicians–contemporaries of his so to speak–are risk averse, relating to repertoire or interpretation; commonly playing it safe or conservative to a point of blandness. It reminds me of one of the all time greats–Russian-born American cellist Gregor Piatigorsky–who was not afraid of taking certain stylistic liberties to better impart the drama, passion, and power of the piece, solidly supported by his impressive sustained vibrato. The master probably figured out early on that the 'medium' through tape, records, and even the distance separating the performance from the audience dilutes the emotional aspects of the partition, and therefore one must judiciously compensate to fully restore the full expressive force from the composer, channeled through the performer. One could even extrapolate this thesis in the home reproductive system, concluding there are multiple minute losses in the entire complex recording chain–while some choosing horns for emphasizing the musical drama, and tension of the music, but I digress.
Unseen Works designed the album sleeve. Luc Robitaille captured the musician, cello in hand, spread between the front and back cover on a white bare background. It reminded me of some classical-new age or pop covers from the 1980s and 1990s, which in my opinion, does not convey the true high calibre material lurking within this release. They appear to have been inspired conscientiously or not by Nancy Donald and Hooshik's design of Céline Dion's Falling Into You from 1996. My preference would have veered more towards an authentic B&W photo or a darker background with the cellist in 'deep thought' or actually playing his instrument. On a more positive note, the sleeve opens as a gatefold, wherein 13 photos–mostly B&W–frame a central larger one in color, tastefully taken throughout the couse of the day, informing us on the team's personnel, equipment, the chapel's beautiful interior, and even the actual cutting of the master lacquer at a later date. Inserted in one of the sleeve's openings, is a full-sized glossy sheet containing brief infos regarding the musical selections plus Bélanger's bio, both in English on one side, and french on the reverse. The LP's are safely housed in what is my preferred method: i.e. wedged-corner paper with poly lining the inside, providing protection plus strength.
All four labels match the front cover's hues (as did Dion's LP also). Closely examining the vinyl, inscribed in the dead wax are 'LAB PG' for Montreal cutting engineer Philip Gosselin as well as A1 B2 C3 D1 respectively indicating I presume which of the master plates were chosen to make the stampers. This unmodulated area averages a radius around one-inch wide, with side B closer to 7/8 of an inch–each side roughly varying between 10 and 13 minutes, the latter approaching the maximum time recommended for 45 rpm with limited bass content. I think Gosselin got just the right compromise between maximum groove spread vs minimal inner-groove distortion, and in effect, I could not perceive any diminishing of high frequency purity throughout. I had the rare opportunity of borrowing two copies from friends, to compare with mine: all three were perfectly flat, beautifully black, and very shiny, with no scuff marks. Most sides were devoid of any ticks, except for one copy that had a few minor ones near the end of side B, plus another copy that had a small 'v-shaped dent' about half an inch from the outer groove affecting both side A and B in the same spot for a few platter turns, heard in the form of a 'low thud' as if someone was gently 'tapping his foot' at the recording venue. That said the vinyl surface noise floor was nearly as quiet as the best MoFi's pressed by RTI, which suggests that Optimal are capable of generating great quiet pressings but need to improve somewhat there QC methods if they wish to reach the pinnacle of vinyl manufacturing. Also on all three copies, I could detect a faint 'cyclic' noise throughout side A–the remaining sides seemed ok or at worst barely perceptible. I could not confirm but was told that this low level noise does not appear on the CD version, inferring that it was not present at the recording site, and therefore is part of the vinyl chain, either at the cutting lathe or during plating procedures. Note that with the vast majority of albums, the music content and–in 'pre-dolby days'–analog tape hiss, would cover these minor noises. But because of the nature of this recording–i.e. a solo cello, the musician exploring extreme dynamic phrasings, a pure digital, direct to MacBook Pro pathway, and hence no tape hiss–everything is laid bare to hear, especially so if your system is dead quiet like mine is, and puts the onus on every step of the project. That said, in the end it did not diminish my listening pleasure.
Now onto the listening: It is by far the best cello recording I have heard anywhere regarding sound, and one of if not the best, most natural sounding LP in my roughly 8000 record collection. The tone, and textures eminating from the bow, strings, f-holes, and resonant wooden belly, bespeak a deep degree of realism rarely encountered through any format medium. Bélanger's passionate performance of this rarely recorded repertoire, makes it just as enjoyable from a musical standpoint–running the full gamut of emotive range, from mere melancholy to bold bowing bravura, with every (Audio) Note resonating in between. He brings a breath of fresh air to the sometimes stale state of playing we get from certain classical musicians since the last couple of decades. It demands a lot of dexterity, forcefulness, finesse, not forgetting an absolute command of one's instrument to pull off this outstanding level of mastery. Just one example are the double-stops delivered on side D, leading us to wonder falsely if two are actually sharing the score, such is the quality of execution. We can sense the presence and physicality–his every efforts, easily captured by the main mics, and see-through sound. The entire recording-production team proved adept at mixing just the perfect proportion of proximity vs room ambiance. As a result, we get to relish the intimacy, power, and pizzicati precision of the cellist close up, plus Clark Chapel's consonant colors embellishing the soundstage, and informing us on the venue's inner dimensions–ultimately transporting us to its first pews in Pomfret, Connecticut. The sound is neither overly warm nor 'clinical' cool, but simply neutrally natural–nothing hints at any 'digititis'. In fact, it sounds a lot like a direct-to-disc LP but without the added pressure that the musician, and cutting engineer usually encounter during these sessions, which not surprisingly affects the performance. A one-step plating instead of the normal three-step would have been interesting also. Contrary to most music labels, Audio Note was wise enough to conserve the full frequency response, and vast dynamic range of the recording, not compressing in any direction the session. High praise also must be credited to Hébert, and Ritch for the fine mastering, engineer Gosselin at Le Lab Mastering for skillfully cuttting the master lacquer, and the artist himself for refusing to settle for anything less than the best.
A must-have in any collection. Kudos to all!
↧
TOP 500 SUPERSONIC LIST #50+
Chosen by Claude Lemaire
"This is a journey into sound. A journey which along the way will bring to you new colour, new dimension, new value..."
For selections #1 to 50, please click here:http://soundevaluations.blogspot.ca/2017/01/top-500-supersonic-list.html
After nearly 45 years–wherein the world holds its breath under the genuine threat of eroding freedoms, and escalating nuclear war–MFSB's message still rings true and maybe more than ever, resonates all over the globe. Bart Forbes' cover illustration under the art direction of Ed Lee perfectly paints the sombre scenery of the cold war colliding with the 1960s civil rights movements, with KKK hoods, and Nazi propaganda intertwined; strangely a scenario not unlike more recent, and present times. With the Paris Peace Accords of 1973 announcing the return of US troops from Vietnam, it seems at first glance somewhat odd that producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff should stick with such a dire LP cover–exposing the worst of the past instead of promoting a more positive portrait of the burgeoning (me)decade–perhaps reminding us that the mistakes of the past may resurface at any giving time. After a so-so self-titled debut earlier that same year, comprising mostly instrumental covers, this was MFSB's–Mother Father Sister Brother–second, and best album, both musically and sonically, with Universal Love [Philadelphia International KZ 33158], their third LP from 1975, coming in a close second. Although the Gamble-Huff duo had previously scored soulful success with such songs as "Expressway to Your Heart", "Only the Strong Survive", "Love Train"; "I'll Always Love My Mama", and "The Love I Lost"; it took MFSB's Love Is the Message to solidify "The Sound of Philadelphia' through its title track and especially its show-stopper hit "T.S.O.P.", serving weekly as Don Cornelius'Soul Train theme. With Earl Young's pioneering hi-hat shuffling, accompanied by Ron Baker on bass, Norman Harris and Bobby Eli on guitar, Don Renaldo and his Strings and Horns, and Bobby Martin's magnificent arrangements–just to name a few of the key players–this latter track really epitomized the confluence of Philly soul with the emerging disco beat, while the title track became a 'classic anthem' for the gay community, and one of the most defining tracks spinning at David Mancuso's legendary 'Loft' in NYC–the original architect of "Love Saves the Day" and precursor to the 'love message'Philly philosophy. Superbly recorded and mixed by Sigma Sound Studios' owner Joe Tarsia, and mastered and cut at Frankford/Wayne Recording Labs–both anchored in Philadelphia, PA–it is one of the most balanced and well executed of the Philly releases. The 23 second intro "Zack's Fanfare", serves as a short show demo-worthy instrumental track with crisp and punchy big band sound–a perfect tune to get ones attention.
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As mentioned above, this is the group's third and last LP worth owning, their subsequent albums not living up to the standards of this List nor to their best efforts. Contrary to the previous release that comprised two superb tracks plus a short interesting intro, Universal Love counts five great tracks–including the album opener "Sexy", a fine cover of The Nite Liters' 1971 hit "K-Jee" which grew in popularity two years later when included in the Saturday Night Fever movie soundtrack; and my favorite of the LP: "T.L.C (Tender Lovin' Care)" with its big band stylistic influences, and stunning sax solo intro by Zach Zachary and Tony Williams; "Love Has No Time or Place" though not a hit, is also one of the interesting pieces. Predominantly instrumental like the preceding one, it veers slightly more towards the disco vibe as compared to Love Is the Message, yet still retains the famous Philly soul 'house band' sound. The personnel and production team, pretty much remains unchanged. Once again, engineers Joe Tarsia recorded the sessions at Sigma Sound Studios, and Nimitr Sarikananda at Frankford/Wayne Recording Labs mastered and cut the lacquers in Philadelphia, PA. The sound quality does not quite reach the high level of the previous release: with a bit of compression creeping in, a touch less crispness in the brass, a slight lack of weight in the bottom end, and less upfront or defined in the overall drumset–thus placing this MFSB LP second in sonics. I compared my normal US original pressing–also cut by NS–to my white-label promo, preferring the latter by a small degree, especially in the upper bass 'punch' region. As for Ed Lee's gatefold cover design, and photography; it is the exact opposite of the previous illustration, resembling more a pastel painting printed on a soothing 'get well card'–a sign of the times that people were past dwelling on the problems of the world, hungry for happier times.
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Discovered at Woodstock, stealing Saturday's spotlight show with their stunning "Soul Sacrifice" spectacle, the San Francisco's sextet conquered the stage 'with a little help' from LSD's 'mind-expanding' friends, consequently catapulting them to fame, just a few days prior to the release of their first LP. Santana's self-titled debut is a magnificent melting pot of musical styles, second only in sonics to their 1970 follow up Abraxas. Song compositions as well as arrangements, and performances are up there with the best, easily competing with the aforementioned album. Produced by Brent Dangerfield, and the band, there are no dull moments along the journey, with one track reprising, while actually improving upon, Willie Bobo's boogaloo jazz hit "Evil Ways"–a precursor to early discothèque's latin soul-funk-flavored favorites such as War's "Spill the Wine", hitting the charts the following year. Their 'heavier' version of Babatunde Olatunji's "Jingo" would soon leave its mark on Titanic's 1970 single "Sultana" as well as Cerrone's first French group Kongas from the early-1970s, and Black Soul's mid-1970s afrobeat-disco musical hybrid. Also noteworthy is the delicate piano playing found in the intro, and finale of "Treat" that seems to have inspired Pink Floyd's "The Great Gig in the Sky" from DSOTM.Likewise it is obvious how "Soul Sacrifice" had a profound influence on The Disco Sound of André Gagnon's first single "Wow", six years later. Recorded and mixed at Pacific Recording Studios in San Mateo, CA, by engineers Bob "Deputy Dog" Breault, and Eric "Gentle Ben" Prestidge; according to the credits, it was originally mastered and I guess cut at Customatrix–a division of Columbia in charge of the metal parts right up to the stampers. I did not have an original 1969 US pressing to compare with but do own a Canadian '360 Sound' first press that always sounded poor, with no bass, nor highs, but mostly mids–and quite inferior to my old Canadian '360 Sound'Abraxas pressing–that I would rate no more than a 5. Mofi came out with a first half-speed remastering in 2007 that I found disappointingly soft and veiled in the treble, leading to a lack of articulation, and definition, but nevertheless was a bit better than my Can. copy, leading me to give it around a 6.5. By contrast this 2015 double 45 version mastered by Krieg Wunderlich and assisted by Shawn R. Britton is way ahead of any pressing I have heard in sound quality, and I'd rate it a strong 9.5. Although there is still some slight dryness and lack of extension in the very top octave, apparent mostly as 'sandy' cymbal textures, the rest of the spectrum is spectacularly good, with solid powerful lows and mids, providing forceful driving drumstrokes akin to real live music. The organ feels organically raw, rich, and colorfully 'crunchy'. Percussive instruments such as timbales and congas conquer the deep, and wide panoramic stage. Palpable, and timbrally realistic for sure, they do not attain the top transparency detail found on Abraxas [MoFi UD1S 2-001],though the latter's 'one-step' procedure provides it with a small unfair advantage over this conventional 'three-step' double 45 MoFi edition. Overall, the sound is big and thick but less airy and 'hyper-detailed' than their one-step release–which is to be expected given the difference in price, and procedure, yet still remains tonally right on my system.
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If ever there was such a thing as a symbiotic cool jazz trio up for election, The Poll Winners would win my vote hands down. Composed of Barney Kessel on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and Shelly Manne on drums, these West Coast Contemporary 'cats' sound as if they had been playing together for decades on end, when in reality Kessel had sidelined with Manne on a few previous albums, and once shared the stage at Carnegie Hall with Brown–at one of Norman Granz' Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts–but this LP represents their first recording gig as a trio. As a unit they are tightly locked together, yet remain relaxed, supple and sweet. Consisting mainly of traditional jazz, and popular standards, both sides can work wonders spinning as background music, but the agile performances between players commands complete attention from us for true serious music appreciation. Contrary to today's misguided desire to dominate the other by sheer loudness level, these musicians mastered the art of listening amongst themselves, at times showing great restraint, along with subtlety, speed, and delicate dexterity on demand. Needless to say, when combined with Contemporary's 'genious-in-residence' Roy DuNann manning the mics, and minimal controls in Los Angeles back in March 1957, how could it not turn out 'deliciously' great. Mainly dry sounding, and intimate, all three instruments–guitar in one channel with the two others sharing the opposite–are so easy to follow, with timbrally realistic portrayals: Brown's bass has the perfect equilibrium of pitch articulation, and resonant roundness, spectrally complementing Manne's trebly rhytmic brushstrokes circling the snare skin, while Kessel's Gibson guitar sweetly shines with just the right mixture of warm tone with subtle sustain. Unfortunately, I do not have an original 1958 Stereo Records in my collection but based on my 1984 OJC copy–which are typically fine sounding (thin) pressings but not the equal of more expensive remasterings–I can absolutely attest to the incredible session sound that DuNann captures on tape, and can confidently guesstimate–based on past close comparisons–the uptick one would get with a NM original or perhaps greater still with Analogue Productions' double-45 rpm, remastered, and cut by Hoffman and Gray at AcousTech Mastering–which I will report on in the near future when it arrives.
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Recorded 17 months later by Roy DuNann, and produced by Lester Koenig in August 1958, this is the trio's follow up to their debut. Again, mostly filled with traditional standards, there are a few more originals by Kessel, and Brown on this one. It would be pointless to waste time, and space repeating the exact same comments as described above, for it is on par in music, and sound quality, making it interchangeable on all aspects. So if you love one, you'll no doubt love the other equally. In this case, I was lucky enough to find a NM original Stereo Records, and can confirm that it is of true reference calibre, almost to the point of wondering if a double-45 rpm remastering could really surpass it.
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Tightly led and influenced by Mily Balakirev, Alexander Borodin–the eldest of 'The Five'–along with Cesar Cui, Mussorgsky, and Rimsky-Korsakov were also identified as The Mighty Handful; a small group of young self-trained amateurs-composers from 1856 to 1870–highly responsible for influencing the course of Russian music. Borodin's best known large-scale work–his four part symphony–sets the stage with ambitious aplomb, alternating between major and minor thirds throughout the score. Monumental, 'military-esque', and majestic in grandeur, the piece was written between 1869 and 1876, with a final orchestral revision in 1879, the latter premiered by Russian counterpart Rimsky-Korsakov that same year. Originally released in 1959 on the Red Seal label, the captured sound of Kingsway Hall, recorded by Decca engineer Alan Reeve, and later remastered, and cut by Bernie Grundman is immensely impressive: bold, brawny, brassy, and solid are all adjectives that come to mind upon my many listening impressions. Tonal balance is spot on with realistic string, and woodwind timbres–in particular the brass fortes cut through with fiery force, no doubt due in part to Martinon's exciting direction of The London Symphony Orchestra. The dynamic as well as the frequency range are both huge, making this particular pressing quite challenging, all the way from source to speakers. Soundstage scale–width, height, and depth–is also up there with the very best on record, confirming once more that with certain Living Stereo's, Grundman and Classic Records really got it right. Side two opens with Rimsky-Korsakov's Capriccio Espagnole which is equally captivating musically, and sonically.
