November 2010

Transcription

November 2010
November 2010
Web page printouts from
the latest issue of AudioEnz
http://www.audioenz.co.nz/acrobat/issues/2010/2010-11.pdf
www.audioenz.co.nz
AudioEnz editor: Michael Jones ph 027-44 999 75
AudioEnz - 10 Years Online
http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/10years.shtml
10 years of AudioEnz online
By Michael Jones
November 2010
October marks the 10th anniversary of New Zealand’s hi-fi magazine appearing on the internet.
Founded in 1986 by this writer, AudioEnz was a pioneer in online magazine publishing. When
AudioEnz went solely online in 2000 it was one of the few magazines to explore publishing online as
a magazine, rather than a promotional tool for offline activities.
When AudioEnz went online on October1, 2000, the internet was still a strange and unknown world
to many, including some of the hi-fi industry. It took several years for many in the hi-fi industry to
catch up with the new reality – that their customers were increasingly using the internet to research
purchases.
At launch, these were the reviews and articles online:
Clark Tactile Transducer
Sony VPL-VW10HT LCD video projector
Plinius 8150 integrated amplifier
Fresh Ear Seat Two home theatre seat
Rotel RA-931 mk2 integrated amplifier
Shure V15VxMR phono cartridge
Yamaha DSP-AX1 home theatre amplifier
Image AV One loudspeaker
NAD T550
And a Cast of Thousands
Other room, better sound
Mini-system bashers!
A music lover's best friend
Bach hi-fi
There is a light and it never goes out
A good bang for the audio buck
Progress for the online AudioEnz was rapid. It took only a couple of months for AudioEnz to reach a
monthly audience of 4000 per month. Today, AudioEnz can boast over 70,000 visits per month.
Launching the AudioEnz Forums at the beginning of 2003 was a significant event. The interactive
nature of the forum encouraged a lot of talk about hi-fi and home theatre and encouraged many
purchases. Today the forum boasts over 3000 registered members and over 133,000 posts. As I type
at 3pm on a weekday there are 64 people online reading and writing on the forums.
AudioEnz - 10 Years Online
http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/10years.shtml
No one person is ever responsible for making things happen. Long-time AudioEnz writer Max
Christoffersen helped made AudioEnz online possible and was the push behind the forums. Thanks
Max!
AudioEnz - Yarland FV34C
http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/yarland_fv34c.shtml
Yarland FV34C
By Shane Hanify
November 2010
Yarland FV34C valve amplifier. $899
Traditionally, one would
associate valve
amplifiers with high
purchase costs and large
footprints. This darling
little amp from Chinese
manufacturer Yarland
has neither of those.
Now you can step into
the warm glowing
embrace for little more
than a decent set of
cables and a pint of beer.
Indeed, when I first
spotted this a few
months back, I thought
there was a digit missing
from the price tag. It
turns out I was gladly mistaken.
The front panel is a woodgrained panel with a couple of machined knobs flanking a small toggle
switch. The valves are uncaged and sit atop a polished metal panel at the front.
Around back are your usual binding posts and input jacks with an IEC socket for whichever cable you
wish to use. Build quality is high for the price, shaming many more costly components.
This is a small 12 watt push pull class A amp, so dance fanatics and those with large rooms will have
too look elsewhere, and dig somewhat deeper, but for a starter valve amplifier this is ideal.
Sources were primarily an AMC CD6b, with the PC / Receiver as secondary. Speaker cables were
Nordost 2flat and an Aviemore 25 was employed as the power cable. Speakers were Monitor Audio
Monitor 7 and Infinity RS6.
After checking everything was OK I hooked it all up. A small click later and we were glowing nicely.
And, we’re off
AudioEnz - Yarland FV34C
http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/yarland_fv34c.shtml
I gave the amp a few minutes to settle, then proceeded to push some music through it gently.
Knowing full well that these take a good half hour to warm up, I wasn’t expecting magic but I was
waiting for the warm lush sound that valves are so characteristic for.
This didn’t happen. The sound I was greeted with initially was forward, and more than a little bright.
Even after an hour it wasn’t much better.
A quick email to the distributor sorted a few things out. Like the fact that this was engineered for
detail and transparency, not warmth and soothing tones. I found out later in the week that this was a
fresh amp, not having been powered up at all. Ah! now it made a bit of sense.
Take two. Action!
After settling the amp in for a couple of days it started to warm on me. I swapped the speaker leads
for some more controlled ones and sat back. Now we were in business.
I fed disc after disc through it, changing genres and tempos on a whim. And found that like me, it
didn’t really have a preference.
Now I was being rewarded. Staggeringly deep bass, plumbing down well below what I thought the
small stand mounts were capable.
Drums had the thud and slam that you was expected of them, to the point where you could almost
feel, yet you could hear tiny details in the mix regardless of how busy it was.
Complex passages were handled well with only a small muddying in the lower registers and
large-scale pieces were scaled back slightly, but given this has less power than a energy saving light
bulb that was hardly an issue. There were slight sibilance on some vocals but I’ve heard those on
amplifiers costing magnitudes more than this one.
Staging was well to the left and the right of the speakers, and it even had a little depth. This was good,
considering my limited space.
The only negative I found, is that it could sound thin on some recordings but this occurred rarely.
Wow, I thought. Let’s take this up a notch.
Bigger = better. Right?
I hooked up the Infinities to the little beast using the logic, that with the floorstanders being much
easier to drive, the overall sound would be better. This wasn’t at all the case. Sure they went louder,
obscenely so if you wound the wick up. But those bigger drivers need a level of grip that this amp
simply did not posses. Bass notes, especially those around 60Hz simply hung and made everything a
lot woollier.
Conclusion
If you’d like to give valves a try but were always afraid to, then this would be the perfect place to start.
Pair this with a small fast speaker, a good front end and a moderate space and it will make you grin
for weeks. Recommended.
AudioEnz - Wadia 151 PowerDac Mini
http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/wadia_151.shtml
Wadia 151 PowerDac Mini
By Gary Pearce
November 2010
Wadia 151 PowerDac Mini Digital Amplifier/DA Converter. $1999
Occupying the same exalted HiFi ground as companies such as Wilson Audio, Krell and Audio
Research, Wadia practically invented the outboard DAC back in the late ‘80’s and together with its
ever-increasing flotilla of battleship CD transports, ownership of the digital arms race.
