How to find the good CD recordings?

By coincidence I found the first Led Zeppelin II LP in some thrift in MD. It’s the one with STA etched in the trailing vinyl. Anyone heard it? It’s the one they say had to be remastered due to some cartridges flying out of the groove. But it’s not the SS RL issue.

compression, EQ and bad mastering killed many CD issues of LPs.When CDs 1st arrived, most labels used EQ'd masters to make CDs from, as compared to a 1st gen master mix flat 2 track, or even a 2nd generation flat.
An EQ'd master was made in the days of vinyl to compensate for the physical limitations of vinyl.  Vinyl is really only good for 18 mins per side with decent dynamics.  When LPs became 25 mins per side and the last song was most dynamic, the mastering engineer really had to compensate.  Great ones could make compensation during songs if need be, but most stuck to changes in between songs, so as not to shock the ear.
But even then, when a US label shipped a master to the UK for local LP or CD production, it was still 2nd gen.
I was recently looking for a cut that I knew I had on at least 3 CDs.  They sounded completely different from each other.  One was a US issue and the others on later Brit collections.
A lot rests in the recording engineers hands.  Glyn Johns, Tom Dowd, the Beatles guys - Emerick, Scott, MacDonald, Smith, and others. Brilliant sound with minimal mics.
Check out Buena Vista Social Club for a truly fine recording with space and limited augmentation of sound.  Jerry Boys, old school Brit.

Original CD pressings from the 1980's are a real sonic joy and Remasters, unfortunately or at least 9 times out of 10 sound like absolute rubbish. In the event of remastering, the recordings themselves are just made 'louder' which follows suit to the so called 'loudness Wars'. The decimation of the cd's warm character was destroyed around 1997 when music mastering for the cd in general took on a whole new persona. Above all, It is really quite sad really. 
Long story short. Stick with original cd pressings. Most of the comments are on here that I've read are absolutely right on the money. 
My advice. If you plan to buy a cd that was recorded after 1997 go to drloundnesswarinfo.com
it is a pretty good database of info that tells you the DR value of the piece of music you are interested in. 
Lastly. I must share one remaster that is actually far superior than that of the original and that is Metallica's 2017 remaster of Master of puppets. It wasn't made 'louder' it is an actual proper remaster. Fixed the bloated low end of the guitars that really took over. The sharp treble from the cymbal crashes lost its heavy bite and the vocals were smoothed out slightly. Everything a great mastering job should do! Check it out and happy cd hunting! 

If there is one thing I know. It is great recordings so if you wish for me to give some suggestions to you, especially in Prog rock I'm so happy to help. 

-nicholas

@shadorne 

++1 on your recommendation. I would say very well composed, played, sung and produced americana. Nice warm organic sound. Live feeling. Even the harmonica! Curs of Lono have great harmonies and impressing sound landscape with lots of interesting details. You could almost believe Daniel Lanois was sitting there behind the controlboard. Hope they will make a hit song! Other favourites:
France Gall - Concert public - Concert privé 
Pretenders - Live at the Isle of view
Guy Clark - Keepers - A live recording
Little Feat - Waiting for Columbus (PLAY LOUD!! - not best quality though...)
Enjoy!

Thanks for all the great advice and discussion folks. I'm still all ears.

Okay Nicholas, how about dropping the names of your 5 favorite prog rock CDs? Or more if you have the time.