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Progressive's peak period of creativity, and popularity–if ever one could conjure up such a scenario–is arguably around the years 1971 to 1973, producing many masterful gems such as: Genesis'Foxtrot and Selling England by the Pound; Yes'The Yes Album and Fragile; King Crimson's Lark's Tongues in Aspic; ELP's Tarkus; Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells; and the all-time biggest selling–if one stretches a bit the genre's definition–Pink Floyd's DSOTM. Inspired by Monty Python satire, Jethro Tull's Thick as a Brick is just another jewel in the crown of the mighty British Empire that ruled the artistically-inclined airwaves, roughly covering the decade from 1967 with Sgt. Pepper'right up to the uprising of the anti-establishment punk movement circa 1976–wherein the original pioneering progressives were starting to sound stale. Following the thunderous success of Aqualung, the band led by Ian Anderson, which by now had carved out a subgenre niche for itself–melding a triad of art, hard, and folk rock–were preparing to push further the more progressive elements from their musical recipe into a full-fledged concept album comprising only one composition divided in two lengthy parts. Combining medieval and renaissance folk, jazz, rock, and odd time signatures within classical musical structures, the complex composition confirmed the proficiency of the band through tight rapid dynamic shifts. The resulting release in March of 1972 was not only a musical high point of their career but fortunately for us audiophiles, a solid sonic success as well, making it their best sounding album by far–a situation not unlike Rush with 2112, whereby a gifted rock band with progressive inclinations broadly suffers from badly mixed, and mastered productions. Superbly recorded by engineer Robin Black at Morgan Studios in London England–home to such sonic wonders as Led Zep II, Tea for the Tillerman, Meddle, America, etc.–on a 24-track Ampex, my original UK 'Pecko Porky' pressing cut by George Peckham has everything going for it: great tonal balance, wide frequency range, warm yet precise in rhythmic precision when called upon. I don't have the 1985 MoFi, but I had compared it some years ago from a friend's collection with both my UK original, and my first press Can. [Reprise MS 2072]–which is also quite good and pleasant–and the MoFi sounded equally excellent with a hint more warmth than the UK, the latter having a bit more mid presence, making them both equal winners, and worthy, while the first press Can. copy came out close behind the two others.
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Another giant step that would constitute a worthy addition to the previous prog citations above is Gentle Giant's fifth album In a Glass House, also released during the aforementioned apex, in September 1973. Created by three brothers–Phil, Derek, and Ray Schulman–in 1970, and accompanied by a few other talented musicians along the way, the band cultivated a small but serious following, reaching their peak period between 1972's Octopus and The Power and the Glory two years later. At the time, conservative Columbia corporate chiefs considered the album–In a Glass House–too 'uncommercial' for the North American market, thus dropping the band from their roster, resulting in the necessity for retailers, and fans alike to import the LP from Mother England–insuring us audiophiles to end up with a better chance of finding an original UK pressing with superior sound most probably. Admittedly a tad more experimental than their British counterparts; rather than following the 1970s prog prototype 'formula', the five multi-instrumentalists challenge us–as well as themselves–by combining complex musical structures utilising an array of unorthodox instruments within the realm of rock as well as vocal polyphony, and polymeters more in line with medieval classical forms. Self-produced, it was engineered by Gary Martin in July 1973 at Advision Studios, while mastered and cut–at Trident I suppose–by Ray Staff, both situated in London, England. The instrument mixdown is finely executed with the rapidly sharp 'snappy' kick, and remaining drumkit, particularly standing out, well defined dynamically, and rhythmically. Multi-layered vocals plus myriad percussive timbres are also well served. Tonal balance is excellent, leaning more towards a quick, clean, neutral, 'solid state' signature, than the typical tube warmth we tend to associate with the early-1970s, and not unlike a good direct-to-disc sonic footprint featuring stellar dynamics for the genre. The sole caveat is a slight lack or lightness in the bottom end lows, in order to give it more weight, majesty, and authority. Pretty much on the same level playing field as Octopus at least for my acquired taste.
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59- Voivod – Nothingface MCA, Mechanic Records – MCA-6326 (1989), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: prog metal
It is well known–at least to those working in the music milieu–that the Canadian province of Québec is distinctively, and historically recognized as having a deep appreciation for two musically-challenging genres–progressive, and heavy metal–as well as Montréal serving as a metropolis for the disco scene during the 1970s, followed closely by the underground punk-hardcore-alternative crowd found in such places as the famous Foufounes Electriques. Having set foot a few times in 'Foufs' in the mid-1980s to early 1990s, I can attest to its importance in supporting the scene, as well as discovering burgeoning various-metal bands playing exciting live sets such as Groovy Aardvark, Dead Brain Cells (DBC), and most importantly Voivod. After debuting in 1984, followed by a couple of subsequent albums, in the noisier thrash metal subgenre, the Jonquière-based quartet conquered the territoire with its 1989 metal masterpiece Nothingface, producing a perfect blend of prog and metal–with subtle elements reflecting Rush's precision, King Crimson's dissonant chords of triads, and tritones along with a captivating cover version of Pink Floyd's "Astronomy Domine" taken from their 1967 psychedelic debut The Piper at the Gates of Dawn [Columbia SCX 6157]–adding of course their own original 'trash touch'. There is no weak track on this LP; every one is a stunner from start to finish in creative compositions, dissonant arrangements, and powerful performances. Furthermore, producer Glen Robinson, assisted by engineers Benoit Lavallée, and Rob Sutton did a fantastic job with the sound which was recorded digitally at Victor Studio in Montréal, and mixed digitally at Powerplay Studio in Long Island City, NY. Contrary to the subgenre's norm, and music period, the tonal balance is spot on, linear, and lowly compressed with non-fatiguing sound, and surprisingly–for digital–clean extended cymbals. In fact the whole drumkit–kick, snare, toms–is articulate, with timbrally realistic, struck 'snappy' skins, under the batons of "Away" aka Michel Langevin's impressive playing. Guitarist "Piggy" aka Denis D'Amour along with vocalist "Snake" aka Denis Bélanger, bring forth their unique dissonant stylistic signature to the foray. Bernie Grundman did a fine cutting, minimizing inner-groove distortion. Probably one of my top 5 to top 10 metal albums, and surely my all-time favorite prog metal LP.
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We all have a record that we remember fondly, the first time we heard hifi highly surpass our expectations–RLJ for me falls firmly into that category. Spinning on an Oracle Delphi with Koetsu cart, C-J tube electronics, and B&W 801 speakers at my local shop–i.e. your typical mid-80s high end gear way back in the day–I listened attentively as our young bohemian artist "flipped a dime", its sparkling decay floating over Red Callender's cool double bass walking... My gear taste may have evolved a little over time, but my appreciation for Jones' cozy poetic vocals remains sunk in to this day. In similar fashion to two iconic singer-songwriters–Joni Mitchell, and Carole King–Jones penned all of the eleven songs on her self-titled debut album, plus sharing two co-writes. Joined by a bevy of first-rate musicians such as Dr. John, Michael McDonald, Randy Newman, Steve Gadd, and Jeff Porcaro, it was produced by Lenny Waronker and Russ Titelman, with assistance by Penny Ringwood. Engineered, mixed, and mastered by Lee Herschberg with additional engineering by Lloyd Clifft, Roger Nichols, and Tom Knox; the original 1979 release shared some 'audiophile angles' without being overtly created as such, nor succumbing to any emotional blandness as we have often encountered in situations where sonics presided over creative content. Returning to my original US 'Jacksonville' pressing on my present custom system, it is evident that though the general sound is quite good, with decent dynamics, and tonal balance for pop-oriented material, the single 33 1/3 rpm 2013 MoFi reissue, remastered and cut by Krieg Wunderlich, is clearly superior in every manner, with better high frequency extension, detail, and airiness–most apparent in the delicate triangle, cymbals, and numerous percs in general, showing the former's slight veil. Vocals, finger snaps, mandolin, guitars, and bass strings have better articulation, and harmonics. The dynamics are much improved over the original; the kick drum in particular is quite tighter, sharper, and steadfast, solidifying the pace from the get-go with "Chuck E.'s in Love" all through to the end. Finally the soundstage slightly gains proportions, though this recording remains rather intimate than 'extra-large-scale'. I do not have the first MoFi half-speed remastering back in 1983 [MFSL 1-089], nor the UK Nimbus Supercut by Gerald Reynolds, nor the 2013 double-45 rpm edition by MoFi [MFSL 2-45010], but suspect the latter should better this present one a notch or two further when given the typical meticulous MoFi care but cannot confirm without a true listening.
A final note:
Now don't go 'bonkers' if you have not found your favorite recording included in this List, just remember: we are still at the beginning of a long long journey...into sound.
↧
ISAAC HAYES - SHAFT
Enterprise – ENS-2-5002, Stax – 2628 001 (Ger.) (1971, Aug.)
Evaluated by Claude Lemaire
Ratings:
Global Appreciation: 9.5
- Music: A
- Recording: 9.5
- Mastering: 9.5 - Lacquer Cutting: 9.5
- Pressing: 9.5
- Packaging: fairly good gatefold + poly-lined paper inner sleaves
Category: memphis soul, funk, protodisco, soul-jazz, blaxploitation soundtrack style.
Format: Vinyl (2x 130 to 150 gram approx. LPs at 33 1/3 rpm)
Credits:
Composed and Produced by Isaac Hayes
Arranged by Johnny Allen and Isaac Hayes
Piano, Vibraphone, Organ, Electric Piano: Isaac Hayes
Bass: Ronald Hudson (on track 5)
Bass Guitar: James Alexander
Bongos, Congas: Gary Jones
Drums, Tambourine: Willie Hall
Electric Piano: Lester Snell
Lead Guitar: Charles Pitts
Rhythm Guitar: Michael Toles
Piano: Sidney Kirk (track: A5)
Rhythm Section: The Bar-Kays, The Movement
Strings, Horns: The Memphis Strings & Horns
Lead Trumpet: Richard "Johnny" Davis
Flute: John Fonville
Engineered by Bobby Manuel, Dave Purple, Henry Bush, and William Brown
Remixed by Dave Purple and Ron Capone
Recorded at Stax Recording Studios, Memphis Tennessee, USA, 1971
Lacquers cut and pressed by Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft in Germany
Art Direction: The Graffiteria
Cover, Design by Tony Seiniger
Creative Director: Larry Shaw
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"You see this cat Shaft is a bad mother shut your mouth But I'm talking about Shaft, Can ya dig it?"
By age ten, I was madly in love with music, listening to the burgeoning sounds of disco and pop playing on the AM dial, but it was only a couple years later visiting relatives, that I discovered the "Theme from Shaft" taken from a compilation album from my cousin's collection. Fascinated by this funkier groove, this musical venture was soon followed by cover versions of Barrabas'"Hi-Jack" and AVB's "Pick Up the Pieces" found on Herbie Mann's 1975 LP Discothèque [Atlantic SD 1670].
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For these reasons, and many more, Shaft holds a special place in my vinyl collection...
Producer Joel Freeman and pioneer filmmaker Gordon Parks directed the MGM movie that starred newcomer Richard Roundtree in the lead role, which along with Melvin Van Peeples'Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song just a few months earlier, heralded a revolution in black cinema.
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Known as a producer, session musician, and in-house songwriter for the Stax/Volt Memphis sound–a rawer grittier soul than Detroit's Motown Sound–the iconic Isaac Hayes was a key player behind such gems as Sam & Dave's two biggest hits–"Hold On , I'm Comin'" [Stax SD 708] and "Soul Man" [Stax SD 725]–before venturing out in front of the curtains.
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Beginning in late 1967, he had four albums–first with Presenting Isaac Hayes [Enterprise S13-100]; then Hot Buttered Soul [Enterprise ENS-1001 or MoFi MFSL 1-273] in '69; The Isaac Hayes Movement [Enterprise ENS-1010]; and ...To Be Continued [Enterprise ENS-1014] both in 1970–prior to the release of his monumental blaxploitation soundtrack, setting the score for several seventiesaction-crime cop films to follow: Curtis Mayfield's Super Fly [Curtom CRS-8014-ST]; Marvin Gaye's Trouble Man [Tamla T 322L]; and Bobby Womack, J.J. Johnson's Across 110th Street [United Artists UAS-5225] in 1972; James Brown's Black Caesar [Polydor PD 6014] and Slaughter's Big Rip-Off [Polydor PD 6015] in 1973; while Hayes himself would score, as well as star, in Tough Guys [Enterprise ENS-7504]; and Truck Turner [Enterprise ENS-2-7507]in 1974.
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Just as "Twist and Shout" in the early sixties ushered in the buoyant British Invasion along with Beatlemania, so did Shaft signal the shift towards a new decade of decadence, dancefloors, and discomania. Hayes and Johnny Allen's original orchestration and arrangements slowly builds up the track layer upon layer; what distinguishes it from previous soul or funk compositions is its rather lengthy–2'40"–instrumental intro, featuring Stax stalwarts The Bar-Kays with Willie Hall's 16th note hi-hat grooves and Charles Pitt's distinctive wah-wah guitar; in addition to keyboards, flute, brass, and strings contributing to the rich harmonic tapestry. All of this contributes to a musical foreplay leading up to the legato love-making before the final exciting climax.
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That quintessential rhythmic pattern can be traced back to Motown producer Norman Withfield working with The Temptations, first with the psychedelic soul single "Cloud Nine" in October 1968 followed a few months later by "Run Away Child, Running Wild"–both featured on 1969's Cloud Nine [Gordy GS939]–as well as to Tony Williams' mesmerizing groove on Miles Davis' 1969 exploratory In a Silent Way [Columbia CS9875 or MoFi MFSL 1-377]. With its dynamic staccato finale, there is little time remaining for the minimally sung middle part–all of which further contrasts with your typical verse-chorus form hit. Regarding Ike's vocals, his deep rich tone would have a lasting influence on Barry White, in addition to the sensual sultry strings of his symphonic soul. As such, this song structure would be liberally employed in subsequent soul and disco tracks throughout the 1970s; most notably on Rhythm Heritage's 1975 "Theme from S.W.A.T." [ABC Records ABC-12135], Crown Heights Affair's 1976 "Dancin'" [De-Lite DSD 588],Cerrone's late-1976 Euro disco debut "Love in C Minor" [Alligator J 1611] (see entry #46), and the latter-inspired "Touch me, Take me" by The Black Light Orchestra [RCA Victor KPN1-0205] in early 1977. Reciprocally in 1978, a discofied quasi-instrumental extented version by the composer simply titled "Shaft II" was included on For the Sake of Love [Polydor PD-1-6164].
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My copy is the earliest Stax first pressing, lacquer cut and pressed by Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft in Germany. The tonal balance is spot on with just the right amount of warmth, definition, and dynamics, tending to be a tad sharper in the top end than the typical early-1970s fat and sometimes softer sound.
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I did not have an original U.S. Enterprise pressing to compare with but based on many comments found on forums, there seems to be strong concensus that the German pressing is indeed quite superior to the U.S. pressing. Take note that the other tracks do not share the same Shaft style, and run the gamut from lighter soul-jazz to the heaviest hard funk of the final track–the nearly twenty minute "Do Your Thing", which really stands out from the pack. If you don't care to collect all of the tracks, you can get the three most important songs of the soundtrack on the 2003 audiophile 12-inch single titled Hits From Shaft [Analogue Productions APP 88002-45], remastered and cut at 45 rpm by Kevin Gray and Steve Hoffman.
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As one might expect from the latter team, it sounds wonderful, warm, well balanced, and is strongly recommended. That said, when compared head to head with my old–yet Mint–33 1/3 rpm German LP pressing, the latter surprisingly surpasses the newer 45rpm 12-inch single in top end transparency and directness, making it in the end my favored choice to own and listen to.
Following the MGM theatrical release, the soundtrack, and throughout the 1970s, Hayes would go on to release many soul-funky-disco-imbued albums–but was never able to equal, let alone surpass Shaft's success. So if you are limiting yourself to only one Isaac Hayes LP, look no further; for artistic and sonic merit, this is one bad mother you don't want do without.
____________________________________________________________________
Evaluated by Claude Lemaire
Ratings:
Global Appreciation: 9.5
- Music: A
- Recording: 9.5
- Mastering: 9.5 - Lacquer Cutting: 9.5
- Pressing: 9.5
- Packaging: fairly good gatefold + poly-lined paper inner sleaves
Category: memphis soul, funk, protodisco, soul-jazz, blaxploitation soundtrack style.
Format: Vinyl (2x 130 to 150 gram approx. LPs at 33 1/3 rpm)
Credits:
Composed and Produced by Isaac Hayes
Arranged by Johnny Allen and Isaac Hayes
Piano, Vibraphone, Organ, Electric Piano: Isaac Hayes
Bass: Ronald Hudson (on track 5)
Bass Guitar: James Alexander
Bongos, Congas: Gary Jones
Drums, Tambourine: Willie Hall
Electric Piano: Lester Snell
Lead Guitar: Charles Pitts
Rhythm Guitar: Michael Toles
Piano: Sidney Kirk (track: A5)
Rhythm Section: The Bar-Kays, The Movement
Strings, Horns: The Memphis Strings & Horns
Lead Trumpet: Richard "Johnny" Davis
Flute: John Fonville
Engineered by Bobby Manuel, Dave Purple, Henry Bush, and William Brown
Remixed by Dave Purple and Ron Capone
Recorded at Stax Recording Studios, Memphis Tennessee, USA, 1971
Lacquers cut and pressed by Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft in Germany
Art Direction: The Graffiteria
Cover, Design by Tony Seiniger
Creative Director: Larry Shaw
By age ten, I was madly in love with music, listening to the burgeoning sounds of disco and pop playing on the AM dial, but it was only a couple years later visiting relatives, that I discovered the "Theme from Shaft" taken from a compilation album from my cousin's collection. Fascinated by this funkier groove, this musical venture was soon followed by cover versions of Barrabas'"Hi-Jack" and AVB's "Pick Up the Pieces" found on Herbie Mann's 1975 LP Discothèque [Atlantic SD 1670].
Producer Joel Freeman and pioneer filmmaker Gordon Parks directed the MGM movie that starred newcomer Richard Roundtree in the lead role, which along with Melvin Van Peeples'Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song just a few months earlier, heralded a revolution in black cinema.
Released in August 1971, the gatefold cover-designed double-album was superbly recorded at Stax Recording Studios in Memphis, Tennessee–in all likelihood on Scully recorders through a 16-track Audiotronics console. Engineered by Bobby Manuel, Dave Purple, Henry Bush, and William Brown, with Purple and Ron Capone put in charge of re-mixing–justifiably earning them awards at the 1972 Grammys for Best Engineered Recording and Best Instrumental Arrangement while Hayes won an Oscar for Best Original Song at the 44th Annual Academy Awards.