Waterfront shenanigans
In fact a couple of years ago I turned up to a product demonstration on Auckland’s waterfront hosted
by the importer of both Wadia and Wilson Audio, and this was a most entertaining afternoon –
essentially as the afternoon stretched into the later hours the music became louder and heavier
(ACDC’s Thunderstruck, anyone?).
A steady diet of Heineken was just the spur for me to quickly remove Barb Jungr from the awesomely
built transport tray and gently replace it with Sydney’s finest, and I was bloody glad I did for it
proved to be one of the genuine surprises of this reviewers audiophile life.
I’m not really an Acka Dacka fan, but I do appreciate their raw edge and genuine passion for rock and
roll – could the cultured Americans get down and dirty?
Well, they sure did. what this event proved to me, after hours of listening to the usual bland
audiophile stuff, that great equipment can play real music that excites and captivates the listener.
The sound quality was quite staggering: dynamics were stupendous especially considering the
cavernous hall the demo took place in, while from my seating position the bass transients were deep,
nimble and easy to follow.
Unobtanium
So for a company responsible for creating so much unobtanium for us normal folk, they have
followed the rather super little 170i iPod transport with the new151 PowerDAC Mini. I’d describe the
AudioEnz - Wadia 151 PowerDac Mini
http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/wadia_151.shtml
PowerDAC Mini as an outboard DAC with on-board amplification, but as is usual with Wadia they
have incorporated technology from much higher up its digital food chain. With 25 watts of Class-D
power per channel (8 ohms), the Wadia utilises asynchronous upsampling of the signal up to 384kHz
from each of its four inputs (including USB). Equally interesting is the topology – digital all the way
until it reaches the output stage, unlike most traditional amp/DAC’s where separate circuits perform
both D/A conversion and amplification in the same box.
The back end: digital inputs at right, speaker poutputs at left.
Data rates of 24/192kHz can be handled natively (USB is limited to 24/96) via the two RCA and the
single optical inputs, and a digital volume control rounds off the internal architecture. The
PowerDAC Mini comes with a nice metal remote control that includes 180-degree phase along with
the usual volume and source selector/track up & down and mute buttons, along with a few other
standard widgets.
Just slightly larger than my Mac Mini, the diminutive component is supremely easy to site and is
attractively finished in a powdercoated black finish. Four pointy rubber feet complete the aesthetic,
and the indentations on the top rubber inserts suggest a good stable home for either the 170i or 171i
iPod transport.
Now I certainly wasn’t expecting to experience the same hair-raising dynamics and stomach
churning bass control I heard from the Watt/Puppy/Wadia 270SE/931 Controller and VTL system I
heard on that memorable day on the waterfront, but I was still expecting a bit of an experience –
albeit on a different level. Would I be impressed?
Playtime
The 151 PowerDAC Mini was used in a number of configurations using the tidal nature of equipment
that happens to regularly permeate my home, but the majority of listening was done with my Mac
Mini (2.66ghz/4gb RAM) and iTunes using a pair of Theophany M3B or Yamaha Soavo 900M
standmounts. Other equipment included my Squeezebox Duet/Welborne PSU and either Castle
Durham/Harlech or my single driver Voigt ‘Vofo’s’. Cables used included Nordost Moonglow digital /
Superflatline mk2 bi-wire speaker cable and a bog-standard USB cable I carefully selected from Dick
Smiths.
The PowerDAC quickly dispelled any notions of producing a lightweight sound by easily driving all
AudioEnz - Wadia 151 PowerDac Mini
http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/wadia_151.shtml
the speakers used during the test, and although it couldn’t recreate the control of my 250wpc
integrated, it surprised me with generally excellent sound quality.
Bass transients were impactful and defined, and my favourite Marley album (Exodus) in Apple
Lossless came alive with a good, stable image and defined soundstaging. In particular, the
Theophanies sounded very good via the PowerDAC, this speaker has an overly warm presentation
that was in some way counteracted by the accuracy and neutrality of the little Wadia.
Changing to the Soavo 900M’s also proved insightful, its 6-Ohm load presented the Wadia with a
touch more verve and drive, while the increased definition of the speaker allowed me to listen further
into the performance.
Likewise the trio of the Duet/Vofo’s and PowerDAC proved to be fruitful as well, the Fostex equipped
floorstanders have an efficiency of around 96dB (8oHms) and this proved the best sound quality of
the lot – albums from Grace Jones, Boards Of Canada and Robert Plant/Alison Krauss were among
the many enjoyed during many extended listening sessions.
Wadia's matching combination: the 170 iPod transport and 151PowerDAC mini
The verdict
I see the 151 PowerDAC Mini as a bargain HiFi product that over performs for the asking price, and
an elegant way for HiFi fans to join the world of Wadia at ground level.
In summing up: The ground level performance of this PowerDAC Mini actually relates to more than a
few rungs up the ladder for most of its competition. Highly recommended.
AudioEnz - Graham Slee Era Gold Reflex C
http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/grahamslee.shtml
Graham Slee Era Gold Reflex C phono
stage
By Michael Wong
November 2010
Graham Slee Era Gold Reflex C phono stage. With PSU1 power supply
(as reviewed), $1749. With basic power supply, $1250.
The name Graham Slee will be unfamiliar to
many local readers. This UK company has
been building headphone amplifiers and
phono stages since 1998. They officially arrive
in New Zealand with an enviable reputation
for high-performance and excellent value for
money.
The Reflex C under review sits near the top of
the range and is a dedicated preamplifier for
moving coil cartridges.
The preamplifier is nicely finished in a compact (about half the size of my Plinius Jarrah) brushed
aluminium box with only the company logo and a power pilot light adorning the front panel. The rear
is almost as sparse. Two sets of gold plated RCA sockets, one for input, one for output; a grounding
post and a socket for the 24V power supply. That’s it. No user controls, just a well made little box that
sits on four plastic nipples.
The review sample was supplied with the deluxe PSU1 power supply. This is a plain looking (aside
from the GSP logo) black plastic box power supply with a detachable power cable, delivering its
power to the preamp via a plain two core wire. Inside is where the magic lies, for the PSU1 is a super
stiff, linear supply, rather than the standard switched mode power supply, promising improved
performance.
Refreshingly, Graham Slee spares phono enthusiasts the ignominy of having to fiddle with silly little
jumpers or mini-switches that shout their defiance to adult-sized fingers. The Reflex C has no such
impediments. Like some of the much more expensive phono exotica, the Reflex C offers no gain or
loading adjustments. It comes from the factory preset with 62dB of gain and input loading of 100
ohms, both of which should suit the majority of cartridges that are likely to be used with the Reflex C.
