The Moody Blues - Question Of Balance (1970)

The Moody Blues - Question Of Balance (1970) SACD

  A Question Of Balance was exactly that......The Moody Blues going back to a more balanced sound.......a return to the huge orchestral symphonia of the Futures album while taking on a slightly more `rock` vibe and pushing aside the psych tendencies of previous albums. 
   This album was clearly The Moodies rediscovering who they were again and going back to basics....
   Also noticeable is the slightly harder edge on this album which wont be heard again until `The Seventh Sojourn`album. 

The Moody Blues - In Search Of The Lost Chord (1968)

The Moody Blues - In Search Of The Lost Chord (1968) SACD

  In Search Of The Lost Chord was the follow up to the hugely popular `Days of Future Passed` and on this album the Moodies were looking really for something different and a lost chord at that!   At the time of this recording George Harrison was a good pal of Justin Hayward and you can hear the influences of Eastern Raga-like structures and even some sitar.    Clearly this was the era of experimentalism and of broadening musical horizons...something the Moody Blues strived for in their early days.
  In Search is a masterpiece of progressive symphonic rock and although did not chart as well as their debut album or other albums this one remains a fan favorite and a fav of mine too !
   `Legend Of A Mind`and the psych reference to the astral plain and Timothy Leary clearly reminds us of the mental state of the Moodies in 1968 !
  Simply a breath taking album of pure beauty.

The Moody Blues - Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (1971)

The Moody Blues - Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (1971) SACD


EGBDF is of course not only a musical scale but also the name The Moody`s gave to their 6th classic album. It seemed at the time that the Moody`s could do no wrong with yet again this album reaching number 1 in the UK and number 2 in the US Charts.

Yet with Every Good Boy Deserves Favour things really started to change for the Moody Blues.

EGBDF represented for the Moody`s a shift from the mellotron soaked passages to a more Moog synth dominated album yet remained still lush and symphonic. The Moody`s even changed labels moving from the familiar haunts of Decca to use other studio and engineers. The album was released on their own label Threshold and sold very well at the time and remains among Moody Fans on the great treasured albums.

Sonically this album is once again darn near perfect for my ears as the SACD was lifted straight from the original Quad masters and offers amazing separation and tone clarity.

I am sure there are many who will dis this gem but take it from me (a huge fan of the Moody`s) that this SACD is essential and sonically beautiful.

They just dont make music like this any more.........

The Moody Blues - On The Threshold Of A Dream (1969)

The Moody Blues - On The Threshold Of A Dream (1969)  SACD

"On The Threshold Of A Dream" is one of my all time favorite albums! And what better way to enjoy it than in glorious SACD !

Once again this SACD is taken from the quadraphonic mix masters recorded in 1969 and the sound is simply breathtaking......The voices are very clearly defined as is the instrumentation with a nice deep rich sound.

Musically this album is dreamy and deeply rich with lots of mellotron and vocal harmonies.  This was the Moody`s at arguably their best with a great mix of progressive, pop and psychedelic genres

I would highly recommend this album to all lovers of The Moody Blues.

Marshall Crenshaw (1982)

Marshall Crenshaw , 1982 Mobile Fidelity SACD

Marshall Crenshaw's debut album released in 1982 is a masterpiece of power pop. Released about the same time as the rise of MTV and all those nasty 80's videos, Crenshaw released a pop friendly album that has stood the test of time. Naturally I was excited to see this album released by MOFI and I must say that they have done an excellent job in re-presenting this recording in glorious SACD!

This mofi is an excellent balanced mix with a high degree of instrumental clarity and separation. The drums are a key part of the mix and are nicely contrasted and not in your face. Crenshaw's vocals are in the front but not so far that you feel like it is somewhere else (a complaint i have with the Pretenders Mofi release).

If you are not familiar with this album you should give this a wee spin and if you like what you hear I would recommend you snag this on SACD.

...oh yeah and get ready to dance !

The Moody Blues - To Our Children's Children's Children (1969)

The Moody Blues - To Our Children's Children's Children (1969)

  "To Our Children's...." was the 4th recording in the psychedelic Septet album run in the late 60's and early 70's for England's Moody Blues.  For me this is the loneliest of all their albums and every time I hear this album I get that melancholy feeling.   If you have not heard this album (or any of the first 7 albums) then you really need to go and get a copy of this soon.    It is an album that you experience more than you listen to with their deep lyrics, huge wall of mellotron pathways and deeply emotional vocal harmonies.  