Following the MGM theatrical release, the soundtrack, and throughout the 1970s, Hayes would go on to release many soul-funky-disco-imbued albums–but was never able to equal, let alone surpass Shaft's success. So if you are limiting yourself to only one Isaac Hayes LP, look no further; for artistic and sonic merit, this is one bad mother you don't want do without.
____________________________________________________________________
↧
↧
JENNA MILES - THE BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO VINYL
How to Build, Maintain, and Expereience a Music Collection in Analog
by Jenna Miles
ISBN-10: 1440598967
ISBN-13: 978-1440598968
Published by Adams Media (2017)
Rating:
Global Appreciation: 8.5.
Presentation: straightforward, non-deluxe.
Category: music, vinyl record guide.
Format: paperback book. 5.5 x 8.5 inches approx. 256 pages–all B&W except for 8 semi-gloss colored pages located half-way plus a few basic diagrams.
Credits:
Written and researched by Jenna Hanes.
Cover Design by Colleen Cunningham.
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It's that time of the year once again and if you are wondering like many I'm sure, what could I possibly give to a friend, spouse or audiophile buddy without breaking the bank? The following just might make that decision easier as well as serve for a perfect stocking stuffer.
In The Beginners' Guide to Vinyl,author Jenna Miles shares her passion, and experience in this relatively new book published by Adams Media and available in ebook form also. Divided into 11 chapters, she succeeds in covering a vast amount of ground over a format that spans more than a century in evolution, and which has seen a strong, surprising, and sustained resurgence since a decade or so.
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Her story reaches back to 2006 when she ran an online radio station–PunkRadioCast–comprising a large listening audience; later creating an independent online vinyl retailer and vinyl-only reissue label called SRCVinyl; and culminating in 2011 with the acquisition of Vinyl Collective, representing a devout community of vinyl collectors. Admittedly, she now breathes vinyl 24/7/365 year round. Interesting fact around her record label is that most of their releases prior to July 2015 were half-speed cut by non other than the lengendary Stan Ricker of early MoFi fame; so without ever hearing any of their catalogue it gives us a hint of their taking vinyl seriously and not just as a fad. Not to make too much out of all this, but I do find it quite encouraging that this guide was written by a young woman instead of the typical middle-aged man–and yes I do also fit that category–that used to monopolize the vinyl scene. And I have noticed this recent positive trend–of all ages and genders–at my friendly local LP boutique, at record conventions, and even to a certain though lesser degree, at hifi shows. A phenomenon not unlike the superhero/comic book convention scene that is slowly diversifying as well.
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Don't let the title detract you even if, like me, you consider yourself a vinyl veteran; for I got it as a present from a friend and found it enjoyable, easy to read, and even learnt a few history facts and online links that had escaped my knowledge despite my forty plus years experience. That said, I did find three instances of misleading information that could lead to some confusion with newbies. The first appears in the beginning of chapter 2 at page 37: when describing the Magnetic Era, the author frames that period as: "(1945– 1975)" While the lead year pretty much corresponds to the earliest stages of American magnetic recording experimentation via the then newly formed Ampex company–soon backed by Bing Crosby–the post year (1975)is clearly incorrect. In fact many audiophile "blockbusters" such as Boston's self-titled debut, The Eagles'Hotel California, Fleetwood Mac's Rumours, and Pink Floyd's The Wall just to name a few were recorded and released between 1976 and 1979–the heyday of rich multitrack analog tape sessions–and extending even up to 1982 with the world's best-selling album of all time–Michael Jackson's Thriller. With the exception of a handful of Denon recordings between 1970-77, Telarc in 1978 and London Decca the following year in the classical and jazz field, most pop/rock recordings still heavily relied on analog largely dominating over digital up to about 1982–coinciding with the advent of the first compact disc–and more so around 1984. After which, the two formats and recording technologies often intermixed within a same album, and continues sporadically to this day. As such, the following time frame "(1945– Present)" for the Mag Era, would have better reflected reality.
The second confusion appears right at the beginning of chapter 3 on page 52. In the "Anatomy of a Turntable" section, there is a diagram commonly found on the internet of a typical turntable with the description of its various parts: regarding the depicted tonearm, the "Tracking Force Ring" line points to what appears to be a mechanical part of the arm's pivot point while the T.F.Ring–loosely drawn without numericals–at the front of the counterweight is not identified. The third confusing statement appears in chapter 4, on page 104 under the "ADJUSTING THE TRACKING FORCE" instruction section: regarding step#4, it is written: "Once it is balanced, slowly turn the counterweight and set it to 0. The tone arm is now calibrated." followed by step#5: "Set the counterweight dial to indicate the desired weight given by the manufacturer." They seemed to have mixed up the counterweight and the VTF ring dial. Instead on a typical tonearm it would make more sense to read the following instructions: step#4 – "Once it is balanced, keeping the counterweight fix, carefully set the Tracking Force Ring to '0'. step#5 – Advancing it towards the pivot point, turn the counterweight to indicate the desired weight (VTF) given by the manufacturer, e.g.1.8 grams. The tone arm is now properly calibrated."
Also on page 115, under the "Direct Metal Mastering (DMM)" section, she states that: "Many audiophiles believe that this method is sonically superior". Though it had a short popular wave in the 1980s especially in Germany where Neumann and Teldec co-developed the procedure, I would challenge that assumption based on my multiple conversations with experienced audiophiles and my own sonic perceptions–the common understanding being that the end result is often too bright in the treble, leading most listeners and highly regarded cutting engineers preferring the warmer, fatter sound that a lacquer imparts.
I was a bit surprised and disappointed also that there was no mention of one format I truly cherish for its sound: the 12-inch single–either 33 1/3 or 45rpm–first introduced in 1975 as rare promos for deejays before being available to the public the year after, and in the mid-1990s released on double-45rpms as audiophile reissues for superior sound. If in the future there is a revision or expanded version, the concerns cited above should be addressed in a reprint or perhaps more easily done in the ebook format.
That aside, the bulk of the book is very well written, contains plenty of interesting facts, a ton of important information covering so many aspects such as: the history of vinyl; how records are made–lacquers, plating, pressing; vinyl collective terminology–audiophile, remastered, DMM, matrix area, dead wax; inspecting, grading used records; where to purchase used or new vinyl; storing records; handling; inner and outer sleeve types; proper dry and wet cleaning methods; original, reissue, audiophile, test pressings, and promos; online communities, forums, websites, Discogs' data base, phone and tablet apps, etc. There is even a dedicated 39 page chapter just on "Purchasing a Turntable", surprisingly covering a very diverse field in price and corresponding quality from many of the mainstream and audiophile manufacturers–enough to cater to just about anybody getting into vinyl whatever one's means or perfectionist persuit. Lastly, there is a list of 16 of the world's "Top Indie Record Stores"–of course this is quite limited and subjective–but nonetheless useful if you are the type that travels a lot.
It is clear that the author put a lot of research into this and even went beyond what we expect from the ubiquitous "Beginner's Guide" lining the shelves. So even though I already knew the majority of the contents of this guide, by the time I had read through it, it made me realize just how much there is to learn and discover for someone just entering the field, and how it would have been useful to have such a guide when I started out my lifelong musical journey.
In conclusion, Jenna Miles'The Beginners' Guide to Vinyl is a must for new vinyl enthusiast, makes a no-brainer holiday present and is highly recommended all year round.
by Jenna Miles
ISBN-10: 1440598967
ISBN-13: 978-1440598968
Published by Adams Media (2017)
Rating:
Global Appreciation: 8.5.
Presentation: straightforward, non-deluxe.
Category: music, vinyl record guide.
Format: paperback book. 5.5 x 8.5 inches approx. 256 pages–all B&W except for 8 semi-gloss colored pages located half-way plus a few basic diagrams.
Credits:
Written and researched by Jenna Hanes.
Cover Design by Colleen Cunningham.
In The Beginners' Guide to Vinyl,author Jenna Miles shares her passion, and experience in this relatively new book published by Adams Media and available in ebook form also. Divided into 11 chapters, she succeeds in covering a vast amount of ground over a format that spans more than a century in evolution, and which has seen a strong, surprising, and sustained resurgence since a decade or so.
 |
| Turntable and tonearm diagram close to identical as the printed one |
The second confusion appears right at the beginning of chapter 3 on page 52. In the "Anatomy of a Turntable" section, there is a diagram commonly found on the internet of a typical turntable with the description of its various parts: regarding the depicted tonearm, the "Tracking Force Ring" line points to what appears to be a mechanical part of the arm's pivot point while the T.F.Ring–loosely drawn without numericals–at the front of the counterweight is not identified. The third confusing statement appears in chapter 4, on page 104 under the "ADJUSTING THE TRACKING FORCE" instruction section: regarding step#4, it is written: "Once it is balanced, slowly turn the counterweight and set it to 0. The tone arm is now calibrated." followed by step#5: "Set the counterweight dial to indicate the desired weight given by the manufacturer." They seemed to have mixed up the counterweight and the VTF ring dial. Instead on a typical tonearm it would make more sense to read the following instructions: step#4 – "Once it is balanced, keeping the counterweight fix, carefully set the Tracking Force Ring to '0'. step#5 – Advancing it towards the pivot point, turn the counterweight to indicate the desired weight (VTF) given by the manufacturer, e.g.1.8 grams. The tone arm is now properly calibrated."
Also on page 115, under the "Direct Metal Mastering (DMM)" section, she states that: "Many audiophiles believe that this method is sonically superior". Though it had a short popular wave in the 1980s especially in Germany where Neumann and Teldec co-developed the procedure, I would challenge that assumption based on my multiple conversations with experienced audiophiles and my own sonic perceptions–the common understanding being that the end result is often too bright in the treble, leading most listeners and highly regarded cutting engineers preferring the warmer, fatter sound that a lacquer imparts.
I was a bit surprised and disappointed also that there was no mention of one format I truly cherish for its sound: the 12-inch single–either 33 1/3 or 45rpm–first introduced in 1975 as rare promos for deejays before being available to the public the year after, and in the mid-1990s released on double-45rpms as audiophile reissues for superior sound. If in the future there is a revision or expanded version, the concerns cited above should be addressed in a reprint or perhaps more easily done in the ebook format.
That aside, the bulk of the book is very well written, contains plenty of interesting facts, a ton of important information covering so many aspects such as: the history of vinyl; how records are made–lacquers, plating, pressing; vinyl collective terminology–audiophile, remastered, DMM, matrix area, dead wax; inspecting, grading used records; where to purchase used or new vinyl; storing records; handling; inner and outer sleeve types; proper dry and wet cleaning methods; original, reissue, audiophile, test pressings, and promos; online communities, forums, websites, Discogs' data base, phone and tablet apps, etc. There is even a dedicated 39 page chapter just on "Purchasing a Turntable", surprisingly covering a very diverse field in price and corresponding quality from many of the mainstream and audiophile manufacturers–enough to cater to just about anybody getting into vinyl whatever one's means or perfectionist persuit. Lastly, there is a list of 16 of the world's "Top Indie Record Stores"–of course this is quite limited and subjective–but nonetheless useful if you are the type that travels a lot.
It is clear that the author put a lot of research into this and even went beyond what we expect from the ubiquitous "Beginner's Guide" lining the shelves. So even though I already knew the majority of the contents of this guide, by the time I had read through it, it made me realize just how much there is to learn and discover for someone just entering the field, and how it would have been useful to have such a guide when I started out my lifelong musical journey.
In conclusion, Jenna Miles'The Beginners' Guide to Vinyl is a must for new vinyl enthusiast, makes a no-brainer holiday present and is highly recommended all year round.
↧
MARVIN GAYE - WHAT'S GOING ON
Marvin's Masterpiece
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Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab UD1S 2-008, Motown B0026761-01, Limited Edition, SuperVinyl, Box Set (2019, Jan.), # 6140 of 7500
Originally released on Tamla – TS-310 (1971, May)
Evaluated by Claude Lemaire
Ratings:
Global Appreciation: 9.9
- Music: A+ (10)
- Recording: 9.5
- Remastering + Lacquer Cutting: 9.9
- Pressing: 9.9
- Packaging: Deluxe
Category: soul, jazz and spiritual undertones
Format: Vinyl (2x180 gram LPs at 45 rpm)
Musicians (partial list):
Marvin Gaye – all lead vocals, background voices, piano, melotron, and box drum. The Andantes – background voices.
Members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Arranged and Conducted by David Van DePitte.
Strings, Woodwings, and Brass conducted by Gordon Staples.
Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers:
Eli Fontaine – alto sax
Wild Bill Moore – tenor sax
Earl Van Dyke – keyboards
Joe Messina, Robert White – electric guitar
James Jamerson – bass guitar
Bob Babbitt – bass guitar
Chet Forest – drums
Jack Ashford – tambourine, percussion
Eddie "Bongo" Brown – bongos, congas
Bobbye Hall – bongos
Produced by Marvin Gaye.
Recorded from June to September 1970, and March to May 1971 at Hitsville U.S.A., Golden World, United Sound Studios, Detroit, and The Sound Factory, West Hollywood, CA. Mixed at Hitsville West, Los Angeles.
Engineered by Steve Smith, Ken Sands, Cal Harris, Bob Olhsson, Joe Atkinson, James Green, Sam Ross, Lawrence Miles, and Art Stewart.
Remastered by Krieg Wunderlich and assisted by Rob LoVerde at Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab in Sebastopol, CA.
Lacquer cut by Krieg Wunderlich at Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab in Sebastopol, CA.
Plated and Pressed by RTI, CA, USA.
Photography (front and rear cover) – (Jim) Hendin.
Artwork (graphic supervision) – Tom Schlesinger.
Art direction – Curtis McNair.
Graphic Design – Ken Deardoff.
Liner notes – Marvin Gaye.
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"Marvin, why do you want to ruin your career?"
Strange advice coming from Berry to his suave protégé–showing how the once visionary music innovator and industry leader of the 1960s proved so wrong and could be that out of touch with the times by the turn of the decade. Not only was What's Going On Motown's biggest successful album; it represents Marvin's musical masterpiece–in a sense, he delivered America's black Pepper to the world–justly earning the status of critically acclaimed all time best soul album.
Though an important part of the big Motown family, Gaye, through this LP, definitely departed from what was coined early on "The Motown Sound". To be clear, the latter term defines two different but related aspects: foremost the general description of the pop-oriented soul style manufactured by Tamla Motown from its inception in 1959 and more importantly during its peak commercial years between 1963 and 1967; and secondly, by the sound per say; i.e. the narrow trebly tonal balance and compressed dynamics chosen to sound loud and pierce through what was the two major music conduits of the day–AM radio and the ubiquitous jukebox; both boomy, mostly mono and treble-shy. By 1968-70, the tide slowly started to shift towards greater stereo releases, FM radio, longer album-oriented cuts, the dwindling popularity of jukeboxes replaced by the emergence of the first discothèques ushering in an awakening for a broader balance, greater dynamic range, and fuller frequency sound spectrum. But going back to the style, Berry ran the company as a hit factory based on his experience working at the Ford-Mercury plant, naming it "Hitsville U.S.A."
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Operating the two-story Detroit headquarters 22 hours a day–saving two for routine maintenance–the ground floor Studio A was occupied nearly non-stop for rehearsing, recording, and mixing many musical acts from The Supremes, Temptations, Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, just to name a fraction of the immense pool of talent filling the small space with sounds. The black artists were coached, groomed, and dressed in stylish matching outfits in order to present a non-threathening look to the face of young white America–appearing regularly on the greatest entertainment tv program for over two decades, The Ed Sullivan Show. The song mold relied on short uptempo numbers crafted by the Funk Brothers' instrumentation, and brought to you by the letters H-D-H–Holland-Dozier-Holland–the head songwriting and production team.
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Apologies to Sonny and Cher but by mid-1968, the "Baby, Baby" beat couldn't just go on forever as producer Norman Whitfield took over, playing a larger role in reshaping and modernizing Motown's sound. Influenced by Sly Stone's success fusing funk, soul, and psychedelic rock, he harnessed his brand of psychedelic soul, beginning with Gaye's version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", followed closely by The Temptations'"Cloud Nine" and "Runaway Child, Running Wild". This would continue entering 1970 with "Ball of Confusion" and Edwin Starr's "War"–protest songs exploring and expressing the darker sides of the world's deep divide and war's sheer nonsense–both tracks a far cry from simply "Going to a Go-Go". Marvin moved in that direction as well.
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"War is not the answer_For only love can conquer hate"
The weight of the Vietnam War, the worry over the environment and ecology, coupled with the tragic loss of singing collaborator and friend Tammi Terrell at only 24 years old in March 1970, collided into crafting this turn of the decade introspective album.
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Originally conceived by Four Tops singer Renaldo "Obie" Benson and lyricist Al Cleveland–after the former's formation rejected it–"What's Going On" was first offered to folk protest icon Joan Baez but ultimately went to Gaye who highly tailored it to truly reflect his disconcertments with world events in and around. The recording took up five days spread between June, July, and September 1970. When first pitched as a single to Berry Gordy and the label's quality control panel, the head of Tamla tried his best to convince him otherwise, initially rejecting it, fearing it would be a monumental mistake for Motown and Marvin to release it. He found it too "old-fashioned" and jazz sounding with its scat singing–which seems so odd at first thought, given how ingrained the singer's incredible interpretation of the song sits with most of us. In spite of all of the above, executive Harry Balk happened to get his hands on an acetate by mistake, loved the track, and convinced sales vice president Barney Hales to order a pressing run of 100 thousand copies of the single for release to radio stations, deejays, and the public in mid-January 1971–becoming Motown's fastest-selling single–coincidentally the same month as Norman Lear's All in the Family premiered on network TV; itself a departure from past programs, visiting many of the same sensitive subjects throughout its long run.
"Picket lines and picket signs"
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Similar to Stevie seeking more artistic freedom and socially-conscious content in his albums–such as Where I'm Coming from [Tamla TS308] released just a month prior to this LP–so was the case with Marvin. He entered Hitsville USA's Studio A–with its wooden floor, alternating reflective-absorptive side panels, and suspended ceiling–in early June, 1970 to record rhythm tracks and overdubs, the latter facilitated by three isolation rooms.
