Best sounding CD's & LP's you own

[Demetrio]

I will start listing these that I consider among the best sounding CD's I have:

- STEELY DAN – Two Against Nature
- BÉLA FLECK & THE FLECKTONES – Outbound
- BOZZIO LEVIN STEVENS – Black Light Syndrome
- BRIAN BROMBERG – Wood & Choices
- NIACIN – Niacin & Time Crunch
- METRO – Tree People
- GORDIAN KNOT – Emergent
- BRAND X – Manifest Destiny
- BRUFORD LEVIN – Upper Extremities
- TERJE RYPDAL – If Mountains Could Sing
- MIKE KENEALLY – The Universe Will Provide
- TREY GUNN – The Joy of Molybdenum & Raw Power
- DAVID TORN/MICK KARN/TERRY BOZZIO – Polytown
- VERTÚ – Vertú
- JEFF GOLUB – Do It Again
- JOHN McLAUGHLIN – The Heart of Things
- ERIK TRUFFAZ – The Walk of the Giant Turtle
- NILS PETTER MOLVAER – Khmer
- PEDER AF UGGLAS – Autumn Shuffle
- JAZZ MANDOLIN PROJECT – Jungle Tango
- HECTOR ZAZOU – Lights in the Dark, Sounds from the Cold Seas & Sahara Blue
- JAH WOBBLE & BILL LASWELL – Radioaxiom: A Dub Transmission
- DEAD CAN DANCE – Into the Labyrinth
- CARLA LOTHER – Ephemera
- THE BLUE NILE – Hats
- TALK TALK – The Spirit of Eden
- CHRIS REA – The Road to Hell & Auberge
- PINK FLOYD – Dark Side of the Moon
- ISILDURS BANE – Mind Vol. 1 & 2
- PORCUPINE TREE – In Absentia, Signify & Fear of a Blank Planet
- OZRIC TENTACLES – Curious Corn, Hidden Step & Waterfall Cities

All them really awesome and highly recommended.

So, which other good sounding recordings you recommend?

Demetrio.

[jrhymeammo]

Mike Wofford Trio - Live at Anthenaeum Jazz on SACD. But the regular CD layer sounds great as well.
You have listed quite a bit of stuff I've never even seem before. Thanks for the info.

JRA

I like Ozric Tenticles, but not so sure about the recording quality.

[ForeverAutumn]

Any CD by Colin James can always be counted on for great sound quality.

[unleasHell]

Hello Demetrio, good to see you again, have you heard of Peter Murphy? His album; "DEEP" is recorded so crystal clear, just amazing.

Hey I saw Porcupine Tree here a few weeks ago, they were pretty friggen' awesome..

let's talk amigo, email: stevend"at"surfside.net

[Ex Lion Tamer]

Janis Ian - Breaking Silence
Bill Evans Trio - Waltz for Debbie
Harry James - The king James Version
Jacintha - Lush Life
Holly Cole Trio - Temptation
Patricia Barber - Cafe Blue
The Notwist - Neon Golden
Cat Stevens - Tea for the Tillerman
The Clash - London Calling (Brit Pressing)

[Demetrio]

I like Ozric Tenticles, but not so sure about the recording quality.
The three Ozric Tentacles cd's I mentioned above (Curious Corn, Hidden Step & Waterfall Cities) have some of the most earth-shaking bass grooves I have ever heard. If you have a sub or a good full-range speaker you'll be amazed with them.


have you heard of Peter Murphy? His album; "DEEP" is recorded so crystal clear, just amazing.
Thanks for the tip, have just added it to my want list!!


Hey I saw Porcupine Tree here a few weeks ago, they were pretty friggen' awesome..
Man, I envy you...........

let's talk amigo, email: stevend"at"surfside.net[/QUOTE]
I have just emailed you.

Best regards,
Demetrio.

[bobsticks]

Nice list Demetrio. I like quite a few of the artists mentioned--PT,PF, Dead Can Dance, Talk Talk, Jeff Golub, and so on. Bozzio, Levin, and Stevens? They're one of the better groupings of pure musical talent that's been assembled in some time, aren't they?

