Your favourite 2017 album.?

+1 on Eric Bibb

Made a couple of attempts to listen through the entire Close Ties album via Tidal. I really wanted to love it, Rodney and the album being focused on life in Houston and all.

Sound quality, especially Rodney’s vocals (thin and closed in) prevented success. I know sound quality should not be of consequence to a pure music lover, but it is to me.

Eric Bibb’s excellent release creates no such consternation...

Dave

@dlcockrum 

Dave, I'll give Close Ties another listen to see if I can pick up on what you found within your system.

I enjoy it and it is a great come back story and performance. Most of my family lives in Houston, so there is a personal connection for me as well.

I've listened to 'Migration Blues' many, many times so I'm very familiar with it. And I agree that it is very well recorded and the musicianship is excellent. I love the messages and stories in the songs as well.

A lot of my favorite music was unfortunately recorded in indifferent sound. Nothing you can do about that, but if the music is good enough one can suspend disbelief.

Hi bdp24,

You are a more pure music lover than I. I share my opinion of the sound quality of Close Ties only because it was recommended as a 2017 top pick and personally feel that sound quality does matter at that level.

I listened to it again (via Tidal’s MQA Master) and found the sound to vary greatly from track to track. On some tracks, the sound quality of Rodney’s vocal is very good, most not so much. Accompanying music is good throughout IMO.

My ideal is that sound quality provides a gateway to total immersion in the music, ie Eric Bibb’s newest release.

Peace.

Dave