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Engineer Steve Smith captured the maestro on piano along with a basic guide vocal and rhythm track to lead the session with Chet Forest on drums, Robert White on guitar, and the lengendary James Jamerson on his Fender Precision Bass, who on this occasion famously played the entire bass line laying down on the floor–being too drunk to sit down according to arranger and conductor David Van DePitte.
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Lead and background vocals, as well as horns, and the string ensemble were recorded in "Studio B" at Golden World in Detroit, Michigan. The next step consisted of engineer Ken Sands mixing the overdubs from the bongos, congas, percussion, tambourines, and strangely not one but two unique lead tracks for Marvin's vocals utilising the solid state Neumann U87. This was done from the get-go to provide a later choice between two different vocal deliveries; instead in the end, both vocal tracks were included and embedded within the final mix, giving the title track and the whole album a very special magical feel to it. When listening to an alternative mix–there are a few interesting ones circulating on the web worth hearing–using only one of the vocal tracks or alternatively the two tracks hard-panned instead of mono blended, that magic greatly vanishes and the song, though still excellent, sounds more bound to earth than heavenly divine. And it is perhaps by divine intervention that the sensual signature sax riff heard in the musical intro of the title-track was not only unrehearsed but merely musician Eli Fontaine warming up or "goofing around" in the studio while the tape was rolling. Preceding the latter, is the true intro found on the album version in the form of background chatter or laid-back party atmosphere which came from friends Lem Barney and Mel Farr, both part of the Detroit Lions whom Gaye wished to play for.
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"Brother, brother, brother_There's far too many of you dying"
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Musically the album contains no weaknesses: every song is carefully crafted; every note beautifully composed, arranged, and performed; every lyric lovingly inspired, written, and sung. Smith and/or Sands' album mix was done at the Motown Center on the top floor of the 10-story building on Woodward Avenue, Detroit, Michigan in April 1971 on an Electrodyne console monitored through Altec 604Es. That mix was not released until 2010 approximately and is now referred in deluxe reissue editions as the "Detroit Mix". The final mix that appears on the original May 1971 LP release was engineered by Lawrence Miles at Hitsville West in Los Angeles, and differs with the "Detroit Mix" as having the "party chatter" placed right in the intro of the title-track instead of towards the outro where it lasted and blended longer. Also the vocals are more centered and cohesively fused in the final mix, while some string sweeps plus many minor mix/track touches alter the ambiance in the "Detroit Mix". Both mixes are magnificent but I believe they made the right call in the end, conveying a more film-like,dreamy or otherwordly state instead of the crisper, dryer, more video version. The lasting impression is more of a Sinatra or Nat King Cole Capitol session feel than a Motown production even though the latter were employing strings and horns early on, be it with The Supremes or other formations. Being the early-1970s there are similitudes with what Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield were bringing to cinematic soul in terms of string arrangements, vibe, and grandiosity, along with a shared social consciousness found in future Philly soul productions. Incredibly What's Going On was his 14th album–11th studio–and though he kept recording and releasing a few other big hits up until his untimely death in 1984 at age 44 from a gunshot from his father, he would never surpass it.
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This is the fifth 'UltraDisc One-Step' 45rpm box set released by Mobile Fidelity and the third one in my collection after buying Santana's Abraxas [UD1S 2-001] followed by Bill Evans'Sunday at the Village Vanguard [UD1S 2-002]–I skipped Donald Fagen's The Nightfly [UD1S 2-003] and Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge... [UD1S 2-004], finding those selections less interesting to my musical tastes and somewhat odd for this premium format given so many incredible ground-sound-breaking albums instead. After Santana's stunning success selling out its 2500 copy run within its first month, the succeeding special editions kept gaining in limited numbers to now reach 7500–a three-fold increase, and once more they sold out in pre-order status! (As of writing there are 34 sealed copies for sale on Discogs starting at $135). As in all cases, the two LP's are housed, and presented in a deluxe one-inch thick, black carton box with gold-colored lettering and trimmings, framing the original cover art–by photogapher Jim Hendin–in a reduced 8 1/2 x 8 1/2 inch slightly sunken square.
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Upon opening, a dark grey foam hides the inner jewels; under which, is a small card explaining MoFi's SuperVinyl compound developed by NEOTECH and RTI purpoted to reduce the noise floor and enhance the groove definition–a formula with a carbonless dye; followed by an 11 x 12 inch frame shot of the singer depicted on a giant billboard at the corner of Horn Ave and Holloway on the Sunset Strip.
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Next in line is a thin cardboard with pictograms explaining in great detail the unique 'one-step' process. This is followed by a gatefold, full-sized cardboard printed replica of the original front, back, and inside cover art that included the lyrics and original credits, with MoFi's ubiquitous strip added at the top plus Universal Music Special Markets added below the Motown logo at the back which the former where not part of the landscape upon its original release.
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Finally we reach the treasured vinyl, inserted in individual numbered cardboard sleeves similar to the box cover art, with the track titles printed on the back side, and the LP's further protected, by MoFi's inner HDPE sleeves inside a white folded cardboard. As usual with MoFi, no attempts were made to duplicate the original Tamla label, replaced instead with the same design as their other UD1S LPs.
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Lastly a second foam, 'cushions the blow' of box handling. While other labels may 'throw in' a t-shirt, a CD or a free digital download card, MoFi sticks with the essentials, valued by demanding audiophiles: outstanding record protection mated with a classy refined presentation.
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I do not have an original US pressing to compare with, but I've long owned a 1971 Canadian Tamla first pressing distributed by Ampex Music of Canada [Tamla Motown TS-310] which sounds generally excellent, rating it around an 8.7–good tonal balance but the bass lacking a bit of weight and precision and the top end a bit of finesse on both side's last track unsurprisingly. Nor do I have the MoFi 33 1/3 rpm 2009 remastering done by Rob LoVerde [MFSL 1-314] to compare with. All four sides of the MoFi were stunningly shiny, with no scratches, nor scuff marks. I did encounter some noise floor artifacts on the first record upon my first listening session, but it disappeared the second time leading me to believe it was mostly heavy static. I noticed some static charge removing it from its inner sleeve and the discharge noise removing it from my aluminum platter–the latter effectively acting as a discharge diode; the second record was noise and static-free. The new vinyl compound, though carbonless, retains a visually pleasant black dye as opposed to Classic Records' Clarity formula which ditched the black-dye altogether with the carbon making MoFi's formula easier to cue and more classic looking and subjectively warmer than clear vinyl. Even so with the MoFi, you will still see the glow of a light bulb passed through if held in front of it–similar to the first thinner JVC MoFi pressings. Without measuring them, all sides' groove area stayed far from the label area, leaving a good inch or more of dead wax so as to reduce any high frequency audible deterioration due to the pinch effect and smaller groove radius.
In a nutshell, whereas a normal 'three-step' release utilises the following chain: [lacquer + father + mother + stamper], the 'one-step' method skips the father and mother intermediary steps, going from lacquer directly to stamper or 'convert' in this case. Because of the limited number of pressings that the delicate convert can withstand in the typical press before audible deterioration creeps in–supposedly somewhere around 500 or so for 180g LP's–it implies that a minimum set of 15 converts per side must be created from a set of 15 lacquers per side to meet the expected target of 7500 copies. This not only takes the remastering/cutting job fifthteen times longer to perform but also exposes the precious original master tape to more wear and tear–the iron oxide, binder (glue), and acetate, mylar or polyester carrier coming apart sometimes with time, aka 'binder breakdown', and remedied only by 'baking' the tapes for precise times and temperatures. Not to mention how boring it must become for the cutting engineer to doing over and over the same music master disc. Considering all of the above, the $125–up from $100 previously–asking price still seems well justified if the superb quality maintains its previous level.
It also suggest that there could very well be minor differences in sound among the 15 'plate' sets, and as such, differences in sound between box sets, relative to the 'batch' number that the consumer happens to get–more so than the usual MoFi release or any other label following the normal three-step process, all else being equal (which admittedly is rarely the case, especially regarding vinyl because of the multitude of variables from master tape before reaching your platter, and everything subsequent to that). One can also ponder if for example the 15th cutting run is either 'penalized' because of the tape wear or rather privileged for getting the EQ and groove-spacing 'spot-on'; then again are all the parameters/choices 'locked-in' for the total 'project run' to maximize uniformity? What about the cutting stylus–does it get changed for every set?
Following that logic, there are perhaps up to 15 sets of A, B, C, and D. Now one would presume that the first batch (#1 to 500) would be etched 'A1; B1; C1; D1' and the last batch (#7000 to 7500) would be 'A15; B15; C15; D15'. Strangely that is not the case for my #6140 copy bore the respective matrix / runout stamper etchings:
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'UD1S2-008 A14; B6; C6; D10 KW@MoFi'
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...whereas the copy entered in Discogs' database indicates: 'A4; B3; C2; D2'
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The KW initials in the dead wax etchings as usual stands for engineer Krieg Wunderlich, who in this instance was assisted by Rob LoVerde. I was curious to find out if the level of superiority first encountered with the Santana and Bill Evans (see selection #1 of my Top 500 SuperSonic List HERE: http://soundevaluations.blogspot.com/2017/01/top-500-supersonic-list.html and http://soundevaluations.blogspot.com/2017/07/bill-evans-trio-sunday-at-village.html respectively would repeat itself this time to the same degree with a different recording..
"Mother, mother_There's too many of you crying"
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Similar to the Santana and Bill Evans Trio UD1S editions, the tonal balance is full range while dynamic gradations appear non-compressed. Obviously because of the sheer nature of the musical genre, the dynamic range does not approach symphony-esque territory–the Santana leaned more in that direction–but do expect the dynamic expressiveness of the music to shine through as never before. When the first line of "Mother, mother_There's too many of you crying" comes on, I was taken aback by the realism of Marvin's voice embracing me through my system, I felt his breath flirting with my eardrum, the leading edge of the "M" and "T" perfectly defined, the minute vocal inflections reawakened after nearly five decades. I felt the emotion behind the lyric touching my soul–still intact on the Master Tape after all these years, now inscribed on the lacquer, and transferred for the very first time to the convert, and ultimately onto my pressing. The tone is exquisite with just the goldilocks ratio of analog warmth, bass solidity, and extra-refined top end detail–never overbearing, nor spicy hot as the Santana maybe hinted at times. The upper-mids are ever so slightly shaded back permitting louder listening levels if ones wishes without any ear discomfort, lending to a presentation more Master Tape sweet than direct-to-disc front and lean.
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All four sides were pretty equal in sound quality. That said if having to choose only one side solely for "demo-bragging-show-stopper" material, I would go with side C which is perfection served on a platter–perhaps advantaged by its shorter side time of only seven and a half minutes for "Right On". The bass is so solid, deep, and full while the treble is dense, extended, and sublime, it is crazy how well Wunderlich nailed it!
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The album closer, "Inner City Blues" stands out a bit by bringing a mild touch of funk into the soul sauce, giving the track a grittier ghetto vibe vs the previous polished tracks before lastly, a reprise to the theme of "What's Going On" reappears for a minute or so before fading out. When all was over, I put on my old Canadian Tamla Motown first press to compare. Though not disappointing, it is evident that the new MoFi beats it in every aspect, especially in both frequency extremes–perhaps more so in the fullness and weight of the bass on every track, whereas the top end's superiority shows more on a track like "Mercy, Mercy Me (The Ecology)" that was at a disadvantage initially at side's end spinning only at 33 1/3 rpm. Naturally the new MoFi stays cleaner, less distorted or confused as the tonearm-cart advances through the sides. The upper mids of my old Tamla are also more upfront a bit, emphasizing the saxes plus certain percussive elements in the score. Finally the transparency, leading edge, and micro-dynamics of Marvin's vocals are quite superior on the MoFi; on par, though less overpowering, with my all time vocal reproduction reference–Analogue Productions'The Nat King Cole Story [AAPP 1613-45].
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Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab UD1S 2-008, Motown B0026761-01, Limited Edition, SuperVinyl, Box Set (2019, Jan.), # 6140 of 7500
Originally released on Tamla – TS-310 (1971, May)
Evaluated by Claude Lemaire
Ratings:
Global Appreciation: 9.9
- Music: A+ (10)
- Recording: 9.5
- Remastering + Lacquer Cutting: 9.9
- Pressing: 9.9
- Packaging: Deluxe
Category: soul, jazz and spiritual undertones
Format: Vinyl (2x180 gram LPs at 45 rpm)
Musicians (partial list):
Marvin Gaye – all lead vocals, background voices, piano, melotron, and box drum. The Andantes – background voices.
Members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Arranged and Conducted by David Van DePitte.
Strings, Woodwings, and Brass conducted by Gordon Staples.
Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers:
Wild Bill Moore – tenor sax
Earl Van Dyke – keyboards
Joe Messina, Robert White – electric guitar
James Jamerson – bass guitar
Bob Babbitt – bass guitar
Chet Forest – drums
Jack Ashford – tambourine, percussion
Eddie "Bongo" Brown – bongos, congas
Bobbye Hall – bongos
Produced by Marvin Gaye.
Recorded from June to September 1970, and March to May 1971 at Hitsville U.S.A., Golden World, United Sound Studios, Detroit, and The Sound Factory, West Hollywood, CA. Mixed at Hitsville West, Los Angeles.
Engineered by Steve Smith, Ken Sands, Cal Harris, Bob Olhsson, Joe Atkinson, James Green, Sam Ross, Lawrence Miles, and Art Stewart.
Remastered by Krieg Wunderlich and assisted by Rob LoVerde at Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab in Sebastopol, CA.
Lacquer cut by Krieg Wunderlich at Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab in Sebastopol, CA.
Plated and Pressed by RTI, CA, USA.
Photography (front and rear cover) – (Jim) Hendin.
Artwork (graphic supervision) – Tom Schlesinger.
Art direction – Curtis McNair.
Graphic Design – Ken Deardoff.
Liner notes – Marvin Gaye.
Strange advice coming from Berry to his suave protégé–showing how the once visionary music innovator and industry leader of the 1960s proved so wrong and could be that out of touch with the times by the turn of the decade. Not only was What's Going On Motown's biggest successful album; it represents Marvin's musical masterpiece–in a sense, he delivered America's black Pepper to the world–justly earning the status of critically acclaimed all time best soul album.
Though an important part of the big Motown family, Gaye, through this LP, definitely departed from what was coined early on "The Motown Sound". To be clear, the latter term defines two different but related aspects: foremost the general description of the pop-oriented soul style manufactured by Tamla Motown from its inception in 1959 and more importantly during its peak commercial years between 1963 and 1967; and secondly, by the sound per say; i.e. the narrow trebly tonal balance and compressed dynamics chosen to sound loud and pierce through what was the two major music conduits of the day–AM radio and the ubiquitous jukebox; both boomy, mostly mono and treble-shy. By 1968-70, the tide slowly started to shift towards greater stereo releases, FM radio, longer album-oriented cuts, the dwindling popularity of jukeboxes replaced by the emergence of the first discothèques ushering in an awakening for a broader balance, greater dynamic range, and fuller frequency sound spectrum. But going back to the style, Berry ran the company as a hit factory based on his experience working at the Ford-Mercury plant, naming it "Hitsville U.S.A."
Operating the two-story Detroit headquarters 22 hours a day–saving two for routine maintenance–the ground floor Studio A was occupied nearly non-stop for rehearsing, recording, and mixing many musical acts from The Supremes, Temptations, Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, just to name a fraction of the immense pool of talent filling the small space with sounds. The black artists were coached, groomed, and dressed in stylish matching outfits in order to present a non-threathening look to the face of young white America–appearing regularly on the greatest entertainment tv program for over two decades, The Ed Sullivan Show. The song mold relied on short uptempo numbers crafted by the Funk Brothers' instrumentation, and brought to you by the letters H-D-H–Holland-Dozier-Holland–the head songwriting and production team.
The weight of the Vietnam War, the worry over the environment and ecology, coupled with the tragic loss of singing collaborator and friend Tammi Terrell at only 24 years old in March 1970, collided into crafting this turn of the decade introspective album.
Originally conceived by Four Tops singer Renaldo "Obie" Benson and lyricist Al Cleveland–after the former's formation rejected it–"What's Going On" was first offered to folk protest icon Joan Baez but ultimately went to Gaye who highly tailored it to truly reflect his disconcertments with world events in and around. The recording took up five days spread between June, July, and September 1970. When first pitched as a single to Berry Gordy and the label's quality control panel, the head of Tamla tried his best to convince him otherwise, initially rejecting it, fearing it would be a monumental mistake for Motown and Marvin to release it. He found it too "old-fashioned" and jazz sounding with its scat singing–which seems so odd at first thought, given how ingrained the singer's incredible interpretation of the song sits with most of us. In spite of all of the above, executive Harry Balk happened to get his hands on an acetate by mistake, loved the track, and convinced sales vice president Barney Hales to order a pressing run of 100 thousand copies of the single for release to radio stations, deejays, and the public in mid-January 1971–becoming Motown's fastest-selling single–coincidentally the same month as Norman Lear's All in the Family premiered on network TV; itself a departure from past programs, visiting many of the same sensitive subjects throughout its long run.
"Picket lines and picket signs"
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Similar to Stevie seeking more artistic freedom and socially-conscious content in his albums–such as Where I'm Coming from [Tamla TS308] released just a month prior to this LP–so was the case with Marvin. He entered Hitsville USA's Studio A–with its wooden floor, alternating reflective-absorptive side panels, and suspended ceiling–in early June, 1970 to record rhythm tracks and overdubs, the latter facilitated by three isolation rooms.
Engineer Steve Smith captured the maestro on piano along with a basic guide vocal and rhythm track to lead the session with Chet Forest on drums, Robert White on guitar, and the lengendary James Jamerson on his Fender Precision Bass, who on this occasion famously played the entire bass line laying down on the floor–being too drunk to sit down according to arranger and conductor David Van DePitte.
