Rick Beato's "40 best-sounding albums"

[Botch]

This thread could've gone in many places, I kinda want to go thru some of these old threads; and maybe someone will post some new stuff.

Some interesting choices here. I immediately had about ten in mind, and Rick hadn't mentioned any of them until he hit the top 10, then he got most of them! I would've added debuts by Edie Brickell and Rickie Lee Jones, Doobies' Livin on the Fault Line, but the most sonically killer stereo album I own is Dire Straits' "Love Over Gold". Every time I demo'd Side 1 in a stereo shop the clerks ended up buying it. Dynamic Range for days.
I'd have to disagree with two picks, Songs in the Key of Life, and the particular Stones album he picked, they both sound muddy to me (I thought the Stones' Tattoo You sounded much better.) Some others didn't sound so good either, but its just one snippet of one song from an album and I'm listening to them via a laptop's speakers.
My ultimate recording, in 5.1 and my favorite system show-off piece is still Bright Nightgown, Donald Fagen (I brought it with me to someone's GTG); nine separate guitar parts (that I can pick out) and yet still so much space, or air, in the recording, just love it.

 

[Haywood]

I would add these

• Fleetwood Mac: Rumors
• Steely Dan: Aja
• Supertramp: Crime of the Century
• Happy Anniversary Charlie Brown
• Alison Krauss and Union Station: New Favorite
• Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here
• Sting: Brand New Day
• Cowboy Junkies: The Trinity Session

 

[mcad64]

This thread could've gone in many places, I kinda want to go thru some of these old threads; and maybe someone will post some new stuff.

Some interesting choices here. I immediately had about ten in mind, and Rick hadn't mentioned any of them until he hit the top 10, then he got most of them! I would've added debuts by Edie Brickell and Rickie Lee Jones, Doobies' Livin on the Fault Line, but the most sonically killer stereo album I own is Dire Straits' "Love Over Gold". Every time I demo'd Side 1 in a stereo shop the clerks ended up buying it. Dynamic Range for days.
I'd have to disagree with two picks, Songs in the Key of Life, and the particular Stones album he picked, they both sound muddy to me (I thought the Stones' Tattoo You sounded much better.) Some others didn't sound so good either, but its just one snippet of one song from an album and I'm listening to them via a laptop's speakers.
My ultimate recording, in 5.1 and my favorite system show-off piece is still Bright Nightgown, Donald Fagen (I brought it with me to someone's GTG); nine separate guitar parts (that I can pick out) and yet still so much space, or air, in the recording, just love it.

So I listened to "Love Over Gold" because I happen to think "Brothers In Arms" is one of the most sonically rich and well produced albums I own!!
Now before I listened to "Love over Gold" I checked track listings to see if I know any of the songs on the album. Seems to me "Industrial disease" does NOT belong on that album. Otherwise, good stuff.

 

[AndySTL]

I was happy to see Tears for Fears Songs from the Big Chair on there. I love that album and have been looking for a copy of the 2014 remix by Steven Wilson on Blu Ray Pure Audio. They can be found on eBay for around $100 but I can’t quite justify a Benjamin for one album.

 

[mcad64]

Growing up I couldn't stand Gino Vanelli. Seeing as he was Canadian they played him on the radio all the time. I Just Wanna Stop and Living Inside Myself were played to death on Canadian radio. Turns out he is a highly respected musician....who knew!!

 

[Huey]

Growing up I couldn't stand Gino Vanelli. Seeing as he was Canadian they played him on the radio all the time. I Just Wanna Stop and Living Inside Myself were played to death on Canadian radio. Turns out he is a highly respected musician....who knew!!

His song Black Cars was an anthem at most of the roller skating rinks I went to in the 80's. Never knew he was the same guy who sang those other songs until just a few years ago.

 

[Botch]

My last summer in Sioux Falls I always bought one MOFI vinyl from my audio salon, before I went to the grocery store. My favorite clerk was all excited to play this for me on their biggest system; of course I bought it.

That Minimoog bass was so phat.

 

[Randy]

His song Black Cars was an anthem at most of the roller skating rinks I went to in the 80's. Never knew he was the same guy who sang those other songs until just a few years ago.

I remember hearing I Just Wanna Stop and Living Inside Myself at the skating rink.

 

[Botch]

You Kids! At MY skating rink, it was Tommy James/Shondells and Three Dog Night!

EDIT: Oh, and the Grass Roots!

 

[Kazaam]

He mentions Jellyfish’s “Joining a Fanclub” somewhere in the 30s (I think). Now… my ears are somewhat shot nowadays for critical listening, but I’d like to mention a different song off the same record.

No idea how it sounds on a proper system, but I really like the song “New Mistake”. When I first heard it a year or two ago I thought it was, I dunno, maybe too derivative (?) of older music that was also out of time for the early 90s. But despite that initial thought I have really come to enjoy it. Check out all the sounds toward the end of the song starting around the 3:00 mark.

 

[Kazaam]

And, of course, Tears for Fears is just plain awesome. And I do seem to remember that Kid A song sounding pretty good, too. Mind you it’s probably been close to a decade (or two) since I heard it, especially so on a decent system. Similarly, just going off of decades-old memory here, but I do seem to recall thinking the opening track or two on David Bowie’s ”Heathen” album was a sonic treat, at least on SACD.

 

[Huey]

You Kids! At MY skating rink, it was Tommy James/Shondells and Three Dog Night!

EDIT: Oh, and the Grass Roots!

I don't know if he's in this video or not, but Creed from the Office was in this band until 1969.

 

[jamhead]

I was happy to see Tears for Fears Songs from the Big Chair on there. I love that album and have been looking for a copy of the 2014 remix by Steven Wilson on Blu Ray Pure Audio. They can be found on eBay for around $100 but I can’t quite justify a Benjamin for one album.

I have that one and the sound quality / surround mix is outstanding.