If the factory settings are unsuitable for your cartridge, you can ask the factory to set up the Reflex C
with your preferred gain/load settings, which they will gladly do for no extra charge in best bespoke
fashion.
AudioEnz - Graham Slee Era Gold Reflex C
http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/grahamslee.shtml
In use
The Reflex C was used in my usual analogue playback system; Well Tempered Turntable with Shelter
501 Mk2 cartridge, Krell integrated amplifier, Magnepan speakers, all connected up with XLO cables.
Set-up was as simple as plugging everything in, ensuring some distance between preamp and power
supply and playing your favourite records.
Straight out of the box the sound was exactly as described in the instruction leaflet; bright, thin and
very much solid state. The manufacturer recommends a 24 hour warm-up before the performance
starts to sing.
Like the WhestTWO I reviewed a few years ago, the Reflex C is a wide bandwidth design, boasting
an incredible 200kHz bandwidth (compare that to the Whest's 120kHz) and produces sound that is
quite different from the usual Plinius or Dynavector benchmarks. They have a very musical nature,
not of the highest level of high fidelity but capable of very convincing and enjoyable reproduction
with plenty of gusto.
The Reflex C veers away from a rich, opulent presentation and takes a cooler, somewhat more
analytical approach to playing music.
It is a lean, clean and fast sounding phono stage with quite stunning transparency and control. Music
is delivered in a crisp and dynamic fashion with lots of drive and excellent frequency extension, all
produced against an inky background. Transients are reproduced with lightning speed, cleanness and
not a trace of overhang. Soundstaging is realistic with excellent specificity and a good sense of
dimensionality and scale. The only thing missing is just a touch more body behind the voices and
instruments. Setting the Reflex up on Black Diamond Pyramid Cones went a long way to improving
this aspect of performance.
Similar devices should also be beneficial. Tonally the Reflex C is cut from one cloth from the lowest
bass to the highest highs, full of detail without becoming etched and overwhelming. Chromatically,
there’s just a hint of sepia. The Reflex C puts in a most enjoyable performance full of musicality, free
of artifice.
Choices
Despite the seemingly bewildering choice of phono preamps already available, the Reflex C is a
welcome addition. It has a formidable combination of solid build quality and design, ease of use and
sterling performance. The Reflex C comfortably surpasses the entry level Cambridge Audio, NAD
and Project models and makes a good upgrade from the best of the currently available sub-$1,000
preamps like the Dynavector DV-75. It's good enough to pip the WhestTWO and even go head to
head with the much more expensive Plinius Koru without embarrassment. A superb product,
worthy of audition if you are in the market for a high end phono stage.
AudioEnz - Top 5 hi-fi
http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/top5_walker.shtml
Top Five: Hi-fi that’s influenced my
world
By Graham Walker
November 2010
Having spent 35 years in the hi-fi industry, I still possess a passion for the accurate reproduction of
music in the home. If anything it has intensified with age. Here I name five products that in my
opinion have had a massive influence or greatly advanced the state-of-the-art during those years.
To be fair, there are products that have made major advancements in the audio industry long before I
came along. One thinks of the Quad Electrostatics released in 1955, which significantly advanced
speaker design, and also designers such as Arthur Radford, who along with Peter Walker (the
designer of the electrostatic) advanced the art of amplifier design to a point where objective analysis
was rendered obsolete and subjectivity became the norm for amplifier critique.
However during my own time in the industry, here is what I consider to be the five greatest
influences or advancements in the hi-fi industry.
1. Linn LP12
Number one for me has to be without a doubt the
ubiquitous Linn LP12 record player, introduced in
1973. While controversy with regard to the designer
of this deck has never really died, its impact on the
hi-fi world has never been questioned.
Until the introduction of the LP12 nobody really
gave any thought to the influence that the source had
on the sound of a hi-fi system.
The LP12's legacy is still felt today and while it has been bettered sonically (subjectively), its influence
has ensured that the humble twelve-inch record still remains the answer for an exquisite musical
experience in the home, which in this day of technical wizardry is absolutely remarkable.
2. Naim amplifiers
No 2 has to go to Naim Audio amplifiers which, along with
Linn, became synonymous with the term high-end audio.
Without going into a long history about Naim's beginnings, it is
suffice to say their amplifiers were from memory the first to
dispense with tone controls. This had a major effect on sound
quality and made a major contribution to the advancement of
AudioEnz - Top 5 hi-fi
http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/top5_walker.shtml
amplifier design.
3. Spendor BC1
Number three is
a forgotten hero,
namely Spencer Hugh, the founder of Spendor Audio
who introduced us to the famous BC1 speaker, which
was developed at the BBC where Spencer was an
engineer. At the time the BBC did not believe that
there was a commercial speaker available that was
accurate enough to be used for monitoring purposes.
From their R&D came a speaker that was used by the
BBC, but at the same time Spencer would make a pair
for friends in his garage. One day a hi-fi retailer heard
them and thus came about the birth of Spendor Audio
and a commercial version of the BC1. This speaker and
its derivatives became the industry standard and
Spendor even to this day are probably the only
speaker manufacturer that can claim that at one time
every one of their models were used in studios.
4. Rait amplifier
The fourth product I have chosen is one that had no
influence on the world scene, but in terms of the NZ
audio scene, its impact was massive and its
repercussions are still with us today. This of course
was the Rait amplifier, designed and developed by
Geoff Rait here in Christchurch. I think it would be
fair to say. "No other product has had the impact on
NZ audio that Rait amplifiers have had". Not only
were they sonically superior to the vast amount of
imported amplifiers, but also during a time of
licensing restrictions, they were readily available.
I came to New Zealand in 1974 and since then I have only purchased three amplifiers. The Rait, LFD
and the amplifier I now own being a Sugden. I have had many amplifiers home and listened to even
more in the shop over the last 35 years but only these three have really impressed me. The first time I
heard a Rait in my home was one borrowed from a company called Ashby Berghs (the Christchurch
hi-fi shop of the 70's). I listened to a version of Paganini's first violin concerto and was so impressed
that I knew that I had to have one. Well the Rait has gone, but the mantle has now been taken up by
Plinius who also manufactures here in Christchurch and export around the world.
5. Compact Disc
Well that brings me to number 5, and that I think
has to go to the Compact Disc. The impact that the
CD has had is massive and we have to be grateful for
all of the benefits that this medium has brought. On
the negative side, I can't say that the CD has
AudioEnz - Top 5 hi-fi
http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/top5_walker.shtml
advanced audio quality, indeed if anything, the
digital era in real terms has done nothing to
diminish the interest in analogue audio. For me,
vinyl still rules.
