Playlist Week of 2015-05-30

* Rabih Abou-Khalil: Bukra (Enja CD)

* Dorothy Ashby: Afro-Harping (Cadet/Verve CD)

* John McLaughlin & The 4^th 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.