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Truly Stunning Vinyl Album

Hey friends, I'm relatively new here, first topic post but I read Audiogon topics daily. I'm a total neophyte with a not-inexpensive mid-fi system (Rogue Cronus iii Dark amp, Michel Gyro SE TT, Maggie 3.7i speakers, and a single Perlisten D15s sub, and an Eversolo DMP A8 streamer), and a growing vinyl collection that I'm partial to over streaming (unless I'm working and can't bother to flip the record). I love classic rock, Neil Young, the Stones, and the Grateful Dead, but really I like almost all genres (not into rap or thrasher metal) and since setting up my system I routinely play jazz and classical albums, and artists I never paid much attention to but now listen to quite frequently because their albums sound great on my system (e.g. Jethro Tull, Santana). So with all of that context, what I'm interested in is any TRULY STUNNING vinyl albums you can recommend, in any genre. I'm not asking for a desert island list, or any list of your favorite albums. I have those lists too, but they're dominated by musicians/groups I love and aren't necessarily "stunning" beyond my own subjective tastes. I'm interested in hearing about the one or two albums in your collection that just blow you away for whatever reason (and please explain). I'll kick it off with the Impex reissue of chamber music by Jascha Heifetz in mono, called The Lark. If you had told me that one of the top 3 records in my collection would be a mono chamber music album, I'd have laughed you out of my house. But it just blows me away. I listen to it daily. Why does it blow me away? Mostly it's the opening piece, Heifetz and an organist playing Vitali's Chaconne. It starts off with somber organ tones that I feel in my soul thanks to the Perlisten D15s sub, and then all of a sudden Heifetz comes crashing in with his piercing violin, and it is so darn stunning and beautiful I could listen to it daily until they plant me. And I don't even have a mono cartridge!  So that's the type of album I'm looking for, in any genre. Something younwould play for anyone, and regardless of what genre they prefer, they would likely agree this album is truly stunning. Can you recommend anything like that? And in case you're interested, here's a great review of the Heifetz album: 

https://positive-feedback.com/reviews/music-reviews/jascha-heifetz-the-lark/

Thanks for any recommendations!

phillyspecial
tlittlefield
23 posts
 

Anything on the Groovenote label, especially Venessa Fernandez When the Levee Breaks

larryi
3,969 posts
 

Good call on Groove Note; that is indeed a consistently fine sounding label.  I have a few of the Jacintha recordings, but her pacing is way too slow for my taste.  I have, and like, the Illinois Jacquet “Birthday Party” album.

dancub
80 posts
 

Siri's Svale Band – Blackbird

I first heard the the cut "Don't explain" at the SF HiFI show (1970s?) in the Joseph Audio room. Had gone to the show to visit a co-worker's room (Siegfired Linkwitz) but was so taken by the rich dimensionality of the cut when I walked in I only spent 3 minutes in Siegfried's room. I now own all versions of everything Siri's group ever recorded. Sadly, that's not many and Siri decided to go back to being a journalist and only does a few live gigs each year.  Very nice person and if you can't find the vinyl or cd, she'll send you one from Norway.

vonharaland's avatar
vonharaland
55 posts
 

DGM records sell amazing King Crimson reissues, the 50th Anniversary remix/reissues of Larks' Tongues in Aspic is divine.

unreceivedogma's avatar
unreceivedogma
978 posts
 

Two LPs by J G Thirlwell aka Scraping Foetus Off the Wheel: “Nail” and “Hole”.

“Scraping Foetus Off the Wheel” is a nom de guerre of J G Thirlwell, an Aussie musician who wrote, performed and produced 4 albums under that name by himself. A brilliant, in demand composer (he’s been commissioned by The Kronos Quartet, among others), these LPs must be heard to be believed. Imagine the sound of someone creating a musical cacophony by dropping several tons of sheet metal from a ten story building onto a busy city street, using that sound to quote everyone from surfer music bands like Jan and Dean to nursery rhymes to swing to krautrock to Sibelius and everything in between, with a vocal growl like Frankenstein, and whatever volume you might have been imagining this might be, just quadruple it, all while keeping the gas petal pressed to the floor for 45 minutes without ever ever letting up. Seemingly a musical omnivore, Thirlwell devours everything and spits it back out in a scrap heap of sonic chaos, twisted beyond recognition. His oblique yet subversive lyrical themes don’t make his music any more palatable for the faint of heart. This is the sound of unfiltered imagination, absolutely unencumbered by notions of commerce or accessibility. In fact it can double as a great way to clear a party.

THAT is what this sounds like. It’s a wall of sound that makes Phil Spector’s sound like you are listening through tin cans and a string.

It’s brilliant genius and it’s not ever ever ever going to be for everybody.

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