So those are my top five. While it is great to look
back, what of the future? Well I believe we have to
look back in order to look forward. I think the resurgence is in valves, pure class A, and companies
who follow their passion for exceptional sound by flying in the face of modern day electronics
companies focusing on multi-zone and home theatre.
At the end of the day, surely for most of us who are called enthusiasts it is the state-of-the-art that is
important and it is for this reason that while it may not be the most fashionable to, I own good old
two channel Sugden electronics and Living Voice speakers. Old fashioned in terms of the technology
available today? Well, maybe, but find me something that sounds better for the price and I'll consider
it.
Graham Walker was one of the founders of Christchurch store The Top Hi-Fi Shop.
AudioEnz - Garry Lambert interview
http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/interview_garrylambert.shtml
Interview: Garry Lambert
By Michael jones
November 2010
Kiwi audiophiles know the name Garry Lambert in relation to his Lambert Audio range of
loudspeakers. But what has he been up to since the? AudioEnz asks.
Q. After you closed Lambert Audio you headed off overseas. What were you up to?
A. Immediately after closing Lambert Audio, I went to work for Perreaux, as Technical Manager.
While at CES in Las Vegas with Perreaux, I visited Matthew Bond, of TARA Labs. I had for a time
made Lambert Timekeeper speakers for them, under the Space & Time Brand. On returning to NZ
after the show, Matthew called me and offered me a job as Chief Engineer at TARA Labs, to develop a
range of Power Conditioners, amongst other things. I basically packed my dog, a guitar, some
motorcycle riding gear, and moved to the US. I was there for 7 years, designed the Zero, the famous
“Vacuum Dielectric” Cable, and also during that time we purchased EAD (Enlightened Audio
Design), which I managed as well as by then being GM at TARA Labs.
Q. Last time I saw you was in Auckland. You were involved with car speaker design. How did that
come about?
A. TARA Labs decided to drop EAD, and reduce staff, so I found myself jobless, in a country where
without a visa, I could no longer officially work. I had often, at CES each year, caught up with an old
friend, Peter Maire, and his son Nick, who were there with NAVMAN. They had recently taken an
interest in Fusion Electronics, and suggested I move back and take a position with them, joining the
team designing Car and Marine Speakers.
AudioEnz - Garry Lambert interview
http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/interview_garrylambert.shtml
Garry Lambert inspecting Fusion car woofer production
Q. And then you went to China. How did that happen? And how are you enjoying the very different
culture?
A. With Fusion I often had to go to China to check factories, parts, production, etc. At one stage I was
going back and forward up to nine times in one year. It became apparent to me that, to do speaker
design efficiently, you needed to be in China. After all, 90% or more of all speakers are made there,
and the parts suppliers are all there. So I moved my own small consulting business there, and
currently I am Technical Consultant, and Vice Chief Engineer to a very large loudspeaker company in
Ningbo. It’s a part time job, and that leaves me some time to pursue other ideas, and also to design
for other clients.
Culturally, I enjoy China. The food is generally very good, but Ningbo is a modern city (although it’s
been there 7000 years!), and there are a number of foreign owned universities there. So there is a
fairly large ex-pat community, (the Foreign Clinic is run by a doctor from Hamilton), and Brazilian,
Italian, American restaurants, run by ex-pats. They even have Guinness on tap! Importantly to me, a
part-time musician, there is a lot of night life, featuring live bands, mostly Filipino, so it’s really a
great place. Oh, with the exception of the driving. Please don’t get me started on that!
AudioEnz - Garry Lambert interview
http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/interview_garrylambert.shtml
Garry receiving an award from the city of Ningbo, for his contribution to the
city economy. "Probably based on Guiness consumption," says Garry
Q. Last time we were in contact you mentioned a cable line you were developing. How is that
going?
A. I had, like a number of people, often regarded the high end cable business as a crock. While at
TARA Labs, I had the opportunity to test, listen, measure, and compare fact with fiction. And believe
me, there are very audible differences in cables, for very good reasons, not often borne out by the
“fiction” that passes for “fact”. And I’m not putting down TARA by saying this. They tend at least to
understand why they do things their way. It’s just that many of the claims made by high end cable
manufacturers, sometimes have nothing to do with why they sound different. Maybe they don’t
know, maybe they don’t want you to know, so they make stuff up. Whatever.
Being in China, I have access to factories with all the right machinery to make good cables. If some
one would just ask them. A US distributor had been pushing me to do just that, so I have designed a
cable (you only need to get it right once, not at many different price points), and it’s just entering
production. The first samples have been in the hands of a number of distributors, and the results are
as expected. Importantly, by making them in China, I can control the quality, and produce a cable
that competes with very high end product, at around 1/8th the retail price.
There is no “unobtainium” used (that just adds cost), and no “secret materials” (also adds cost). Just
good, and appropriate, engineering. There will be RCA interconnects, XLR Balanced interconnects,
and Musical Instrument cables as well, all to the same design. You’ll have to wait a while for further
news, as I don’t want to pre-empt my New Zealand distributor.
Q. Any thoughts about resurrecting the Lambert Audio speaker line?
A. For some time, I have received calls and e-mails from Lambert Speaker owners, asking me this
very question. And of course, I haven’t spent the last dozen or so years not thinking about how I’d
like to build a speaker.
AudioEnz - Garry Lambert interview
http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/interview_garrylambert.shtml
So yes, there will be a new Lambert speaker. Not that I envisage a range, just one model. It will be the
sum of everything I’ve learned about sound and the reproduction of music over the years. But you’ll
have to wait. This is a project I am doing for me, and then I’ll sell some if there is any interest. So it
will happen when it happens, although it is fairly well down the track at the moment. I have the
advantage of access to a huge anechoic measuring facility, with an array of measuring and design
software, as well as the ability to have parts made the way I want the. The current prototype is up and
running, and I’m very pleased with the progress at this stage.
AudioEnz - Exile on Main Street reissue
http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/exile-reissue.shtml
The Rolling Stones: Exile On Main
Street (Re-issue)
November 2010
By Paul Green
Some would discount this now as plain noisy. Four
decades on from its original hedonist context, there
might seem limited contemporary application for
such brazen partying rock and roll beyond nostalgic
revisiting of joint-fuelled youthful abandon.
