April 12th, 2023
Rhino Announces 2023 Exclusive 2023 Record Store Day Releases including 5 LP expanded "Nuggets" box setBy: Michael Fremer
Among the Rhino RSD releases is a 5 LP expanded "Nuggets" box set, originally curated by Lenny Kaye as a double LP set. I produced and recorded the original radio spot for Elektra Records way back then, that I sent to Lenny when the '90's expanded "Nuggets" CD set was released. I also included some of my parodies and the famous "Troggs tape", which has, since the internet, become readily available.
Read MoreApril 4th, 2023
Review Explosion: Lana Del Rey, Lil Yachty, Slowthai, Gorillaz, & Black Country, New Road Tracking Angle's roundup of recent releasesBy: Malachi Lui
Lana Del Rey delivers her best album yet; Black Country, New Road turn obnoxiously theatrical; Gorillaz' new one bores; Lil Yachty and Slowthai turn to rock
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It was a long time coming, yet shocking nonetheless. Today, it was announced that Japanese innovator Ryuichi Sakamoto passed away on March 28th at age 71. The cause was rectal cancer.
Read MoreMarch 21st, 2023
Intervention Records Announces "Frampton@50" "Artist Approved" Deluxe Box Set 3 peak "pre-super stardom" Frampton albumsBy: Michael Fremer
After Peter Frampton exited Humble Pie, but before the double live LP "Peter Frampton Comes Alive!" delivered to him super nova pop stardom (an unexpected career explosion that almost destroyed him) he released a series of superbly crafted A&M albums that caught the ears and eyes of rock cognoscenti worldwide, but didn't exactly light a fire on the Billboard Top 100. In the U.K. Humble Pie was signed to Andrew Loog Oldham's Immediate Records.... Read More
March 21st, 2023
There's a Story Behind the "Onslaught" of Neil Young Official Bootleg Releases but he's not yet ready to tell it....By: Michael Fremer
Hopefully, one day soon Neil will reveal the reason he's so rapidly releasing so many Bootleg series titles, but for now he's leaving fans guessing. According to the Warner Music publicist there will be "many more" titles this year. These releases are not randomly chosen. Behind each is a unique story. The latest two, out April 14th are The Ducks High Flyin' and Neil Young and the Santa Monica Flyers Somewhere Under the Rainbow.High... Read More
March 12th, 2023
Deutsche Grammophon Announces "The Original Source" AAA Reissue Series 14 titles to be issued in 2023 cut directly from 4-track mastersBy: Michael Fremer
In 1970 DGG developed quadraphonic 4 channel tape recording, featuring left, right and rear channel "surround" channels. The tapes were edited using traditional splicing techniques and then down mixed to 2 channels for standard record production, since QS and SQ quad LP technology hadn't been fully developed and when it was DGG chose to not issue LPs in either of those competing formats.For these new reissues, DGG decided to cut directly from the 4... Read More
March 3rd, 2023
Tune in Saturday, March 4th 3PM (EST) For "Reviewing Reviews" with Michael Fremer and Ken Kessler, hosted by "Michael45rpm"By: Tracking Angle
Michael Ludwigs who hosts the popular "michael45" YouTube channel will have as his guests tomorrow, Saturday March 4th, in a live YouTube stream TrackingAngle.com editor Michael Fremer and esteemed veteran audio and music reviewer Ken Kessler. The discussion will revolve around music and audio reviewing, but mostly music. What is a music reviewer's job? What are his or her responsibilities to the reader/viewer? To the record label? To the artist? What... Read More
March 1st, 2023
Craft Announces Re-Launch of Original Jazz Classics (OJC Series)! first two cut by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio using the original master tapesBy: Tracking Angle
Craft Recordings relaunches Original Jazz Classics – the acclaimed reissue series that faithfully presented more than 850 memorable jazz albums over three decades. The soon to be relaunched reissue series will be focused on audiophile-quality vinyl and HD audio releases. Upcoming reissues include titles from Bill Evans, John Coltrane, Dave Brubeck, Mal Waldron and Yusef Lateef, with further details to be announced soon via Craft Recordings. First launched in 1982... Read More
March 1st, 2023
ECM Announces "Luminessence"—a New Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series "cut from the original masters made in europe analog productions wherever possible"By: Tracking Angle
The series Includes jewels of the label’s deep catalogue that have long been out of print or have never been available on vinyl, packaged in elegant, high-quality editions cut from the original masters made in Europe analogue production wherever possible
Read MoreFebruary 18th, 2023
Rich Record Store Day 4/22 Offerings! here are some "must haves"By: Michael Fremer
