September 13th, 2023
Atlantic Records Celebrates 75th Anniversary With Year-Long Vinyl Campaign, Remixes & Limited Edition Merch Capsule 90 Titles Encompass Iconic Albums Spanning Label’s Entire History, Including Special Editions & Releases Never Before on VinylBy: Tracking Angle
NEW YORK, NY – September 13, 2023: As part of Atlantic Records’ 75th Anniversary celebration, the label – in conjunction with Rhino Entertainment – has launched an extensive year-long vinyl series featuring 90 releases spanning the entire history of the company, from its earliest days until the present. The series encompasses iconic and acclaimed albums across virtually every popular musical genre, including special editions and many that have never been on vinyl. The unprecedented series has been curated by Atlantic Records Chairman & CEO Craig Kallman, who – in addition to his role as the label’s chief executive – is one of the world’s foremost audiophiles, with a personal vinyl collection now numbering over two million LPs.
Read More Comments: 12September 12th, 2023
Molly Tuttle Follows Up A Grammy-Winner With "City Of Gold" Guitarist, singer and songwriter wades deeper into bluegrass on her fifth recording.By: Craig Havighurst
Bluegrass is enjoying one of its cyclical surges of artistry and audience, with Molly Tuttle in the vanguard. She and Billy Strings have become the first ascendant acoustic guitar stars in years, while carving out band identities as distinct and transformative as Alison Krauss and Union Station in the 90s or J.D. Crowe and the New South in the 70s. She’s won numerous bluegrass awards and a Grammy before age 30. In a golden time, Tuttle is a golden girl from the Golden State with her second album in 16 months, aptly titled City of Gold.
Read More Comments: 8September 12th, 2023
Motown/UMe Celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" With An Expanded Edition Harvey Kubernik expands on the expansion with his usual treasure trove of inside infoBy: Harvey Kubernik
In celebration of the Golden Anniversary of the iconic Marvin Gaye album Let's Get It On, Motown/UMe released a digitally a revised and expanded Let's Get It On: Deluxe Edition on August 25, 2023, three days before the album's original release date in 1973 fifty years prior. Featuring a trove of 33 bonus tracks, 18 of them previously unreleased, the Prince of Soul's creative explorations continued to unfold with the production of this pivotal release. Collectively, the bonus material leans into the story of Gaye's multi-layered personal struggles during the album's creation. “Comprised of tracks recorded during an intense six months of sessions in Los Angeles in '73, this newly the album's original eight songs alongside unheard mixes and material from all the sessions along the way, in addition to a trove of funky and fascinating instrumental tracks - and unreleased versions of the ballad recordings Marvin returned to time and again.
Read More Comments: 0September 11th, 2023
The Doors’ Early Legacy Endures with “Live at The Matrix 1967: The Original Masters” The crown jewel of early Doors live recordings finally released in their entiretyBy: Dylan Peggin
Located at 3138 Fillmore Street, The Matrix was the hub of the “San Francisco sound” in the late 1960s. The pizza parlor turned nightclubs was spearheaded by the members of Jefferson Airplane in 1965, who became the default house band. Whether it was Big Brother and the Holding Company, Steve Miller Band, or Quicksilver Messenger Service, spectators that attended shows at the Matrix witnessed Bay Area bands in a loose environment that was a far cry from Bill Graham’s grandiose Fillmore West.
Read More Comments: 6September 10th, 2023
MOON by Simaudio - Voice 22 Loudspeakers Dave McNair listens to the affordable debut speaker offering from Simaudio.By: Dave McNair
How Low Can You Go? I’m not talking about quality per se, but quality at a reasonably low price. At $3,200 a pair, the new speaker from Canadian audio electronics stalwart Simaudio is an exceptionally impressive listen at any price. I had a hint at this when I heard a pair at the 2022 Montreal Audio Fest. The Simaudio room was not a tiny hotel room but a medium to large-sized exhibit space on the lower level. It was paired with the Ace, a Simaudio integrated amp/streamer of about 50 high-current watts per side. This simple system, for around $7,000, played recordings in a way that made me want to sit down and listen—and I did just that.
