Relaxing revelations

 

Last week was a bit messed up in a number of ways so we're catching up and at the same time trying to relax a bit so I did play a couple of records one being a Bay City Rollers album from the days I had lots of clippings, posters and scarfs of theirs.

Given my super audio cd player spends over 80% of its time playing regular cds I recently changed the external digital to analogue converter that takes the noughts and ones from the transport in the player to improve on its sound.

I've had cd since 1986 so not surprisingly some my cds go back a long time and some have had a number of cd releases so how would you know what's worth keeping as we tend to remember how something s oundedbut not necessarily take account of what we heard it on.

This variant of the first Duran Duran album was from 1985 to the early 1990's the international cd release of the album which saw To The Shore removed and the 1983 single Is There Something I Should Know? added as track five (and last track  side one on the US/Japan lp|) 

In 1993 a version that restored To The Shore was issued in Europe with a newer mastering issued but to my ears it seemed to lack "attack" and subsequent issued in 2003 and 2010 worse.

The usual criticism of that first cd issue was that sounded bright and that 1983 single was mastered a bit louder than the rest of the album and it can remembering how it sounded on my original Toshiba player.

Putting it in the super audio cd and playing from the new external digital to analogue convertor was a revelation as it didn't sound bright, there was an obvious bass line and Simon Le Bon's vocals had great presence.

I even heard clear soundstaging!

Actually I had to pinch myself that I wasn't hearing a record playing it was that good correcting that level issue while playing it.

Actually this was a really good sounding cd ONCE you corrected the level mismatch and took advantage of the advances in digital technology.

Now it won't sort a bad cd out but it certainly will bring out everything that the disc has and that for generations we assumed it never had.

Looks toward Spring

While one thaws out after a cold start to the weekend when I got a bit colder than desirable with lips turning blue due to bitterly cold strong winds thoughts turn to looks and completing them.

Plaid skirts have always been a favourite of mine  ones like these with just a bit of detail such as bows but nothing too fussy or hard for me to put on by myself are just the thing.

Heels it must be said may be so so feminine but with my wobbliness not realistic as I'd be flying all over the place!

One approach especially in winter months would be thick white tights giving much of the look you want but less "suffering for fashion" at this time of year but for spring onwards I just love the freedom of just below the knee plain white socks that are still warmish with just a touch of the kitten.

You can't take that out of me.

Classical Music sacd round up 22

Ironic when we've improved regular cd replay for not just ye olde cds from the 80's but modern cds when the numbers of super audio cds has dropped we have three box sets of them!

Thus we have a new numbered sacd round up and all the discs are hybrid so they have a cd layer for regular players apart from the sacd layer for compatible players.

Jacqueline de Pré was a sensational cello player whose career was sadly cut down by illness but not before making some of the greatest recordings during the 1960's for Emi/Angel that were compiled in 2025 in newly transferred high definition masterings for super audio cd.

SACD 1

1-4 ELGAR Cello Concerto in E minor

5-9 DELIUS Cello Concerto

London Symphony Orchestra · Sir John Barbirolli (1-4)

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra · Sir Malcolm Sargent (5-9)

Recorded: 19.VIII.1965, Kingsway Hall, London (1-4); 12 & 14.I.1965, No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road, London (5-9)

(p) 1965, Remastered (P) 2020 (1-4) & 2022 (5-9) Parlophone Records Limited

SACD 2

1-3 SCHUMANN Cello Concerto in A minor

4-6 DVOŘÁK Cello Concerto in B minor

7 DVOŘÁK Silent Woods

New Philharmonia Orchestra (1-3), Chicago Symphony Orchestra (4-7) · Daniel

Barenboim

Recorded: 8-9.IV & 11.V.1968, No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road, London (1-3); 11.XI.1970, Medinah Temple, Chicago

(4-7)

(p) 1969/2022 (1-3) & 1971/2022 (4-7) Parlophone Records Limited

SACD 3

1-3 HAYDN Cello Concerto No. 1 in C major

4-6 BOCCHERINI Cello Concerto No. 9 in B-flat major

7-9 HAYDN Cello Concerto No. 2 in D major

English Chamber Orchestra · Daniel Barenboim (1-6)

London Symphony Orchestra · Sir John Barbirolli (7-9)

Recorded: 17 (1-3) & 24 (4-6) IV.1967, 13.XII.1967 (7-9), No. 1 Studio, Abbb

Her husband, Daniel Barenboim, was an international renown pianist and this cycle of Beethoven's Piano Concertos.

