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SACD

Dr. L. Subramaniam and Larry Coryell – From The Ashes (2001) [SACD / Water Lily Acoustics – WLA-CS-59-SACD]

adminOctober 23, 2025 89 Views

Title: Dr. L. Subramaniam and Larry Coryell – From The Ashes (2001)
Genre: Folk, World
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

A stunning improvised collaboration for fans of any kind of string instruments, From the Ashes brings together Dr. L. Subramaniam and Larry Coryell. Subramaniam & Coryell’s collaborative efforts go as far back as 1978, on an energetic cerebral exercise, “Spiritual Dance.” They’ve worked together numerous times, but on this occasion, the studio date was the stage for emotional closure for Subramaniam, who lost his wife. This album is a metaphoric “Taj Mahal” for Subramaniam, meaning this is his memorial to his beloved, just like that of the Indian aristocrat who commissioned the world famous landmark for that same purpose. Although Karnatak sounds stoic, Subramaniam ably fills emotion to the brim without losing Karnatak’s musical vision. “The Way You Placed My Bow” has the guitar & violin reply to the call of the otherworld, represented by a mournful drone. Coryell splashes folk like elements while Subramaniam expresses his everlasting emotional ties to his wife in “Beyond the Flames.” They perform some “Eastern blues” in “Love is Stronger than Death,” leaving an afterglow of eeriness within a transcendental setting, with its conclusion Coryell’s harmonic gesture. “Alone in the Ganges” relates to setting a departed’s physical remains into the Ganges, symbolizing death as part of life’s cycle. Here, Coryell expresses such, intensifying in volume & speed but without exaggeration.

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2 min read

SACD

Dredg – El Cielo (2002) [Reissue 2003] [SACD / Interscope Records – B0000798-36]

adminOctober 23, 2025 116 Views

Title: Dredg – El Cielo (2002) [Reissue 2003]
Genre: Art Rock, Progressive Rock
Format: MCH SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Dredg is one of those rare bands who truly cannot be categorized. Gavin Hayes’ vocals cascade like a waterfall over a sea of scratching Latin rhythms, dulcimers, guitars in odd time signatures, and prog rock-inspired drums. Hayes shares his penchant for Bulgarian chants in “Triangle” and “Same Ol’ Road.” “Whoa Is Me” could provide the soundtrack to all things haunted. Whether it’s a piano and strings or Cure-influenced (specifically the Cure’s “Fascination Street”) guitars, instruments fill the time between songs on El Cielo. They offer a respite from the monotony and the slow-fast-slow style of songwriting. In an odd moment at the end of “Whoa Is Me,” a soft-spoken public radio DJ speaks of a jazz number from 1944. The full-throttle rocker “It Only Took a Day” is one of the highlights. El Cielo is unlikely to become a hit on commercial radio, but perhaps Dredg could find their niche on college stations.

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1 min read

SACD

Dr. Teleny’s & Ettore Stratta – Stolen Goods & Viva Vivaldi (1972 & 1974) [Reissue 2019] [SACD / Vocalion – CDSML 8552]

adminOctober 23, 2025 111 Views

Title: Dr. Teleny’s & Ettore Stratta – Stolen Goods & Viva Vivaldi (1972 & 1974) [Reissue 2019]
Genre: Classical
Format: MCH SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

A pair of very unusual albums – back to back on a single CD! Stolen Goods is a totally cool, totally groovy album from the 70s – one that features large orchestral arrangements of themes from the classics – but all augmented with plenty of wild contemporary touches! There’s moogy electronics, funky drums, wordless vocals, and lots of other hip 70s elements – including the kind of horn section that would have made Mozart, Chopin, or Beethoven wince – had they lived long enough to hear the approach to their songs served up on this British album! From what we can tell, Dr Teleny is Zack Laurence – who’s billed as the musical director on the album – serving up transformed tunes with titles that include “Power Play”, “Wild Turkey”, “Rhapsody From Hunger”, “Superjoy”, “Johann Sebastian Rock”, and “The People Yes”. Next up is Viva Vivaldi, served up by Italian conductor Ettore Stratta – who you’ll know from both sound track and easy instrumental modes – getting a lot of hip help here from arranger Chico O’Farrill! The songs are all from Vivaldi – as you’d guess from the title – but Chico’s charts add in plenty of sweet 70s touches, including electric bass, keyboards, and other instrumentation that moves things way past the baroque generation – even making some tunes groove in a surprising way. There’s still enough strings in play to tie the songs to classical roots – and titles include “Gloria Allegro”, “Mandolin Concerto In C Adagio”, “Suite From Four Seasons”, “Flute Concerto In D”, “Concerto In E”, and “Concerto In G For Two Mandolins”.

