Which track do you demo to your friends?


You know when a friend arrives at your house, sees your stereo and says "how much did all this cost". You tell him/her the $$$ and they say "are you mad?" Of course, the next step is to justify it by playing something that will make their jaw hit the floor. Which track do you play? Me, I play a track called "Spanish Harlem" by Rebecca Pidgeon off an album called "The Raven". Works every time :-) Their jaw hits the floor, and no-one speaks till the song is over. Then they something along the lines of "Oh, I see what you mean". Follow up/alternate demo tracks for me would include "Fire and Roses" by Mimi Goese and "Ordinary Life" by Christen Barry. What track do you play in this most demanding of moments?
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Carreras, Domingo and Pavarotti "In concert Mehta" on London (any cut). Rossini "Comic Overtures" on Acum, Israel (any cut). Dudley Moore "Songs Without Words" GRP Records, for piano (any cut). Clapton "Unplugged" track #13 "Old Love". Lou Reed "Perfect Night in London", two cuts "Busload of Faith" and "Coney Island Baby". Ry Cooder "Bop Till You Drop", two cuts "I Think It's Going To Work Out Fine" and "I Can't Win", Hmmm quite a contrast. Also anything by KD Lang and by The Cowboy Junkies.
Whatever is in the CD player usually works, or I ask them what they want to hear. Most of the time I can pull it out of the record collection. I also let them set the volume level. The only thing I insist upon is that they sit in "the chair".
I agree with Doug in that I think it's best to play them music that they like and are familiar with on probably mid-fi equipment at best. That said, I personally like Lucinda Williams "Car Wheels on a Gravel Road"-- tracks #7 and #12 for dynamics, imaging, soundstaging,-- well the whole works. And also it's great popular music. I also use Cowboy Junkies, and Enigma. Also, Enya "Paint the Sky with Stars". Cheers. Craig.
Man, I love these posts the most. Thanks for all the suggestions for new music purchases. I spent about 3 hours listening to my favorites pondering this question. (What a pain.) I have used Ms. Pigeon’s “Spanish Harlem” and “The Word Around Town,” as well as several cuts from the “Chesky 10th Anniversary Special Edition”, but I have to settle down to seconding the Lyle Lovett “North Dakota” cut from Joshua Judges Ruth. I also ask them to look around my collection for something they are very familiar with and love to hear. Take care. Charlie
Donald Fagen Nightfly Track 1, Jennifer Warnes Hunter Track 8, Dire Straits Brothers in Arms Track 2