HiFi Subjectivist ¦ Audio Forum ¦ NVA User Group

A thing of beauty:
I really need to sort myself out a record cleaner, because my copy is way noisier than it should be.

Kate Bush - The Dreaming
Saxon - Power and the glory
Pink Floyd - More

Neil Young & Crazy Horse 'Live Rust' (1979)



This double-LP was my introduction to his music back in 1979 and, although I have just about all of his albums, it remains the one that completely sums up his early career. Probably the only NY album that you really need.
Opening with a solo, acoustic set then building up to the second disc where Crazy Horse let rip with huge renditions of 'Powderfinger', 'Cortez the Killer' and 'Like a Hurricane'.
This is the recent re-issue and has been carefully mastered from the original tapes (Neil cares about sound quality).

Magic.

Curved Air - Air Cut
Rammstein - Till Lindermann

Russian Circles 'Station' (2008)



A name that has drifted past my sphere of attention at intervals for several years is Russian Circles, a Post-Rock guitar/bass/drums trio from America.
Finally I picked up am album of theirs, 'Stations' and this has received much airtime over the last weeks. The first time I heard opening track 'Campaign' I actually had shivers down the spine and goosebumps.
Wonderful, instrumental guitar-rock that straddles the melodic delicacy of Explosions in the Sky and the intricate metal-riffing of Pelican.
There are 3 superb musicians at work here who must have a telepathic connection as the music is so tightly-constructed but flows beautifully.

Anyway, go listen ...

Jethro Tull - Broadsword and the beast
David Bowie - Aladin Sane
Queen - A kind of magic

'Hatfield and the North' (1974)

What started a year ago as mild curiosity ('Oh yes - LP's. I remember them.') has turned into full-blown obsession and my aim in life is now to reacquire all of the great records that I once had in my sweaty, adolescent hands. One such is the wonderful Hatfield and the North album which I first picked out of a sale-bin of cassettes somewhere and was totally confused by the quirky oddness of the sounds within.

The Hatfields had direct links to: Caravan, Soft Machine and National Health, the music is sprightly, jazzy, experimental and charming.

One to hear if you don't know it,
and if you do - play it again (and again).

Fretless wrote: ↑Fri May 06, 2022 9:41 am

The Hatfields had direct links to: Caravan, Soft Machine and National Health, the music is sprightly, jazzy, experimental and charming.

Good write ups on these bands in the 70s prog book I am reading. Have been playing them of late. Think I might have seen National Health supporting Steve Hillage one of the times I saw him in the 70s, a bit hazy now. Gong were the support when I saw Steve Hillage in 2019.

Joe Jackson Body & Soul.
I went to see Joe at the legendary Eric's in Liverpool as part of my "stag do" way back in the mists of time. There might be better JJ albums but none have quality of recording and mastering of this one, this one is sonically stunning.