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2 min read

SACD

Mandelring Quartett – Shostakovich: String Quartets Nos. 1, 2 & 4 (2006) [SACD / Audite – 92.526]

adminOctober 23, 2025 107 Views

Title: Mandelring Quartett – Shostakovich: String Quartets Nos. 1, 2 & 4 (2006)
Genre: Classical
Format: MCH SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

A triumphant start to what heralds to be one of the best Shostakovich quartet cycles imaginable. The numbering of the quartets is a little more concentrated in time than the comparable symphonies (for example, the first quartet was written in 1938 after the first five symphonies had been completed). As such, listeners should not be surprised by the emotional intensity and rawness of the melodic language employed even in this first volume encompassing quartets 1, 2 and 4. The Mandelring Quartett play this repertoire with the same extraordinary unanimity of approach and beautiful sound that has characterised their Schubert cycle thus far. Here though, their tone is more concentrated and less rich than before, yet their emotional response is far greater. The lament that forms the central “Recitative and Romance” of the second quartet (written in 1944) is heart-rendering in the eloquence and power that they bring. The more high-tempo parts are not short-changed either and the Mandelring bring plenty of excitement without ever sacrificing tone production or intonation – one can imagine few fiercer attacks than they bring in Waltz (also from the second quartet). The more (superficially) tender sections receive equally dedicated playing and hold the ear as easily as more outwardly exhibitionist moments. The Mandelring quartet are also scrupulous in their following of the dynamic markings so that Shostakovich’s intentions are easy for the ear and mind to observe without recourse to a score. The overall impression is that the Mandelring players have placed themselves firmly at the service of the music rather than the score to be a vehicle for display (not that they have anything to fear on this count!) The sound is also very good and one is able to ascertain the location of each musician with ease – the placing of the listener is in a very good seat indeed within a fine concert hall and the multi-channel sound has a lovely sense of presence; it is hard to imagine a better reflection of their sound being possible.

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2 min read

SACD

Dizzy Reece – Soundin’ Off (1960) [Analogue Productions 2011] [SACD / Analogue Productions – CBNJ 84033 SA]

adminOctober 23, 2025 88 Views

Title: Dizzy Reece – Soundin’ Off (1960) [Analogue Productions 2011]
Genre: Jazz
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Maybe not exactly the first Dizzy that comes to mind when discussing jazz, this Jamaican-born, British-raised trumpeter overcame whatever burdens that nickname may have wrought to become a highly respected player in the New York scene. He enhanced that rep by recording some truly excellent albums for the Savoy, Blue Note and Prestige labels among others. His robust and passionate playing styles always seemed to inspire other musicians in his company. The contributions of the esteemed trio invited; pianist Walter Bishop, Jr., bassist Doug Watkins and drummer Art Taylor unilaterally match the front man’s fire and bold approach to each tune.

