Now that I have my equipment more or less sorted out I am looking for CDs to add to my collection, as well as online music. It can only get better from here. I need music to inspire me in my journey and I don't want miss any good songs.
The Desert Island Albums thread has already helped, with a song by Brian Ferry I have not heard before. More suggestions welcome.
As a first step I went online to look at the list of the best albums of all time, listed by Rolling Stones Magazine:
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/
The search netted some albums that I turned out to like, or at least some songs. I have already mentioned Marvin Gaye's 1971 Album "What's Going On". I intend to
wade through the rest of them. Michael Jackson's "Off the Wall" sounded surprisingly modern, and I think I will be listening to it many times in the next few years. There are already albums like that for me, such as "Hotel California".
The problem is, and here I think forum members can help me, is to highlight albums that are not that well known, but are rare gems nevertheless. A set of review records came into my possession at one time, where I discovered many albums I liked, including Tommy Shaw's Ambition, PM, and John Martyn. PM, as is the case in point, put out a beautiful ballad called "Moonlight In Paris" which I link here: needless to say I will be seeking to buy this album.
For me, $100 spend on CDs is worth to me more than $ 100 spent on speakers, DIY being sort of an example pattern to follow: make your equipment, buy your music.
I don't want to miss any good music.
This day in music history:
The Desert Island Albums thread has already helped, with a song by Brian Ferry I have not heard before. More suggestions welcome.
As a first step I went online to look at the list of the best albums of all time, listed by Rolling Stones Magazine:
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/
The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/The search netted some albums that I turned out to like, or at least some songs. I have already mentioned Marvin Gaye's 1971 Album "What's Going On". I intend to
wade through the rest of them. Michael Jackson's "Off the Wall" sounded surprisingly modern, and I think I will be listening to it many times in the next few years. There are already albums like that for me, such as "Hotel California".
The problem is, and here I think forum members can help me, is to highlight albums that are not that well known, but are rare gems nevertheless. A set of review records came into my possession at one time, where I discovered many albums I liked, including Tommy Shaw's Ambition, PM, and John Martyn. PM, as is the case in point, put out a beautiful ballad called "Moonlight In Paris" which I link here: needless to say I will be seeking to buy this album.
For me, $100 spend on CDs is worth to me more than $ 100 spent on speakers, DIY being sort of an example pattern to follow: make your equipment, buy your music.
I don't want to miss any good music.
This day in music history:
https://www.thisdayinmusic.com/
My search continues with You Tube videos of lists of hit albums. A few things have become apparent.
Firstly, the fact that an album appears on a top 500 list does not mean that I will like it or want to listen to it. The top 500 album lists leaves out some of my favourite albums as well as some good ones that come up on the top 100 of the year lists. Even if there are some songs on the album that I like, if I don't like more than 3 songs it is not worth it, so I will not be purchasing the album. If the song is interesting enough, and complex enough, there is a high possibility I will enjoy listening to it for years to come, which is the point of it.
There are different ways to look for likeable albums. The first is to look at top 500 or top 100 lists for albums of all time, there are also top 100 albums for several years from 1960 onwards, and these may bring up the names of albums I am familiar with. The other method is to bring to memory the names of albums I have heard before and look at the other albums the band have produced. Follow up albums have a way of disappointing sometimes. Some genres such as country or classical are out of the running for me.
That brings me to the next step: to go through each song in part of in full to find an album with more than 7 songs that I like, and look to buying these, or at least making a You Tube playlist of these, if not available on Hungama, the app I use for streaming and downloads. Some albums I listened to have a few good songs but not enough so I ruled them out, same for subsequent albums of a group that produced a good first album.
Digital music is very different to the muffled cassette tapes I used to listen to, and the complete sound of the music is so different I have to run through the album again to check if there is anything I like. The sound is completely different and makes a real difference to the decision.
So far my search has yielded several albums,which I after listening to all the songs on the album I have decided I will probably purchase as CDs.
