State of the Vintage Art

Jen came home yesterday, and I told her to close her eyes and come into the guest room to listen to something.  That something was Hole’s “Live Through This”, blasting on my new (for me) Akai 4000ds Reel to Reel tape deck.  I don’t know why I needed it; I just know that I did.  (She said its sounds good, but she could tell it was a tape).  State of the art for 1975.  I’ve had to order used blank tapes on eBay.  New blank tapes sell for $16.00, so I sprung for old used ones for $1.50 each.

We went to the Tears For Fears concert at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts last night.  They’ve aged well, and are impressive live.  On the other hand, the facility has terrible acoustics, and is ill-suited for rock concerts.

Jake went to a new GI doctor, and is experimenting with a no-dairy diet.  So far so good.  He had a good day at school today.  Now that he’s improving, Jen is sick with a cold.  It’s our family balance.

I’ve had a crazy week of work, and I’ve been too busy to go to physical therapy.  Actually, I just haven’t wanted to go to PT.  I haven’t biked in two days due to rain.  I have the usual soreness and pains, but the knee scab is almost gone.  Unfortunately, it seems to get more sensitive as it gets smaller.

Fun before the rain began

I managed to get in a nice 75 mile easy ride this morning between the raindrops.  For most South Florida summer days, a little rain is a good thing.  I like to remind myself – imagine how brutally humid and hot it would be if it didn’t rain every hour or two.

Yesterday I got in a 40 mile ride. I went back to my normal Saturday bike store ride.  The guys were willing to take it easy on me if I wanted, so the pain was self-inflicted.  In the afternoon we went to a fund raiser picnic for a few hours before it poured.  Later than evening Jen and I got to hang out on the couch and listen to the Kate Bush (Hounds of Love) re-release that came in the mail.  It sounds great.  Jen then insisted on listening to the first Go Go’s album, Beauty and the Beat.  The cd doesn’t sound great, and I was too lazy to go into the garage to get a vinyl copy for comparison, so I instead abandoned ship and took Jake to the bookstore.

As a result of the weekend of riding and the humidity, my whole body aches.  I may try a hot tub soak before work tomorrow morning.

I got in my oft-threatened record shop visit this afternoon.  Jake had an afternoon playdate, so Jen and I got to take a trip to Fort Lauderdale.  It’s a split trip – Dillards for her and Radio-Active Records for me.  We spent $60 at the record store, but came home with a decent stack (12) of records.  Jen enjoyed it as much as I did, and that’s about the only shopping joy we mutually share.  Jen leans toward 80s stuff, which is a little hard for me because I already have much of it in one format or another.  However, our Kate Bush listening session led her to agree that vinyl can sound better than cd if done right. She picked out a Kate Bush album and a Kate Bush 12 inch single, and a Modern English album.  Just think – if she becomes a high quality stereo music convert, I could get some bad-ass speakers for the living room.

She also picked some oddball records.  She picked out a $4.00 sealed album of wild frog sounds in the forest.  I have no idea what it sounds like, but the cover is pretty.  She also picked up the Broadway cast album of The Wiz, starring Stephanie Mills (not Michael Jackson or Diana Ross).  Finally, she got the “Singing Nun” album.  I tell myself that if I can listen to Josephine Baker, I can listen to the Singing Nun.  We’ll see.

I picked out my usual, which is a trove of different items with no unifying theme.  A few jazz albums, some classical, and even a country album.  The music of the moment is an eclectic triple vinyl threat:

Gary Burton, Picture This, 1980.   An excellent jazz ensemble album.  Gary Burton is a vibraphone player, so he’s usually “happy” sounding.   I presume it’s hard to make a somber vibraphone record. The album was released on the ECM label, which is known for a Windham Hill kind of clear pure sound, so it’s a good mix.  Recommended, although it was never released on cd, so you won’t be able to find it.

Henry Thread gill, Easily Slip Into Another World, 1988.  Experimental jazz from one of the founders of “Air” – not the current Air, but the one from the 1970’s. It’s very listenable for an experimental, and not too dissonant.  It’s kind of funky from a bass perspective, which is surprising.  Recommended, but very hard to find.  Threadgill’s new album was in most reviewer Top 10 lists last year, so I’m planning on getting it soon.