While several years back we bought the Sir Colin Davis Nielsen Symphonies set, this set of recordings done in analogue tape in the sixties does include overtures and Concertos not present in that modern set so is of value.

The conductor John Wilson has given us much in recent years  but this recording by the Sinfonia of London of Walton's Cello Concerto is a highlight for me from 2024

His 2025 account with Charlie Lovell-Jones of the Violin Concerto is highly enjoyable.

While there was an issue in 2018, this remastered edition that came out last year takes Mozart's Piano  Concertos 20, 21, 25 and 27 in excellent mid 1970's recordings by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Claudio Abbado with Friedrich Gulda on piano and puts all four of the recordings on two hybrid super audio cds in a slim case.

Relaxing

After  last weeks slightly more tech centred post during what was a very windy week with quite a bit of tidying up needing to be done in the front garden and dealing with a bad case of lower paw cramp a day ago thoughts are elsewhere.

The way you might relax after and recovering from all that can vary from immersing yourself in something more child-like such as watching your favourite children's tv shows either original or new episodes to reading comics.

I did get this years first issue of one magazine whose subscription seemed to mysteriously cut out after finding how to resubscribe and a discount code  to save around 20% of a years subscription but given it has a mixture of stories, facts and quiz's that'd well worth it.

A good soak tm can be quite relaxing with bubble bath or bath bombs by the likes of Lush although I've never heard of having snack in the bath but never use electrical things by the bath - if they fall in you'll get electricity in you and that's fatal plus  please be careful with scent candles as it is easy to start a fire if they fall or the flame otherwise catches something.

I did put a couple of new to me organ cds on which also was also relaxing.

Tuning in

After a week that had some forum drama and odd triggering post it was really more necessary to put grown up business of that disgrace, Donald J Trump, to one side and settle for some imagination based play rather than the purely role playing sort to reset somewhat.

One thing I do miss from modern portable devices is the built in FM Radio.

Now FM is hardly new, did look in the 2010's to be at risk of extinction between DAB and Internet based radio offering more choices even if in absolute terms the quality isn't always as good although the quality of what is sent out isn't what it was beyond stations such as BBC Radio 3.

You don't find Dab tuners in them probably with that not being popular in the Far East or Asia.

This one, while a bit awkward in the menu department and lacking any means of turning on gapless playback does have a okay but could be more sensitive FM radio with a virtual tuning dial you use the << and >> buttons to tune and up to six presets.

The finish is surprisingly good for something that sells for around £50 though and so is handy where a more expensive player might get lost or perhaps for a younger use who doesn't appreciate having to use a Android based user interface to play something.

I just put some compilations on a spare sd card - and shockingly it will take up to 256gb ones - as a spare take anywhere device.
 

Now Yearbook Vaults 1982

Now it has warmed up a little  we'll resume on a series of entries from 2024.

In June 2024 Now launched a sub series VAULTS, which aims to cover minor hits of the sort that tended to pad out our Ronco and K Tel sets as much as we may of preferred some of them to the big hits back in the day and also American Hits which unless someone did a American Hit compilation you didn't get so I'd buy the 45's where available.

On Friday January 16th they decided to issue the 1982 edition on deluxe four cd book form, cheapskate card folder and three lp  45 track truncated form on brilliant yellow vinyl.

It follows the broad theme of things that for all the music industry talk didn't trouble the top 30 and american hits that weren't in the UK (and should of been I'd add).

Opening the set on disc 1 we have the era-defining style with ‘The Hanging Garden’ from The Cure, taken from their album ‘Pornography’, and Bauhaus with ‘Spirit’ ahead of the collaboration ‘Bamboo Houses’ from David Sylvian & Ryuichi Sakamoto. 

