Your Go to CD to Impress


Friends come over and inquire why you would spend so much money on a stereo system, what is the CD you load up? For me,

Patricia Barber  ---Café Blue

Dead Can Dance-Into the Labyrinth


styxtrekr

If you want a sonic spectacular, try one of the last three of the Moody Blues’ core seven on SACD. Huge soundstages, a constantly changing soundscape with lots of effects, great guitar riffs, wide dynamic range. The 1997 remasters may be as good, but I haven’t heard them.

I don’t want to start a fight, but these albums were all made at least a year before Pink Floyd’s DSOTM and IMHO, they leave that classic in the dust as far as sound quality and use of studio technology go. You may disagree, of course.

Also McCartney’s recent reissues in the Paul McCartney Archive Collection qualify as sonic spectaculars. They have great sound, a complex, always changing soundscape with lots of effects and musical accents. Just pick your favorite.

In a different genre, If you like music rooted in bluegrass but with many other influences, check out Laurie Lewis’ "Blossoms." It opens with a beautiful 3 part acapella tune that’s pretty impressive. If you like bluegrass at all you should check out Laurie’s "Earth and Sky" compilation. Beautiful music.

Nice! tomcy6

I want those (7) Moody Blues discs.  I do enjoy 'Days of future Passed".
It is a reference disc in any format.
If its a guest who knows nothing about audio, I always ask them what kind of music they enjoy. If they answer: "Oh, just about anything," I just quietly turn the system off and say ... hey, why don't we go to Baskin Robbins for an ice cream cone?" 
When I play my system, or my violin for anyone, I select a piece that they know and already enjoy.  To understand something new in music and to evaluate a stereo system is just too much for most to handle.
"If they answer: "Oh, just about anything," I just quietly turn the system off and say ... hey, why don’t we go to Baskin Robbins for an ice cream cone?"

Perfect, oregonpapa. Another tell is if, within 30 seconds or less after the music starts, they begin visually searching for something to look at (a CD case/LP cover, or the completely unforgivable, their phone) instead of listening.