Van Cliburn, Tchaikovsky Concerto No. 1, 1959 – I found a nice original “shaded dog” Living Stereo original release for $2.99.  It’s a little noisy, but some of that may be static from a very deep cleaning.  I’m too cheap to buy an anti-static gun for $90.00, because it’s not usually an issue for me.  It’s an excellent recording, and is easily available on cd.  It’s the album released right after he won his award in Moscow in 1958, and it’s what made him a star.

The new normal

Jake had to come home from school because of a bad tummy.  This happened a lot last year, and the last trip to Gainesville was supposed to result in a solution (or at least some suggestions).  Of course, by the time I get home from work his stomach has long-since calmed, so I don’t have a full appreciation of the bad phases.  I’m really saddened that it started back up.  He really likes school, so I know it’s disappointing for him too.

I skipped biking because of the morning rain, and have an early morning hearing tomorrow.  I try not to skip two days in a row, because it makes me cranky.  Ooops -  I forgot that I’m always cranky now.  I feel and look like a 45 year old retired running back. Only some people understand that reference, but most people nod sympathetically.

My final cassette deck came in the mail.  It’s a Denon 730.  It was only $9.99, but it took forever to arrive and required an eBay/PayPal dispute to finally get sent.

I ordered an awesome box of 60 “Living Stereo” Classical music albums through a new Japanese reissue.  I’ve been trying out some 1950’s mono classical albums, and they’re not bad.  The 1950’s early stereo classical recordings (RCA Living Stereo and “shaded dogs” and Mercury “Living Presence” come to mind) are famous for their great performances and great sound.  I met a local audiophile who is into ultra headphone audio, so that should be interesting.  I like headphones, but have never sprung for (or experienced) state of the art.

The dog is home after getting fixed.  He’ll have the collar on all week, so he’s kind of gawky.  It’s very disconcerting when I hear a fast plastic scratching sound in the middle of the night when he itches the collar.

The State of Better Rock Music

It’s got to be hard being a record executive of a certain age.  I don’t mean from the “these kids and their music stealing are killing us” perspective; I mean from the “most of the stuff we put out is Auto Tune crap, so we need to put out a few critically acclaimed Rolling Stone/Paste fodder albums, but this is all we have” perspective.  Remember when a recording label signed R.E.M. to a kajillion dollar contract in the 1990’s just so they could have a prestige artist? Since the few remaining critically acclaimed major label prestige rock artists (U2, R.E.M., Beck, Weezer, Beastie Boys) only put out an album every few years, the labels have to take a shot on some new Paste-fodder artists and see what sticks.

This week, nothing sticks. First, I listened to the JP, Chrissie and the Fairground Boys album, Fidelity.  It’s Chrissie Hynde – instant credibility.  That said, the guy with her sounds like a Welsh version of JT Fortune (the guy who won the Rock Star TV show and got to sing for INXS) mixed with some Ben Folds.  Every second that doesn’t sound like a Chrissie Hynde solo album detracts from the record (although the lyrics are pretty good).  It’s OK, but not as good as it should have been (and not as good as a current Pretenders effort).

I also downloaded the new album by Ray Montagne and the Pariah Dogs.  It’s folkish with a little bit of a funky rhythmic beat. (an acoustic Little Feat??)  I never liked Wilco, and I don’t like this. It’s well recorded, but almost too much so.     

On the brighter side, I read that a live album from a Yaz 2008 reunion tour (that I didn’t know about) comes out next month. 

Two very busy days of work.  Jake loves school – so much so that he’s exhausted at bedtime.  The dog is getting fixed today.  Bummer for him.

Not a lot of bone pain today.  My lungs still aren’t perfect.  During my all-day mediation yesterday, my client (a physician) noticed that I start to wheeze as the day goes on.  I’m supposed to try a longer group run tomorrow evening.  That thought gave me all the excuse I needed to hop off the treadmill this evening after only 15 minutes of slow miserable jogging.

The Good Stuff

Today was the first day of 4th grade.  Jake’s friends have all come back into town after their summer vacations, so we spent the weekend with Jake and his friends.  I had a full work day today, so I didn’t get to go to the first day of school.  I normally love the first day, because it’s a good chance to see what plastic surgeries the mommies got over the summer.  I feel cheated (although I’m told that the most noteworthy surgery was male).