Originally issued in 1960 and subsequently reissued multiple times in a variety of formats, the trumpeter Dizzy Reece’s fourth Blue Note outing as a leader is here presented in Super Audio CD format by the APO label. While it would have been nice to see a bit more material on a reissue like this (with at least a couple of alternate takes), the original program is densely packed with high-quality music and makes for a solidly satisfying listening experience on its own. The opening track, interestingly enough, is both a ballad and a standard: on “Ghost of a Chance” Reece plays with a buttery, burnished tone that coats the familiar melody in a golden haze like the quality of light at dusk. The sun rises again on the next track, a midtempo number titled “Once in a While,” and the tempo ratchets up another notch on “Eb Pob,” a rather undistinguished composition on the “I Got Rhythm” changes that is completely redeemed by the quality of the solos. “Yesterday” finds pianist Walter Bishop delivering a curiously lackadaisical solo, but he gets back in the groove on a wonderful version of “Our Love Is Here to Stay.” The program ends with a nice, bouncy blues original titled “Blue Streak.” Throughout the album, Reece digs into his bag of sonic tricks without ever doing anything that detracts from the music itself. Soundin’ Off is a little bit uneven, but is never less than a solid pleasure to listen to.

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2 min read

SACD

Dizzy Gillespie – Supreme Jazz (2006) [SACD / Supreme Jazz – 223269-207]

adminOctober 23, 2025 112 Views

Title: Dizzy Gillespie – Supreme Jazz (2006)
Genre: Jazz
Format: MCH SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Dizzy Gillespie’s contributions to jazz were huge. One of the greatest jazz trumpeters of all time (some would say the best), Gillespie was such a complex player that his contemporaries ended up copying Miles Davis and Fats Navarro instead, and it was not until Jon Faddis’ emergence in the 1970s that Dizzy’s style was successfully recreated. Somehow, Gillespie could make any “wrong” note fit, and harmonically he was ahead of everyone in the 1940s, including Charlie Parker. Unlike Bird, Dizzy was an enthusiastic teacher who wrote down his musical innovations and was eager to explain them to the next generation, thereby insuring that bebop would eventually become the foundation of jazz.

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1 min read

SACD

DJ Krush – Jaku (2004) [SACD / Sony Records Int’l – SICL 10002]

adminOctober 23, 2025 105 Views

Title: DJ Krush – Jaku (2004)
Genre: Electronic, Trip-Hop
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Hideaki Ishi ( 石英明 ), better known by his stage name DJ Krush, is a record producer and DJ. He is known for his atmospheric instrumental production which incorporates sound elements from nature and extensive use of jazz and soul samples. Aside from being considered one of the pioneers of Japanese hip hop, Ishi has established himself as one of the most respected artists and producers in the hip hop industry, both in Japan and abroad. He is prefers to exercise an ideological distance from the genres he is usually grouped into, while maintaining a healthy appreciation for all music forms and styles. “Jaku” is his eighth solo album. It features guest appearances from American rappers Mr. Lif and Aesop Rock, both of whom were signed to the Definitive Jux label at that time.
As electronica’s golden-era operators moved closer to the middle of their careers (to say the end would be cruel), many showed signs of incorporating techniques that were too close to smooth jazz for comfort. There are times on DJ Krush’s 13th when it appears that he too had fallen victim to middle age, regardless of the traditional Japanese music (mostly flute) used as justification. But it’s not a total loss, as Krush, even at the height of his acclaim as the Japanese face of insider hip-hop, always found ways to connect his lotus flower-smooth style of production to Western headz grown up on edgier beats. Here, Krush does the trick by inviting two of indie hip-hop’s hottest MCs, Mr. Lif and Aesop Rock, to appear on “Nosferatu” and “Kill Switch,” respectively. And while Aesop’s blunt delivery is too rough for the china-shop tunes Krush creates, Lif does an excellent job upping the tension on the line without snapping it. Jaku isn’t entirely fragile, although the literal translation of “tranquility” holds consistently true. “Decks-athron,” with turntablist Tatsuki, finds the two fiercely dueling on the ones and twos, passing through warps in time and space, then coming out on the other side to battle again. “Road to Nowhere,” with its beats and sleigh bells, could be edged out as a Madlib leftover were it not for the fact that Tokyo’s Major Force label did this stuff (and released it on Krush’s original Mo’ Wax home) years earlier. With seniority comes a certain entitlement. And Krush had earned his dues.

