Counting Crows - August And Everything After (Analogue Productions 2 x 45rpm)
Norah Jones - Broken Little Hearts (Analogue Productions)
Depeche Mode - Violator and Ultra (Sony Legacy)
Bob Marley - Legend (Abbey Road 1/2 speed remaster)
Was really looking forward to my favourite Counting Crows album but in the end that one went unplayed as Mrs O joined me as she wanted to hear Norah Jones. We also played Legend and Violator.
I heard things on Violator I’d never heard on CD, a great addition to my collection. Bob Marley was really good too with tremendous top end detail. I expected big things from the Norah Jones but was left deflated. I’ve not heard the original recording but this Kevin Gray remaster sounded muddled and disjointed. Can’t believe it’s the same guy who did the recent Joan Armatrading remaster.
No small amount of trepidation now for the Counting Crows offering from the same outfit …
EDIT: Needn’t have worried, August And Everything After sounds wonderful and is quite possibly the best sounding album I own.
Playing my old copy of Once Upon A Time this evening, I decided to go on a search for the new clear vinyl copy, and found one with a print signed by Siouxsie. Excuse the crappy pic - it’s the only one I could find to download.
Strange coincidence. Been on order for 5 months and arrived yesterday. Released over 8 years ago and now we’re all talking about it. Sounds better than my original pressing. Great album.
Just ordered the 2LP of this.
Been listening on stream daily following various recommendations on the forum and music press best of lists.
To my ears an engaging blend of swinging big band Jazz, traditional soloing and a Soul Jazz groove on a number of tracks coming from this being a celebration of Oliver Nelson, Jimmy Smith & Wes Montgomery
John Fordham Jazzwise;
For almost a decade, Christian McBride’s big band has been admired for its power, exuberance and swing – pretty much exactly the qualities McBride himself exhibits as a double bassist. This mix of big-band and quartet tracks celebrates the legendary 1966 guitar and Hammond organ partnership of Wes Montgomery and Jimmy Smith which produced the albums The Dynamic Duo, and Further Adventures of Jimmy and Wes with an Oliver Nelson-arranged ensemble behind them – classics that McBride and organist Joey DeFrancesco wore out the vinyl of in their Philly high school days. DeFrancesco takes the Smith role here alongside guitarist Mark Whitfield, and the 10 tracks join covers from the 1966 sessions to originals and standards in the same exhilarating vein.
The sassily bluesy classic ‘Night Train’ could have been written for the McBride band’s insouciant drive and DeFrancesco’s churning chords and jackhammering repeated notes, Whitfield catches Montgomery’s warm chordal slides on the latter’s ‘Road Song’ and takes off on a fast single-line exploration of ‘Milestones’ over McBride’s snappy walk, and a funky, trumpet-wailing ‘Down By The Riverside’ (the set’s big standout) presages a DeFrancesco outburst that makes you jump out of your seat. Whitfield’s own ‘Medgar Evers Blues’ is right in the laid-back Wes Montgomery pocket over McBride’s gruffly prowling bassline, and if the licks-packed DeFrancesco/McBride finale ‘Pie Blues’ veers to the OTT in its howling wah-wah trumpet opening, its down-and-dirty blues vibe exerts a timeless charm. Familiar music, but replayed with style, heat, and immense good humour.
Lifa just has arrived from Austria. Wow golden vinyl and the quality is actually right. But the music is simply fantastic. I still have an order on black vinyl.
Ordered yesterday, arrived today.
Spare a thought for our terrific hard working Royal Mail posties, risking their health to keep us in tune. Many postal workers are absent due to Covid yet those still working are doing a sterling job in unprecedented challenging circumstances.
Big thanks
@steviebee – I have a UK first press and the new clear vinyl version. It’s a bit difficult making a comparison though as the former is so battered! But very happy with the new one…
My original is not bad in terms of condition, but was hoping the new one would be pretty good. I assume Sioux and Severin had a hand in it. But it was the Sioux signed print that swung it, being honest! Going to be nice, framed.
Well I played a record today and the first impression was very good. The LP12 is on the jig for a new setup though. As soon as I’m done I can write more about it.
Incoming thanks to postie struggling thru rain and sleet. Been streaming this a lot recently decided it was a keeper. Blue Note vinyl out of stock until yesterday - ordered p.m arrived 10 a.m usual cracking Juno service.