With the less than remarkable Tumbling Dice being
the only single release, this double album partially
escaped the attention of more mainstream-oriented
audiences; yet many of the cognoscenti still regard it
as summit Stones: a splendid celebration of majestic
excess.
And, really, if the mood is right, it’s hard to remain
unmoved by this ’72 vintage Jagger/Richard axis vocals with enormous emotional range from swagger and crow to licentious drawl or stung regret,
tangled with characteristic minimalist riffing rhythm guitar. Add the jiving sax and rippling
honky-tonk piano and the liberation of hazed spirit in the basement of a hired French chateau is not
hard to visualize.
What makes this so good is how the apparently effortlessly freewheeling sound is still, despite the
illusory blur, tight and disciplined. Even spiraled down a well of cocaine and champagne, the instinct
for crisply delivered songs remains.
This re-issue features ten hitherto unreleased recordings from the Exile sessions, including three
alternative takes: a more ponderous Loving Cup, Soul Survivor with a flatter vocal delivery, and a
brisker, less teeming but more cursory Tumbling Dice masquerading as Good Time Women. The
other songs, generally sparer in instrumentation and subdued in authoritativeness, tend to tread
water after a while and, with the exception of the sharply pointed So Divine (Aladdin Story) which
bristles with aggrieved pride, their omission from the final cut seems entirely logical.
Of interest for the Stones specialist, but unlikely to stir up the unconverted.
AudioEnz - Exile on Main Street reissue
http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/exile-reissue.shtml
AudioEnz - Archives: Rogers LS8a Mk2
http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/archive_rogers-ls8a.shtml
Archives: Rogers LS8a Mk2
By Charles Thomson
November 2010 (originally published March 1995)
Rogers LS8a Mk2 loudspeaker. $2395 in 1995.
My first view of the Rogers LS8a Mk2 made me wonder how
different this new model was to the original. It looked the same
size, has the same synthetic vinyl cabinet finish, full length front
grille cover, and yet… Perhaps my memory was at fault. After all,
three years have passed since reviewing the Mk1s.
Closer inspection showed there were indeed differences, so many
in fact, that one could question whether this was a Mk2 version
or a completely new model. Even the cabinet dimensions varied
slightly, the Mk2 having 42mm greater depth. Still this is an
interesting variation on the many products that come out in Mk2
guise with nothing more than cosmetic changes.
The changes
Removing the grille cloth immediately shows two major
differences. There is one less 205mm driver in the Mk2 and a
bass port has been added.
The original version of the LS8a was a two-and-a-half-way system (although it contained three
drivers) of acoustic suspension (sealed box) design. Two-and-a-half-way is my terminology for a
speaker that has one bass driver delivering (in this instance) frequencies from low bass up to 400Hz,
an identical driver covering low bass to 3.5kHz with a tweeter covering everything above that.
Now, the Mk2 is a true two-way speaker in a bass reflex enclosure, hence the addition of a front
facing port.
The biggest surprise came when looking at the rear of the cabinet: only one set of speaker binding
posts. Doesn't every “serious” speaker have a bi-wiring option these days? Perhaps Rogers have gone
back to basics and adopted a "keep it simple" approach. I am all in favour of this policy - especially if
it works.
Speaker positioning
As with most speakers, their position in ones listening room is most important. The LS8a Mk2s,
while being reasonably tolerant in this respect, certainly gave of their best when located at 0.4 m
from the rear wall and at least 0.9 m from the sides. These measurements held true in all three rooms
they were listened to during the review period and are very close to those suggested in the
AudioEnz - Archives: Rogers LS8a Mk2
http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/archive_rogers-ls8a.shtml
accompanying manual.
A word or two about "carpet piercing spikes." If they are provided with your speakers, use them. The
resulting improvement in sound quality is well worth the effort and these sharp pointed pieces of
metal don't damage ones carpet as some people believe is the case. I have yet to hear a box speaker
that has not benefited from the installation of these devices.
The LS8a Mk2s are no exception. Bass becomes more clearly defined and images as to instrument
location come clearly into focus.
Listening
From the outset the Mk2s sounded clean detailed and involving. After 24 hours run-in with a CD on
repeat, treble became slightly more refined and bass notes appeared quicker. Thereafter, any change
in sound quality was negligible.
Initially I was more severe than usual in judging these speakers. Perhaps it was the lack of a bi-wiring
facility that caused this attitude. Could they really perform as well as speakers that have two sets of
cables running to each cabinet? The short answer is yes. The Mk2s offered better sound than the
original model in a number of respects.
Overall sound quality was more coherent with midrange detail being of a high order. Music with
heavy bass lines didn't produce quite the same wallop as the Mk1s, but was more musical with
individual notes better defined.
Midrange improvements included clearer, more natural timbre to instruments with vocals being a
high point. I heard a greater sense of urgency to performances, which either kept the toe tapping or
the hand conducting throughout.
Treble performance appeared similar to the Mk1s: well controlled and showing a degree of harshness
only when wound up to uncomfortably loud levels. This is not to say the Mk2s tolerate poor
recordings. They don't. If the source is harsh, sibilant or poor in any other respect, these speakers are
very truthful in showing up the defects.
Conclusion
At the retail price of $2395, it is hard to fault the LS8a Mk2's performance. Likewise, build quality.
The only comment I would make re the latter regards their cable binding posts. I am not concerned
that these are not gold plated, but the 25mm spacing is not the current industry standard. Anyone
who uses spaced banana plugs is out of luck. Just which form of speaker wire connection does one
use? The holes for bare wire are pitifully small and single banana plugs are not gripped very firmly.
This leads to spade connectors as the only viable option. I don't think better binding posts would be
expecting too much on a speaker at this price level.
All in all, these speakers are conservative in appearance with a relatively small "footprint" that will
make them easy to place in most domestic situations. Sound quality, whether played at low volume or
any level through to painful stays reasonably truthful to the recording being played. Feed them rock,
jazz, classical or whatever your preference, and the result will be an enjoyable experience. For those
who place sound stage width and depth as priorities, you won't be disappointed either. Vocals and
solo instruments tend to be in a line with the speakers, which allows other musicians to be placed
realistically behind, or to either side.
AudioEnz - Archives: Rogers LS8a Mk2
http://audioenz.co.nz/2010/archive_rogers-ls8a.shtml
The Rogers LS8a Mk2s are an improvement on the originals and as such a welcome addition to the
range of speakers in this price range. They are very capable performers.