When I think of quality recordings the first two that pop into my mind don't necessarily make my regular playlists. Donald ***an's Morph the Cat and Alison Krauss' New Favorite are two of the most polished recordings I have ever heard. Solid albums but not classics and in the case of the latter, a little bluegrass goes a long way.

Fortunately the re-mastering process has come very far and, provided that there is decent source material, quite a bit can be done with old recordings. There's some great old jazz and classical work out there.

Cheers

[PeruvianSkies]

Here is my list, most of the better sounding ones are HDCD's, which I have notated....

Sigur Ros () HDCD
Madonna Best Of
Depeche Mode EXCITER
Jewel SPIRIT HDCD
Jewel 0304
David Crowder SUNSET & SUSHI
Massive Attack Best Of
Heaven's Gate Soundtrack (Ryko Disc)
Alan Parson's Project TALES OF MYSTERY AND IMAGINATION (MoFi Gold Disc)
Stevie Wonder INNERVISION (MoFi Gold Disc)
Tears for Fears SONGS FROM THE BIG CHAIR (Deluxe Ed. Remaster)
Fleetwood Mac SAY YOU WILL
Radiohead HAIL TO THE THIEF HDCD (Import)
Don Henley BUILDING THE PERFECT BEAST (MoFI Gold Disc)
Ronin Soundtrack (HDCD)
Starship Troopers Soundtrack (HDCD)
Better Than Ezra CLOSER HDCD

[DPM]

It's good to see you back on the web again Demetrio.

Here's some of my sonic wonders.

1) Al DiMeola/Kiss My Axe
2) Ambrosia/Ambrosia
3) Bela Fleck & The Flecktones/UFO TOFU or Flight Of The Cosmic Hippo
4) Robbie Robertson & Red Road Ensemble/Music For The Native Americans
5) White Willow/Sacrament
6) Aquarium Rescue Unit/Mirrors Of Embarrassment
7) Porcupine Tree/ Fear Of A Blank Planet
8) Isildurs Bane/Mind Volume 1
9) Porcupine Tree/Deadwing (DVD Audio)
10) Helmet Of Gnats (SACD Surround)
11) Steely Dan/Everything Must Go (DVD Audio)
12) Tool/10,000 Days
13) Yoke Shire/Masque Of Shadows (Where are these guys?)

[Rob B in CT]

For jazz, I really like the sound of discs released by Cam Jazz, an Italian label. Very realistic sound. Favorites include Enrico Pieranunzi's "Play Morricone" (with Marc Johnson and Joey Baron) and Kenny Wheeler's "What Now" (with Dave Holland, Chris Potter, and John Taylor).

For pop or country, some HDCD discs I enjoy include Dave Alvin's "Blackjack David" and "West of the West" and Willie Nelson's "Teatro." I agree with bobsticks that Donald ***en's 'Morph the Cat' sounds great. And Alison Krauss's "Forget About It" may be her best sounding and most consistent release.

[Dave_G]

The Flower Kings "The Rainmaker"

RUSH Signals MFSL

Ultravox Vienna

Frost Milliontown

XTC Nonsvch

Regards,

Dave

[-Jar-]

oh gee, lemme see.. off the top of my head.. things that haven't already been mentioned.. though I'd mention INTO THE LABYRINTH again.. yumms.


Pat Metheney Group - FIRST CIRCLE
Donald ***an - THE NIGHTFLY
Pink Floyd - THE WALL
Rain Tree Crow - RAIN TREE CROW
Hum - DOWNWARD IS HEAVENWARD (yes, it's a "production" but it's still amazing)
Slint - SPIDERLAND
Bark Psychosis - HEX
Bad Livers - DELUSIONS OF BANJER (one of my favorite vinyls)
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - THE GOOD SON
This Mortal Coil - BLOOD

-jar

[Demetrio]

Nice list Demetrio. I like quite a few of the artists mentioned--PT,PF, Dead Can Dance, Talk Talk, Jeff Golub, and so on. Bozzio, Levin, and Stevens? They're one of the better groupings of pure musical talent that's been assembled in some time, aren't they?
Hey, Bob, glad to see many of my all time favorites in your list too. And yes, Bozzio/Levin/Stevens are brilliant indeed!!


It's good to see you back on the web again Demetrio.

Here's some of my sonic wonders.