I went for a long and eventful bike ride yesterday.  We got lost a few times, and ultimately one of my friends got an unrecoverable flat.  Word to the wise – if you’re going to ride a bike with oddball size wheels, make sure you have the correct replacement tube.  On the other hand, on the two hour trip back home I had the inspired idea to stop at the Frosted Lemonade truck in Coconut Grove.  It was a world-class experience.  Truly the perfect break at the perfect time.

There was supposed to be a record store visit yesterday, but I gave it up so we could have dim sum with friends.  That was worth it.  On the other hand, I allocated time to watch the Aston Villa game on TV, and they got crushed 6-0 by Newcastle.  That wasn’t worth it.

Music of the Moment – Gerry Rafferty, City to City (1978, on the original vinyl).  I frequently use Baker Street as a test song to try out stereo components.  The sax solo is one of the more memorable moments in 1970’s album oriented radio (“AOR”).

Ready for the week to be over

It was hard couple of days.  I’m achy all over – mostly back pain (from the scapula) and gut pain (from the surgery). The PT also kicks my butt, as if I need that.  I’m athletically dejected, too.  My normal bike store ride has become so competitive that they’ve started racing from the outset. Neither my body nor my ego can accept having to struggle to stay on the back ten minutes into the ride. It’s gotten so bad I’ve decided to switch my allegiance to the ride sponsored by the competing bike store. Just to top off my mood, I have lots of work BS to deal with, which has taken away some of the fun of a job where you already spend all day listening to other people’s problems.

Jen’s feeling a little under the weather, too.  The correct prescription would be two days of backyard sun and relaxation.  Unfortunately, the weather report calls for rain, and I’m the only family member skilled in the art of indoor home relaxation. I am looking forward to another long and leisurely bike ride on Sunday morning, so a lot of rain would be a blow to my zen.

I’m hanging out on the couch, trying out my new DAC.  A DAC is a “digital to analog converter”, and converts the digital signal from your computer (via the USB port) into a two channel analog signal that can be plugged into your amplifier.  It’s a better alternative to using the mini-headphone output jack on the computer, because the sound amplification circuits on most computers really stink..  Like all nerdy stereo stuff, a DAC can be very expensive (i.e, thousands).  I spent $35.00 for mine (a Behringer A202).  It does seem to noticeably improve the sound of computer-output music.  I’ll get a nicer DAC when I someday upgrade my 15 year old speakers.  No rush.

Music of the Moment – Steve Miller Band, Bingo (2010). The new album is mostly blues-guitar rock, but not in a muddy way  It’s not as pop or synthesizer based as the mid-1970’s popular stuff.  I had just downloaded it on Zune Pass and figured it would be a good test.  Meanwhile, the record store in Ft. Lauderdale posted in Facebook that they just got in 300 new (for them) used lps, so that may require a visit.  Meanwhile, Jen and I ordered the special remastered colored vinyl pressing of Kate Bush’s Hound of Love. She wanted it more than I did.  I do realize I’ve now contradicted everything I said in the last blog entry about not being an audio cultist, but the remastering is supposed to be something special.  In any event, consistency is a vice of the small-minded.

A cromulent moment

A very funny work moment.  I had something (over)due for a few days.  I did a two page outline, and emailed it to my associate.  The email said:

“I did this quickly and roughly.  Please englishify it.   Look – I created a word.  How cromulent!”

I later spoke to her and received an absolutely blank expression.  It turns out that not one person in my office understood.  Where do they educate these people?

I then emailed the message to two of my former partners, with the message “This is why I miss you guys”.  Chris Carver immediately responded:

“You need to embiggen their perspective”.

I laughed so hard I spit up the coffee I was drinking.

If none of this makes any sense, you need more culture.

Music of the Moment – Stevie Wonder, Innervisions (on the original vinyl).  Just to clarify one point – I listen to a lot of vinyl because I own a lot of vinyl.  There are a number of new vinyl audiophile re-releases of classic albums based on the theory that they sound better.  While I like the sound of good vinyl, it’s not a cult thing for me.  When I occasionally buy a new vinyl album re-release at the record store (like the Blue Note $12.00 rerelease series), it’s because I don’t have the album in any format and the price isn’t substantially different than the cd.  Many of the new audiophile re-releases are $35 to $50, and that just doesn’t work for me.  What I do love is finding used minty vinyl albums that (1) I don’t have on cd; or (2) haven’t been released on cd.