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3 min read

SACD

Dire Straits – Making Movies (1980) [MFSL 2019] [SACD / Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab – UDSACD 2186]

adminOctober 22, 2025 98 Views

Title: Dire Straits – Making Movies (1980) [MFSL 2019]
Genre: Rock
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Making Movies is the third studio album by the British rock band Dire Straits released on 17 October 1980 by Vertigo Records internationally and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States. The album produced the single “Romeo and Juliet”, which reached #8 on the UK Singles Chart. The album reached #1 on album charts in Italy and Norway, #19 in the United States and #4 in the United Kingdom. Making Movies was later certified platinum in the United States and double-platinum in the United Kingdom.

Without second guitarist David Knopfler, Dire Straits began to move away from its roots rock origins into a jazzier variation of country-rock and singer/songwriter folk-rock. Naturally, this means that Mark Knopfler’s ambitions as a songwriter are growing, as the storytelling pretensions of Making Movies indicate. Fortunately, his skills are increasing, as the lovely “Romeo and Juliet,” “Tunnel of Love,” and “Skateaway” indicate. And Making Movies is helped by a new wave-tinged pop production, which actually helps Knopfler’s jazzy inclinations take hold. The record runs out of steam toward the end, closing with the borderline offensive “Les Boys,” but the remainder of Making Movies ranks among the band’s finest work.

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2 min read

SACD

Dire Straits – Love Over Gold (1982) [MFSL 2019] [SACD / Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab – UDSACD 2187]

adminOctober 22, 2025 99 Views

Title: Dire Straits – Love Over Gold (1982) [MFSL 2019]
Genre: Rock
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Love over Gold is the fourth studio album by British rock band Dire Straits, released on 20 September 1982 by Vertigo Records internationally and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States. The album featured two singles: “Private Investigations”, which reached No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart, and “Industrial Disease”, which reached No. 9 on Billboard’s Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in the United States. Its main highlight, however, was the 14-minute-long opus “Telegraph Road”, which became a staple of the band’s setlists and Mark Knopfler’s once he became a solo artist, as well as becoming an FM radio staple around the world. The album reached Number One on album charts in Australia, Austria, Italy, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom, and No. 19 in the United States. Love over Gold was later certified gold in the United States, platinum in France and Germany and double-platinum in Canada and the United Kingdom.

Adding a new rhythm guitarist, Dire Straits expands its sounds and ambitions on the sprawling Love Over Gold. In a sense, the album is their prog rock effort, containing only five songs, including the 14-minute opener “Telegraph Road.” Since Mark Knopfler is a skilled, tasteful guitarist, he can sustain interest even throughout the languid stretches, but the long, atmospheric, instrumental passages aren’t as effective as the group’s tight blues-rock, leaving Love Over Gold only a fitfully engaging listen.

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2 min read

SACD

Dire Straits – Dire Straits (1978) [MFSL 2019] [SACD / Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab – UDSACD 2184]

adminOctober 22, 2025 138 Views

Title: Dire Straits – Dire Straits (1978) [MFSL 2019]
Genre: Rock
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

“Dire Straits” is the debut studio album by the British rock band Dire Straits released on 7 October 1978 by Vertigo Records internationally and by Warner Bros. Records in the United States. The album produced the hit single “Sultans of Swing”, which reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 8 on the UK Singles Chart. The album reached #1 on album charts in Germany, Australia and France, #2 in the United States and #5 in the United Kingdom. “Dire Straits” was later certified double-platinum in both the United States and the United Kingdom.

Dire Straits’ minimalist interpretation of pub rock had already crystallized by the time they released their eponymous debut. Driven by Mark Knopfler’s spare, tasteful guitar lines and his husky warbling, the album is a set of bluesy rockers. And while the bar band mentality of pub-rock is at the core of Dire Straits – even the group’s breakthrough single, “Sultans of Swing,” offered a lament for a neglected pub rock band – their music is already beyond the simple boogies and shuffles of their forefathers, occasionally dipping into jazz and country. Knopfler also shows an inclination toward Dylanesque imagery, which enhances the smoky, low-key atmosphere of the album. While a few of the songs fall flat, the album is remarkably accomplished for a debut, and Dire Straits had difficulty surpassing it throughout their career.

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2 min read