Ambrosia/Ambrosia
Bela Fleck & The Flecktones/UFO TOFU or Flight Of The Cosmic Hippo
Porcupine Tree/ Fear Of A Blank Planet
Isildurs Bane/Mind Volume 1
Porcupine Tree/Deadwing (DVD Audio)
Steely Dan/Everything Must Go (DVD Audio)
Yoke Shire/Masque Of Shadows (Where are these guys?)
Hi, DPM, very glad to see you again!!!

Also glad to see we share many favorites when it comes to great-sounding recordins!!

The same I can say with Jar and DaveG lists, as we also share some greats (XTC, Donald ***en, Bark Psychosis, etc.).

Kind regards,
Demetrio.

[nobody]

Some good sounding stuff already listed. Without pondering it and just going off the top of my head, I'll toss out a trio...

Air: 10,000 Htz Legend (double vinyl that sounds fantastic)
Songs: Ohia - Electric Magnolia Company (smooth, mellow sounding vinyl)
David Johansen & The Harry Smiths: Self-titled & Shaker (great, natural sounding acoustic blues on these Chesky CDs)

[basite]

pink floyd - DSOTM
Shirley Horn - May the music never end
Philip Catherine - Summer Night
Ophelie Gaillard - J.S. Bach suites 1,2,6,3,4,5
Diana Krall - When I look in your eyes
Shostakovich - symphony n°4
Grant Green - Green street
Orlando Cachaito Lopez
George Benson - Give me the night (vinyl, cd sounds a little 'muffled')
Quincy Jones - The Dude, also vinyl only
...

that are the first one that come to mind...
oh noes, nearly forgot, (all the rest was said) I also like the Decemberists - the crane wife, it's not THE recording, but it's quite good already...

Keep them spinning,
Bert.

[Demetrio]

Oh gosh, I forgot to mention THE BEST sounding cd I own:

UAKTI - I Ching

This is simply audiophile quality!!!

Demetrio.

[Demetrio]

A few more greats to add:

=> KEVIN GILBERT – Shaming of the True

=> MICKEY HART – Mystery Box

=> TALK TALK – The Colour of Spring

=> ARILD ANDERSEN GROUP – Electra

=> PORCUPINE TREE – Metanoia & Voyage 34: The Complete Trip

=> OZRIC TENTACLES – Strangeitude & Waterfall Cities

Demetrio.

[Finch Platte]

This one always sounds best to me, for some reason. Comes with visuals, too! :biggrin5:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xVWY4ImvZIk/SHZRc94vwmI/AAAAAAAAAFE/r3vAyE3icw4/s320/fun+with+mushrooms+-+front.jpg

Tracklisting, in case you were wondering:

Boris & His Bolshie Balalaika - Toadstool Soup (Slight Send) (M. Atha)
Saddar Bazaar - Night Descent (R.M. Hyder / S. Ryder / T. Royal / D. Spencer)
Praise Space Electric - Electric Sensation (Praise Space Electric)
14th Wray - Yuppie Deadhead Party (14th Wray)
Harrold Juana - Uncle Sam (Harrold Juana)
Dead Flowers - Chocolate Staircase (Swayambhunath / Manseed / McIver / Moorby)
Tangle Edge - Half-Moon Flower (Nygard / Horrigmoe / Johansen / Bergvik)
Watch Children - Did You Feed The Fish? (M. Saxton)
Dean Carter & The High Commission - Government Surplus Jam (D. Carter / M. Huxley / A. Green)
Omnia Opera - The Awakened (Omnia Opera)
The Inn - Who's My Name? (M. Cooper)
Wobble Jaggle Jiggle - Thoughts Of The Sky (C. Davey / R. Chambers)
Mooseheart Faith Stellar Groove Band - Thought Dial (Homer / Robinson)
Boris & His Bolshie Balalaika - Toadstool Soup (Slight Return) (M. Atha)
Terence McKenna

Bonus CD Tracks, from LP version of A Psychedelic Psauna

Cosmic Kangaroos - Ritual People (Cosmic Kangaroos)
Reefus Moons - Mr. & Mrs. Creature (R. Saxty)
Marshmallow Overcoat - 13 Ghosts (Panico / Gassen)
Dr. Brown - Freakbeat (Ellis / Shah / Cook / Anderton)
Jasmine Love Bomb - That River (K. Thompson / E. Kaspers)

[MasterCylinder]

I have somehow acquired an old compilation disc titled STEELY DAN : GOLD that is the best sounding CD I've got............I could provide more but that one jumps out.

