CD suggestion of the day

[3-LockBox]

Ozzie: Like you I am a Knopfler fan. His work on Dire Straits was deft and subtle, not a mean thing to consider, especially when one notes the preponderance of guitarrists who are admired more for their incessant noodling.

Knopfler is a picker. So is Lindsey Buckingham. You may like Lindsay's last offering, which is a streamlined effort compared to his early days.


My fave Buckingham solo is still Out Of The Cradle, a steller recording also I might add.

[Auricauricle]

I couldn't agree more, 3! I still get a chill when I think about his solo, Big Love, on the FM tour album, The Dance.

[OzzieAudiophile]

Auricauricle : Well if you get the 20th Anniversary edition it does have all three layers.
I compared all three layers on my PS3, as it permits you to access any track using either
CD layer, SACD 2channel, or SACD multichannel.

There is a very clear distinctive difference between the CD and SACD-2ch versions (on the
same disc). I could try the original CD I purchased years ago and compare it with the
CD layer of the new disc, just have to find it :P

[OzzieAudiophile]

Hello all.

Being a fan of Oldfield's Tubular Bells that put him on the map decades ago, Music of
the Spheres is a refreshing change for him. For those who haven't had the chance to
sample it, you may do so on his official website.

He has moved into the orchestra theme for this album, and has included the very beautiful
Hayley Westenra. He has also included one of the most spectacular gifted pianists in this
generation - Lang Lang.

I implore you, if you are a fan of anything orchestral, classical, opera, or even a refreshing
new style to explore to widen your repetoir, give this album a go.

Hayley Westenra and Lang Lang have both worked with Andrea Bocelli, and I need not
say more if you know Bocelli.

This album really makes your system sing as it's a wonderfully produced and recorded
CD.

[OzzieAudiophile]

Hello again.

I have been one of the many blessed folks to had the privilege to go to a Sarah Brightman
concert when she came to Western Australia. Absolutely incredible, it would be most
difficult to top off a better performance. 99.9% of other bands I have seen put nowhere
near as much time in preparation, and work towards perfection from every song, wardrobe,
choreography, and even as far as singing each note.

Well I keep emphasising the need to have a really nice hifi/stereo/sound system set up,
however a performance by a great Sarah Brightman recording will demonstrate to you just
how well she can actually sing. Her voice is rather high pitched, perhaps not the ideal
pitch for everyone, but... for those who do adore her performance, this album will take
you to new heights.

The song that really stands out for me is "Attesa". She was born to sing this song.
I could play this song 1000 times, if it wasn't for the fact that somebody who is not
me would eventually complain, I would play it 1000 times in a row if possible.

[OzzieAudiophile]

Well anyone who likes Sarah Brightman's style of music, opera, soprano, contempory
classical... you will want to give the following CD a try.

I'd recommend have a read on her biography. A bit of a history lesson, I stumbled on
Shapplin many years ago upon her first album Carmine Meo. I fell in love with her voice
straight away. Etterna includes a video interview of her, she is incredibly beautiful, another
born in France, however sings in Italian, but similarly to Andrea Bocelli, millions of
people listen to them, do not understand Italian, however their voices reach them in
so many ways that English-singers simply cannot. This CD does come with English
translation in the CD booklet.

Now with my vast improvement to my hifi with a new power Amp, it brings out even
more of this fine singer Shapplin. You should see her sing La Notte Etterna, it's
absolutely incredible, in the video that comes with the CD you can see how much effort
and energy into the song. This is one of the very few songs you will hear in this lifetime
that the last 5 seconds of the song (at least IMO) are the best, she just hits those notes...
just sensational.

However right now I'm just getting into her other songs, Celtica will grab you, if
you have a romantic bone in your body, or a mysterious side of you. 2:59 into this song,
close your eyes, and take a very deep breath. Thirty seconds of serenity.

A track I started to highly appreciate and breathe in is Leonora. Her voice is incredibly
strong, not subtle, the backing vocals belong, they compliment hers.

There are several lines in this song which sound absolutely powerful, especially on
a very well setup of speakers and amps. I can listen to her voice 1000 times a night...

Listen to her, you will do so as well.

