Your Go to CD to Impress


Friends come over and inquire why you would spend so much money on a stereo system, what is the CD you load up? For me,

Patricia Barber  ---Café Blue

Dead Can Dance-Into the Labyrinth


styxtrekr
Well, "What are you in the mood to listen to?"
I think these sound good on my system:
Antoine Dufour "Mother" from "Existence"
Allman Bros. "High Falls" from "Win, Lose, or Draw"
Lucky Dube "Guns and Roses" from "Taxman"
Rickie Lee Jones "Weasel and the White Boys Cool" from "Live at Red Rocks"
Charles Brown "Quicksand"
Dixie Dregs "I'm Freaking Out" from "Dregs of the Earth"
Roxy Music "If There is Something/Mother of Pearl" from Roxy Music Live
There are many more depending on the genre, acoustic or electric, etc. but these are some if my favorites. Guests tend to appreciate the nuances of a good system with the music they are most familiar with.
sara k. - 1) Hell or High Water
              2) Made in the Shade.

          Hybrid sacd's on Stockfisch Records.
Friends come over and inquire why you would spend so much money on a stereo system, what is the CD you load up?


I ask them to bring in a favorite cd from their car.  

If you want a sonic spectacular, try one of the last three of the Moody Blues’ core seven on SACD. Huge soundstages, a constantly changing soundscape with lots of effects, great guitar riffs, wide dynamic range. The 1997 remasters may be as good, but I haven’t heard them.

I don’t want to start a fight, but these albums were all made at least a year before Pink Floyd’s DSOTM and IMHO, they leave that classic in the dust as far as sound quality and use of studio technology go. You may disagree, of course.

Also McCartney’s recent reissues in the Paul McCartney Archive Collection qualify as sonic spectaculars. They have great sound, a complex, always changing soundscape with lots of effects and musical accents. Just pick your favorite.

In a different genre, If you like music rooted in bluegrass but with many other influences, check out Laurie Lewis’ "Blossoms." It opens with a beautiful 3 part acapella tune that’s pretty impressive. If you like bluegrass at all you should check out Laurie’s "Earth and Sky" compilation. Beautiful music.