A single in the U.S., ‘Secret Journey’ from The Police comes ahead of ‘Athena’ from The Who, and ‘Valerie’ from Steve Winwood – which would be a bigger hit when remixed five years later and closing the first side a beautiful song – ‘Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny)’ from Elton John.

Flipping to side two we have a run of new wave and post-punk gems including from Elvis Costello, The Clash, Theatre Of Hate and Gang Of Four. Melancholic pop from The Teardrop Explodes leads to disc 1's  closers from Mike Oldfield, and a classic ‘Tug Of War’ by Paul McCartney from the album of the same name.

Disc 2 kicks off with a run of pure pop: Culture Club’s ‘I’m Afraid Of Me’ was the single before their #1 breakthrough, and is joined by Spandau Ballet, Level 42, Bananarama and Toyah with a re-recording of her 1980 anthem ‘Ieya’. 

A trio of synth-pop essentials closes the side: Visage with ‘Pleasure Boys’ their third single in 1982, Blancmange with ‘Feel Me’ – their second single, (the next would be their Top 10 breakthrough) and ‘Flowers’ by singer-songwriter Zaine Griff – produced by Hans Zimmer and featuring unmistakable backing vocals by Kate Bush. 

Flipping over the side sees the fusions of Electronic Music with hip hop and disco celebrated, opening with three huge tracks: ‘Planet Rock’ from Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force, the floor-filling ‘Loopzilla’ from George Clinton and ‘Let It Whip’ a Top 5 U.S. smash from the Dazz Band – ’82 R&B from Aretha Franklin leads into retro-influenced pop from Mari Wilson and a jazz-influenced club classic from Blue Rondo A La Turk. The LP finishes with Imagination who created one of 1982’s essential albums with ‘In The Heat Of The Night’, from which this title track was taken as a single.

The concluding disc celebrates what was happening in the U.S. in 1982 on its first side. ‘Atlantic City’ from Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Nebraska’ leads, ahead of huge stars Billy Joel and John Mellencamp. 

1982 would be the year that Daryl Hall & John Oates broke through in the UK with two Top 10 hits – but here featuring their U.S. Top 10 ‘Did It In A Minute’, plus, Michael McDonald who hit the Top 5 in the States with his debut solo single ‘I Keep Forgettin’ while Quarterflash leads into Asia, who had the year’s biggest selling album in America, and Journey with their biggest hit, the massive ballad ‘Open Arms’ from their Escape album.

The final side opens with an instrumental theme to a TV series U.S. Police drama ’Hill Street Blues’ ran for six years and peaked in popularity in 1982 – with its theme by Mike Post featuring  Larry Carlton spending over five months on the chart, hitting the Top 10 in the U.S. and #25 in the UK. Fun Boy Three hit with their cover of ‘Summertime’, which comes ahead of Grace Jones and Men At Work. 

This is followed by U.S. new wave from The Go-Go’s, The Waitresses, and The B-52s and closing the collection Siouxsie And The Banshees’ stunning interpretation of the traditional French carol, ‘Il Est Ne Le Divin Enfant’.

This set just fits nicely between my original Ronco, K Tel and Telstar compilations and the rather good Now Yearbook 1982 set, rounding out that years great colourful sounds.

A cold start to the day...

Cold start to the day as I type this out as plans got altered yet again due to the weather as yesterday we had minor snow that cleared  and now this morning it went below minus 2 degrees and we have ice which means post and amazon deliveries are all being delayed.

Given the last amazon delay saw me gain a delayed delivery vouch, near enough a "rain check" that we used to have I do wonder if this latest delay will earn me another?

I did read this weeks Beano - they've been going with a modified version of the more rounded duo colour sixties logo minus the definitive article on the front masthead - enjoying long stories involving the Bash Street Kids and Rodger the Dodger.

I loved the animated tv Josie and the Pussycats cartoons in the 1970's although tracking down the comics was hard going being American but that scene is believable knowing people who'd insist on having the very sleeping attire they prefer even if it just isn't practical to get it so most of us would either borrow Pj's or sleep in underwear.

There's nothing like folk,eh?

I'll also watch the 1984 End of year review of Blue Peter before that resumes this Friday on CBBC.