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Audiophiles are a strange breed: here are a bunch of men (always men) who’ll happily fork out a week’s wages for power cables that provide “clean electricity” to their CD player, but refuse to part with a penny for any album they consider to be mastered in a sub-par way.
By Sam Kieldsen @ Stuff magazine
Radiohead: A Moon Shaped Pool (2016)
Nirvana: In Utero 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (2013)
Interpol: Turn On The Bright Lights: The Tenth Anniversary Edition (2012)
My Bloody Valentine: Loveless (1991)
Dr Dre: 2001 (1999)
Marvin Gaye: What’s Going On (1971)
Nirvana: MTV Unplugged in New York (1994)
The Beatles: Abbey Road (1969)
Bon Iver: Bon Iver (2011)
R.E.M.: Automatic for the People (1992)
Dusty Springfield: Dusty in Memphis (1969)
Burial: Untrue (2007)
The Flaming Lips – The Soft Bulletin (1999)
The xx: xx (2009)
Rage Against The Machine: Rage Against The Machine (1992)
Jay-Z: The Blueprint (2001)
Animal Collective: Merriweather Post Pavilion (2009)
Fleetwood Mac: Rumours (1977)
OutKast: Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (2003)
Steely Dan: Aja (1977)
Joni Mitchell: Blue (1971)
Daft Punk: Random Access Memories (2013)
Miles Davis: Kind of Blue (1959)
Sigur Ros: Agaetis Byrjun (1999)
Neil Young: After The Gold Rush (1970)
Radiohead: OK Computer (1997)
Prince: Sign o’ the Times (1987)
The Congos – Heart Of The Congos (1977)
Pink Floyd: Wish You Were Here (1975)
Jeff Buckley: Grace (1994)
Michael Jackson: Thriller (1982)
Massive Attack: Mezzanine (1998)
Ισως η πιο ενδιαφέρουσα λιστα που εχω διαβάσει εδω και καιρο. ΟΚ, εχει και κάποια κλασσικά και τετριμμένα οπως Fleetwood Mac Rumours, Joni Mitchell Blue, Marvin Gaye, Abbey Road απο Beatles, Massive Attack Mezzanine αλλα ποιος θα εβαζε στις προτασεις του Jay Z, Dr Dre και My Bloody Valentine?
Mainstream hip-hop isn’t the first genre that springs to mind when you think of audiophile-quality recordings: the majority of rap albums are compressed, lacking the dynamic range craved by golden-eared beard-strokers. Not so 2001.
Dr Dre’s second studio album exhibits a clean clarity and dynamic range that suits its sparse beats, bottomless bass, doom-y string samples and g-funk synths – it’s a great workout for any decent pair of speakers or headphones (Beats or otherwise). The lyrical content won’t sit comfortably with every listener, being an encyclopaedia of gangsta rap clichés but, well, it’s a gangsta rap album with a cannabis leaf on the front cover made by the co-founder of N.W.A. If it was mum-friendly it just wouldn’t be the same.
Standout tracks: “Still D.R.E.”, “The Next Episode”, “XXXplosive”
Almost universally regarded as Jay-Z’s finest album, The Blueprint is a hip-hop rarity: a record without numerous guest appearances. It’s a decision that allows Jay’s abilities as an emcee to shine – although he’s aided by the fantastic production, much of it from a young upstart named Kanye West. West’s soulful, vocal sample-heavy 60s-inspired tracks give The Blueprint much of its character, and from a pure sound quality point of view it’s one of the best albums in rap history.
Standout tracks: “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)”, “Girls, Girls, Girls”, “Heart of the City (Ain’t No Love)”
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