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Good rock LPs not rare?

Recently, there have been a couple of threads concerning the disappointing sound of classic rock LPs. I've been surprised at the amount of agreement on this point and it really doesn't echo my experience. I don't prefess to be an expert. I've been back into vinyl for three years and have had no problem finding many rock Lps that are not only good but often shockingly so. My system is good but nothing special by many of your standards.(VPI SSM reference with Shelter 90x and Benz Ebony LP, Ps Audio GCPH, BAT VK51se, Krell FPB 600, Vandersteen 5A) I got to thinking about all the amazing rock LPs I've found in just the past 2 years, most on just one or two trys. I felt compelled to compile a list of the ones I could think of. Please feel free to disagree or especially add any you know of. No particular order. I can't be this lucky or good. Are good rock LPs really that hard to find?

Lou Reed-Transformer
Dave Mason-It's like You Never Left, Let It Flow
Brewer and Shipely-Tarkio
Grateful Dead-American Beauty, Working Man's Dead
Traffic- John Barleycorn Must Die
Neil Young-After the Goldrush, Everyone Knows This is
Nowhere, On a Beach
Yes-Fragile, Close to the Edge
Cat Stevens-Teaser and the Firecat, Tea for the Tillerman
Trex-Electric Warrior
Fleetwood Mac-Rumors
Talking Heads-Little Creatures
Roxy Music-Avalon,Sirens
Steve Miller Band-Fly Like an Eagle
Bob Marley-Natty Dread, Uprising
Little Feat-Waiting for Columbus
Jimmy Buffet-Changes in Latitudes...
Beck-Sea Change
Son Volt-Staightaways
Beatles for Sale
Jennifer Warnes-Famous Blue Raincoat
Eddie Money-Eddie Money
Micheal Jackson-Thriller(I know, I know)
Prince- Purple Rain
Hall and Oates-Abandoned Luncheonette,Voices
Eagles-Eagles
America-Homecoming
Ambrosia-Ambrosia
Doors-LA Woman, Morrison Hotel
Dire Straits-Dire Straits, Communique
James Gang-Rides Again
Van Morrison-Moondance,His Band and Street Choir
Mott the Hoople- All the Young Dudes
Linda Ronstadt-Heart Like a Wheel
Queen-The Game, Jazz
Steely Dan-Can't Buy a Thrill, Aja, Gaucho
Joe Walsh-The Smoker You Drink
Roger Waters-Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking
Andrew Gold-What's Wrong with this Picture?
Jackson Browne-Jackson Browne, The Pretender
James Taylor- JT, Mudslide Slim
Molly Hatchet-Flirtin with Disaster
Lynyrd Skynyrd-Street Survivors
Rush-Moving Pictures
Heart-Dreamboat Annie, Little Queen
Humble Pie-Humble Pie
Bread-Baby I'm a Want You, Best of Bread
Eric Clapton-Slowhand(original and MOFI) 461 Ocean Ave
Jefferson Airplane-Surrealistic Pillow
Pink Floyd-Wish You Were Here
INXS-Kick
Traveling Wulburys-Vol 1
Harry Nilsson-Nilsson Schmilson,Nilsson Sings Newman,A Little Touch of Schmilson in the Night
Elton John-Honky Chateau, Don't Shoot the Piano Player
Clash-London Calling
Elvis Costello- My Aim is True, Armed Forces, This Year's Model
Bob Dylan-Blood on the Tracks
Harry Belafonte-At Carnegie Hall
Joni Mitchell-Clouds,Blue

This doesn't even include all the great ones I've found right here in Des Moines. Just the ones I Can think of. I could play any of them as demos. Sorry for the long list. Please add or comment if so inclined.
sonofjim
mlsstl
1,438 posts
 
Without getting into the debate of what qualifies as "rock" I'd offer the observation that many LPs from the past offer delightful tidbits that one can focus on even if the overall recording is only mediocre. The person who can focus on the positive attributes of a recording is going to enjoy his music a lot more than the fellow who is more interested in perfect sonics than the music.

Recordings are the one aspect of having a nice system that we have virtually no control over. You can only play what the record company releases. Sometimes you get a "remaster" that is better (and sometimes it is worse.) So it gets back to the music itself. I always feel a bit sorry for the person who can't listen to a great song because it is deemed to be not up-to-snuff in the technical aspects of the recording.
julius_the_cat
16 posts
 
Thanks for the effort. Bet I can find 1/3 of your list in my basement. I just started listening to my old records again. I steam cleaned My Aim is True and cued it up on a P3-24 with a Dynavector 10X5 and P75 pre. The kick drum and bass were punchy, the Tele and vocals had great presence.

Felt like I was at a show in a small club in row 5. I've spent the last few months with the goal of listening to the rock and alt stuff I like at low volume but with a little slam and air. My ears are old and were misused in my youth, but I'm enjoying my motley assemblage : Dynaudio 72 speakers, Audio Research D240 mkII, TADAC pre/dac and a PC for CDs.
czapp's avatar
czapp
126 posts
 
My apologies
I think I have been misunderstood.
I wasn't making a value judgement on any type of system, and I don't want to hijack this thread and turn it into a catfight.
Please, continue with the recommendations.
sns
3,265 posts
 
I started at least one of those bad lp threads. I will qualify my statements, at least in part.

As I've continued to 'voice' and tweak my vinyl rig in, I've gotten more classic rock lps to sound better. However, these recordings remain less than stellar relative to most of my 50's and 60's recordings.

I find I am really having to 'warm' up my vinyl setup in order to get these recordings to sound good. Some major changes in isolating my analog equipment has helped up to this point. Mullard 12ax7s in my phono stage should get me further along this path.

In respect to high res. vs. musical, I believe you can have both in one system. My digital, after many years of mods and 'voicing' gives me both. I expect the same from my vinyl. Thus far, I have the high resolution without the musicality (except on very high quality lps) I want.

At this point on my analog path, my take on classic rock lps, is that they require a very unique balancing act. A high resolution system makes it very difficult to achieve that balance.

I guess what I really want to highlight in these discussions, is the feeling of disappointment I had in first hearing these lps on a high resolution system. It seems most discussions of analog are all hype with no downside. I think its important to discuss some of those downsides, along with the positive virtues. It is not simply plug and play, it is damn hard work to get the most of all your recordings. We do a disservice to potential vinyl adapters when we only speak of positive attributes.

Lp's can sound wonderful, mediocre, or crappy, I don't see any harm in giving that information to the uninitiated. While it is fine to talk about the wonderful recordings, we should also warn people away from the crap.
julius_the_cat
16 posts
 
I intended my post to promote Elvis Costello's first few LPs. Apologies if it sounded like anything else.

I am working my way through a couple hundred records, some forty years old. They've been stored indifferently, transported from dorm to apt to house, left in the back seat of cars or left on the floor for days.

Some don't have the magic that I remember or suffer from poor recording techniques. Seems like copies of the same LP can differ significantly. A new issue I bought last week was flat and disappointing. On the other hand, some are pretty cool. I have a few that I like better than the CD version. I have some for which there is no CD version.

I want to be able to close my eyes and see a stage with amps and drums sets. Yeah there's a little grain here and there, but it works for me and the teenagers at the shows don't have to wonder why that old guy is standing in the corner.
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