In addition, my wife has two CDs from Celine Dion that are remarkable in sound quality.........regardless of what you might think of her, the sound is AMAZING.

[Finch Platte]

The Flower Kings "The Rainmaker"

RUSH Signals MFSL

Ultravox Vienna

Frost Milliontown

XTC Nonsvch

Regards,

Dave

Hey, Dave- you heard the latest Uriah Heep? Well worth getting, imo.

Gary

[Swish]

This one always sounds best to me, for some reason. Comes with visuals, too! :biggrin5:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_xVWY4ImvZIk/SHZRc94vwmI/AAAAAAAAAFE/r3vAyE3icw4/s320/fun+with+mushrooms+-+front.jpg

Tracklisting, in case you were wondering:

Boris & His Bolshie Balalaika - Toadstool Soup (Slight Send) (M. Atha)
Saddar Bazaar - Night Descent (R.M. Hyder / S. Ryder / T. Royal / D. Spencer)
Praise Space Electric - Electric Sensation (Praise Space Electric)
14th Wray - Yuppie Deadhead Party (14th Wray)
Harrold Juana - Uncle Sam (Harrold Juana)
Dead Flowers - Chocolate Staircase (Swayambhunath / Manseed / McIver / Moorby)
Tangle Edge - Half-Moon Flower (Nygard / Horrigmoe / Johansen / Bergvik)
Watch Children - Did You Feed The Fish? (M. Saxton)
Dean Carter & The High Commission - Government Surplus Jam (D. Carter / M. Huxley / A. Green)
Omnia Opera - The Awakened (Omnia Opera)
The Inn - Who's My Name? (M. Cooper)
Wobble Jaggle Jiggle - Thoughts Of The Sky (C. Davey / R. Chambers)
Mooseheart Faith Stellar Groove Band - Thought Dial (Homer / Robinson)
Boris & His Bolshie Balalaika - Toadstool Soup (Slight Return) (M. Atha)
Terence McKenna

Bonus CD Tracks, from LP version of A Psychedelic Psauna

Cosmic Kangaroos - Ritual People (Cosmic Kangaroos)
Reefus Moons - Mr. & Mrs. Creature (R. Saxty)
Marshmallow Overcoat - 13 Ghosts (Panico / Gassen)
Dr. Brown - Freakbeat (Ellis / Shah / Cook / Anderton)
Jasmine Love Bomb - That River (K. Thompson / E. Kaspers)

...who are known by others.

[Kevio]

I think these are some of the high-water marks in terms of recording quality and innovation

U2 - Joshua Tree
Sufjan Stevens - Illinoise
Ryan Adams - Heartbreaker
Smashing Pumpkins - Siamese Dream
Pink Floyd - The Wall
The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper

[Demetrio]

A few more brilliant recordings worth mentioning here:

=> CHRIS REA – Blue Guitars

=> ELECTRELANE – Axes

=> EAST OF EDEN – Kalipse

=> BILL BRUFORD – If Summer Had Its Ghosts

=> CHUCK LOEB – The Moon, the Stars and the Setting Sun

Demetrio.

[Demetrio]

I also posted this same topic at other music forums I’m joining at the moment and I have been taking note and trying to check, little by little, all the suggestions posted here and over there too.

Few days ago, a member of one of these other forums posted the following reply:


Magnolia Electric Co. – Sojourner (really, everything Jason has done is mastered nicely, including the last couple Songs:Ohia records, much of it with Steve Albini at the controls, like Nashville Moon in this box, mastered at Abbey Road by Nick Webb, and sounds so great. For people that can never stop the musical adventure, that almost naive sense of discovery that still drives us to seek out and listen to the music new artists are making, in a way it is really disheartening to hear new music recorded so well, so lovingly, because it reinforces the feeling that we have lost so much in recent times. But at least there is still a lot of very good music that is recorded and mastered very well out there to find.)