The smooth laid-back vibe of the sessions were helped in part by Scotch and marijuana infusing the studio. The typical topography of "Studio A"–aka "The Snake Pit" because of the cables dangling from the ceiling– would have the drums in the rear left corner where the acoustics were livelier whereas the Steinway grand piano on its short stick played in the near left corner with the guitar and bass approximately three feet to the right of it. Up until 1967, Tubed Neumann U67s microphones were the norm at Motown with one on the snare, another as overhead, and surprisingly a RCA DX77 ribbon mic for the kick drum; after which Neumann KM-85 and KM-86s took over. Jamerson's bass and any guitar went through a one of a kind DI unit: a custom-built five channel tube line (pre)amp with an Altec 605A Duplex coax speaker sitting at the bottom, driven by a McIntosh MC30 mono amp that double-dutied as a stage monitor made by Mike McLean. Incredibly it was the musicians and not the sound engineer that adjusted the levels on it relying on the big VU meters: firstly by setting their own instrument output level to peak at 0dB for max S/N ratio and dynamic range, and lastly using the respective channel pot for their preferred studio monitoring. With its fixed line-level outputs directly feeding the tape deck inputs–bypassing any mixing console for the cleanest sound–into an Ampex MM1000 16-track on two-inch format.
Lead and background vocals, as well as horns, and the string ensemble were recorded in "Studio B" at Golden World in Detroit, Michigan. The next step consisted of engineer Ken Sands mixing the overdubs from the bongos, congas, percussion, tambourines, and strangely not one but two unique lead tracks for Marvin's vocals utilising the solid state Neumann U87. This was done from the get-go to provide a later choice between two different vocal deliveries; instead in the end, both vocal tracks were included and embedded within the final mix, giving the title track and the whole album a very special magical feel to it. When listening to an alternative mix–there are a few interesting ones circulating on the web worth hearing–using only one of the vocal tracks or alternatively the two tracks hard-panned instead of mono blended, that magic greatly vanishes and the song, though still excellent, sounds more bound to earth than heavenly divine. And it is perhaps by divine intervention that the sensual signature sax riff heard in the musical intro of the title-track was not only unrehearsed but merely musician Eli Fontaine warming up or "goofing around" in the studio while the tape was rolling. Preceding the latter, is the true intro found on the album version in the form of background chatter or laid-back party atmosphere which came from friends Lem Barney and Mel Farr, both part of the Detroit Lions whom Gaye wished to play for.
"Brother, brother, brother_There's far too many of you dying"
The remaining eight tracks making up the album were astoundingly completed within two weeks in mid-March 1971, mostly following the same procedure as the title-track at the following venues: Hitsville Studio A; Golden World Studio B; and United Sound Studios in Detroit. The nine tracks form a concept album which was relatively new in that period though quite popular in prog and art rock records since 1967-68 but was a rarity and remained so in soul based music. Originally all the songs segue into the next except for the title-track which has a rather short fade-out before the second track–"What's Happening Brother" based on his brother Frankie serving in Vietnam–starts up reprising the main hook–quite unfortunate given that the former's outro would perfectly blend with the latter's intro. [Having two old identical copies in my collection, I used to have fun seamlessly mixing both LPs exactly at that juncture and wishing one day that some reissue label would offer such a continuous version.] I'm guessing that the reason for this sole discontinuity was due to the title-track being done several months prior to the other songs and originally intended as a single only. Of course with this latest 45 rpm reissue, MoFi really didn't have much choice than to separate the album on four sides to not go over the approximate 10 minute per side recommended limits. As such the natural flow of the album is broken up and this can be a make it or break it decision to purchase for some music lovers. The only other alternative for improved sound would have been to still do the best remastering and cutting job using the one-step method but doing it at 33 1/3 instead of 45 rpm–surely some improvements over all past issues but accepting something under the ultimate possible.
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This is the fifth 'UltraDisc One-Step' 45rpm box set released by Mobile Fidelity and the third one in my collection after buying Santana's Abraxas [UD1S 2-001] followed by Bill Evans'Sunday at the Village Vanguard [UD1S 2-002]–I skipped Donald Fagen's The Nightfly [UD1S 2-003] and Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge... [UD1S 2-004], finding those selections less interesting to my musical tastes and somewhat odd for this premium format given so many incredible ground-sound-breaking albums instead. After Santana's stunning success selling out its 2500 copy run within its first month, the succeeding special editions kept gaining in limited numbers to now reach 7500–a three-fold increase, and once more they sold out in pre-order status! (As of writing there are 34 sealed copies for sale on Discogs starting at $135). As in all cases, the two LP's are housed, and presented in a deluxe one-inch thick, black carton box with gold-colored lettering and trimmings, framing the original cover art–by photogapher Jim Hendin–in a reduced 8 1/2 x 8 1/2 inch slightly sunken square.
Upon opening, a dark grey foam hides the inner jewels; under which, is a small card explaining MoFi's SuperVinyl compound developed by NEOTECH and RTI purpoted to reduce the noise floor and enhance the groove definition–a formula with a carbonless dye; followed by an 11 x 12 inch frame shot of the singer depicted on a giant billboard at the corner of Horn Ave and Holloway on the Sunset Strip.
Next in line is a thin cardboard with pictograms explaining in great detail the unique 'one-step' process. This is followed by a gatefold, full-sized cardboard printed replica of the original front, back, and inside cover art that included the lyrics and original credits, with MoFi's ubiquitous strip added at the top plus Universal Music Special Markets added below the Motown logo at the back which the former where not part of the landscape upon its original release.
Finally we reach the treasured vinyl, inserted in individual numbered cardboard sleeves similar to the box cover art, with the track titles printed on the back side, and the LP's further protected, by MoFi's inner HDPE sleeves inside a white folded cardboard. As usual with MoFi, no attempts were made to duplicate the original Tamla label, replaced instead with the same design as their other UD1S LPs.
In a nutshell, whereas a normal 'three-step' release utilises the following chain: [lacquer + father + mother + stamper], the 'one-step' method skips the father and mother intermediary steps, going from lacquer directly to stamper or 'convert' in this case. Because of the limited number of pressings that the delicate convert can withstand in the typical press before audible deterioration creeps in–supposedly somewhere around 500 or so for 180g LP's–it implies that a minimum set of 15 converts per side must be created from a set of 15 lacquers per side to meet the expected target of 7500 copies. This not only takes the remastering/cutting job fifthteen times longer to perform but also exposes the precious original master tape to more wear and tear–the iron oxide, binder (glue), and acetate, mylar or polyester carrier coming apart sometimes with time, aka 'binder breakdown', and remedied only by 'baking' the tapes for precise times and temperatures. Not to mention how boring it must become for the cutting engineer to doing over and over the same music master disc. Considering all of the above, the $125–up from $100 previously–asking price still seems well justified if the superb quality maintains its previous level.
It also suggest that there could very well be minor differences in sound among the 15 'plate' sets, and as such, differences in sound between box sets, relative to the 'batch' number that the consumer happens to get–more so than the usual MoFi release or any other label following the normal three-step process, all else being equal (which admittedly is rarely the case, especially regarding vinyl because of the multitude of variables from master tape before reaching your platter, and everything subsequent to that). One can also ponder if for example the 15th cutting run is either 'penalized' because of the tape wear or rather privileged for getting the EQ and groove-spacing 'spot-on'; then again are all the parameters/choices 'locked-in' for the total 'project run' to maximize uniformity? What about the cutting stylus–does it get changed for every set?
Following that logic, there are perhaps up to 15 sets of A, B, C, and D. Now one would presume that the first batch (#1 to 500) would be etched 'A1; B1; C1; D1' and the last batch (#7000 to 7500) would be 'A15; B15; C15; D15'. Strangely that is not the case for my #6140 copy bore the respective matrix / runout stamper etchings:
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'UD1S2-008 A14; B6; C6; D10 KW@MoFi'
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...whereas the copy entered in Discogs' database indicates: 'A4; B3; C2; D2'
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"Mother, mother_There's too many of you crying"
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Similar to the Santana and Bill Evans Trio UD1S editions, the tonal balance is full range while dynamic gradations appear non-compressed. Obviously because of the sheer nature of the musical genre, the dynamic range does not approach symphony-esque territory–the Santana leaned more in that direction–but do expect the dynamic expressiveness of the music to shine through as never before. When the first line of "Mother, mother_There's too many of you crying" comes on, I was taken aback by the realism of Marvin's voice embracing me through my system, I felt his breath flirting with my eardrum, the leading edge of the "M" and "T" perfectly defined, the minute vocal inflections reawakened after nearly five decades. I felt the emotion behind the lyric touching my soul–still intact on the Master Tape after all these years, now inscribed on the lacquer, and transferred for the very first time to the convert, and ultimately onto my pressing. The tone is exquisite with just the goldilocks ratio of analog warmth, bass solidity, and extra-refined top end detail–never overbearing, nor spicy hot as the Santana maybe hinted at times. The upper-mids are ever so slightly shaded back permitting louder listening levels if ones wishes without any ear discomfort, lending to a presentation more Master Tape sweet than direct-to-disc front and lean.
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To conclude, Mobile Fidelity's fifth UD1S release–Marvin Gaye's What's Going On–is along with Santana's Abraxas [UD1S 2-001] their two best musical and sonic releases ever and a worthy improvement over my Canadian first press. 'Master cutter' Krieg Wunderlich with Rob LoVerde form an incredible team just like Gray and Hoffman did in the past. These guys get it right, the vibe cuts through–at leasts most of the time–and now with the advances MoFi has brought with their superior mastering-cutting gear, 45 rpm releases, and UltraDisc One-Step pressings, they seem unbeatable.____________________________________________________________________
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ARETHA FRANKLIN - ARETHA'S GOLD
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab reissue MFSL 2-479 (Sept. 2017)
Originally released on Atlantic – SD-8227 (Aug. 1969)
Evaluated by Claude Lemaire
Rating:
Global Appreciation: 9.6
- Music: A+ (9.5)
- Recording: 9.3
- Remastering + Lacquer Cutting: 9.7
- Pressing: 10
- Packaging: above average
Category: soul, southern soul, R&B, blues, black gospel and spiritual roots, churchy.
Format: Vinyl (2x180 gram LPs at 45 rpm)
Musicians:
Aretha Franklin - vocals, piano
Spooner Oldham – keyboards, piano
Jimmy Johnson, Chips Moman, Bobby Womack, Joe South – guitar
Tommy Cogbill, Jerry Jemmoth – bass guitar
Gene Chrisman, Roger Hawkins – drums
Melvin Lastie, Bernie Glow, Joe Newman, Wayne Jackson – trumpet
Charles Chalmers, King Curtis, Andrew Love, Seldon Powell – tenor saxophone
Willie Bridges, Floyd Newman, Haywood Henry – baritone saxophone
Tony Studd – trombone
Carolyn and Erma Franklin, Cissy Houston – background vocals
Additional credits:
Arranged by Arif Mardin and Tom Dowd
Produced by Jerry Wexler
Recorded at FAME recording studio in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and Atlantic studios in NYC
Engineered by Rick Hall, Tom Dowd
Originally mastered at Plaza Sound Studios
Remastered and cut by Krieg Wunderlich, assisted by Rob LoVerde at Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab in Sebastopol CA
Plated and Pressed by RTI, CA, USA
Album Design by Haig Adishian
Cover photo by James J. Kriegsmann
Back liner photos by Stephen Paley
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First they baptized Benny, the "King of Swing"; then entered Elvis, the "King of Rock 'n' Roll"; followed by B.B., the "King of the Blues"; soon came Sam Cooke, the "King of Soul", and spotlight on James Brown, y'all, He's the King of them all, y'all. Naturally the King enthroned a Queen.
It took a while, but nearly five decades later "The Queen of Soul" finally got the sonic R.E.S.P.E.C.T. she long deserved, brought to you by the letters MFSL, KW, RML, and RTI. To be sure, never was there any doubt regarding Aretha's pivotal place in the 1960s soul music, civil rights, and rising feminist movement. By contrast, the sound situation seemingly succumbed to the old "Rodney Dangerfield" syndrome–that is until MoFi gave it the full royal treatment not long before her death in August 2018.
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Born in Memphis, Tennessee in 1942, music permanently played a major part of her younger years. Her father Clarence L. Franklin being a celebrated Baptist minister, preacher, gospel singer, and civil rights activist while her mother Barbara, played piano and sang, led to Aretha learning and practicing the piano by ear early on. The family attracted gospel and soul singers alike, as this would be put to good purpose further down the road.
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After spending six years signed to Columbia which failed miserably to capture and channel her gospel roots into a more modern souful style, she switched to Atlantic Records, stopping briefly in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, before heading for New York to record her seminal version of Otis Redding's "Respect" [Volt VOLT 412]–in fact, the tune is so ingrained into our aural psyche that many forget Aretha's version is not the original.
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His has the kick, snare and brass upfront driving a four on the floor propulsive metronomic beat a la Motown mold–though much faster, Stevie's 1965 hit single "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" [Tamla S-268] comes readily to mind–while Aretha and the girls take it more laid-back, built on a mid-tempo R&B beat with the bass drum kicking the 1 and 3 alternating with the snare landing on the 2 and 4. Both are highly enjoyable but it's fascinating how the contrast in basic rhythmic structure totally alters the perceived feel or mood of the song. Instantly Franklin's fanbase exploded exponentially, confirming her christened crown status worldwide.
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Arranged by Turkish-born Arif Mardin and Tom Dowd, and produced by Jerry Wexler–famous for formulating the R&B phrase replacing "Race Records"–Aretha's Gold [Atlantic SD-8227] originally came out in August 1969, and comprised all of her hit singles up to that point, placed in chronological order, including just to name a few: "Respect","(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman","Chain of Fools","Think", and her incredible interpretation of Burt Bacharach-Hal David's composition "I Say a Little Prayer" [Scepter Records SPS 563]–originally sung by Dionne Warwick nearly a year prior to hers.
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Though the hired session musicians that day had never heard of her before, once she hit the ivory on the Steinway, everybody bowed to the Queen's presence. With the exception of Rick Hall partly handling the first two tracks at his FAME recording studio at 603 East Avalon Avenue in Muscle Shoals, Alabama–cut short because of a dispute between Aretha's then-husband Ted White and a trumpet player from the FAME house band (aka the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section)–the remaining twelve to thirteen tracks where engineered by Dowd at Atlantic studios in NYC. Accordingly, they relocated and combined part of the Musle Shoals players with the Memphis players.
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I do not own an original pressing of Gold to compare with but based on three of the initial albums–all first press Canadian copies–containing these golden hits, it is no secret that the sonics were far from impressive, lacking both low end and high end frequencies, and any sense of finesse; in a nutshell quite "mid-band" and bland. Granted an original US "CTH" (Columbia Terre Haute) pressing may somewhat differ or sound better. What is now clear with this MoFi release is that the original stereo recordings were damn near fantastic.
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Early on, the multi-talented Dowd, responsible for recording Ray Charles' 1959 R&B soul epic "What'd I Say" [Atlantic 8029], got Wexler and Atlantic to purchase one of the very first 8-track machines on 1-inch tape–Ampex model 5258, a full decade before the Beatles and Abbey Road got into 8-track decks; Pepper still being a 4-track concoction–and this remained the standard format for this time period up until about 1969-71 when the industry as a whole pretty much doubled to 16-tracks on 2-inch. With the 5258 model now opening up the possibility of overdubbing 8 individual layers at different time intervals similar to what Les Paul was doing with his "sound on sound" recordings, Atlantic and Dowd were still experimenting in these very early stages of the game.
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By the time they recorded "Respect" they had got it well nailed down; even so they moslty mixed it live on the spot like a good soundman operates–drums, bass, and vocals equally peaking around 0dB with the remaining tracks integrated lower in level. Typically 3 mics were utilized for the drumset alone–for kick, snare, and overhead respectively–probably pre-submixed feeding one of the 8 mixing channels–the precursor of the mix bus system found much later–a second served for the DI unit for the bass; a third for electric guitar; a fourth for sax solos; a fifth for the horn section; a sixth for the piano; a seventh for Aretha's vocals; and a final one for the background singers. Although stemming from different dates, the compilation album is very uniform in sound. The latter is bold, solid, chunky, hard-panned with the entire drumset dynamically punching in one channel–typically on the right–accompanied by the brass convincingly crisp, seeming to suddenly enter and disappear on a whims notice. Because of this sharp panning, if one has a balance control, it is instructively interesting to listen to only one channel at a time to fully appreciate the perfect uncluttered vocal and instrumental deliveries.
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Ditto for the wonderful background vocals consisting of sisters Carolyn and Erma Franklin, and Cissy Houston, alternating or sharing channels with the piano, bass, and guitar in a "call and response" exchange with Aretha positioned dead center. This particular panning presentation reminds me a bit of Van Gelder's signature stereo Blue Note issues, and even more so with Roy DuNann's Stereo Contemporary recording technique–i.e. very dry and intimately close, providing exceptional instrument clarity, density, and tonality, but not an ounce of agressivity nor analytically emaciated. Because of the rare convergence of such superb talent–be that with the singers, session musicians, studio personnel, and equipment related to that era; as well as MoFi's magnificent dedication to the task at hand–on a good system, one can practically smell the southern fields of cotton plantations or wood church pews permeating the atmosphere of the Atlantic studio travelling through time, and landing in our lap. Keep in mind that in those pre-digital years, singers and musicians had to hit the notes naturally, there was no "Auto-Tune" correcting pitch in real time, nor was there any need for given the high musical caliber. They all played close together live in the studio after practicing a few runs trying out alternate hooks and licks, before settling on the best take, out of perhaps three or four.