Track listing :

01. Un Sospir di Voi - (Italian)
02. Aedeus - (Italian)
03. Da Me Non Venni - (Italian)
04. La Notte Etterna - (Italian)
05. Leonora - (Italian)
06. Celtica - (Italian)
07. La Silente Riva - (Italian)
08. Spesso Sprofondo - (Italian)
09. Mai Piu Serena - (Italian)
10. Nell Aria Bruna - (Italian)
11. Finale
12. La Notte Etterna - (Italian, remix version)

[OzzieAudiophile]

A mixed boxed set makes an excellent gift for anyone because they get to listen to a
vast variety. The drawback is that they might like or dislike a specific artist because
that song on the boxed set was favorable or not on the boxed set, oh well catch-22.

Upbringing makes a contributing factor, I was practically breast-fed country music. Today
I'm not a huge country music fan, as I've not kept up to date on that genre, but at the same
time I do not hate it.

I try to stay away from top-40 music, and the radio because I refuse to be a sheep and
buy a CD just because this or that DJ plays it 10 times a day. It's a form of conditioning
to coax some listeners to buy a CD by listening to it enough times, when they normally
would not buy it because it did not impress them the first time.

90% of the music I buy are on CD and are from the US because Australia do not stock
them, and are also at least double the price. No I won't wait 4 to 6 weeks for an
import, where I could get it in 2 from the US.

It's not really being bad to Australia by not buying "Australian" because Australia doesn't
have it anyway. Most the music I enjoy is international as well. Even the rarer
Sarah Brightman, Dire Straits CDs for example don't exist in Australia either. It's fine
if you're into chart-music.

If I had to recommend how one should approach exploring new music, and genres,
approach it with reckless abandon. By that I mean go and listen to a lot of new random
music. Just because it's not played on the radio, or not a top 40 charter doesn't mean
you will not like it. There are websites which store 30 to 45 second samples of tracks
on albums, so at least you can sample it. Saves you going down to your local CD shop,
save petrol or shoe wear/tear.

There is merit of course in some people who would "recommend" a specific artist. To go
by number of sales is a good indicator. However it doesn't mean just because x-million
love it, you won't either. The artist, or CD may simply not be for you, in time one develops
their own tastes in music. It's usually from an influence from a friend, relative, DJ or
on the radio.

I have found the more new music I find and enjoy, the more new music I want to find.
There's too many remixers out there, too many imitators and not enough innovators.

For example, the Bachs, the Mozarts, the Beethovens, why have so many CDs of their
music have been released ? why do so many commercials on tv exist with their music ?
They have become immortal with the impact they made with their work, they were ahead
of their time. There is a small proportion of artists/composers/singers/bands which
fit into this category. We pass them on from generation to generation. They will survive
the test of time more so than many people's CD collection.

You can understand why so much of their work is also available on SA-CD.

It's a good thing to be exposed to as many forms of music as possible. Eventually you
will also develop a tolerance to genres you'd normally hate, as there are some decent
works of "arguably" most of them. However that's a matter of perspective.

I enjoy listening to Andrea Bocelli, Emma Shapplin, and my Italian is quite poor, so's
most others. So why do many non Italian-speaking people go see Bocelli ? because
they enjoy his performances, his voice, how he can hold his notes etc. It goes to show
that to understand the lyrics of the song is not necessarily required to enjoy it.

I do have a theory that many people do enjoy foreign music, because it is so different to
them. Similarly a part attraction to why people love to travel overseas. The people, the
culture, the language is all difference. There's an element of exotic curiousity that exists
with music from other countries. Music has served well in bringing people from many
cultures, points of view, values of life, religions, ages, countries, all together.

It makes more sense to go out there and listen to as much as you can. The worst thing
you can do is find out more artists, genres that you don't like. The more people you
also meet, you will notice many differences in their music collecitons, it's another good
way of sampling new worlds. It's something I'd like to share with others as I have over
1000 CDs.

[3-LockBox]

It makes more sense to go out there and listen to as much as you can. The worst thing
you can do is find out more artists, genres that you don't like.

You should post this over in the U2 NLOTH thread...

I agree, you can't listen to corporate radio and epect to find new music.