Life Without Buildings – Live at the Annandale Hotel (love it, even though I've heard most of the songs before in their studio versions, but it's all live music from the early 00's by a band that gave up after their debut - Sue Tompkins is charming talking to the audience before each song on this one, guitar work by Robert Johnson is excellent, and it sounds great too, really have to crank it up, modern classic with a mix of VU and Feelies)

Howe Gelb – 'Sno Angel Like You (lush and fun if you like that Howe wit and charm and don't mind his singing "limitations" (kind of like Lou Reed), recorded with gospel choir backing, nice modern sounding production which means too loud, but still nice)

Wayne Robbins & the Hellsayers – The Lonesome Sea (nice and dynamic HDCD debut along the lines of the Built To Spill take on Neil Young, sometimes the little studios and bands don't feel the pressure to compete with all of the terrible sounding pop music these days, that has all of the life squeezed from it, and you get an honest music recording, new one out soon, All You Need To Sleep)

Electrelane – The Power Out / Axes / No Shouts No Calls (Steve Albini recording/Steve Rooke mastering, quiet and dynamic, latest recorded by Bill Skibbe at the Keyclub, the guy who put together Albini's studio, and just as good. Axes is the least accessible, and some of it just doesn't quite work for me, but it was recorded live in the studio, and the sound is sensational. Very sad they called it quits.)

Moonbabies – The Orange Billboard (Nice CD with lots of Beatles and Yo La Tengo and hints of ELO and My Bloody Valentine and much more. Some very novel production too, kind of like what Jim O'Rourke did with the Aluminum Group or some of those other modern Chicago pop bands that attended the school of Burt Bacharach (Stereolab, High Llamas, Edith Frost, etc). This Swedish duo are real studio wizards from the sound of it, and maintaining good fidelity at the same time with some nice low bass and overall warm sound.)

Black Mountain (Kind of a mix of Led Zeppelin and Exile era Stones with some Lou Reed and the VU thrown in, meaning it's got a dirty, bluesy, foggy sound, but recorded and mastered pretty nicely for a modern rock release. Just on a tiny Indiana indie label named Jagjaguwar, and recorded at the Argyle Hotel and at the Hive by Colin Stewart and the band. Mastered by Doug Van Sloun. No idea who any of these people or places are, but I can tell you that it's got a refreshing sound to it. Not highly compressed and with some nice dynamics. Not perfect by any stretch, but the cymbals at least sound like shimmering metal instead of the splashes of white noise you hear on most modern rock CDs due to all the heavy compression. No boomy bass either. Sounds kind of like a vintage recording. New one isn't quite as good, but still much better than the norm.)

Over The Rhine – Ohio (Beautiful 2-disc set, one of the best of 2003. Karin Bergquist has such a wonderfully expressive voice and you won't find music and lyrics much more compelling than this. Think maybe something along the lines of Fleetwood Mac meets Gram Parsons [or maybe Whiskeytown covering Gram Parsons like on that "mastered too loud but great anyway" tribute Emmylou Harris put togther in '99]. The lush sound is a little reminiscent of the Cowboy Junkies or Blue Rodeo, or a bit like a modern day Tusk. Nicely recorded by Paul Mahern at Echo Park in Bloomington, Indiana on 2" analog tape. Even available in a gatefold vinyl set too.)

Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man – Out of Season (some of the same scratchy effects as on the Portishead records, but nice recording)

Wilco – A Ghost Is Born (bit too much bass, but very nice and dynamic)

Nina Nastasia – The Blackened Air (another Albini girl, work of love, the debut Dogs even sounds better, but all of her records, including the latest with Jim White sound great)

Califone – Roomsound (Brian Deck and the Chicago sound, love it, some of Deck's later work with bands like Iron and Wine and Josh Ritter is still great from a production side, but too loud ... this one is nearly perfect)

The Notwist – Neon Golden (Mastered by Steve Rooke at Abbey Road – still one of the good guys, Albini uses him too)

Gillian Welch – Time (the Revelator) (Not really quite what I call country, more folk-rock, but recorded simply, live in the studio with just a couple of Neumann mikes, Gillian and David, banjo and vintage acoustic guitars, and a lot of good music. Has become kind of an audiophile classic.)

