Francois-Xavier Poizat – PianOrchestra (2013) [SACD / Ars Produktion – ARS 38 139]

Francois-Xavier Poizat - PianOrchestra (2013)

Title: Francois-Xavier Poizat – PianOrchestra (2013)
Genre: Classical
Format: MCH SACD ISO + DSF DSD64 + Hi-Res FLAC

Born in 1989 with Swiss, French and Chinese origins, pianist François-Xavier Poizat graduated from the Geneva and Hamburg Conservatory and from the Juilliard School in New York. His journey is sprinkled with collaborations with big orchestras such as the Suisse Romande and Svizzera Italiana Orchestra, the National du Capitole de Toulouse, the Lithuanian and Armenian National Chamber Orchestras, the Zürich Chamber Orchestra and the Poznan Philharmonic, among others. His large solo and chamber music repertoire includes 500 years of music and about thirty concertos, as well as all works with piano by Maurice Ravel, his favorite composer. Beside his principal activity as a performer, he is currently the director of the International Puplinge Classique Festival in Geneva, a position he has held for the past 10 years, and has recorded 4 solo albums with the Naxos, Ars Produktion and Piano Classics labels.

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1 min read

Franco Battiato – Last Summer Dance (2003) [2x SACD Set] [SACD / Columbia – COL 513706 6]

Franco Battiato - Last Summer Dance (2003) [2x SACD Set]

Title: Franco Battiato – Last Summer Dance (2003) [2x SACD Set]
Genre: Pop, Rock
Format: MCH SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Francesco “Franco” Battiato is an Italian singer-songwriter, composer, filmmaker and, under the pseudonym Süphan Barzani, also a painter. He is and has been for decades one of the most popular pop singer-songwriters in Italy. His unique sound, song-crafting and especially his lyrics, often containing philosophical, religious, and culturally exotic references, as well as tackling or painting universal themes about the human condition – unusual subjects for pop songs – earned him a unique spot on Italy’s music scene, and the nickname of “Il Maestro” (“The Master” or “The Teacher”).

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1 min read

Fourplay – Energy (1998) [SACD / Heads Up International – HUSA 9146]

Fourplay - Energy (1998)

Title: Fourplay – Energy (1998)
Genre: Jazz
Format: MCH SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

2008 album from this Jazz supergroup: Nathan East (vocals, bass guitar); Larry Carlton (guitars); Bob James (keyboards); Harvey Mason (drums). As a unit, contemporary jazz supergroup Fourplay has been together since 1991 with only one personnel change. That’s saying a lot considering that as individuals, these four men — pianist Bob James, drummer Harvey Mason, bassist Nathan East, and guitarist Larry Carlton — are all extremely busy as studio musicians and Fourplay is a side project for all of them. They’ve managed to record on an average of once every two years and even do some touring, without every sacrificing their chosen m.o. for working together or the quality of the music they produce. In all, they’ve been remarkably consistent. 2008’s Energy is the ninth chapter in the Fourplay legacy, and it’s almost exactly what you’d expect if you’re a fan: high quality, great sounding, expertly performed smooth, groovy jazz played by masters of the genre. Seven instrumentals and three vocal cuts add a spoonful of pop to these proceedings. The obvious single here is “Prelude for Lovers” with guest vocalist Esperanza Spalding, which melds neo-soul melody and Caribbean rhythms; it’s quietly sultry and its refrain contains a serious hook. East appears on two others, which are not so memorable but certainly work in the context of the easy grooves being laid down; in fact, his voice is almost an additional instrument. Other highlights on the set include the opener “Fortune Teller,” written by James, Carlton’s funky “Ultralight,” and “Comfort Zone,” with its backbone-slipping groove.

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2 min read

Foreigner – Head Games (1979) [MFSL 2013] [SACD / Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab – UDSACD 2052]

Foreigner - Head Games (1979) [MFSL 2013]

Title: Foreigner – Head Games (1979) [MFSL 2013]
Genre: Rock
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Foreigner continued its platinum winning streak on Head Games, the band’s third album. By the time Head Games was released, FM radio had fully embraced bands like Foreigner, Journey, and Boston, whose slick hard rock was tough enough to appeal to suburban teens, but smooth enough to be non-threatening to their parents. Tailor-made for the airwaves, “Dirty White Boy” and “Head Games” kept Foreigner at the top of the arena rock heap as the decade came to a close; and the supergroup’s successes would continue well into the ’80s.

