* 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.