Sixteen Horsepower – Folklore (very lush, a bit loud, but still wraps around you nicely with a tangible image, Ferbrache does some nice recording up in Elktooth)

Sue Garner & Rick Brown – Still (Very diverse and eclectic mix of trip hop, indie pop/rock, avant-folk, Tortoise-like loopy electro-organica, and maybe even a couple nods to the Fall. Another nice uncompressed HDCD recorded in their basement studio)

Arto Lindsay – Mundo Civilizado / Noon Chill / Prize (very interesting and playfully experimental, bossa-nova music, somewhat reminiscent of Beck's exploration on the Mutations album. Think maybe Caetano Veloso with some drum 'n' bass rhythms added and played by a very tight jazz band.)

I ordered some of the titles listed above and just received, last week, one of the cd’s I had ordered, especifically this:

=> ELECTRELANE – Axes

All I have to say is: this CD sounds absolutely incredible, surely one of the BEST I have heard in all my life, at any genre!!! Crystal clear details, huge dynamics and transparency and absolutely no compression at all. I think anyone involved with production of rock recordings today should check this out and follow the lesson learnt with the audition of this incredible recording.

Judging by this brilliant tip, I can’t wait to check the other suggestions from this guy and thought it would be nice reproducing here his full reply.

Demetrio.

[bobsticks]

Wow. That's a great list. Demetrio, you can't go wrong with a good number of these, several of which I'll vouch for as personal favorites and items i use when trying to bring the uninitiated into the fold...

Wayne Robbins and The Notwist are classics, Folklore is a perennial favorite, and Over the Rhine is one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard bar none. The Howe Gelb is, indeed, an acquired taste but that said the sound quality is something else.

Califone's Roomsound is the album that introduced me to indie/alt/country stuff.

Hopefully Davey will be along to expand on the Steve Albini/Jason Molina connection. He's clearly more knowledgeable than I...for my part I'm just here to verify the path yer on...

[Monkey Bones]

Hopefully Davey will be along to expand on the Steve Albini/Jason Molina connection. He's clearly more knowledgeable than I...for my part I'm just here to verify the path yer on...

Wow, that list is getting around now. Just put a line from the Electrelane description in google, and between Demetrio and myself, it's at a few sites now, some that I've never even visited. Yikes :)

Think it might've started here a couple years ago, but who knows now, this one in the archive has some additional ones ... http://forums.audioreview.com/showpost.php?p=206095&postcount=8

My two Molina favorites are the final two he did under the Songs:Ohia name, Didn't It Rain in 2002 and Magnolia Electric Co. in 2003. Both with a band backing, the first more somber, the second more full sounding. Didn't it Rain is really a fantastic set of songs.

I know that serpents will cross universes to circle around our necks
I know that hounds will cross a universe to circle around our feet
They're always close
Always so close
Step by step, one's beside me, to kill me or to guide me
Why wouldn't I be trying to figure which one out

But there really is a bunch of nice stuff in the Sojourner box. You should hear the Sun Sessions disc. Just a short EP worth of music, but wow, great sound on that one. As the name suggests, recorded down at Sun Studios with James Lott. Very warm and analog sounding. The Black Ram disc is the real standout for me though, since it's the one with all the new stuff. Not one of the Albini discs, but sounds great too. Molina knows what sounds good, and even wrote that lament to Steve Albini on the Didn't It Rain. And the next one, that final Songs:Ohia disc, was recorded live in the studio by Albini, and does sound amazing.

But the Nashville Moon disc is recorded by Albini and mastered at Abbey Road by Nick Webb, and sounds great. For people like most of us around here, ones that can never stop the musical adventure, craving that almost naive sense of discovery that still drives us to seek out and listen to the music new artists are making, in a way it is really disheartening to hear new music recorded so well, so lovingly, because it reinforces the feeling that we have lost so much in recent times. So many recordings today have the life squashed from them, so that you are left with not much more than the plastic they are pressed from. But at least there is still a lot of very good music that is recorded and mastered well out there to find.

[Demetrio]

Hey, guys, thanks a lot for the nice suggestions, I keep taking note of them all.

A few more good sounding recordings IMO:

=> THE SWIMMING POOL Q's – Royal Academy of Reality

=> ECHOLYN – As the World

=> WHITE WILLOW – Ex Tenebris

=> AFTER CRYING – De Profundis

=> TOWNSCREAM – Nagyvárosi Ikonok

Demetrio.