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As customary with MoFi, their usual black label replaces the original 1969 Atlantic. Engineers Krieg Wunderlich and Rob LoVerde really got it right remastering and cutting at 45 rpm the original master tape, with perfect tonal balance, dynamics, and zero-fatigue musical tone. The dead wax varies from approximately a half-inch to an inch with "KW@MoFi" inscribed. Forced to nitpick, I would have welcomed a hair more bass punch in "Respect" which while never sounding better than now, seemed to me slightly less grounded or full than all the other tracks on the album–which all blew me over in sheer physicality–and Aretha's vocal level that appeared at least on my rig to be a sliver, say a fraction of a dB perhaps, less loud than the background singers; the latter being spot on in the mix. RTI's plating and pressings were all perfecly centered, shiny black, extremely silent, and noise-free.
Lastly MoFi tastefully embellished the cover art by printing nine B&W photos juxtaposed in the centerfold of the thick cardboard gatefold jacket.
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Aretha would go on having a few good singles such as "Spanish Harlem" and "Rock Steady" both in 1971, but as with many R&B and soul artists, the early 1970s were rough years, featuring funk firing on all cylinders, and by the mid-1970s, people were rather hustling to the disco beat instead of celebrating sacred soul. The artists-driven decade was giving way to a producer-driven decade; i.e. "The Queen of Soul"'s royal reign really shined from 1967 to 1972.
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Originally released on Atlantic – SD-8227 (Aug. 1969)
Evaluated by Claude Lemaire
Rating:
Global Appreciation: 9.6
- Music: A+ (9.5)
- Recording: 9.3
- Remastering + Lacquer Cutting: 9.7
- Pressing: 10
- Packaging: above average
Category: soul, southern soul, R&B, blues, black gospel and spiritual roots, churchy.
Format: Vinyl (2x180 gram LPs at 45 rpm)
Musicians:
Aretha Franklin - vocals, piano
Spooner Oldham – keyboards, piano
Jimmy Johnson, Chips Moman, Bobby Womack, Joe South – guitar
Tommy Cogbill, Jerry Jemmoth – bass guitar
Gene Chrisman, Roger Hawkins – drums
Melvin Lastie, Bernie Glow, Joe Newman, Wayne Jackson – trumpet
Charles Chalmers, King Curtis, Andrew Love, Seldon Powell – tenor saxophone
Willie Bridges, Floyd Newman, Haywood Henry – baritone saxophone
Tony Studd – trombone
Carolyn and Erma Franklin, Cissy Houston – background vocals
Additional credits:
Arranged by Arif Mardin and Tom Dowd
Produced by Jerry Wexler
Recorded at FAME recording studio in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and Atlantic studios in NYC
Engineered by Rick Hall, Tom Dowd
Originally mastered at Plaza Sound Studios
Remastered and cut by Krieg Wunderlich, assisted by Rob LoVerde at Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab in Sebastopol CA
Plated and Pressed by RTI, CA, USA
Album Design by Haig Adishian
Cover photo by James J. Kriegsmann
Back liner photos by Stephen Paley
It took a while, but nearly five decades later "The Queen of Soul" finally got the sonic R.E.S.P.E.C.T. she long deserved, brought to you by the letters MFSL, KW, RML, and RTI. To be sure, never was there any doubt regarding Aretha's pivotal place in the 1960s soul music, civil rights, and rising feminist movement. By contrast, the sound situation seemingly succumbed to the old "Rodney Dangerfield" syndrome–that is until MoFi gave it the full royal treatment not long before her death in August 2018.
Ditto for the wonderful background vocals consisting of sisters Carolyn and Erma Franklin, and Cissy Houston, alternating or sharing channels with the piano, bass, and guitar in a "call and response" exchange with Aretha positioned dead center. This particular panning presentation reminds me a bit of Van Gelder's signature stereo Blue Note issues, and even more so with Roy DuNann's Stereo Contemporary recording technique–i.e. very dry and intimately close, providing exceptional instrument clarity, density, and tonality, but not an ounce of agressivity nor analytically emaciated. Because of the rare convergence of such superb talent–be that with the singers, session musicians, studio personnel, and equipment related to that era; as well as MoFi's magnificent dedication to the task at hand–on a good system, one can practically smell the southern fields of cotton plantations or wood church pews permeating the atmosphere of the Atlantic studio travelling through time, and landing in our lap. Keep in mind that in those pre-digital years, singers and musicians had to hit the notes naturally, there was no "Auto-Tune" correcting pitch in real time, nor was there any need for given the high musical caliber. They all played close together live in the studio after practicing a few runs trying out alternate hooks and licks, before settling on the best take, out of perhaps three or four.
Lastly MoFi tastefully embellished the cover art by printing nine B&W photos juxtaposed in the centerfold of the thick cardboard gatefold jacket.
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↧
TOP 500 SUPERSONIC LIST #100+
Chosen by Claude Lemaire
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"This is a journey into sound. A journey which along the way will bring to you new colour, new dimension, new value..."
For selections #1 to 50, please click here:
http://soundevaluations.blogspot.com/2017/01/top-500-supersonic-list.html
For selections #51 to 100, please click here:
http://soundevaluations.blogspot.com/2018/03/top-500-supersonic-list-50.html
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"I'm your mama, I'm your daddy; I'm that...in the alley; I'm your doctor, when in need; Want some coke, have some weed; I'm your pusherman"
In the darkest of night, there's a moon shining bright, MoFi is my man, precious soul for funk fans. Lately the Mobile dudes are playing a winning streak, hustling out solid sound on solid ground. These cats aren't dumb, lotta things goin' on–never satisfied to stake familiar territory, it's always refreshing to see them seek out soul-funk history. It started with some Stevie Wonder releases but what really won me over was their remastering of the Spinners' self-titled LP [MFSL 1-450] back in 2015 (see selection #27 from my Top 500 SuperSonic List HERE: http://soundevaluations.blogspot.com/2017/01/top-500-supersonic-list.html) followed by queen Aretha–Aretha's Gold [MFSL 2-479] in 2017 (see below)–and now make way for brother Curtis. Originally released in July 1972 at the height of the blaxploitation movie mania and directed by Gordon Parks, Superfly–along with Shaft the previous year–not only settled scores at the box office via the big screen but set the score for this short-lived subgenre situated at the intersection of Harlem and Chicago, standing at the crossroads of cinematic soul and frenetic funk. This is the third studio release after his departure from the Impressions, spearheading his 1970 debut Curtis [Curtom CRS 8005], and followed by the revelatory Roots [Curtom CRS 8009]. Considered by many to be his best album, Superfly spawned three hits–the title-track, "Freddie's Dead", and the powerful"Pusherman"–with the remaining six songs closely their equal in musical mastery. The original art and fold out die-cut flap jacket was designed by Glen Christensen and Milton Sincoff. Curtis' compositions combined with Johnny Plate's arrangements and orchestrations are expertly engineered by RCA's Roger Anfinsen at RCA studios in Chicago and Bell Sound Studios in New York (for track 2 only) where San Feldman cut the lacquer for the original pressings which stemmed either from the Monarch Record Mfg. plant in Los Angles, CA–wherein Jerry Pines did the plating–or the Sonic Recording Products plant in Long Island, NY. I don't know if there are subtle or substantial differences between both pressings but I can say that my 1972 Sonic pressing sounds only fair–about a 6.7 or so–exhibiting some hard-sounding compression, shelved bass, and slightly harsh highs, especially manifested in the title track that is situated closest to the label, i.e. technically the worse position. On the other hand, this double 45 rpm remastered and cut by Krieg Wunderlich and Rob LoVerde at Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab in Sebastopol, CA and pressed at RTI simply trounces my original in every parameter: bass quantity and quality; treble transparency and delicacy; 3D soundstage; plus a non-compressed fatigue-free tonal balance. Praiseworthy are the realism of the congas and the guitar wah-wah pedal, plus the exquisite finesse of the harp. All in all, a 9.5 winner. The only minor reservation being the ever-slight hi-hat texture that I found a touch rough, for which I suspect is on the original master tape, most probably from specific mic choice or placement; nevertheless it's much better than the original pressing. This is quite a remarkable remastering from MoFi–don't ask no questions why, the only game they know is do or die!
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102- Blackrock – "Hey Roots". Black Rock Records – BR-11636 (1977), 12", 45 rpm. Genre: funky disco, afro-funk.
Although they partly share the same title, there is no ancestry between Blackrock's "Roots" and Curtis'Roots cited above. Nor is there much information anywhere on the group, other than they had at least one prior single back in 1975. Released only a few months after ABC's 1977 mini-series Roots based on Alex Haley's 1976 novel, this 12-inch single–by happenstance or not–had a limited run as a minor underground hit in a few major discothèques at the time, such as Montreal's Limelight under the baton of deejay Robert Ouimet. Composed, arranged, and produced by Sonny Casella–S.O.N.N.Y. serving also as an achronym for Sound of New New York–"Hey Roots" appeared as one of only three Black Rock Records releases, masterfully cut by ex-Bell Sound Studios mastering engineer Joe Brescio at the Master Cutting Room in NYC on a Neumann VMS-66 lathe and SX-68 cutterhead, and pressed by North American Music Industries. The rather simple song structure–built on a forceful four on the floor potent pounding beat, complemented by a catchy funky guitar riff, minimal female chorus, sexy sax solo, and synchronized stomping feet–doesn't quite fit the numerous subgenres of the era: Philly sound, Sunshine Sound, Eurodisco, electro-disco, etc. It could almost pass for a melange of Manu Dibango meets Hamilton Bohannon with a subtle proto-leftfield flavor added in. This must be the best disco kick drum ever cut on record showing outstanding dynamic modulation all the way through–perfect sharp attack with rounded sustain to prolong pleasure–plus organic electric bass, clean funky guitar, and fiery saxophone to boot. The overall mix, and tonal balance are 100% spot on; displaying zero-fatigue, you can pump up the volume and it comes out confidently clean, solid, and slamming–given the right system of course. I would probably place this 12-inch single nearly on par with my previously mentioned top contender for stratospheric sonic splendor: the Rockets'"Atomic Control" (see selection #77 from my Top 500 SuperSonic List HERE: http://soundevaluations.blogspot.com/2018/03/top-500-supersonic-list-50.html).
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103- Aretha Franklin – Aretha's Gold.Atlantic – SD-8227 (1969), MoFi – MFSL 2-479 (2017), (2x45 rpm). Genre: soul, southern soul, R&B, blues, gospel + spiritual roots.
"The Queen of Soul" finally got the sonic R.E.S.P.E.C.T. she long deserved, brought to you by the letters MFSL, KW, RML, and RTI. To be sure, never was there any doubt regarding Aretha's pivotal place in the 1960s soul music, civil rights, and rising feminist movement. By comparison, the sound situation seemingly succumbed to the old "Rodney Dangerfield" syndrome, that is until MoFi resurrected and gave it the full royal treatment. Arranged by Arif Mardin and Tom Dowd, and produced by Jerry Wexler; Aretha's Gold originally came out in August 1969, and comprises all of her hit singles up to that point, including: "Respect", "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", "Chain of Fools", "Think", and her incredible version of Bacharach-David-Warwick's "I Say a Little Payer"–just to name a few. With the exception of Rick Hall partly handling the first two tracks at his FAME recording studio in Muscle Shoals, Alabama–the remaining tracks where engineered by Dowd at Atlantic studios in NYC. I do not own an original pressing of Gold to compare with but based on three of the initial albums–all first press Canadian copies–which contained these golden hits, the sonics were far from impressive, lacquing both low end and high end frequencies, and any finesse; in a nutshell quite "mid-band" and bland. What is now clear with this MoFi release is that the original studio stereo recordings were near-fantastic. Dowd got Wexler and Atlantic to purchased one of the first 8-track Ampex model 5258 and by the time they recorded her in February 1967, they had mastered the art of miking and transferring to tape a sensational soul session. Although stemming from different dates, the compilation album is very uniform in sound. The latter is bold, solid, chunky, hard-panned with the entire drumset dynamically punching in one channel–typically on the right–accompanied by the brass convincingly crisp, seeming to suddenly enter and disappear on a whims notice. Engineers Krieg Wunderlich and Rob LoVerde really got it right remastering and cutting at 45 rpm the original master tape, with perfect tonal balance, dynamics, and zero-fatigue musical tone. Aretha would go on having a few good singles such as "Spanish Harlem" and "Rock Steady" both in 1971, but then rapidly declining during the disco decade of the 1970s. For a more in-depth evaluation, you can go HERE: http://soundevaluations.blogspot.com/2019/07/aretha-franklin-arethas-gold_11.html.
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104- Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band – Kid Ory's Creole Jazz Band 1954.Good Time Jazz – GTJ L-12004 (mono) (1954), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: Jazz, New Orleans style, dixieland, traditional Creole.
Born in 1886 in LaPlace, Louisiana, trombonist and bandleader Kid Ory–along with cornetists Buddy Bolden and Joe "King" Oliver–were towards the turn of that century at the forefront of merging marching bands, blues, and ragtime into what we collectively now call New Orleans jazz or jass as it originally was spelled. Not only did the French-speaking Ory and his band influence the beginnings of jazz, he judiciously foresaw recruiting a young Louis Armstrong and clarinetist Johnny Dodds before the former rose to fame–both he and Dodds would later participate in Armstrong's original Hot Five formation in a 1927 recording titled "Ory's Creole Trombone". The "Kid" was also associated with the traditional jazz or Dixieland revival of the 1940s and 1950s. Such is the case with this August 1954 afternoon recording featuring the typical instrument line-up of drums, bass, piano, clarinet, trumpet and trombone, with the exception of guitar replacing the ubiquitous banjo. On it the septet performs trad jazz anthems such as "When the Saints Go Marching In", Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag", Jelly Roll's "Wolverine Blues", and Ory's own "Muskrat Ramble", thus representing a good portrait of this truly American artform. Lester Koenig supervised the recording for his Good Time Jazz label which he founded in 1949, two years prior to Contemporary Records which has a stellar reputation regarding sound quality, as happens to be the case here also. Interestingly despite that fact and similarities in sound, Roy DuNann was not the engineer–only joining Koenig two years later after a stint as director of Capitol's Coast recording studio operation. Instead for this LP it was John Palladino–also from Capitol–that was in charge. Employing a multi mic setup, the sound is superbly crisp, dry, dynamic, articulate, with very realistic timbre. The trumpet and trombone's blat brings it a touch of realism and excitement, energizing the room, and showcasing the festive atmosphere. The bass is surprisingly well captured–be it in solos or in background reinforcing the driving beat of the drum–with precision and bounce, especially remarkable given the period. One of the best sounding trad jazz records I have come across.
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105- Ken Colyer, Alex Welsh, George Melly, Chris Barber, Lonnie Donegan Skiffle Group – The National Jazz Federation Presents: Traditional Jazz.Decca – LK 4088 (UK), London Records – LL 1184 (mono) (1955), 33 1/3 rpm. Genre: Jazz, dixieland, trad jazz, New Orleans style, skiffle.
Situated on the south bank of the River Thames, the then-newly constructed three thousand-seat or so Royal Festival Hall in London, England, would host a number of important concerts and events throughout the years. Recorded in October 1954–barely two months after the previous selection–Traditional Jazz presents "Her Majesty's take" on New Orleans jazz with a snippet of skiffle thrown in for good measure. A who's who of dixie's monarchy, the Decca-based "ffrr" London LP–for the US market–exemplifies the growing British revival movement occuring during the 1950s, instigated by pianist George Webb, with Ken Colyer's Jazzmen featured here leading the pact. Interestingly, Barber, Colyer, and Donegan, all played in the same band starting in 1953, right until May the following year, where there was a major personnel split, a mere six months prior to this concert recording. Regrettably there is no engineering credits listed on the back cover but basically the mono sound is crisp, direct, and dynamic, with plenty of bold and balanced tone to spare, and is on par pretty much with the previous entry. As with most London Records pressed and sold in the States, the label indicates "Made in England" but in reality, this only signified the true recording origin, rather than the actual pressing origin.
Now don't go 'bonkers' if you have not found your favorite recording included in this List, just remember: we are still in the first fifth of a long long journey...into sound.
For selections #1 to 50, please click here:
http://soundevaluations.blogspot.com/2017/01/top-500-supersonic-list.html
For selections #51 to 100, please click here:
http://soundevaluations.blogspot.com/2018/03/top-500-supersonic-list-50.html
101- Curtis Mayfield – Superfly ( The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).Curtom – CRS-8014-ST (1972), MoFi, Rhino Records – MFSL 2-481 (2019), (2x45 rpm). Genre: funk, soul, blaxploitation soundtrack style, cinematic soul, ghetto soul.
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Although they partly share the same title, there is no ancestry between Blackrock's "Roots" and Curtis'Roots cited above. Nor is there much information anywhere on the group, other than they had at least one prior single back in 1975. Released only a few months after ABC's 1977 mini-series Roots based on Alex Haley's 1976 novel, this 12-inch single–by happenstance or not–had a limited run as a minor underground hit in a few major discothèques at the time, such as Montreal's Limelight under the baton of deejay Robert Ouimet. Composed, arranged, and produced by Sonny Casella–S.O.N.N.Y. serving also as an achronym for Sound of New New York–"Hey Roots" appeared as one of only three Black Rock Records releases, masterfully cut by ex-Bell Sound Studios mastering engineer Joe Brescio at the Master Cutting Room in NYC on a Neumann VMS-66 lathe and SX-68 cutterhead, and pressed by North American Music Industries. The rather simple song structure–built on a forceful four on the floor potent pounding beat, complemented by a catchy funky guitar riff, minimal female chorus, sexy sax solo, and synchronized stomping feet–doesn't quite fit the numerous subgenres of the era: Philly sound, Sunshine Sound, Eurodisco, electro-disco, etc. It could almost pass for a melange of Manu Dibango meets Hamilton Bohannon with a subtle proto-leftfield flavor added in. This must be the best disco kick drum ever cut on record showing outstanding dynamic modulation all the way through–perfect sharp attack with rounded sustain to prolong pleasure–plus organic electric bass, clean funky guitar, and fiery saxophone to boot. The overall mix, and tonal balance are 100% spot on; displaying zero-fatigue, you can pump up the volume and it comes out confidently clean, solid, and slamming–given the right system of course. I would probably place this 12-inch single nearly on par with my previously mentioned top contender for stratospheric sonic splendor: the Rockets'"Atomic Control" (see selection #77 from my Top 500 SuperSonic List HERE: http://soundevaluations.blogspot.com/2018/03/top-500-supersonic-list-50.html).
