Category: Vinyl / Tunes Blog

9-1-23

R.I.P. JIMMY BUFFETT

It is with great sadness that I report the passing of Jimmy Buffett.

I’m not sure where to begin, except to say his music is what saw me through much of the ’80s.

I was traveling around the world with my camera, a bunch of film, and a walkman. I ended up shooting stock in tropical locations nine months of the year because I was good at it and it paid really well. I became a “citizen of the world”, and his music was my soundtrack. Continue reading “”

HERE’S THE SPEAKER FOR LISTENING TO HEJIRA

The 30th anniversary Bowers & Wilkins Nautilus speaker is now available. It’s the classic shell-inspired, four-driver design that still looks out of this world after three decades of production.

This unique pair in Abalone Pearl is a one-off, hand-made to order visual, tactile and aural feast. Built in Worthing, England, each single enclosure takes over a week to build before sanding, painting, and polishing. The waitlist currently stands at over two years. Only $70,000… but you do get two speakers.

5-6-23

HEJIRA

Still one of my favorite albums, full of feeling and imagery.

It is a superb record by Joni, a return to her jazz influences with the amazing Jaco Pastorius on bass. It’s a musical high point, a complete portrait of a true artist following her muse unencumbered. A great road album given the right mood. Still a best listen on LP.

(Cover Photo: Norman Seeff)

My buddy Chad Kassem at Acoustic Sounds is killing it with his new high resolution Steely Dan reissues.

So far, I’ve received the UHQR (Ultra High Quality Recording) 180 gram LPs of Can’t Buy a Thrill and Countdown to Ectasy, both of which sounds phenomenal.

Next up is Pretzel Logic followed by Katy Lied and The Royal Scam. That last album will have a hard time topping my White Label Promo LP. Continue reading “”

1-11-23

JEFF BECK R.I.P.

1-19-23

DAVID CROSBY R.I.P.

This is getting old. Literally.

Guess I’m going to have to keep this blog from becoming an obituary column…

Jeff Beck, one of the greatest guitarists ever, of The Yardbirds, etc., passed away last week from a case of acute bacterial meningitis. He was otherwise in great shape at 78.

David Crosby of the Byrds and CSNY fame passed away today after a long illness at the age of 81. Continue reading “”

12-1-22

CHRISTINE MCVIE OF FLEETWOOD MAC PASSES AT AGE 79

One of my all-time favorite female singers and songwriters passed away yesterday at 79 after a brief illness. It’s a shock to all who loved her and the rest of the group known for their amazing run on the pop charts in the late 1970s.

Christine Perfect joined Fleetwood Mac after being with the group Chicken Shack in the late ’60s. In the new band, her then husband, John McVie, and Mick Fleetwood had already produced some great albums in the UK with Peter Green, among others. However, Christine, Jeremy Spencer and the brilliant Danny Kirwan provided an additional sound that some feel is still the band’s best with Christine’s early songs included: “Show Me A Smile”, “Morning Rain”, and “Spare Me a Little of Your Love”. Those albums are still some of my favorites.

Continue reading “”

Walter Becker passed away 5 years ago.

November is the 50th anniversary of the band that he was an integral part of, Steely Dan.

Their song “Doctor Wu” is part of me, and something I cannot ignore.

So, I’m proud to announce my buddy Chad Kassem at Acoustic Sounds is producing SACDs and high resolution LPs of their entire catalog beginning this month. Not cheap, but available.

Acoustic Sounds

Steely Dan Top 20 Songs


CAROLE KING – HOME AGAIN

Everybody needs to feel needed. When you have that, everything feels right.

Yes, I repeated myself, because positive repetition is important to our well-being.

It could be a pet or a significant other. They can help to get you through the tough times.

Of course, you already know that. So, why don’t artists still make songs like this?
Continue reading “”

FACES

Released in 1971, A Nod Is As Good As a Wink… to a Blind Horse remains The Faces definitive album. While “Stay With Me” is their all-time rocker, I’m a bit partial to “You’re So Rude”.

Not politically correct today, or perhaps ever, but their songs sure worked during the closing credits of Sahara, one of my fave movies with Penolope Cruz and Matthew McConaughey. Continue reading “”

THINGS HAVE CHANGED

People are crazy and times are strange
I’m locked in tight, I’m out of range
I used to care, but things have changed

These lyrics are from 2000. Always ahead of his time, Bob Dylan remains the only artist who can write like this.

Yeah, I’m listening to a lot of his stuff lately.

MOBILE FIDELITY CUTS THEIR VINYL FROM DIGITAL FILES!

Well, for the past several years anyway, and maybe longer than that. Mobile Fidelity Sound Labs has just admitted to working from Direct Stream Digital (DSD) copies to cut their LP reissues labeled Original Master Recording on the cover. Wow!

As audiophiles, we knew the MFSL SACDs were made using DSD files. Those are DDD after all.

Not for the LPs… we didn’t know about them not being AAA, until now. Not cool, especially considering their premium pricing. Continue reading “”