Pink Floyd- Hey You
Friday, April 24, 2009
Michael Fremer Review
I am very proud to continue our new feature (look for this every Friday), music reviews that are written by the senior contributing editor of Stereophile magazine- Michael Fremer. It has been a pleasure to speak with Michael and learn more about audio sound and equipment. In fact, his new DVD, "It's A Vinyl World, After All" has hit the shelves and is selling out very quickly. This is a must have for anybody who loves vinyl, it is a true masterpiece.
Additionally, make sure to stop by his site, www.musicangle.com and bookmark it for further exploration. I certainly want to thank Michael for the exclusive rights to reprint his fantastic material.
ALBUM REVIEW: Laura Nyro (reissue)
New York Tendaberry
Columbia/Pure Pleasure PPAN KCS 9737 180g LP
Produced by: Laura Nyro and Roy Halee
Engineered by: Roy Halee
Mixed by: Roy Halee
Mastered by: Ray Staff
Review by: Michael Fremer
2009-04-01
Laura Nyro’s most personal, mature and intense album of love’s struggles proved to be the stopping point for many fans of the earlier gospel-y good time Nyro who sung “Stoned Soul Picnic,” “Eli’s Comin’,” “Wedding Bell Blues,” “Stoney End,” and even “And When I Die,” which was celebratory despite the song’s morbid title.
While New York Tendaberry includes a healthy dose of Nyro’s uptempo gospel-piano stomp on songs like “Save the Country,” the album’s two openers “You Don’t Love Me When I Cry” and “Captain For Dark Mornings” are intensely personal confessionals that along with much of side two, preclude Joni Mitchell’s Blue by a few years.
The echoey, distant production produces an unusual sonic and tonal perspective, but knowing Roy Halee, who co-produced with Nyro and engineered it was not accidental. Nyro and piano are bathed in a controlled reverberant field occupying a small, distant but well focused field.
Nyro anchors the instrumental backdrop on piano with other instruments, especially treated horns similar to what Halee got for The Byrds on Notorious Byrd Brothers.
Most of the other instruments are presented in the same distant reverberant haze, which causes a midrange glare and overload if you play this record too loud.
It’s meant to be played at a relatively low level, probably to increase both the intimacy and the isolation. Then the purity shines through and the dynamic musical accents orchestrated by Jimmie Haskell (incorrectly spelled “Jimmy” on the jacket) jump without hesitation out of the mix.
As you might imagine, few buyers of this record in 1969 got to hear it as intended in the studio, considering the cheap record players of the time and the so-so quality of the vinyl by 1969.
This reissue betters the original in terms of clarity, dynamics, extension and especially background quiet. The Pallas pressing is dead silent.
If you don’t know this record or the late Laura Nyro’s music and you’re a Joni Mitchell Blue fan, this one’s for you, though don't ask me what a "Tendaberry" is.
SOURCE: http://www.musicangle.com Reprinted By Permission
Pick up Michael's DVD's Here:
Additionally, make sure to stop by his site, www.musicangle.com and bookmark it for further exploration. I certainly want to thank Michael for the exclusive rights to reprint his fantastic material.
ALBUM REVIEW: Laura Nyro (reissue)
New York Tendaberry
Columbia/Pure Pleasure PPAN KCS 9737 180g LP
Produced by: Laura Nyro and Roy Halee
Engineered by: Roy Halee
Mixed by: Roy Halee
Mastered by: Ray Staff
Review by: Michael Fremer
2009-04-01
Laura Nyro’s most personal, mature and intense album of love’s struggles proved to be the stopping point for many fans of the earlier gospel-y good time Nyro who sung “Stoned Soul Picnic,” “Eli’s Comin’,” “Wedding Bell Blues,” “Stoney End,” and even “And When I Die,” which was celebratory despite the song’s morbid title.
While New York Tendaberry includes a healthy dose of Nyro’s uptempo gospel-piano stomp on songs like “Save the Country,” the album’s two openers “You Don’t Love Me When I Cry” and “Captain For Dark Mornings” are intensely personal confessionals that along with much of side two, preclude Joni Mitchell’s Blue by a few years.
The echoey, distant production produces an unusual sonic and tonal perspective, but knowing Roy Halee, who co-produced with Nyro and engineered it was not accidental. Nyro and piano are bathed in a controlled reverberant field occupying a small, distant but well focused field.
Nyro anchors the instrumental backdrop on piano with other instruments, especially treated horns similar to what Halee got for The Byrds on Notorious Byrd Brothers.
Most of the other instruments are presented in the same distant reverberant haze, which causes a midrange glare and overload if you play this record too loud.
It’s meant to be played at a relatively low level, probably to increase both the intimacy and the isolation. Then the purity shines through and the dynamic musical accents orchestrated by Jimmie Haskell (incorrectly spelled “Jimmy” on the jacket) jump without hesitation out of the mix.
As you might imagine, few buyers of this record in 1969 got to hear it as intended in the studio, considering the cheap record players of the time and the so-so quality of the vinyl by 1969.
This reissue betters the original in terms of clarity, dynamics, extension and especially background quiet. The Pallas pressing is dead silent.