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"The Queen of Soul" finally got the sonic R.E.S.P.E.C.T. she long deserved, brought to you by the letters MFSL, KW, RML, and RTI. To be sure, never was there any doubt regarding Aretha's pivotal place in the 1960s soul music, civil rights, and rising feminist movement. By comparison, the sound situation seemingly succumbed to the old "Rodney Dangerfield" syndrome, that is until MoFi resurrected and gave it the full royal treatment. Arranged by Arif Mardin and Tom Dowd, and produced by Jerry Wexler; Aretha's Gold originally came out in August 1969, and comprises all of her hit singles up to that point, including: "Respect", "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", "Chain of Fools", "Think", and her incredible version of Bacharach-David-Warwick's "I Say a Little Payer"–just to name a few. With the exception of Rick Hall partly handling the first two tracks at his FAME recording studio in Muscle Shoals, Alabama–the remaining tracks where engineered by Dowd at Atlantic studios in NYC. I do not own an original pressing of Gold to compare with but based on three of the initial albums–all first press Canadian copies–which contained these golden hits, the sonics were far from impressive, lacquing both low end and high end frequencies, and any finesse; in a nutshell quite "mid-band" and bland. What is now clear with this MoFi release is that the original studio stereo recordings were near-fantastic. Dowd got Wexler and Atlantic to purchased one of the first 8-track Ampex model 5258 and by the time they recorded her in February 1967, they had mastered the art of miking and transferring to tape a sensational soul session. Although stemming from different dates, the compilation album is very uniform in sound. The latter is bold, solid, chunky, hard-panned with the entire drumset dynamically punching in one channel–typically on the right–accompanied by the brass convincingly crisp, seeming to suddenly enter and disappear on a whims notice. Engineers Krieg Wunderlich and Rob LoVerde really got it right remastering and cutting at 45 rpm the original master tape, with perfect tonal balance, dynamics, and zero-fatigue musical tone. Aretha would go on having a few good singles such as "Spanish Harlem" and "Rock Steady" both in 1971, but then rapidly declining during the disco decade of the 1970s. For a more in-depth evaluation, you can go HERE: http://soundevaluations.blogspot.com/2019/07/aretha-franklin-arethas-gold_11.html.
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A final note: ↧
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MOFI'S MONUMENTAL MONK
The Thelonious Monk Quartet
Monk's Dream
![https://www.mofi.com/product-p/mfsl45ud1s-011.htm]()
Evaluated by Claude Lemaire
Ratings:
Global Appreciation: 9.9
- Music: A+ (10)
- Recording: 9.6
- Remastering + Lacquer Cutting: 10
- Pressing: 9.8
- Packaging: Deluxe
Category: jazz, mostly cool with minor bop touches.
Format: Vinyl (2x180 gram LPs at 45 rpm).
Musicians:
Thelonious Monk – piano. Charlie Rouse – tenor sax. John Ore – bass. Frankie Dunlop – drums.
Additional credits:
Produced by Teo Macero
Recorded October 31, November 1, 2 and 6, 1962 at Columbia 30th Street Studio, NYC.
Engineered by Frank Laico.
Remastered and lacquer cut by Krieg Wunderlich and Shawn R. Britton at Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab in Sebastopol, CA.
Plated and Pressed by RTI, CA, USA.
Photography Don Hunstein.
Just as the needle dropped, so did our jaw; and within the first seconds, we knew we were witnessing something special, read magical...man, was that all a dream?
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Along with Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Charlie Christian, and Kenny Clarke–re-inventing jazz in the early-1940s through a new musical language–pianist and composer Thelonious Sphere Monk stands out as one of the leading pillars of what would become known as bebop.
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Monday Celebrity Nights at Minton's in Harlem was the place where all the cool cats would hang out, counting on cutting contests to pierce through the fray, fog, and noise of the late hours. Bearing exotic hats, shades, and goatee, no other musician better epitomized the beatnik look–with Dizzy doubling down by his side. Not only was he famous fashion wise, his mumbling, dancing, and prancing at and around the piano provided a great sideshow for all to see. But even blindfolded there is no mistaking such a unique colossal jazz figure.
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Just as The Duke and Count proved royally important, both remained stylistically very distinct from each other for five decades or so. Like a metronome, you could count on Basie's blues invigorating the Kansas City swing style sometimes through the use of block chords, and stomping rhythms. Whereas Ellington elegantly transitioned back and forth between consonance and dissonance, exploring emotions and tensions via major and minor intervals and scales like a lithe ballet dancer, while skilfully mastering the resolve response returning to the consonant world. In contrast, Monk mainly mired in minor intervals or threw tone clusters throughout entire pieces; "Introspection", "Off Minor", and "Bright Mississippi"–the latter featured here opening side B–being perfect examples. Angular, oblique, dissonant, more staccato than legato; his hammering of the ivories never left one indifferent. To the untrained or unaccustomed listener, one might be forgiven for believing the record was cut or pressed off-center. If Duke dug Debussy and Ravel, Monk mingled with Schoenberg, Berg, and Bartók. But make no mistake, Monk's many celebrated compositions are not cerebral head music, this is toe-tapping music coming from the heart, going hand in hand with open minds and open ears.
During a four-decade span, and similar to Miles' music path, Monk moved from label to label, starting at Blue Note with Genius of Modern Music [BLP 5002] recorded in 1947-48, and released in 1952 on 10-inch, which included many of his most covered, and signature songs including "Round Midnight"–sometimes titled "Round About Midnight"–"Off Minor", and "Rudy My Dear" just to name a few.
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Producer extraordinaire Teo Macero and Columbia's 30th Street Studio in Manhattan, New York City are the main ingredients in the winning recipe linking these albums with engineer Frank Laico as the kitchenchef–all part of Columbia's coveted A-list. Recognized as one of the finest recording studios in the world, it was first constructed as a Presbyterian church back in 1875. Its architecture sported 100 foot ceilings and 100 feet by 100 feet of floor space–a perfect cube and normally a sonic disaster as far as spectral distribution and evenly spreading standing waves–most of the first reflections were naturally staggered farther apart in time than in a small room. Lights and drapes dangled down from the ceiling. Regrettably it was demolished in the mid 1980s for prime renting real estate–a repulsive recurring trend it would seem. Though not as big as Davis, Brubeck, nor Ellington as far as record sales go, landing Monk on a major was still quite a coup for Columbia and his own perceived standing, not forgetting financially as well. Soon after signing he received a first check for just over $8600 providing him the means to buy a $3000 Baldwin M Grand piano as a Christmas gift.
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Entering '30th Street Studio', they let him choose among a fewSteinway Grands. Glenn Gould, also with Columbia at the time, and notorious for being excessively demanding regarding pianos and their tuning–his favorite and famous of which being a Steinway no. CD 318, and chief concert tuner Verne Edquist respectively–would also have his pick. Coincidentally both men shared one thing in common that frustrated recording engineers: their mumbling at the keyboard. And like Macero, Gould would embrace the "art of splicing" to embellish a performance to perfection.
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But back to Monk. Macero had a secret weapon to keep him happy and productive: ham sandwiches supposedly between takes. Joining him for the sessions were Charlie Rouse on tenor sax, John Ore on bass, and Frankie Dunlop on drums. Recording started October 31, 1962 continuing November 1, 2, and 6. Often arriving late, Monk kept to himself, having a habit of never talking to his musicians or the engineers, nor taking off his hat. Laico's recording method was pretty straightforward, spectacularly efficient, and musically magnificent. Like the Three Bears, his miking technique was not too close, nor too far away, but just the right distance from the instrument, about a foot or so away in many cases. He kept the musicians close together and angled towards the center, so as they could easily see and hear each other, with some strategic short and tall baffles between and behind them instead of headphones–which he immensely disliked, and became more widespread by the end of the decade.
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CBS/Columbia's custom console counted 16 input/rotary controls, and 3 track/meters as 3 and 2 track tape machines were still the typical tape format in the early-1960s. Note that he only recorded the sessions–somebody, somewhere else, also uncredited, mixed the seven inputs to stereo, and mono as well. We can presume that Macero being a very "hands on" producer participated in the latter steps. In an interview, Laico had this to say regarding the room's reverberation:
"The room itself had its own echo, which was very nice, but would be a different-sounding echo with every session that came in. With the chamber, we could regulate the echo by adjusting the volume of each instrument. Every mic had its own send, so we could set its level, and we could also regulate the return. Still, the sound of that return didn’t sustain itself. Then Les Paul told me about how–at his home studio in New Jersey–he smoothed things out nicely by running the sound from the echo chamber through a tape machine. When I tried that, it worked, warming things up and increasing the length of the decay, and afterward everybody in the business–including some engineers from England–showed up, wanting to know how we got that echo chamber sound."
This is the ninth 'UltraDisc One-Step' 45rpm box set released by Mobile Fidelity and the fifth one in my collection after buying Santana's Abraxas [UD1S 2-001] followed by Bill Evans'Sunday at the Village Vanguard [UD1S 2-002]–I skipped Donald Fagen's The Nightfly [UD1S 2-003] and Simon and Garfunkel's Bridge... [UD1S 2-004], finding those selections less interesting to my musical tastes and somewhat odd for this premium format given so many incredible ground-sound-breaking albums instead. Rejoiced with Marvin Gaye's What's Going On [UD1S 2-008]. Skipped SRV's Texas Trouble [UD1S 2-005] 'cause blues rock recorded in the early-1980s is not my texas tea. Bought Bill Evans'Portrait in Jazz [UD1S 2-009], and skipped Bob Dylan's Blood on the Tracks [UD1S 2-006] for not being a big Dylan fan. After Santana's stunning success selling out its 2500 copy run within its first month, the succeeding special editions kept gaining in limited numbers to reach 7500 at one point–a three-fold increase, and once more they sold out in pre-order status! This one is back down to 6000 and was backorder for a while. As in all cases, the two LP's are housed, and presented in a deluxe one-inch thick, quasi-black-very dark grey, subtly soft-textured carton box with gold-colored lettering and trimmings, framing the original cover art–by photogapher Don Hunstein–in a reduced 8 1/2 x 8 1/2 inch slightly sunken square.
Upon opening, a dark grey foam hides the precious jewels; under which, a 12 x 9 inch horizontal and 8 x 12 vertical B&W archive photos of Monk playing piano by Hunstein.
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Next in line is a thin cardboard with pictograms explaining in great detail the unique 'one-step' process. This is followed by a full-size cardboard printed replica of the original front, and back cover art with MoFi's ubiquitous strip added at the top but minus the original's STEREO "360 Sound"rectangular-arrows logo and Columbia's square "eye' logo, both in the top left corner. While the back omits the STEREO "360 Sound"explanation at the top. The original front background tint seemed turquoise-greener–at least on my computer screen–than MoFi's less saturated bluish-grey tint.
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Finally we reach the treasured vinyl, inserted in individual numbered cardboard sleeves similar to the box cover art, with the track titles printed on the back side. These are now improved, and better match the outer box in shade and texture. Whereas the former one-step releases were housed in black hard covers that were prone to scuffs or visual blemishes, the new softer ones look more distinguished, and were visually perfect which should please many that found the old ones not commensurate with the premium price. The LP's are further protected, by MoFi's inner HDPE sleeves inside a white folded cardboard. As usual with MoFi, no attempts were made to duplicate the original Columbia '360' label, replaced instead with the same design as their other UD1S LPs.
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Lastly a second foam, 'cushions the blow' from box handling. Granted, these boxes make it a bit more cumbersome to store and listen to an LP but I like them for their classy, distinguished look and feel, reinforcing the "collectable special status".
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All four sides of the MoFi were stunningly shiny, with no scratches, nor scuff marks. Upon my first listening session, I did encounter some very minor noise floor artifacts at the end of side's A and B, the last seconds of the music just before the dead wax begins but seemed to disappear the second time leading me to believe it was mostly caused by static from sliding in and out of the HDPE sleeves. The second record was noise and static-free. Interestingly the exact same thing happened with the Marvin Gaye UD1S. The new vinyl compound–called SuperVinyl was developed by NEOTECH and RTI purported to reduce the noise floor, and enhance the groove definition–ironically RTI's regular opaque formula which MoFi uses on the rest of their catalogue seems to have a "blacker" background but more on that subject further below. Though carbonless, it retains a traditional black dye as opposed to Classic Records' Clarity formula which ditched the black-dye along with the carbon, making MoFi's formula easier to cue and more classic looking and visually warmer than clear vinyl. Even so with the MoFi, you will still see the glow of a light bulb passed through if held in front of it–similar to the first thinner JVC MoFi pressings. I roughly measured 1.5 inches, 1 inch, 1.75 inches, and 1 inch respectively of runount groove aka dead wax, all sides staying far from the label area, so there should be no high frequency audible deterioration due to the pinch effect and smaller groove radius at this safe distance.
In a nutshell, whereas a normal 'three-step' release utilises the following chain: [lacquer + father + mother + stamper], the 'one-step' method skips the father and mother intermediary steps, going from lacquer directly to stamper or 'convert' in this case. Because of the limited number of pressings that the delicate convert can withstand in the typical press before audible deterioration creeps in–supposedly somewhere around 500 or so for 180g LP's–it implies that a minimum set of 12 converts per side must be created from a set of 12 lacquers per side to meet the expected target of 6000 copies. This not only takes the remastering/cutting job twelve times longer to perform–unless they are able to hook up in parallel more than one cutting lathe–but also exposes the precious original master tape to more wear and tear–the iron oxide, binder (glue), and acetate, mylar or polyester carrier coming apart sometimes with time, aka 'binder breakdown', and remedied only by 'baking' the tapes for precise times and temperatures. Not to mention how boring it must become for the cutting engineer to doing over and over the same music master disc. Considering all of the above, the $125 asking price still seems well justified if the superb quality maintains its previous level.
It also suggest that there could very well be minor differences in sound among the 12 'plate' sets, and as such, differences in sound between box sets, relative to the 'batch' number that the consumer happens to get–more so than the usual MoFi release or any other label following the normal three-step process, all else being equal (which admittedly is rarely the case, especially regarding vinyl because of the multitude of variables from master tape before reaching your platter, and everything subsequent to that). One can also ponder if for example the 12th cutting run is either 'penalized' because of the tape wear or rather privileged for getting the EQ and groove-spacing 'spot-on'; then again are all the parameters/choices 'locked-in' for the total 'project run' to maximize uniformity? What about the cutting stylus–does it get changed for every set?
'UD1S2-011 A3; B2; C2; D3 KW@MoFi'
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Now pour yourself a brandy, close your eyes, and let the dream begin...
Similar to Santana, the first thing that I experienced in the lead-in groove just before the first note hits, was what I presume is very low level room rumble as one encounters when entering a vast concert area, hinting at Columbia 30th Street's huge volume of recording space, as if a big subwoofer suddenly appeared barely purring, pouring the foundation of what is to come. Then it happens. Monk starts the ball rolling on the 4 before the one on the title track–a cool swinging mid-tempo number–as Dunlop and Ore join in on the one, the three take it for a short spin with Rouse coming on board a few measures later. Let me cut to the chase.
The sound is to die for. Santana was spectacular, and Bill Evans'SATVV was also quite impressive, while Marvin Gaye was the most refined, and perhaps sonically the best of the UD1S boxes...that is up until now. Monk's Dream is at least its equal, or even surpasses them all! Starting with Monk, the sound of his Steinway is the most convincing I have heard on record–it's a Grand alright, and that is the conveyed impression. Forget about Blue Note, we couldn't be further than Van Gelder's typical tiny boxed-in piano sound of the same era. For a fairer and closer comparison, it surpasses Bill Evans' and Monk's own Riverside recordings which are still excellent but do not achieve the level of realism attained here. Even my previous piano references–the 'Three Blind Mice' Japanese trios from the mid-1970s, or Analogue Productions' 45rpm of Basie'88 Street (see #49 of: http://soundevaluations.blogspot.com/2017/01/top-500-supersonic-list.html) fantastic as they are, now face fierce competition. In fact the only record bestowing a piano with such realism that readily comes to mind is the For Duke D2D from M&K (see #106 of: http://soundevaluations.blogspot.com/2019/08/top-500-supersonic-list-100.html).
What impresses so much on this MoFi UD1S, is the sheer strength or force of the hammers striking the strings. It is cleaner, less distorted, more resolute, more stable, better defined and articulated than anything I've ever heard, save for a true live close up performance. Of equal importance is its even tonal balance, acoustic power, presence, and physical scale. When the quartet is playing, Monk is situated front center right but on a few tracks playing solo–such as "Body and Soul", and "Just a Gigolo"–the Grand takes full advantage of the complete left to right stage, simulating Star Trek's holodeck–minus the weak storyline of course.The Steinway's sustain is solid as rock. On these two pieces, the dissonance dominates with no place to hide behind, to the extent that the piano, player, tape or turntable for that matter appear drunk or drifting at sea.
The drums in the left channel, are very well balanced between the four mics allotted to it, and sound utterly natural with just the proper ratio of precision and room ambiance. The cymbals are some of the best sounding, showing correct shimmer and sweetness, with sufficient detail to differentiate the hi-hat foot pattern in tandem with the ride rhythm doubling over it. The acoustic bass placed center stage is generally well captured, especially in the lower tones providing pleasant bottom bounce but lacks a bit of articulation or pitch definition to follow every note–in other words, though it is more generous or plump than your typical RVG Blue Note LP, do not expect the finger-snapping string detail of a Three Blind Mice nor Scott LaFaro's work on SATVV mentioned previously, where your ear seems six inches from the instrument. Not surprisingly it resembles the type of bass presence that we find on other Laico-engineered Columbia sessions of the period such as many Miles Davis recordings done at the same location. It is mainly for that reason that I don't give it a perfect score regarding the recording rating.