Read More Comments: 15September 8th, 2023
John Marks’ Bookshelf for Lovers of Recordings #8 A DOZEN BOOKS REVIEWED, ONE A WEEK FOR THE NEXT TWELVEBy: John Marks
Here are notes on a selection from my favorite books on the history of recording technology, the history of the record business, and the interactions between recording technology, the record business, and the art of music. One example of what I mean by all that is, in the late 1920s, piezoelectric “crystal” microphones supplanted carbon microphones for radio broadcasting. Crystal microphones had a better signal-to-noise ratio than carbon microphones. Therefore, the... Read More
Comments: 4September 8th, 2023
Technics Introduces SL-1200GR2/SL-1210GR2 "Next Gen" Direct Drive Turntable includes "revolutionary new drive control"By: Tracking Angle
Technics just unveiled its "next gen" direct drive turntable, the SL-1200GR2 (silver) and the SL01210GR2 (black). According to the press release, the new turntable "...features a revolutionary new drive control technique for smooth, accurate rotational stability and a new power supply for an exceptionally low noise floor. "The newly upgraded turntable is equipped with standout audio and design features, including: · A new Delta-Sigma-Drive and a... Read More
Comments: 5September 7th, 2023
Darcy James Argue's Big-Band Wonderland The brilliant composer-conductor's 4th album is by far his bestBy: Fred Kaplan
Darcy James Argue has evolved over the past 15 years, into one of our era’s great big-band composers and leaders, second only to Maria Schneider and, increasingly, a force worth taking on the same level of seriousness. His 4th and latest album, Dynamic Maximum Tension—his first in six years and his debut on the Nonesuch label—is his best to date: a work of stunning versatility and complexity, but thoroughly accessible, borderline passionate, for all its intricate maneuvers.
Read More Comments: 2September 6th, 2023
Pro-Ject Audio Systems Launches Extensive EVO Tonearm Line Displayed at Munich High End 2023 9,10 and 12 inch arms, straight and "S" shaped and fabricated from a variety of materialsBy: Tracking Angle
This press release lists prices in Euros only so not sure if this launch is simultaneously in Europe and the USA but it's newsworthy nonetheless. At Munich High End 2023 Pro-Ject Audio Systems launched an extensive "EVO" line of new tonearms in both standard and premium versions that occupied a rather large sized wall. This photo shows only some of the arms on that wall.Pro-Ject EVO arms at Munich High End 2023The lineup includes 9",10" and... Read More
Comments: 6September 6th, 2023
Monk's "Brilliant Corners" is Craft Recordings Next "Small Batch" Release limited to 4000 copies, set for September 8th releaseBy: Tracking Angle
Los Angeles, CA (September 6, 2023) – Craft Recordings’ acclaimed Small Batch vinyl series returns with an audiophile pressing of Thelonious Monk’s Brilliant Corners. A landmark title in the pianist’s celebrated catalog, the 1957 album not only introduces several Monk originals, but also features an all-star line-up of talent, including Sonny Rollins, Max Roach, and Paul Chambers. Shipping September 8th and limited to just 4,000 copies worldwide, Brilliant Corners can... Read More
Comments: 19September 5th, 2023
Three Hours of Hypnotic Bliss: Laraaji’s ‘Segue To Infinity’ Numero’s 4LP box set collects the zither master’s early recordingsBy: Malachi Lui
As listeners and reissue labels contextualize new age music in the broader history of ambient music, probably the biggest resurgence has been that of Laraaji, the zither master who’s worked with Brian Eno, Haruomi Hosono, and Bill Laswell, and who also leads laughter meditation workshops. Now, Numero Group presents Segue To Infinity, a recently released 4LP box set encompassing his first LP, 1978’s Celestial Vibration, and three discs of recently discovered recordings from the same time.
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