May 31, 2015

Playlist Week of 2015-05-30


* Rabih Abou-Khalil: Bukra (Enja CD)
* Dorothy Ashby: Afro-Harping (Cadet/Verve CD)
* John McLaughlin & The 4th Dimension: Cuvéehof, Germany 2008-07-04 (FM CDR)
* Bill Laswell/Jack DeJohnette/Elliot Sharp/Graham Haynes: Willisau 1998-08-08 (FM CDR)
* Zillatron: Lord Of The Harvest (Black Arc/Rykodisc CD)
* Pat Metheny: One Quiet Night (Warner Bros. CD)
* Ingrid Laubrock Anti-House: Roulette of the Cradle (Intakt CD)
* Marcin Wasilewski: Trio (ECM CD)
* Stefano Bollani: Joy In Spite of Everything (ECM CD)
* Rodger Coleman & Sam Byrd: Heeltop Home Studio 2015-05-14 & 15 (WAV)
* Steven Halpern: Inner Peace (Inner Peace CD)
* Steven Halpern: Deja-Blues (Inner Peace CD)
* Steve Roach: Dreaming…Now, Then: A Retrospective 1982-1997 (Celestial Harmonies 2CD)
* Daft Punk: Random Access Memories (Columbia CD)
* D’Angelo & The Vanguard: Black Messiah (RCA CD)
* Grateful Dead: Dave’s Picks Vol.2: Hartford, CT 7/31/74 (selections) (GDP/Rhino 3+1HDCD)
* Van Morrison: The Philosopher’s Stone (d.1 (Polydor 2CD)
* Can: The Lost Tapes (Spoon 3CD)
* Van Der Graaf Generator: The Box (Virgin 4CD)
* Jim O’Rourke: Simple Songs (Drag City CD)
* The Mars Volta: Tremulant EP (Gold Standard Laboratories CDEP)
* Animal Collective: Prospect Hummer (Fat Cat CDEP)
* Porcupine Tree: Deadwing (Lava/Atlantic CD)
* Steven Wilson: Hand. Cannot. Erase. (KScope 2LP/BD)
* Anathema: Distant Satellites (KScope CD/DVD)
* Sleep: The Clarity (Praise Iommi MP3) †
* OM: Advaitic Songs (Drag City 2-45RPM LP) †
* Al Cisneros: Empty Tomb/Sepulcher Dub (Samaritan Press 7”) †
* Mastodon: Once More ‘Round The Sun (Reprise 2LP/CD)
* Kylesa: Ultraviolet (Season of Mist CD)
* Agalloch: The Serpent & The Sphere (Profound Lore CD)
* Pallbearer: Sorrow And Extinction (Profound Lore CD)
* Pallbearer: Foundations of Burden (Profound Lore CD)
* Wye Oak: Shriek (Merge LP) †
* Ryley Walker: Primrose Green (Dead Oceans LP) †

=iPod/iTunes
=car


Commentary:

After more than two years of steady use, my Clearaudio Concept MM cartridge has been sounding wrong these days. A quick back-of-the-napkin calculation tells me that I have far exceeded the 2,000 hours it is expected to last, which explains the sonic deterioration I'm hearing. Even though I meticulously clean every record I play (and I do not bother to play trashed LPS), these things don't last forever -- and a worn stylus will damage my precious, minty vinyl records.

I do have what will be a massive upgrade on the way: a Clearaudio Maestro V2 Ebony, their top-of-the-line moving magnet cartridge. Although it costs nearly as much as the turntable itself, keep in mind that their moving coil designs start at a grand and quickly go up from there. I'm not quite ready to move into that level of audiophilia at the moment -- but am looking forward to what the Maestro V2 will do for my humble Concept turntable.

In the meantime, I have been spinning CDs and other digital recordings -- of which I have plenty, to be sure! Honestly, vinyl is a pain-in-the-ass and I am kind of enjoying the enforced break. The compact disc can sound mighty fine (though often not as good as it could). Nevertheless, I hope my turntable will be back in action soon.

2 comments:

Sam said...

It's great to have music available in so many formats these days! If one platform is temporarily out of commission, just move to another one.

How's the new Anti-House?

Here are my lists from last week:

Playlist 2015-06-01

*Anthony Braxton: Composition 96
*Harry Carney: With Strings
*Rodger Coleman and Sam Byrd: 2015-05-14/15 Nashville (wav)
*Rodger Coleman and Sam Byrd: 2015-05-15 Centennial Park Black Box Theater, Nashville (mp3)
*Marilyn Crispell/Reggie Workman/Doug James: Gaia
*Miles Davis: Bitches Brew “Bitches Brew”
*Mary Halvorson: 2009-06-28 Joe’s Pub, NYC (CDR)
*Freddie Hubbard: Breaking Point
*Nommonsemble: Life Cycle
*Tom Rainey Trio: 2013-10-19 Brooklyn NY (CDR)
*Ben Webster with Strings: Music for Loving (disc 2)
*Beach Boys: Good Vibrations: Thirty Years Of The Beach Boys (disc 1) (selections)
*Deerhoof: 2014-11-04 Brooklyn (youtube > mp3)
*Jimi Hendrix Experience: Live at Berkeley
*Jimi Hendrix: People, Hell, and Angels
*OOIOO: Gamel
*Prince: Parade (side 1)
*Various artists: Complete UK Upsetter Singles Collection Vol. 1 (disc 1)
*Brian Wilson: No Pier Pressure
*Various artists: WSAM: Mish Mash (CDR compilation)

Reading List 2015-06-01:

*Ennis, Garth, and Steve Dillon. Preacher: Book One (started)
*Erikson, Steven. The Crippled God (reread/finished)
*Schmidt, Michael. The Novel: A Biography (in progress)

Jean K said...

That's funny Rodger - I also had a vinyl free week recently. It was like going on vacation. Stress free, no cleaning ...