Finally the sax also occupies the center stage just barely receded from the midplane. Rouse has a solid presence but at no point does he ever steal the spotlight from his surrounding cool cats. There is no "Coltrane" moment, nor a Colossus Rollins or hawkish Hawkins' bark blowing overboard, and taking full charge! That said, the quartet swings hard and tight while Monk, like Miles, leaves them sufficient space to groove. From a more general perspective, the tonal balance is slightly warm, and perfect at different listening levels. It is one thing to get the lows, mids, and highs broadly in proper proportion, but this is the rare case where I find that the ten audio octaves are exactly spot on–and even if I am extremely difficult on the latter, I would not alter one-tenth of a dB! The dynamic window appears quite natural also. Each instrument is so well defined, clean, and solid as if the intermodulation distortion between them vanished. The resultant is a fatigue-free, exciting performance, and reproduction–a touch more Master Tape sweet than direct-to-disc front and lean.
All four sides were equal in musicality and sound quality. In that context, I feel it is in the same league as my two prior Monk favorites: Brilliant Corners and Monk's Music (see #23 and #24 of: http://soundevaluations.blogspot.com/2017/01/top-500-supersonic-list.html) regarding musical significance. As for the subject of the SuperVinyl formula: starting with the Marvin Gaye release I had noticed that it brought a minor improvement mostly in the areas of transparency, leading edge, micro-dynamics in the midrange, and ever so subtle sweetness, and lesser grain to the whole treble. I would add that it seems to make the reproduction medium self-erase, and increase the auditory illusion, making the trade-off–regarding the small static issue–well worth it. I did not have an original US pressing to compare with but the leap in sound quality is so big that a regular 33 1/3 rpm original cannot compete, period. Finally, if you missed your shot with the Bill Evans'Portrait in Jazz [UD1S 2-009] which is sold out since a while, get this Monk instead. In my opinion it is more impressive both musically, and sonically by a significant margin.
To conclude, Mobile Fidelity's ninth UD1S–Monk's Dream–is the audiophile's ultimate dream come true. 'Master cutter' Krieg Wunderlich assisted by Shawn R. Britton outdid themselves once more. Some may think "there he goes again" but let's give praise where praise is due. With these monumental UD1S releases, MoFi is a towering tour de force advancing the state of the art.
And now unfortunately I must wake up.
Monk's Dream
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab UD1S 2-011, Columbia 19075930421, Limited Edition, SuperVinyl, Box Set (2019, Sept.), # P001 of 6000.
Originally released on Columbia – CS 8765 (1963, March).Evaluated by Claude Lemaire
Ratings:
Global Appreciation: 9.9
- Music: A+ (10)
- Recording: 9.6
- Remastering + Lacquer Cutting: 10
- Pressing: 9.8
- Packaging: Deluxe
Category: jazz, mostly cool with minor bop touches.
Format: Vinyl (2x180 gram LPs at 45 rpm).
Musicians:
Thelonious Monk – piano. Charlie Rouse – tenor sax. John Ore – bass. Frankie Dunlop – drums.
Additional credits:
Produced by Teo Macero
Recorded October 31, November 1, 2 and 6, 1962 at Columbia 30th Street Studio, NYC.
Engineered by Frank Laico.
Remastered and lacquer cut by Krieg Wunderlich and Shawn R. Britton at Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab in Sebastopol, CA.
Plated and Pressed by RTI, CA, USA.
Photography Don Hunstein.
Just as the needle dropped, so did our jaw; and within the first seconds, we knew we were witnessing something special, read magical...man, was that all a dream?
During a four-decade span, and similar to Miles' music path, Monk moved from label to label, starting at Blue Note with Genius of Modern Music [BLP 5002] recorded in 1947-48, and released in 1952 on 10-inch, which included many of his most covered, and signature songs including "Round Midnight"–sometimes titled "Round About Midnight"–"Off Minor", and "Rudy My Dear" just to name a few.
Followed by the "big three" of that era: Prestige, Riverside, and Columbia, with a few others of smaller footprint scattered in between and afterwards–only Verve didn't make the cut. Releasing fourteen albums for the label in five years, Monk's Dream marked his Columbia debut. As such, he shared some of the same production personnel and technical facilities as Davis and Dave Brubeck on their landmark albums–respectively 'Round About Midnight, Porgy and Bess, Someday My Prince Will Come, Miles Smiles, Filles de Kilimanjaro, and Time Out–where on this one, Fred Plaut was the engineer.
Seven mics were used: one for each instrument except four for the drums–kick, snare, left, and right overheads–4 to 5 inches in front of the kick, the latter comprising a sandbag for reducing resonances running down the wooden floor. The control room's front wall situated quite close to it, served as sound reinforcement for the drummer and bassist–a passive acoustic monitor so to speak. To best capture the integrity of the double bass, Laico positioned the mic–likely an old RCA 44 ribbon–in front of one of the "f-holes" some 8 to 10 inches away, adding just a bit of EQ to it. On sax he liked the Neumann 67 half way up rather than directly in the bell to get a fuller sound plus a tall baffle in back but not to tight. Finally for the piano, he preferred having the lid open all the way, placing the microphone–a Neumann 49–about three-quarters of the way up, a few feet from the keyboard, to get an open sound in contrast to the "tight" sound often heard in that era.
In a nutshell, whereas a normal 'three-step' release utilises the following chain: [lacquer + father + mother + stamper], the 'one-step' method skips the father and mother intermediary steps, going from lacquer directly to stamper or 'convert' in this case. Because of the limited number of pressings that the delicate convert can withstand in the typical press before audible deterioration creeps in–supposedly somewhere around 500 or so for 180g LP's–it implies that a minimum set of 12 converts per side must be created from a set of 12 lacquers per side to meet the expected target of 6000 copies. This not only takes the remastering/cutting job twelve times longer to perform–unless they are able to hook up in parallel more than one cutting lathe–but also exposes the precious original master tape to more wear and tear–the iron oxide, binder (glue), and acetate, mylar or polyester carrier coming apart sometimes with time, aka 'binder breakdown', and remedied only by 'baking' the tapes for precise times and temperatures. Not to mention how boring it must become for the cutting engineer to doing over and over the same music master disc. Considering all of the above, the $125 asking price still seems well justified if the superb quality maintains its previous level.
It also suggest that there could very well be minor differences in sound among the 12 'plate' sets, and as such, differences in sound between box sets, relative to the 'batch' number that the consumer happens to get–more so than the usual MoFi release or any other label following the normal three-step process, all else being equal (which admittedly is rarely the case, especially regarding vinyl because of the multitude of variables from master tape before reaching your platter, and everything subsequent to that). One can also ponder if for example the 12th cutting run is either 'penalized' because of the tape wear or rather privileged for getting the EQ and groove-spacing 'spot-on'; then again are all the parameters/choices 'locked-in' for the total 'project run' to maximize uniformity? What about the cutting stylus–does it get changed for every set?
Following that logic, there are perhaps up to 12 sets of A, B, C, and D. Now one would presume that the first batch (#1 to 500) would be etched 'A1; B1; C1; D1' and the last batch (#5500 to 6000) would be 'A12; B12; C12; D12'. That is not the case for my #P001 copy bore the respective matrix / runout stamper etchings:'UD1S2-011 A3; B2; C2; D3 KW@MoFi'
The KW initials in the dead wax etchings as usual stands for engineer Krieg Wunderlich, who in this instance was assisted by Shawn R. Britton. For my previous MoFi one-step reviews of the Santana, Bill Evans'SATVV, and Marvin Gaye releases, please go to: http://soundevaluations.blogspot.com/2017/01/top-500-supersonic-list.html, http://soundevaluations.blogspot.com/2017/07/bill-evans-trio-sunday-at-village.html, and http://soundevaluations.blogspot.com/2019/03/marvin-gaye-whats-going-on.html.
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↧
SIX-PACK SUMMER SUGGESTIONS – compendium
Presented by Claude Lemaire
Then this series will surely be of interest, and help you on that fun enriching path.
What's in a name? Well "six-pack" refers to multiple packs comprising six (vinyl) selections each that I will put forward throughout the summer months, most regrouped under a common theme. Note that these are not necessarily "audiophile-grade" material–just like the various musical genres presented, the sonic aspects will vary greatly, from poor to outstanding, and everything in between. Now why choose six instead of the usual top five or top ten? Simply because I felt that with many artists or groups, choosing only five was too heart-wrenching, having to eliminate one or two great albums, while with ten, often the opposite was the case, i.e. I had trouble finding that many worthy, so in the end six seemed just about right.
But first, read on...
In 1877, while Charles Cros in France had envisioned something similar named the Paleophone, back in the States, Thomas Edison was attributed the invention of the phonograph, patending it the following year.
The "first" 12-inch single sent out as a promotional pressing to radio stations and record stores appeared in 1970–Buddy Fite's "For Once in My Life" [Cyclone RF 6].
But it was really in June 1975, that the ball got rolling with the very first production of promo disco 12-inch or 'maxi-singles' available only in limited quantities to well-connected deejays, early record pools, and specialized radio stations, before being available to the public in May 1976–with Double Exposure's "Ten Per Cent" [Salsoul Records 12D-2008] being the first.
Depending on the label, some were cut for 33 1/3 rpm while others went with 45 rpm–the latter especially in the U.K. and Europe–the majority staying under ten minutes to maintain a good compromise between bass quantity, treble quality, dynamic range, and overall loudness level. When done right, this format–regardless of the speed–had the benefit of providing superior sound to the typical 7-inch single or LP album cut, in addition to featuring extended or alternate mixes in many cases, including 'breaks' or instrumental passages not found or shortened on the smaller-sized single. They probably peaked in popularity towards the mid-1980s–with New Order's "Blue Monday" [Factory FAC 73] holding the title as best-selling 12-inch single of all time–and are still issued in limited runs for deejays and collectors.
As the 1970s saw multitrack recording go from 16 to 24 to even 48 tracks by the end of the decade, a reactionary response was a return to the roots or past, pre-tape years, called 'direct to disc'. Sheffield Lab in California started this mini-movement in 1971–and hitting its peak in the mid to late 1970s–with a few other independant labels trying their hand at it, with limited success due to the repertoire relegated mostly to small-scale jazz and 'tribute-type' big bands; plus the lack of any editing practices, placing undue stress on the performance.
From 1971 to 1977, Denon in Japan, experimenting with NHK's PCM recording system, released over time the first commercial digital recordings pressed on vinyl using 13 bits resolution only. Great strides were made in 1978 when American audiophile label Telarc, working with the Soundstream Inc. portable four-channel digital tape recorder and audio processor, developed by Dr. Thomas G. Stockham, Jr. issued their own symphonic recordings.
Even then it was mostly concentrated in classical and a few jazz titles. Encoding at a rate of 16 bits linear and 50kHz sampling–instead of the yet to be released CD Red Book standard of 16 bits and 44,1kHz determined in 1980, these early digital on vinyl LP's often sounded better than their CD counterparts later on. The transition from analog to digital on vinyl went much faster in the classical industry with most major labels on board beginning in early 1980, while jazz labels took a bit longer. Rock, pop, and other genres transitioned at different paces mostly around 1981-1982–sometimes combining analog recording/'tracking' with digital mixing–and increasingly so post 1985.
The first audiophile reissue label was Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, established in California in 1977. The following year they released Supertramp's Crime of the Century [MoFi MFSL 1-005]–the first of many popular choices–and are still in operation to this day. Specializing in remastering, and half-speed cutting for a broad spectrum of genres, they were initially pressed on rather thin 'virgin vinyl' in Japan by JVC, while later on, switching to RTI's pressing plant in the States–first on 200g for their Anadisc series, and later down to the more common 180g format either in single 33 1/3 or double-45 rpm editions. In the early to mid 1990s, they would be joined by other quality reissue labels such as Analogue Productions, DCC Compact Classics, and Classic Records to name the biggest players, with only the former still around today. The following decade would introduce Music Matters Jazz–and more recently the Tone Poet Series–concentrating on reissuing the vast Blue Note catalogue. There is also The Electric Recording Co. British label specializing in very limited and expensive, all-tube remasterings and cuttings of select–often mono–vintage classical and jazz LPs–which I have not heard. The latest advancement in vinyl manufacturing–and promoted by MoFi as their "Ultradisc" series–is the "one-step" method instead of the industry standard practice utilizing "three-steps". The former skipping the intermediary "father" and "mother" steps, thus going from lacquer directly to stamper or "convert" to pressing the final vinyl, and retaining more the character of the original master tape used to cut the master disc.
A primer on pressings
Which pressings are best or should I get? Unfortunately there is no simple or definitive answer to this important and recurring question. It is a complex and personal choice, and to a certain extent, almost a case by case basis. Putting aside the whole cost factor–which can be huge–for my part, I usually try to find and prefer the original first pressing of a release–usually in stereo over mono when released in both formats–and avoid the many regular or conventional reissues which are often more affordable but remastered or cut from a digital file or copy. The exception to this rule of thumb of mine are the more expensive higher quality remasterings and cuttings by some of the major players cited above who try to use the original analog master tape or session tape to cut from, as well as placing more attention to plating and pressing issues, and leading to superior audible results, all else being equal. Then again, sometimes I'll still prefer the original pressing if the tape has deteriorated over time or simply strange engineering EQ choices.
Following that logic, I will normally indicate my preferred pressing right next to the artist and title selection, with both the original label/release date and the reissue label/date if such is the case.
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SIX-PACK SUMMER SUGGESTIONS
Chosen by Claude Lemaire
Part-1
For this first installment, I selected six albums as if I was starting from scratch my own vinyl collection. I wanted to vary the genres while insuring each one represents a musical milestone or key album. All are essential musically and historically from start to finish with no filler material. If you find my recommended pressings too expensive, you can usually replace them by other more affordable pressings but be aware that the sound quality may differ quite a lot from my sonic descriptions and be wary of any digital intermediates in the complex chain.
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Frank Sinatra counts several superb albums in a career spanning five decades. Generally divided between his 'Columbia years', 'Capitol years', and 'Reprise years'. My favorite–and many would agree–remain the 'Capitol years' lasting from 1954 to 1962. With a few exceptions, they are almost all worth getting over time but having to pick only one for jump starting a collection, I would definitely go with Come Dance with Me!. Accompanied by Billy May and His Orchestra, there are no filler material, nearly all twelve tracks under May's arrangements are swingin' like crazy! Sinatra is in full swagger and command of his vocal chops, while the "Chairman of the Board" is at his peak performance, and without peer. Both mono and true stereo versions are good but I prefer the stereo on many counts. As is typical with Capitol in this period–benefitting from some of the best studio equipment, room acoustics, and keen-eared engineers in the industry–the sound is excellent and well balanced between orchestra and singer. It is not at the level of Analogue Productions' remasterings of Nat King Cole's catalogue–done in the same studios–but I'm sure given the same treatment or a MoFi 'one-step' reissue, there is no reason it wouldn't reach the same level.
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One of the most important figures in jazz, it would be easy to recommend at least a dozen milestone albums by Miles Davis. KoB is without doubt his best known masterpiece as well as the biggest-selling jazz album of all time, influencing countless other musicians in many musical genres, and even finding a place among non-jazz aficionados. Having signed with Columbia three years earlier, Miles continued to surround himself with the top musicians at the time, like every single era he took part of. At this musical stage of his four decade career, he was exploring modal jazz–i.e. modulating between musical modes or scales instead of improvising on chord changes–which contributes to the album's unique ambiance underlying the free flowing melodic style as opposed to his previous hard bop recordings for Prestige. The acclaimed sextet features the pairing of Coltrane and "Cannonball" Adderley on sax, Bill Evans on piano–with Wynton Kelly on one track–Paul Chambers on bass, and lesser-known drummer Jimmy Cobb. They were given only scale sketches and melodic lines to improvise on with nearly no rehearsal beforehand. What arose from the latter is a timeless portal onto five unsurpassed jazz classics. I don't have the original US 'six-eye' which it seems is hard to surpass at leasts in cymbal extension and air but do have the Classic Records cut by Bernie Grundman from the original 3-track session tape recorded by engineer Fred Plaut, first on 180g in 1995 and later on 200g in 2002, and both are excellent. I don't have the rarer Classic (4x45 rpm) released in 1999. My favorite version is the MoFi double 45 rpm remastered and cut by Krieg Wunderlich and Rob LoVerde which has more bass weight–though not the last word in precision–better brass tone especially on the saxes, and a larger soundstage than all other pressings I've heard, making it close to outstanding. Plus there's an 8-page booklet included.
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The first truly heavy metal album, Sabbath's second release fortified the formula newly-developed on their self-titled debut seven months prior, prioritizing the heavy metal elements over the blues rock and stoner seeds implanted within its soil. Always a fan favorite, it comprises the band's most popular tracks: "War Pigs", "Paranoid", and "Iron Man" occupying side A, while side B contains no less classics "Electric Funeral", "Hand of Doom", the instrumental "Rat Salad"–heavily inspired by Led Zep's "Moby Dick" a year earlier–and "Fairies Wear Boots". Produced by Roger Bain and recorded at Regend Sound Studios and Island Studios in London, I place it on par with their debut, with the following Master of Reality and final full album 13 close behind. They provided the template for future metal acts such as Judas Priest, Maiden, Metallica, Slayer, and Soundgarden just to name a few. The original UK first pressing sounds very good with generous bass and low mids, and plenty of punch from the pounding drums but unfortunately is a bit veiled in the top because of too much attenuation in the treble, making the hi-hat lacking detail and clarity. The recording and mixing seem well engineered, making the mastering the probable weak link. It's too bad Hoffman and Gray never remastered it for DCC. It deserves a quality double-45 rpm remaster by MoFi's team to get the most out of it.
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