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1 min read

Foreigner – Foreigner (1977) [MFSL SACD 2010] [SACD / Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab – UDSACD 2050]

Foreigner - Foreigner (1977) [MFSL SACD 2010]

Title: Foreigner – Foreigner (1977) [MFSL SACD 2010]
Genre: Rock
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Although punk rock’s furious revolution threatened to overthrow rock’s old guard in 1977, bands like Foreigner came along and proved that there was plenty of room in the marketplace for both the violent, upstart minimalism of punk and the airbrushed slickness of what would be called “arena rock.” Along with Boston, Journey, Heart, and others, Foreigner celebrated professionalism over raw emotion. And, looking back, it’s easy to see why they sold millions; not everyone in the world was pissed off, dissatisfied with the economy, or even necessarily looking for a change. In fact, for most suburban American teens, Foreigner’s immaculate rock sound was the perfect soundtrack for cruising through well-manicured neighborhoods in their Chevy Novas. The album spawned some of the biggest FM hits of 1977, including the anthemic “Feels Like the First Time” and “Cold as Ice,” both of which were anchored — like most of Foreigner’s songs — by the muscular but traditional riffing of guitarist Mick Jones, the soaring vocals of Lou Gramm, and the state-of-the-art rock production values of the day, which allowed the band to sound hard but polished. As pure rock craftsmanship goes, Foreigner was as good as it got in the late ’70s.

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2 min read

Foreigner – Double Vision (1978) [MFSL SACD 2011] [SACD / Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab – UDSACD 2051]

Foreigner - Double Vision (1978) [MFSL SACD 2011]

Title: Foreigner – Double Vision (1978) [MFSL SACD 2011]
Genre: Rock
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

While the U.S. was being swept up by disco mania in 1978, Foreigner issued another hard rock tour de force, Double Vision. It was unthinkable that the sextet could outdo its solid 1977 self-titled debut, but it somehow did. Lou Gramm and company issued another set of rock radio staples and rock-steady album tracks, the best-known being such perennial arena rockers as “Hot Blooded” and the title track. But the highpoints didn’t just stop there – such oft-overlooked compositions as “Blue Morning, Blue Day,” “Lonely Children,” and “I Have Waited So Long” are just as strong. Double Vision solidified Foreigner’s standing as a ’70s rock sensation. Foreigner promptly followed up its blockbuster debut with the equally successful Double Vision LP in 1978, which featured the FM mega-hits “Hot Blooded” and the driving title track. Opting not to mess with a good formula, the band wisely sticks to the polished hard rock sound that made its first record such a hit. Aside from the big singles, other highlights include the swaggering “Love Has Taken Its Toll” and the more restrained “Blue Morning, Blue Day.” As always, Lou Gramm’s impeccable rock vocals lead the way, supported by Mick Jones’ tasteful, arena-sized guitar riffs.

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2 min read

Foreigner – 4 (1981) [MFSL 2013] [SACD / Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab – UDSACD 2053]

Foreigner - 4 (1981) [MFSL 2013]

Title: Foreigner – 4 (1981) [MFSL 2013]
Genre: Rock
Format: SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Over the course of their first three late-’70s albums, Foreigner had firmly established themselves (along with Journey and Styx) as one of the top AOR bands of the era. But the band was still looking for that grand slam of a record that would push them to the very top of the heap. Released in 1981, 4 would be that album. In producer Robert John “Mutt” Lange — fresh off his massive success with AC/DC’s Back in Black — guitarist and all-around mastermind Mick Jones found both the catalyst to achieve this and his perfect musical soulmate. Lange’s legendary obsessive attention to detail and Jones’ highly disciplined guitar heroics (which he never allowed to get in the way of a great song) resulted in a collaboration of unprecedented, sparkling efficiency where not a single note is wasted. “Nightlife” is only the first in a series (“Woman in Black,” “Don’t Let Go,” the ’50s-tinged “Luanne”) of energetic, nearly flawless melodic rockers, and with “Juke Box Hero,” the band somehow managed to create both a mainstream hit single and a highly unique-sounding track, alternating heavy metal guitar riffing, chorused vocals, and one of the ultimate “wanna be a rock star” lyrics. As for the mandatory power ballad, the band also reached unparalleled heights with “Waiting for a Girl Like You.” One of the decade’s most successful cross-genre tearjerkers, it has since become a staple of soft rock radio and completely eclipsed the album’s other very lovely ballad, “Girl on the Moon,” in the process. And last but not least, the surprisingly funky “Urgent” proved to be one of the band’s most memorable and uncharacteristic smash hits, thanks to Junior Walker’s signature saxophone solo. Through it all, vocalist Lou Gramm does his part, delivering a dazzling performance that confirmed his status as one of the finest voices of his generation. Three years later, Foreigner would achieve even greater success on a pop level with the uneven Agent Provocateur, but by then Jones and Gramm were locked in an escalating war of egos that would soon lead to the band’s demise. All things considered, 4 remains Foreigner’s career peak.