Tame Impala - Innerspeaker (2011)

Tame Impala - Innerspeaker - 2011
 

Debut album from Australia’s Tame Impala had me reeling in all year.  Trapped somewhere in the depths of space comes this little gem of an album mashing “Sgt Pepper’s” with Kula Shaker!  Without question lead singer Kevin Parker delivers hauntingly familiar vocals truly reminiscent of  John Lennon.  In fact his vocals will throw you off at first listen and you will swear Lennon is in the building.   This album is an exploration into sound…..spacey feedback, hazy psychedelia, dreamy  vocals and lush landscapes all building to a joyous climax. 

Check out their 5 song EP too!   Very very cool music

The Soundtrack Of Our Lives - Communion (2009)

The Soundtrack Of Our Lives - Communion , 2009 (2 Disc Set)

  Imagine in this day of age releasing a 2 disc concept album.....how 70's is that eh ?   Well our Swedish friends have done just that and what a Mesmerizing album at that !  Communion is a concept album based around the themes of alienation, isolation and the cost of mass consumerism.
   The art work on the album is in sharp contrast to the poignant lyrics and aim of the music.  The photos on the album depict cheesey- ironic scenes of commercialism...like they are selling you perfection). Just an excellent album !

Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass - Whipped Cream & Other Delights Rewhipped (2006)

Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass - Whipped Cream & Other Delights Rewhipped (2006)

  Ok who didn't have the original Herb Alpert whipped cream album ?   Well I still have I am sure a vinyl copy kicking about somewhere likely fairly battered up !   Well this isn't quite what you might be expecting.... but man what a great album.   This is a re-recording of the original album with Herb at the helm with plenty of samples of the original tracks from that classic LP tossed in with some nice heavy Trip Hop influences throughout. 
   Herb Alpert himself actually lays down some new trumpet solos as well . The entire "Whipped Cream & Other Delights" album is presented here and has been "re-whipped" by a variety of the top remixers and Hip Hopsters.  A dreamy album with some real funky and psychy bits.    Brilliant album

The Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed (1969)

The Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed (1969) SACD

  Let It Bleed was a transformation album as it really was the end of Brian Jones era and the intro of Mick Taylor.  Musically Let It Bleed continues in the vein of Beggars Banquet with its blues and folk rock vibes and contains several of my personal favourite Stones moments.  On this album you also get on"You Got the Silver" a first as Keith Richards first lead vocals on a studio track (I think).

The Box (1984)

The Box (1984) Unidisc Remaster

The Box were a band that we all totally got into during our highschool days....I remember this album trading hands and lockers still to this day.   "Must I always remember"  was the song i played the most in 1984.....in fact this album never left my stereo and I still love this album to this day.
  The Box are a French Canadian progressive pop cross over band that write and play very clever music that really defies boundaries.    The Box first 2 albums have passed the test of time with me and I still love these albums as much now as I did when I was 15.  

Lisa Gerrard - The Silver Tree (2006)

Lisa Gerrard - The Silver Tree (2006)

  So one day I am in the movie theatre watching Ridley Scott's Gladiator and I fall in love with the main theme song and i have to go out and buy it...just for that song.   Well I did and |I discovered that it was Lisa Gerrard from Dead Can Dance who sang the number.

The Silver Tree continues Gerrard's deep quest into the vast regions of musical landscapes that few have ever encountered.  This album is dripping with a macabre-like minimalism and full of deep gorges, valleys and hills that you must carefully ascend.   (any idea what I am talking about ?   )....

Anyway.........The Silver Tree is a highly expressive album that breaks all boundaries and is an amazing album.........the soundtrack to our lives !

Alice Coltrane - Universal Consciousness (1971)

Alice Coltrane - Universal Consciousness (1971)

  This album aint what u thinkin' there dude !   Alice Coltrane's music IS an experience as much as it is music.  Imagine an extraterrestrial voyage into the organic polyphony organ chased down with tons of jazz and soft fusion bits and you might be gettin close.

Ok so lets start with the last name...yes she is John Coltrane's wife.......ok lets move on please.......

This album is a very hard album to grasp at first......in fact it took me about 3 listens before I could honestly say I got it .....and now I can't stop playing it.

Alice was a highly spiritual personal and brought deep tones and emotions into her music which really emerge as you get more and more into this gem !

Musically it is a cross between fusion and symphonic jazz with a heavy emphasis on tonality.