AudioEnz - Music reviews
http://audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml
November music reviews
The Chieftains Featuring Ry Cooder: San Patricio
Hear Music
Devising hybrid styles is par for the course for free-ranging
guitar aficionado Cooder and collaborating with The
Chieftains looked a cert for impact. But this fresh melding of
cross-genre features is part happy marriage and greater part
uneasy incongruence.
The album’s nineteen songs are tethered to the theme of
commonality between Mexicans battling 1840s US
expansionism and the San Patricios, the renegade Irish
migrant battalion who deserted the American army to line up
with the locals. Chieftain Paddy Maloney’s liner notes
cautiously depict the turncoats as displaced and downtrodden
men recklessly dreaming of “gold, god, or glory”, whose empathy for the oppressed Mexicans was
embodied in the chords and conviction of their folk music.
The best of these songs evoke the despair of battle or the lost hope of the marooned migrant with
plaintive anthems of fiddle, harp and pipes. Less palatable and more frequent are the more upbeat
tunes, which seek fiesta-ish exuberance via an over-crowding of chorus and brass and Latino
clamour. This is poignant in its Irish contemplation of lost causes, but undermined by the gratuitous
fusion with which the Spanish connection is celebrated. Paul Green
AudioEnz - Music reviews
http://audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml
Stanley Clarke Trio: Jazz in the Garden
Heads Up
Jazz bass player Clarke is joined by the very talented Japanese
female pianist Hiromi Uehara, and his old fusion band mate,
very busy drummer Lenny White. At first appearance this
unlikely grouping of a delicately beautiful young Asian woman
and two veterans in decades of jazz and jazz-rock fusion
seems to be asking “what are the producers (Clarke and Dave
Love) smoking?”
Well, whatever the motivation was, it all works out perfectly.
Mainly because pianist Hiromi is one monster talent who is
never intimidated, but always inspired, by the power and
technical skills of her older band mates. Like most of the hot
young jazz players around she has more than enough chops (technical skills) to burn. Though most
importantly, she has that intangible emotional involvement of honestly beating into and beautifying
the heart of any tune.
It doesn’t matter what style, hard-bop as on the Joe Henderson Isotope, or Miles’s Solar. Romantic impressionist, Someday My Prince Will Come, her own elegant Sicilian Blue, the free improv duo
with Stanley, Global Tweak or any of the seven other stylistically varied tunes, when Hiromi plays
you think it’s Chick Corea, or Bud Powell, or Bill Evans except she seems better in this setting.
Amazing.
I know this is supposed to be Stanley’s album, and I should tell you about him, though most jazz fans
know he is a gifted lyrical improviser, monster technician, can superbly play all styles etc. And in this
collection he gets plenty of space and time playing lead lines, wonderfully soloing and noodling. But
the magic here is the melding of diverse talent styles into much, much more than just another jazz
AudioEnz - Music reviews
http://audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml
piano trio disc. Great recorded sound too. Highly recommended. John Paul
Elvis Costello: Secret, Profane & Sugarcane
Hear Music
By way of introduction to possible biases in the following
review, I am a huge Elvis Costello fan. I like and own most of
his recorded work and I've seen him perform live a couple of
times. He's a hugely talented songwriter and also a gifted
performer. I'm not one of those sad, misanthropic fans who
only deigns to admire his earlier albums to the exclusion of
his later work either. Even though, without a doubt he has
made some truly awful albums along with the odd gem
recently. For instance I actually like Painted From Memory,
Costello's late 90's almost mawkish collaboration with Burt
Bacharach. That's probably enough to get me kicked out of the
'real' Elvis Costello fan club in some folk's books.
Right, to the album at hand. When I first heard about this outing I was quite excited. In no small part
because Secret, Profane & Sugarcane reunites Costello with the producer of 1986's brilliant King Of
America, T-Bone Burnett. It was recorded with a small bluesgrass-style string band (featuring
overhand slide genius Jerry Douglas) largely live-in-the-studio over three days in Nashville. There
are thirteen songs, some co-writes and a couple of covers… and there are a couple of real gems
amongst them, as you'd expect from such a gifted writer.
My All Time Doll is a strong tune if somewhat lost in a performance a little thin on musical snap,
dynamics, or real grit. I can imagine the young Elvis and band on King Of America firing this one out
with real passion. Another standout track is Sulphur To Sugarcane, which bounces along nicely and
seems the better for the writing influence of Burnett. Overall though I have the feeling that this
AudioEnz - Music reviews
http://audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml
album may only get played every now and then. By contrast King Of America has been a playlist
regular for me since the late '80s. I think this record suffers from an overdose of politeness, and
'muso-ness', for want of a better word. It's very well played, and there are a few good songs. But it
never reaches the heights of the best of his albums. And I'm being polite too. Darren Watson
The Dandy Warhols: Best of the Capitol Years, 1995-2007
Capitol / EMI
You may not know that you know The Dandy Warhols. Their
infectious songs have been appropriated for advertising
purposes on more than one occasion. Most recently,
Bohemian Like You was put to use selling Holdens. “'Cause
I'm like you, yeah I'm like you, and I'm feeling so Bohemian
like you. Woo!” Yeah, you know it.
The tracks on this 'best of' compilation are extracted from the
Dandy Warhols' four albums on the Capitol label. While their
first and latest albums were released by other companies (not
counting Dandy Warhols are Sound, an alternate mix of
Welcome to the Monkey House) it's probably safe to say the
Capitol years reflect the band at the top of its game. It includes, Bohemian from Thirteen Tales from
Urban Bohemia, released in 2000, and other major successes for the group like The Last High, Plan
A, Not if You were the Last Junkie on Earth, and We used to be Friends.
The fi isn't especially hi, as you might expect, and is seems at its best around 2003's Welcome to the
Monkey House. The band's earlier and later fascination for burying the percussion, especially the sad
over-damped kick drum, is quite frustrating. Still, the sheer listenability of the tracks assembled here
more than compensate for the lack of engineering gymnastics.
AudioEnz - Music reviews
http://audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml
Although the Dandies hail from Portland Oregon, their influences are far from provincial. As a
consequence, they've tended to chart better in the UK and Australia than the US, where they
probably got chased out of bars by angry rednecks in their early days. The tracks on the album are
arranged in chronological order, and there's a very obvious progression from melodious rhythmguitar backed songs, to synth-orientated arrangements, and then back again. The newest stuff,
Smoke it and the album's exclusive new track This is the Tide are noticably grungier in inspiration.
