What in the world is going on.....


My system cost about 75000 dollars or so.  I got the rave review LP of the new Paul Simon album.....sounded pretty lousy.  I listened to the included M3P download using AirPlay through my Denon receiver and Senheisser wireless earphones, and it sounded wonderful......   What in the world is that all about....
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Wolf- I tend to like your taste in guitarists, but the measure for me isn't even chops, it is the ability to convey something that is emotionally affecting- I'm not sure there is a metric for that and it may be personal taste. For example, I went to hear Terry Reid a few years ago, and he used a local band- the guitarist had great countrified electric guitar fills that weren't "rote" and he didn't overplay, but when he came in, he was really tasty. 
Leslie West never really had "chops" but I always loved his playing on Mountain's "Theme for an Imaginary Western"--not just his tone either.
Lindley- yeah, total genius. 
I've been listening to some Davey Graham, who was a pretty influential guy for that whole crop of UK folk/psych guitarists, including Jansch and Renbourn.  

Wolf, couldn’t agree more with everything you said above. Sonny Landreth and David Lindley, two unfairly-overlooked guitarists. Bill Frisell’s recent Guitar in the Space Age album is a gas! Clapton’s playing just keeps getting deeper, and Beck is still without peer. I saw him on his first U.S. solo tour in ’68, and he’s even better now.

Robben Ford stopped in San Jose on his journey with his brothers (drums and mouth harp) from very Northern California to Los Angeles in the late 60’s, living and playing around town (and the whole Bay Area) for a couple of years, including with Charlie Musselwhite for awhile. Every guitarist I knew went to watch and listen to him play every chance they had, some of them almost quitting playing after hearing him. And that was over 45 years ago! He ended up playing with both George Harrison and Miles Davis; who else can say that?!

I don't understand what you people find in Beck, Frissell, Clapton and not mentioned Van Halen. Nothing really special to my ear. The best tune that I heard Beck perform was with John McLaughlin, it's called Django and McLaughlin's album is called The Promise. Not a very good album except for this composition and some other that I don't quite remember. By the way, Santana can groove, find his jam-sessions with McLaughlin and Miles Davis on youtube. His albums are very weak including famous Abraxas, some nice melodies though.
Also, listen to Reggie Lucas's solo on Pangaea by Miles Davis. Or is it by Pete Cosey, I am not sure? Great anyway.
Inna there's no bad albums with Bill Frisell. He's a dream of every jazz musician to play with.