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2 min read

Foreigner – 4 (1981) [Japanese SACD 2011] [SACD / Warner Music (Japan) – WPCR-14173]

Foreigner - 4 (1981) [Japanese SACD 2011]

Title: Foreigner – 4 (1981) [Japanese SACD 2011]
Genre: Rock
Format: MCH SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Over the course of their first three late-’70s albums, Foreigner had firmly established themselves (along with Journey and Styx) as one of the top AOR bands of the era. But the band was still looking for that grand slam of a record that would push them to the very top of the heap. Released in 1981, 4 would be that album. In producer Robert John “Mutt” Lange — fresh off his massive success with AC/DC’s Back in Black — guitarist and all-around mastermind Mick Jones found both the catalyst to achieve this and his perfect musical soulmate. Lange’s legendary obsessive attention to detail and Jones’ highly disciplined guitar heroics (which he never allowed to get in the way of a great song) resulted in a collaboration of unprecedented, sparkling efficiency where not a single note is wasted. “Nightlife” is only the first in a series (“Woman in Black,” “Don’t Let Go,” the ’50s-tinged “Luanne”) of energetic, nearly flawless melodic rockers, and with “Juke Box Hero,” the band somehow managed to create both a mainstream hit single and a highly unique-sounding track, alternating heavy metal guitar riffing, chorused vocals, and one of the ultimate “wanna be a rock star” lyrics. As for the mandatory power ballad, the band also reached unparalleled heights with “Waiting for a Girl Like You.” One of the decade’s most successful cross-genre tearjerkers, it has since become a staple of soft rock radio and completely eclipsed the album’s other very lovely ballad, “Girl on the Moon,” in the process. And last but not least, the surprisingly funky “Urgent” proved to be one of the band’s most memorable and uncharacteristic smash hits, thanks to Junior Walker’s signature saxophone solo. Through it all, vocalist Lou Gramm does his part, delivering a dazzling performance that confirmed his status as one of the finest voices of his generation. Three years later, Foreigner would achieve even greater success on a pop level with the uneven Agent Provocateur, but by then Jones and Gramm were locked in an escalating war of egos that would soon lead to the band’s demise. All things considered, 4 remains Foreigner’s career peak.

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3 min read

Fleetwood Mac – Tango In The Night (2025 MFSL UltraDisc UHR SACD) (1987/2025) [SACD / Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab – UDSACD 2285]

Fleetwood Mac - Tango In The Night (2025 MFSL UltraDisc UHR SACD) (1987/2025)

Title: Fleetwood Mac – Tango In The Night (2025 MFSL UltraDisc UHR SACD) (1987/2025)
Genre: Rock
Format: DSF DSD64 + Hi-Res FLAC

A Universe of Pop: Fleetwood Mac’s Tango in the Night Features Meticulous Production, Includes the Hits “Big Love,” “Everywhere,” “Seven Wonders,” and “Little Lies” Mobile Fidelity’s Numbered-Edition Hybrid SACD of 1987 Album Captures the Perfectionist Details, Plays with Extraordinary Airiness and Clarity. The perfectionism involved in crafting Fleetwood Mac’s Tango in the Night reached a level of intensity experienced by few artists before or since. Commercially and creatively, the painstaking efforts paid off. Recorded over the span of 18 months, the triple-platinum album spawned four hit singles and put Fleetwood Mac back at the center of mainstream conversation. Its demands also ultimately forced its primary architect, guitarist-singer Lindsey Buckingham, to leave the group shortly after its completion. Was it all worth it? A thousand times “yes.” Sourced from the original master tapes and housed in mini-LP-style packaging, Mobile Fidelity’s numbered-edition hybrid SACD of Tango in the Night presents the 1987 record in audiophile sound for the first time. Everything co-producers Buckingham and Richard Dashut sought to instill in the music — the exacting tones, gauzy textures, plush atmospherics, shifted harmonics, unique pitches, pristine acoustics, biting rhythms — can now be heard with elevated accuracy, range, depth, and detail.