If you don’t know this record or the late Laura Nyro’s music and you’re a Joni Mitchell Blue fan, this one’s for you, though don't ask me what a "Tendaberry" is.
SOURCE: http://www.musicangle.com Reprinted By Permission
Pick up Michael's DVD's Here:
Music News & Notes
Two classic Ringo albums available on vinyl soon
Capitol Records is currently reissuing a lot of their classic albums. Two more Beatle related albums are going to be released shortly.
This has to be one of the greatest Beatle solo albums released next to "Imagine," "Band on The Run," and "All Things Must Pass." This album had many hits for Ringo including "Photograph," "You're 16," and "Oh My My." The LP also included the closest thing to a Beatle reunion till Anthology was released. On the song "I'm The Greatest" written by John Lennon, and performed by Ringo Starr, John Lennon, and George Harrison with Klaus Voorman on Bass. This album certainly deserves a nice reissue on vinyl for 2009.
Sentimental Journey - Ringo Starr (Apple Records) - This is one of the first big band type covers album performed by a Pop Rock artist. Many artists like Natalie Cole have had much success with this formula. Ringo was kinda groundbreaking with this release produced by Quincy Jones, Barry Gibb, and Paul McCartney.
Both releases are listed at www.cduniverse.com as available now for preorder, but release date "not determined". From their home page, search for artist "Ringo Starr" and then look under vinyl releases and then click on "Vinyl LP".
=================================
Franz Ferdinand To Release A Second Record This Year
Glasgow’s Franz Ferdinand will be releasing Blood — a dub version of their recently released third album Tonight: Franz Ferdinand — June 1 on Domino Records.
The album was mixed by Dan Carey, who mixed Tonight as well. Originally Blood was featured as part of the box set and double disc versions of Tonight, but the new version will include an extra song, “Be Afraid”, and a new version of “Dream Again”. Blood is being released in conjunction with this past weekend’s Record Store Day, and the group is planning to release 500 limited edition vinyl versions of the record exclusively to select independent record stores.
=================================
Jeff Lynne Solo Effort
According to a Reuters story, Jeff Lynne's first official solo album since 1990s "Armchair Theater" is scheduled for release sometime in the fall (he also recorded the ELO album Zoom in 2001 which was essentially a solo work). He also recently produced five tracks for Regina Spektor and has plans to work with Joe Walsh.
=================================
Morrison DVD Set For Release
Van Morrison will release the DVD, "Astral Weeks: Live at the Hollywood Bowl," on May 19 exclusively through Amazon. The DVD also "features special bonus songs," including a live version of "Gloria," and unprecedented behind-the-scenes footage as well as a candid conversation with the artist himself talking about the meaning behind Astral Weeks, his decision to revisit the pivotal project, and his impressions of the music business.
Capitol Records is currently reissuing a lot of their classic albums. Two more Beatle related albums are going to be released shortly.
This has to be one of the greatest Beatle solo albums released next to "Imagine," "Band on The Run," and "All Things Must Pass." This album had many hits for Ringo including "Photograph," "You're 16," and "Oh My My." The LP also included the closest thing to a Beatle reunion till Anthology was released. On the song "I'm The Greatest" written by John Lennon, and performed by Ringo Starr, John Lennon, and George Harrison with Klaus Voorman on Bass. This album certainly deserves a nice reissue on vinyl for 2009.
Sentimental Journey - Ringo Starr (Apple Records) - This is one of the first big band type covers album performed by a Pop Rock artist. Many artists like Natalie Cole have had much success with this formula. Ringo was kinda groundbreaking with this release produced by Quincy Jones, Barry Gibb, and Paul McCartney.
Both releases are listed at www.cduniverse.com as available now for preorder, but release date "not determined". From their home page, search for artist "Ringo Starr" and then look under vinyl releases and then click on "Vinyl LP".
=================================
Franz Ferdinand To Release A Second Record This Year
Glasgow’s Franz Ferdinand will be releasing Blood — a dub version of their recently released third album Tonight: Franz Ferdinand — June 1 on Domino Records.
The album was mixed by Dan Carey, who mixed Tonight as well. Originally Blood was featured as part of the box set and double disc versions of Tonight, but the new version will include an extra song, “Be Afraid”, and a new version of “Dream Again”. Blood is being released in conjunction with this past weekend’s Record Store Day, and the group is planning to release 500 limited edition vinyl versions of the record exclusively to select independent record stores.
=================================
Jeff Lynne Solo Effort
According to a Reuters story, Jeff Lynne's first official solo album since 1990s "Armchair Theater" is scheduled for release sometime in the fall (he also recorded the ELO album Zoom in 2001 which was essentially a solo work). He also recently produced five tracks for Regina Spektor and has plans to work with Joe Walsh.
=================================
Morrison DVD Set For Release
Van Morrison will release the DVD, "Astral Weeks: Live at the Hollywood Bowl," on May 19 exclusively through Amazon. The DVD also "features special bonus songs," including a live version of "Gloria," and unprecedented behind-the-scenes footage as well as a candid conversation with the artist himself talking about the meaning behind Astral Weeks, his decision to revisit the pivotal project, and his impressions of the music business.