Long time fans may be pleased to hear the Dandies retreat from experimentation with electronica,
but I miss the inventiveness of that period in the newer songs. If you don't have any of the band's
albums, but are quite partial to the music of young persons, you'll be glad to have this in your
collection. Brent Burmester
Johnny Flynn: Been Listening
Transgressive
This charming and assured second album from upbeat
‘roadside poet’ Flynn is a significant supplement to the
burgeoning catalogue of nu-folk rock. Sometimes robust and
bustling, elsewhere sinewy and melancholy, and always
commanding attention with its crafted sound and lyricism.
Flynn’s voice has the warm, worn and wise timbre of the
archetypal English folk minstrel, yet he can deliver with a
lightness and suppleness that allows refreshing subversion of
the time-honoured conventions. Embedded in the traditional
declamatory phrasing there’s a young strong eloquence
forcefully upbraiding “nicotine-burning sycophants”, gently
but not preciously recalling “stealing a kiss from fortune’s lips”, or counter-balanced in lilting
harmony with Laura Marling in the plaintive ‘The Water’.
AudioEnz - Music reviews
http://audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml
And the instrumentation is just as compelling: sawing cello off-set with twisting lamenting violin in
Barnacled Warship, trumpets and mandolin strident in the distinctive kicking Kentucky Pill (the
single release, but probably the song least congruent with the overall collection), and gracefully spare
piano and harmonium in Amazon Love. Stirring stuff. Paul Green
Gypsy Kings: The Best Of The Gypsy Kings
Nonesuch
Bring on the Rumba Flamenco dancers, palmas and the
stomp of tacones. Transport yourself to a flamenco festival in
Jerrez or a heaving club on the Med, this compilation album
would suit either venue.
Most of the tracks on the album are well-known songs. The
third track Baile Me has a touch of salsa funk whilst Volare
has been given a more funkier up-tempo beat and rhythmic
palmas.
Gypsies created flamenco, although this collection deviates
from the traditional flamenco music, with its pop influences,
staunch flamenco dancers, singers and guitaritst cannot fail to enjoy the fiesta-mood of this album.
Their style of Rumba Flamenco still embraces rhythmic palmas, feverish flamenco guitar leads and
some cante jondo.
Overall, it is fun, light and enjoyable, but perhaps a handful too many tracks crammed onto one CD.
Patricia Evans
AudioEnz - Music reviews
http://audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml
Hayseed Dixie: Killer Grass
Cooking Vinyl
Bohemian Rhapsody truly ruptured, the vocalist sounding as
though being asphyxiated ’…can’t do this to me baby...’, but he
continues, ‘nothing really matter… anyone can see’. Yes,
nothing really matters after this abysmal rendition!
Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik is slaughtered, what ever
happened to respect for classics and legends? If you were a
Sabbath fan, this version of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath would
leave you reaching out for an abrasive device to remove any
traces from your person.
Without criticising this album any further, their ‘Who put that
condom in my shoe?’ says it all. This album is truly awful. Yes, I know these guys are not to be taken
seriously, but this idea of fun-music just doesn’t cut it!
The accompanying DVD is ‘mildly’ entertaining and aptly rated M. This compilation’s only saving
grace is the banjo-picking tutorial on the DVD.
Their comic-style rockgrass with ‘interpretations’ of classics is excruciatingly tedious and distasteful.
Steer clear of it, leave it on the shelf. Let’s hope they can reduce pollution by not producing a ninth
album! Patricia Evans
AudioEnz - Music reviews
http://audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml
Etta James: The Essential Etta James
Legacy
Etta flaunts her primal, powerful and provocative voice over
this collection of songs taken from the last twenty years of her
work. The songs alternate through various genres, a reflection
of her continually changing style over the years. The opening
track, The Blues is My Business is raunchy followed by the
love ballad, If I Had Any Pride Left at All. Rootsier sounds
followed by softer – this is the style throughout the first CD,
featuring covers of artists’ work such as Alice Cooper, Mick
Jagger and Prince.
The second disc is essentially jazz oriented, music for a
mellow Sunday afternoon, featuring old favourites, Night and
Day, My Funny Valentine and the final track is the soulful ballad, At Last, but not least - a song
recorded by many artists but the ultimate epitome of this fine piece of blues is Etta James herself.
The second CD is more consistent in style - both very pleasing. A recommended collection. Patricia
Evans
Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings: I Learned The Hard Way
Shock Records
If you're any kind of fan of soul music Sharon Jones & the Dap
Kings should need no introduction. Their work in the 'classic'
soul genre really is without peer in my opinion.
With a couple of good albums under their belt, I Learned The
Hard Way is really more of the same. And that's no bad thing.
AudioEnz - Music reviews
http://audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml
It's chock-full of well-written songs performed with verve and
authority – recorded through analog consoles and effects to
analog eight track tape machines.
Any of their albums sound like they could have been recorded anytime between 1966 and '72. While
some artists use this kind of equipment and 'retro-vibe' as a chance to play 'dress-up' for while, The
Dap Kings are obviously committed to making great music in this genre – and they largely succeed
with this album. There's a bunch of good songs spanning feels from Stax, to Motown, to funkier
influences – but it's all authentic stuff and it stands up well against the 'real thing' to these ears.
Standout tracks for me are the opening track The Game Gets Old, which has a beautiful arrangement
and perfect production, and Window Shopping, which is as good as anything Hayes-Porter wrote in
Memphis in the golden age of southern soul. If you love soul music go out and buy I Learned The
Hard Way and you will grow to love it. The CD sounds pretty good but get it on vinyl if you can. It
rules! Darren Watson
The Killers: Killers - Live From The Royal Albert Hall
Island
The stock ‘live’ features are all here: boosted hoots and
whoops of adoring audience, mass-clapped rhythms, mic to
crowd for a chanted favourite chorus, and the increasingly
jubilant celebrations as the heavyweight numbers are rolled
out.
There’s no doubt the Killers have grafted hard and conjured a
rock pop songbook that is still “soaking the spine” of millions;
however, their impact is sold short by this recording. The
muscle and pulse are here, but not the precision and subtlety
AudioEnz - Music reviews
http://audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml
of vocal inflection or instrumentation. Instead, it’s mostly a
case of rushed-bass, over-percussive, over-faithful re-work of an original, with mandatory breathless
“’hank you” before the next hit on the list.
The loyal will re-live their tribute night out; for the rest of us, this is another aspiring triumphant
concert performance undone on disc. Paul Green
Jacques Loussier: Plays Bach The 50th Anniversary Recording
Telarc
Is it Classical music? Is it Jazz music? No, it’s pianist
Loussier’s fusion of 11 proper Johann Sebastian Bach works
with “jazzy” bass and drums accompaniment. An appreciative
audience encourages their virtuosity.