Dont come into this album looking for sir John Coltrane......you better bring your bong and your religious doctrines along

Mel Torme - Swingin' On The Moon (1960)

Mel Torme - Swingin' On The Moon (1960)

  The Chill factor is high on this one kids !  Loung'ie and yet crooner'ish and yet jazzy and even a bit spacey ...all in one album.  Torme emotes that on track 2 Midnight Cocktails are THE thing !  I totally dig this album and think Mel had a great voice.  On this album Torme reinterpreted the songs to fit the theme of this album being that of the lunar space and stratosphere. 

Elton John SACD (1969)

Elton John (1969) Island Records SACD

  The early Elton John albums are to die for......and although this was his 2nd album it really all started here with this album in collaboration with Bernie Taupin.  On this album Elton started to really combine strings and orchestra with the band and fuse lyrics in a way that was pretty ground breaking.  `Sixty Years On` is one of the great numbers

  Elton ever wrote and really could have come off of the Moody Blues `Days of Future Pass`album with is delicate orchestration and pop magical`ness.  `The King Must Die`is another pure magical moment as well that will have you memorized.

Julie London - London By Night (1958)

Julie London - London By Night (1958) Remaster

   Julie London had one of the greatest voices of all time......timeless and perfect.   Every darn time she just gets me "right there"....something that words just can`t express.    London By Night is a great late night chillin album for when you just need to kick back and take er easy.    This is one of THE Melancholy albums of all time.

Jimmy Smith - Back At The Chicken Ranch (1963) SACD

Jimmy Smith - Back At The Chicken Ranch (1963) Analogue Productions SACD

   Jimmy Smith's "Back At The Chicken Shack" is one of the hallmark albums for lovers of the organ driven jazz.  This album is a combo of soul, blues, jazz and fusion genres ....all in one album.  Jimmy Smith is helped out on by Stanley Turrentine (tenor saxophone), Kenny Burrell (guitar) and Donald Bailey (drums).  Jazz organ enthusiasts (like me) will love this album with its soulful presence and mindful jazziness.

Mike Oldfield - Incantations (1978) Deluxe Edition

Mike Oldfield - Incantations (1978) Deluxe Edition

  The Deluxe Edition of Mike Oldfield's 1978 album Incantations is the Holy Grail of all versions of this gem.   This 3 disc set (2 audio and one DVD) brings to life finally this masterpiece album with outstanding tone quality.  Included here is Mike's own remastered version and a 5.1 mix of the same album.  The 3rd disc is a DVD recorded live in 1979 at Wembley with a promo video of "Guilty".   The live DVD is worth the whole package alone....with guest appearances by Wigwam's Pekka Phojola (bass), Pierre Moerlen (Drums) and David Bedford (percussion) to name a few of the more famed guests.    Overall for fans of this album I would highly recommend this deluxe edition as the mixes are just so much more improved  and really and finally brings this recording to life.

  I think one of the great musical moments is at the 8:00 min mark of Part One when the electronica starts and Oldfield fuses this with the choral vocals and flute which builds to a great epic ending.   Genius stuff .......pure genius

The Thorns (2003)

The Thorns - 2003, Aware Records (Special 2 CD Edition)
 
  The Thorns have sadly only released this one solo album....and equally sadly is the fact that this album was not well liked by the public'!.   This is an album of beautifully crafted pop songs with some fantastic vocal harmonies and excellent songwriting.  In many ways this album feels like an ode to Crosby Stills and Nash with the overall harmonic approach.    The Thorns was the combined talents of 3 contemporary popmeisters....Matthew Sweet, Shawn Mullins and Pete Droge.
  The Special 2 CD edition of this album contains a second acoustic take on the album which is absolutely essential and often it is a toss up which disc I will play.

An excellent album

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Couldn't Stand The Weather (1984)

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Couldn't Stand The Weather (1984) Legacy 2 CD Remaster

   Lets start off 2012 on the right foot shall we ?  
      "Couldn't Stand The Weather" was the 2nd album way back from guitar blues wizard Stevie Ray Vaughan.  Follow up albums are usually key and Vaughan and Double Trouble managed to pull off another great album to support perhaps my favourite blues rock album of all time.... "Texas Flood". 
   Not a bad track on this album with 2 absolutely stunning ones "Tin Pan Alley" and his ode to Jimbo Hendrix "Voodoo Child (slight return) which is just a stunning version.  Included in the legacy 2 CD remastered edition is a live performance from Montreal at the Spectrum (Aug 17th, 1984) .  Also included are a number of unreleased tracks from these recording sessions making this quite a stunning package.