Made under challenging circumstances, Tango in the Night is as much a universe of sound as it is an album. This reissue conveys that sonic spectrum in exhaustive manners that go beyond prior editions by playing with a combination of transparency, imaging, openness, and dynamics that provides uncanny insight into the meticulously layered vocal and instrumental tracks. Equally important, it also amplifies your connection to the elaborate melodies, contagious hooks, and airy highs that account for the album’s ageless pop brilliance. As for the wondrous array of percussive accents, synthesizer elements, interlaced guitars, and lush chrouses — all seemingly occupying the exact right place amid the soundstages and taking on shapes and forms that lend them a living, breathing quality? If your audio system is up to the task, the realism, presence, and warmth of Mobile Fidelity’s collectible edition will have you considering Tango in the Night from a new perspective — one that puts its lavish, gorgeous creations on a par with those from Rumours and Tusk. Unlike those records, Tango in the Night began from a more individualistic perspective in that it sprang from what originally was intended to become a Buckingham solo effort. Instead, it remains the final album credited to the peak Fleetwood Mac lineup involving Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, Chrstine McVie, Mick Fleetwood, and John McVie. Though the participation of all the members varies from track to track, the cohesive arrangements and alchemic production on Tango in the Night suggest a unity that remains on a par with the band’s other landmark works. Largely constructed from laborious methods that involved recording at half speed to achieve the desired sonics and tonal nuances, piecing together verses and choruses to attain seamless synchronicity, and Buckingham using a Fairlight CMI synthesizer/workstation in visionary ways, the songs pair electronic and acoustic elements to radiant effect. Tango in the Night also possesses light dance structures that resulted in several tunes being recast as dance mixes on extended-play singles. Above all, however, this is music that appears to float and cast dreamy spells. Surrender to the frisky interplay of the opening “Big Love,” big pop punctuated with Buckingham’s back-and-forth “oh-ah” sighs that ping the Top 5 smash with innocuous sensuality and toe-tapping momentum. Delight amid the shimmering lights of “Seven Wonders,” whose shades and shadows shift amid Nicks’ raspy vocals and a large group chorus. Wrap yourself in the warmth of the weightless “Everywhere,” a flawless slice of hummable pop that topped with Adult Contemporary charts for three weeks and towers as an ode to the love everyone desires. Stare into the mysterious landscape of the title track (and dig the synthesized harp) just before it explodes, briefly ceding to a terse riff and locked-in grooves. Tango in the Night teems with delightful surprises and well-honed specifics, especially when Buckinham and Christine McVie team together. In addition to the aforementioned “Everywhere,” the singer born Christine Anne Perfect plays a major role on four more cuts — all highlights — from the breathy, head-over-heels emotionalism of “Mystified” to the sweet, sweeping escapism of “Little Lies,” a cover-up of romantic despair aided by Nicks’ irreplaceable background vocals. “If I see you again/Will it be the same,” asks Buckingham on “When I See You Again,” finishing up a song a longing-sounding Nicks had started while voicing words that many likely knew would resonate far beyond the confines of the heartfelt song — a goodbye wearing a faint disguise. Though Fleetwood Mac would never again reach the heights maintained throughout Tango in the Night, and members would go their own way, the album towers as a paean to what’s possible in the fields of pop, rock, and studio wizardry. Please note: The potential technical problem on the initial MoFi 45RPM vinyl pressings of Tango in the Night is not present on the SACD reissue.

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5 min read

Fleetwood Mac – Rumours (1977) [Japan 2011] [SACD / Warner Bros. Records – WPCR-14171]

Fleetwood Mac - Rumours (1977) [Japan 2011]

Title: Fleetwood Mac – Rumours (1977) [Japan 2011]
Genre: Rock
Format: MCH SACD ISO + Hi-Res FLAC

Rumours is the kind of album that transcends its origins and reputation, entering the realm of legend — it’s an album that simply exists outside of criticism and outside of its time, even if it thoroughly captures its era. Prior to this LP, Fleetwood Mac were moderately successful, but here they turned into a full-fledged phenomenon, with Rumours becoming the biggest-selling pop album to date. While its chart success was historic, much of the legend surrounding the record is born from the group’s internal turmoil. Unlike most bands, Fleetwood Mac in the mid-’70s were professionally and romantically intertwined, with no less than two couples in the band, but as their professional career took off, the personal side unraveled. Bassist John McVie and his keyboardist/singer wife Christine McVie filed for divorce as guitarist/vocalist Lindsey Buckingham and vocalist Stevie Nicks split, with Stevie running to drummer Mick Fleetwood, unbeknown to the rest of the band. These personal tensions fueled nearly every song on Rumours, which makes listening to the album a nearly voyeuristic experience. You’re eavesdropping on the bandmates singing painful truths about each other, spreading nasty lies and rumors and wallowing in their grief, all in the presence of the person who caused the heartache. Everybody loves gawking at a good public breakup, but if that was all that it took to sell a record, Richard and Linda Thompson’s Shoot Out the Lights would be multi-platinum. No, what made Rumours an unparalleled blockbuster is the quality of the music. Once again masterminded by producer/songwriter/guitarist Buckingham, Rumours is an exceptionally musical piece of work — he toughens Christine McVie and softens Nicks, adding weird turns to accessibly melodic works, which gives the universal themes of the songs haunting resonance. It also cloaks the raw emotion of the lyrics in deceptively palatable arrangements that made a tune as wrecked and tortured as “Go Your Own Way” an anthemic hit. But that’s what makes Rumours such an enduring achievement — it turns private pain into something universal. Some of these songs may be too familiar, whether through their repeated exposure on FM radio or their use in presidential campaigns, but in the context of the album, each tune, each phrase regains its raw, immediate emotional power — which is why Rumours touched a nerve upon its 1977 release, and has since transcended its era to be one of the greatest, most compelling pop albums of all time.

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3 min read