1. Boys and Girls - Bryan Ferry
2. Peter Frampton - Greatest Hits
3. Thriller Michael Jackson
4. Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon
5. Stevie Wonder - Definitive Collection
6. Chaka Khan - Naughty
7. Xanadu - Olivia Newton John and Electric Light Orchestra
8. Stevie Wonder - Innervision
9. Neil Young - Harvest (possibly, needs a second listen)
If any famous album is not listed here, I either have it, have listened to it and rejected it, or have not listened to it yet.
Firstly, the fact that an album appears on a top 500 list does not mean that I will like it or want to listen to it. The top 500 album lists leaves out some of my favourite albums as well as some good ones that come up on the top 100 of the year lists. Even if there are some songs on the album that I like, if I don't like more than 3 songs it is not worth it, so I will not be purchasing the album. If the song is interesting enough, and complex enough, there is a high possibility I will enjoy listening to it for years to come, which is the point of it.
There are different ways to look for likeable albums. The first is to look at top 500 or top 100 lists for albums of all time, there are also top 100 albums for several years from 1960 onwards, and these may bring up the names of albums I am familiar with. The other method is to bring to memory the names of albums I have heard before and look at the other albums the band have produced. Follow up albums have a way of disappointing sometimes. Some genres such as country or classical are out of the running for me.
That brings me to the next step: to go through each song in part of in full to find an album with more than 7 songs that I like, and look to buying these, or at least making a You Tube playlist of these, if not available on Hungama, the app I use for streaming and downloads. Some albums I listened to have a few good songs but not enough so I ruled them out, same for subsequent albums of a group that produced a good first album.
Digital music is very different to the muffled cassette tapes I used to listen to, and the complete sound of the music is so different I have to run through the album again to check if there is anything I like. The sound is completely different and makes a real difference to the decision.
So far my search has yielded several albums,which I after listening to all the songs on the album I have decided I will probably purchase as CDs.
1. Boys and Girls - Bryan Ferry
2. Peter Frampton - Greatest Hits
3. Thriller Michael Jackson
4. Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon
5. Stevie Wonder - Definitive Collection
6. Chaka Khan - Naughty
7. Xanadu - Olivia Newton John and Electric Light Orchestra
8. Stevie Wonder - Innervision
9. Neil Young - Harvest (possibly, needs a second listen)
If any famous album is not listed here, I either have it, have listened to it and rejected it, or have not listened to it yet.
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Last few months I downloaded few dozens of albums, mainly to fill gaps in my vynil collection, but also to find some new music experiences.
I can recommend these, which I think are bit forgotten these days:
Deep Forest - Deep Forest
Eurythmics - In the Garden
A Flock of Seagulls - A Flock of Seagulls
France Joli - Greatest Hits
Fun Fun - Have Fun
I can recommend these, which I think are bit forgotten these days:
Deep Forest - Deep Forest
Eurythmics - In the Garden
A Flock of Seagulls - A Flock of Seagulls
France Joli - Greatest Hits
Fun Fun - Have Fun
Also much music originally on LP has been remastered for CD, so it will sound different, and usually better.
The Sweet is a seriously hard rock band - I like it but I don't think I can listen too loud at home. Acceptance factor and all that. Will try with headphones. The Wikipedia page led me to have a listen to The Who, which I also seem to like, and need to explore further. Is that Rutherford guy on guitar - looks familiar.
Bread - Oh yes I have that album, but "Anyway you want me" doesn't play right on left speaker mono, so when my stereo set is set up it is a definite listen.
By the way do you have access to Hungama? It is located in India but lots of English mp3 that can be downloaded under subscription.
Bread - Oh yes I have that album, but "Anyway you want me" doesn't play right on left speaker mono, so when my stereo set is set up it is a definite listen.
By the way do you have access to Hungama? It is located in India but lots of English mp3 that can be downloaded under subscription.
How about some Nick Drake. He only did 3 studio albums
1. Five Leaves Left
2. Bryter Layter
3. Pink Moon
1. Five Leaves Left
2. Bryter Layter
3. Pink Moon
Nick Drake needs a little more listening to.
