There’s two types of audiophiles in this world. People that like music to make their system sound good and people who like a system that makes their music sound good.
I definitely fall heavily into the second category. If the music I’m listening too is rubbish, I don’t care if the treble extends beyond what I can hear and the imaging sounds out of this world. Ok songs like these a great for showing off, but do you ever sit down and listen to the entire album (or even get through one track!) when listening to this type of music??
Ok enough about that, you get it, for me its music first, reproduction second, well kind of, you can’t have one without the other.
So what about the other group, the music lovers who want their music to move them, to transform them out of their living room and feel like their getting their own private performance by Ryan Adams. This is what its about for me.
So after saying all that here’s a list that will keep people in both groups happy. These are all amazing albums in their own way, some quite different from each other (so if you like one artist here don’t assume you will like them all!) but I consider these to be my current Top 10 ‘Audiophile’ Albums. I’ll get Tiens to put his list together as well, although I think he will struggle even more than I did to keep it to 10 albums.
In no particular order:
Sun Kil Moon – Tiny Cities
Favourite Songs: Tiny Cities Made of Ashes, Four Fingered Fisherman, Ocean Breathes Salty
Ryan Adams – Love is Hell
Favourite Songs: Political Scientist, Please Do Not Let Me Go, The Shadowlands, World War 24
Radiohead - Kid A
Favourite Songs: Everything in its Right Place, Kid A, In Limbo
Josh Rouse – Home
Favourite Songs: Laughter, Marvin Gaye, 100m Backstroke
Angus & Julia Stone – Chocolate & Cigarette’s
Favourite Songs: Mango Tree, Paper Aeroplane, Babylon
Ben Harper – Welcome to the Cruel World
Favourite Songs: Whipping Boy, Forever, How Many Miles Must We March
SJD - Southern Lights – Pic ‘n’ Mix Edition
Favourite Songs: The Place is Surrounded, The Witness (Phelps & Munro Remix), Track (James Duncan Remix)
Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Favourite Songs: Listomania, 1901, Rome
Sigur Ros – Takk
Favourite Songs: Hoppipolla, Saeglopur, Se Lest
Dave Matthews – Some Devil
Favourite Songs: Dodo, Trouble, Stay or Leave
What do you think? Do I have bad taste in music? Do I need new ears because these sound rubbish compared with real “Audiophile” music? What is your Top 10?
Nice selection. I would add Rhian Sheehan’s “Standing in Silence” to this list also… that album sounds amazing on my system!
Thanks, yes Rhian Sheehan’s recordings are always top notch, it’s great to see that NZ music can be right up there in terms of recording quality. You might like this video of his too – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6s5yvlckSlU
hey brendan – hadn’t heard of sun kil moon or phoenix
thanks for the heads up
All of Sun Kil Moon’s recordings are top notch… as for Phoenix it snuck into this list because it has been my favourite album of 2009, so this one probably made it more for the music than the recording, but it still sounds great!
Maybe not your style, but Rage Against the Machine first album, from 1992, is a masterpiece of mixing/mastering. A must have for audiophiles.
Not my style? you gotta be kidding me
I use to love playing that Rage album in my car, LOUD! The punch from the kick drum is incredible, you definitely need a sub for that album, I love Renegades too, great band!