Jackson Browne - the Pretender

[Dave_G]

I have the DCC cd pressing of this album and I think it is stunning. The audio quality is superb, and the music is something else.

I know it's kind of sappy and foo-foo, but the record has incredible lyrical content and the musicianship is great. His voice is so clean and clear, too.

Any other stuff out there like this worth checking out?

Thanks -

Dave

[3-LockBox]

Well, you got me, cuz I didn't think DCC was still around. I heard a couple of DCC releases and found them to be even more shrill than the first run CD it was meant to replace.

If you're looking for artists or albums of this sort (yet all different), then I once again must plug Gerry Rafferty's City To City album. Dire Straits-On Every Street, is essentially a Knopfler solo album, but much better than his solo efforts, and is underappreciated. Also, I'd recommend:

World Party-Egyptology
Kevin Gilbert-Thud
Andrew Bird-The Swimming Hour
David&David-Boomtown.

As a matter a fact, I'd recommend anyone look into World Party as a sorce of smart, adult pop rock ala Jackson Browne (who by the way, is worth checking out further himself) I myself, need to consider looking into more Andrew Bird. I like World Party quite a bit. It is in reallity, pretty much a one man act, and I'd compare the music to '80s TearsForFears, albeit it with a slightly darker, jaded lyrical content than the grandeur of those TFF album.

As for Rafferty, I love that album and never get tired of listening to it, but nothing he's done since really ever grabbed me. The album he did after City To City (I think it was called Snakes & Ladders) was so pedestrian as he seemed to be content with his niche in the budding adulty contemporary market. I also heard another album he did in the '80s, called North & South, that recalled his '70s efforts to a degree, and it reminds me of a Mark Knopfler solo album in places. But City To City brims with muscianship and passion (albeit low-keyed passion). And, if memory serves me correctly (for a change), I believe DCC did a reissue of City To City back when.

[nobody]

Yeah..that rafferty album is pretty good...I still play it from time to time, but that's all I've ever heard from him.

I'll leave now as this really ain't my genere.

[Dusty Chalk]

Al Stewart, The Year of the Cat is pretty good, and along the same lines. Let me know if I'm reccing in the right direction.

[Mike]

I have the DCC cd pressing of this album and I think it is stunning. The audio quality is superb, and the music is something else.

I know it's kind of sappy and foo-foo, but the record has incredible lyrical content and the musicianship is great. His voice is so clean and clear, too.

Any other stuff out there like this worth checking out?

Thanks -

Dave

I've got the DCC version of JB's Late For The Sky which is up there with his best. The quality of songs is excellent, it's a classic and the DCC version really brings out the quality of recording. Yer dead right with his voice in fact I've got a compilation of his which spans over 25 years and musical output and voice has hardly changed, can't think of any other artist I can say that for.

Cheers
Mike

[3-LockBox]

I've got a compilation of his which spans over 25 years and musical output and voice has hardly changed, can't think of any other artist I can say that for.

Jon Anderson - 35+ years and still going

Paul Rodgers - 35+ years and still going (though, he can't sing Freddy Mercury)

Ian Anderson - 30+ years (is he still going?)

Tom Waits - 30+ years and still sucks. (his voice, not his writing)

[Mike]

Jon Anderson - 35+ years and still going

Paul Rodgers - 35+ years and still going (though, he can't sing Freddy Mercury)

Ian Anderson - 30+ years (is he still going?)

Tom Waits - 30+ years and still sucks. (his voice, not his writing)

I'll grant you they are all just about still going, in fact I saw Paul Rodgers a few years ago and he was really impressive. Jon Anderson still has a good voice but have a listen to some samples from JB's Late For The Sky from 1974 and then listen to some from Naked Ride Home 2002.

Now the quality and consistency of his output is impressive but it's his voice it's hardly changed at all. He also has a live acoustic album which came out last year which really shines. Some might say he's never stepped outside his comfort zone but that's another argument.

Cheers
Mike

[Dave_G]

Ian Anderson is still great, saw him last month here in Atlanta, it was killer. His voice has suffered but he is still one of the best frontmen ever.

Dave

[3-LockBox]

Some might say he's never stepped outside his comfort zone but that's another argument

Some might call it consistancy. And its never really about them stepping outside of their comfort zone, its whether or not they step outside our comfort zone.

All of the acts I meantioned above have stayed within their comfort zone, which is fine with me. My only requirement of any musical act is simple: Don't suck.

[hifitommy]

solo acoustic vol.1 is a most recent example and naked ride home is really good regardless of the lukewarm review in amg.