This year's RSD offerings are many, varied and of great interest whatever your musical tastes. The lead image shows the Craft offerings that includes the first American mono reissue of "Chet" by Chet Baker, Jonathan Richman's country record "Jonathan Goes Country" from 1990, Travis's "The Invisible Band Live", and others. Here are some great ones. At the bottom is a link to the Record Store Day listing of all titles. From... Read More
December 17th, 2022
VMP to Release Original "Anthem of the Sun" Mix Cut By CB From Tape a Lysergic experienceBy: Michael Fremer
VMP's January 2023 "Record of the Month" is The Grateful Dead's "Anthem of the Sun"—the original 1968 mix not the 1971 Lesh remix—originally released on Warner Brothers-7 Arts. Chris Bellman cut lacquers using the original master tape for an AAA release. VMP does this so correctly both in terms of how they produce these records and in how they describe the process: "with AAA lacquers cut from the original master tapes by Chris... Read More
December 13th, 2022
Saxophonist Jerome Sabbagh's New AAA Kickstarter Project Is Now "Live" Have a listen!By: Michael Fremer
Saxophonist Jerome Sabbagh recently recorded "Vintage", a new all-analog jazz album with Kenny Barron, Joe Martin and Johnathan Blake, tracked to 30 IPS multitrack tape at Oktaven Audio, mixed to a custom, completely restored 1/2" 30 IPS Ampex 351 tube deck. Ryan Streber engineered at Oktaven, Pete Rende mixed at Brooklyn Recording.darTZeel's Hervé Delétraz recently came on board the project as the vinyl edition's Executive... Read More
December 12th, 2022
Thursday Evening 12/15 at The Audio Salon, Santa Monica—Record Collecting Made Difficult With Michael Fremer 60 years of record collecting experience concentrated into a single eveningBy: Michael Fremer
This Thursday, December 15th from 4PM until 8:30PM at a special event hosted by Maier Shadi at The Audio Salon at The Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Avenue (Gallery F1) Santa Monica, California 90404, I will be be talking about my 60 years of record collecting and offering tips on what to look for and what to avoid when buying records, both new and used. Especially used. It will be more of a conceptual discussion rather than a list of what you should buy and own,... Read More
December 6th, 2022
Listen to Neil Young’s Music with the Best Audio Fidelity on ‘Neil Young Radio High-Res’ Hi-res on Sirius/XM? Yes. Through December 16th: 96K or 192K, Both 24 BitBy: Michael Fremer
You have to log into your Sirius/XM account and then you can hear: "...decades of Neil’s classics, tracks from his new World Record LP, and songs from his recently released Harvest 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition featuring outtakes, demos, alternate versions and live tracks."The "Harvest" link takes you to where you can order the deluxe bundle for $149.00. The most interesting thing there is a previously unseen two hour 1971 documentary film shot... Read More
December 1st, 2022
Blue Note Announces New Run of "Classic Vinyl" Reissues—January through August 2023 AAA, Kevin Gray mastered, pressed at Optimal on 180g vinyl series continuesBy: Tracking Angle
Blue Note announces today a list of new, upcoming titles in its Classic Vinyl Reissue Series, the label's affordable long running series, mastered by Kevin Gray from original master tapes and pressed on 180 vinyl at Optimal. The series is curated by Don Was and Cem Kurosman. The first two coming January 20th, 2023 are Grant Green's "Green is Beautiful" and Bobby Hutcherson's "San Francisco". Both are currently available for pre-order on the Blue Note Store.
Read MoreNovember 28th, 2022
Tracking Angle’s 2022 Holiday Gift Guide Finding gifts for analog obsessives gets hard. This guide simplifies it.By: Tracking Angle
The holiday season is here, and finding good gifts for picky vinyl obsessives can be hard. To provide some suggestions and guidance, we’ve compiled the 2022 Tracking Angle Holiday Gift Guide, selecting some records, gear, and accessories that would make suitable gifts. These products are independently selected by our Michael Fremer and Malachi Lui, and are recommended based on our experiences or personal opinions of each item.
Read MoreNovember 17th, 2022
VMP Record of the Month is "Blonde on Blonde" Mono, RKS Cut From Analog Master Tapes! Dylan hung around for the mono mix, split for the stereoBy: Michael Fremer
VMP's just announced December's record of the month is Bob Dylan's "Blonde on Blonde" mono edition mastered by Ryan K. Smith using the original analog master tapes.The cut appears to be from a previous one done by Ryan for Music On Vinyl in 2010. The 2010 Columbia box set was mastered by the late George Marino. The records are pressed on "blonde on blonde" colored vinyl.Listening notes by my old pal Michael Simmons. This is a record... Read More