In the meantime, there is a site where you can review albums in 30 second clips:
https://archive.org/details/cd_innervisions_stevie-wonder_2/disc1/01.+Stevie+Wonder+-+Too+High.flac
In the meantime, there is a site where you can review albums in 30 second clips:
https://archive.org/details/cd_innervisions_stevie-wonder_2/disc1/01.+Stevie+Wonder+-+Too+High.flac
John Parr -John Parr 1984 (Rock)
Seal - Seal 1991 (House)
Monica Ramos – Moai 1997 (Swedish Harp / New Age)
Pat Metheny - As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls 1981 (Jazz)
Alan Parsons Project - Eye In The Sky 1982 (Prog Rock)
Peter Gabriel - So 1986 (Art Rock)
George Benson Weekend in L.A. 1978 (Jazz)
Genesis - We Can't Dance 1991 (Rock)
U2 - The Joshua Tree 1987 (Alt / Rock)
For best dynamic range, try buying the original albums only , instead of Best of , Remastered, Deluxe, Anniversary. Reissue type versions
That's why I have given the original album release dates.
Seal - Seal 1991 (House)
Monica Ramos – Moai 1997 (Swedish Harp / New Age)
Pat Metheny - As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls 1981 (Jazz)
Alan Parsons Project - Eye In The Sky 1982 (Prog Rock)
Peter Gabriel - So 1986 (Art Rock)
George Benson Weekend in L.A. 1978 (Jazz)
Genesis - We Can't Dance 1991 (Rock)
U2 - The Joshua Tree 1987 (Alt / Rock)
For best dynamic range, try buying the original albums only , instead of Best of , Remastered, Deluxe, Anniversary. Reissue type versions
That's why I have given the original album release dates.
I have the So allbum on CD by Peter Gabriel and I have had it since around 1986 when it first came out, so that is fine. For others I will have get the re-mastered or the used ones online. I got a 1975 Bee Gees Main Course album in 2015 or so and it sounded so dull, I wondered if it was a fake. Was only $5. Maybe a re-issue. SEAL is one of my favorite. I used to hear Pat Metheny on CD 101 in New York in the 80s. Alan Parsons Project - Eye In The Sky is one I have heard, time to review the clips. I missed that one, and the others.
About re-done albums, see Michael Fremer's expert witness session for the jury.
Speaking of quality, there is the complete More of Dizzy Gillespie Stan Getz album in FLAC, with record noise, available legally I guess, at the Internet Archive. What can be done about this recording, though, were recordings bad in those days or is it a bad digitization? What is the procedure for cleaning these up? That Dizzy is something else. From 1954 no less.
About re-done albums, see Michael Fremer's expert witness session for the jury.
Speaking of quality, there is the complete More of Dizzy Gillespie Stan Getz album in FLAC, with record noise, available legally I guess, at the Internet Archive. What can be done about this recording, though, were recordings bad in those days or is it a bad digitization? What is the procedure for cleaning these up? That Dizzy is something else. From 1954 no less.
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Those of you who have experience in recording or otherwise, some of the recordings, with my headphones, sound like the voice is tacked on later, does not seem to be in the same room as the instruments, is it an illusion? The YouTube version is better than the mp3 in this aspect.
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Just skimming through my Tidal albums for what I would consider above average……..I can give more if you like these.
Little feat ‘waiting for columbus’
muddy waters ‘folk singer’
donald fagen ‘the night fly’
Alice in chains ‘unplugged’
beck ‘sea change’
steely dan ‘aja’
chris thomas king ‘me, my guitar and the blues’
Little feat ‘waiting for columbus’
muddy waters ‘folk singer’
donald fagen ‘the night fly’
Alice in chains ‘unplugged’
beck ‘sea change’
steely dan ‘aja’
chris thomas king ‘me, my guitar and the blues’
Jeff Beck is interesting very jazzy. Samples first, will listen to full album.
https://archive.org/details/cd_blow-by-blow_jeff-beck/disc1/09.+Jeff+Beck+-+Diamond+Dust.flac
https://archive.org/details/cd_blow-by-blow_jeff-beck/disc1/09.+Jeff+Beck+-+Diamond+Dust.flac
Yes Jeff Beck is one of the all time greats, but not the Beck I was referring to……. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beck