Is it good? Well it’s all quite technically proficient. But the
question is, does it work for you? Well, he’s got dozens upon
dozens of albums over a half century of performing and
recording. And he’s sold zillions of copies of his unique
“fusion” treatments. But is it legitimate artistic work?
That last one is a tough question. Has JS Bach’s music ever
needed rhythmic enhancement? Do punters tap their toes more when they have a bassist and
drummer thumping out, and over-accenting the metre for them?
In an audiophile sense, like those smooth caramel sounding low power SET amps, if it makes you
happy, fine. Listen to David Helfgott playing his “unique emotional” Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto
#3 too. But I think there are just some things that shouldn’t be, and needn’t be, dare I rudely use the
term, jazzed up. John Paul
AudioEnz - Music reviews
http://audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml
Branford Marsalis Quartet: Metamorphosen
MarsalisMusic/Universal
Jazz saxophonist Marsalis leads pianist Joey Calderazzo,
bassist Eric Reevis and drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts in nine
band compositions that emphasize his status as a true living
musical treasure. For those lucky enough last February to
hear them live in Wellington at the Michael Fowler Centre,
this is the same group, with the exception of newest member
Justin Faulkner drumming on that night. Some of the tunes
played that night were “from the latest album”, but in the
finest tradition of jazz, albeit compromised by the weakness of
my musical memory, they were quite different than on this
disc.
As an aside, confirming Branford’s natural spontaneity, after doing the opening tune, a band member
asked “what song’s next?”, and somebody else said “where’s the set list?”. Whereupon Branford made
this mocking great pronouncement, “set lists are for singers, we don’t need ’em, we’re players”. And
boy, oh, boy, are they ever players. Then, and now on this disc, they are players.
Marsalis be-bop interweaves with pianist Calderazzo on the Jeff Watts composition The Return of the
Jitney Man then takes it into spaces reminiscent, but not derivative, of the best Coltrane efforts.
Bassist Eric Reevis shows his love for Monkish intervals with his tunes Sphere and Abe Vigoda which
all the band expand upon in clever and entertaining extensions. Virtuoso pianist Calderazzo pens a
gorgeous sad ballad The Last Goodbye where Branford plays a poignant parallel soprano lead line
then lets the “impressionist” pianist take his tune into sorrow touching territory.
Branford refreshes our ears as he takes up the rare, for him, alto sax for his composition
Jabberwocky that is one of those things, like brother Wynton does, sounds like NawOrlanz 2 step
Dixieland heavily worked over by Charley Parker and T. Monk. Lots of wide interval notes lovingly
bouncing along convoluted melody variations while always still feeling blues rooted.
Recorded quality is excellent, group playing is superb, creativity is by the bucketful, and this will
reward you in repeated listening sessions. Buy it! John Paul
AudioEnz - Music reviews
http://audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml
The Naked and Famous: Passive Me, Aggressive You
Universal
Even if you don’t think you know them, you do. It may not be
by the name Young Blood, which was a number 1 single and
won the Silver Scroll Best Song award recently. You will know
it as the song that goes ‘...yeah yeah yeah yeeeahhh’.
TNaF debut album by the Auckland band is a revelation of
sorts. It is exquisitely produced. If you want to test some
speakers...use this.
For a band that is only two years and two EPs old, this is
accomplished, mature and full of catchy songs.
It opens with the gloriously poppy All Of This. It shows how
damn confident and carefree this band can seemingly be in one moment. Young Blood and second
single Punching in a Dream may reference MGMT, but in turn MGMT referenced Flaming Lips. The
Lips referenced... well... California Sunshine. TNaF wear influences on their (record cover) sleeves.
The taut, creeping The Sun is surely their nod to Nine Inch Nails Something I Can Never Have.
(Trent Reznor is a fan of the band).
80’s and 90’s influences abound, and that’s ok. Eyes is a slow burning 80’s crooner with layers of
harmonies and gentle soaring chorus. No Way plays the 90’s loud-quiet-loud card perfectly.
Essentially a ballad, it is delicate then drenched in nasty feedback, with more than a hint of My
Bloody Valentine guitar pedal abuse for good measure. This will be a monster when heard live.
Singer Alisa Xayalith range and ability to hold back and release when needed, is TNaF big payoff. She
has a tone that can be soft and fragile and can just as effortlessly stretch and howl. Still, TNaF sounds
like a band and hell... it’s a band a fire. Chris Mooar
AudioEnz - Music reviews
http://audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml
SMV: Thunder
Heads Up
The letters stand for S, Stanley Clarke, M, Marcus Miller, and
V, Victor Wooten. All three are widely respected jazz rock
fusion funk pop or whatever else they attempt to categorise,
fleet fingered, string popping, growling electric bassists as.
Thirteen original compositions from S, M, V, or co-authored,
are presented.
They do make some very interesting sounds with their
instruments. And they do have some occasional light help
from master keyboard players Chick Corea and George Duke
(on one tune each) plus real and electronic drummers and
mysterious “effects” boxes, synths, and so forth.
This studio production is note perfect in that you hear individual parts and then realize this to be just
an elaborate overly produced noodling jam session.
Three electric bass players, what can you expect? If you play that instrument you may justifiably love
this disc, or if you particularly like electric bass tricks and tonalities, this may tickle your ears. But
this is pretty much where it starts and stops, three electric bassists having thunderous fun with each
other. John Paul
AudioEnz - Music reviews
http://audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml
Paul Weller: Wake Up The Nation
Island Records
His tenth solo album. Some might call it lean, mean and truly
rock n roll, however, Weller’s previous work with Style
Council, with its soul influences suit his vocal range more so
than the rock style of his recent work. Moonshine is a
disappointing opener to this CD. Wake up the Nation, the title
track is also very weak.
Throughout the album, I’d hoped for Weller’s exhilarating and
stirring vocals to come through, but was treated to the
occasional ballad, such as No Tears to Cry and Aim High.
Weller in the early days, inspired by Motown and soul then
later fired up by punk would be the choice and style rather than the aggressive charge that leads him
through this album, seemingly to try and win back popularity as a solo artist?
Overall a mix of allsorts, rock, soul, funk, jazz – a dog’s breakfast – a miss! Patricia Evans
AudioEnz - Music reviews
http://audioenz.co.nz/music_current.shtml