Linn Sondek LP12 Support

My Vinyl Records

I am often asked what music I have on vinyl. Well, this is the third time in my life I am starting a vinyl collection. 1980-1988 was the time I was at university, bought my first decent hifi, and then gave in to the CD craze, and sold all my records, about 400 of them. 2004-2011 was the time I had a lot of vinyl, returning to the format in 2004. Then I left to live overseas for 14 years, and sold everything, about 600 titles, most forever out of print. I restarted in 2023 after finding a LP12 for an absolute bargain. I never planned to get back into vinyl. It just happened. Recently my son has started showing interest in vinyl and many of the albums shown here are his contribution to not my but our collection.

Initially I looked at vinyl fairs as a source for good music. While I found some gems, there were also a few mishaps. Few second-hand sellers seem to understand how grading works. After an expensive mishap, I vowed never to buy pre-owned vinyl again, unless I know the source of the record. VG+/NM to my mind means the cover will be OK, but the vinyl must be as good as new. Then again, we understand that vinyl is a fragile medium. I have new titles, less than two years old, that have surface noise, but others, some close on 45 years old, are perfect. It is what it is.

My Stereo System

My stereo system is quite basic. I have a Linn Sondek LP12, circa 1982, with a Valhalla power supply, pre-Cirkus main bearing, and Dewaudio Starmap modification. I have no need for 45 rpm and while I am sure the highly specced 45 rpm versions must be excellent, I just do not want to get up every ten minutes (or less in some cases) just to turn over a record. The LP12 has a Ittok tonearm, with a Audio Technica VM95ML MM cartridge. This drives a little iFi Zen phono stage which really is way better than its price or shape suggests. I have a Valve Audio Predator stereo amplifier dating from 2007 and a pair of Bowers & Wilkins 703 loudspeakers which I purchased in 2005, connected with a pair of Ecosse MS 4.45 cables, biwired.

Current Albums

What I show below is a collection I am slowly building up, with some comments. [ You can follow me on Instagram. ]

Number of Albums: 0

	ABBA's Arrival (Nautilus, USA) was the first vinyl record I ever owned. Later on I was lucky to find a Nautilus Superdiscs pressing, which was obviously way better than the local pressing I had at the time. I found one recently again, in absolutely mint condition. These Nautilus pressings were special, with super quiet vinyl that sounded way better than the standard issues. I had quite a few of them and am slowly rebuilding the collection. Arrival contains some classic ABBA songs, before personal issues hit them. There is simply not a bad track to be found.
	ABBA's Super Trouper (Polydor, Sunshine, South Africa) was released at the end of their career, when things were going downhill for the group. This is a local pressing, and a title that I will definitely look at replacing with a decent copy soon. ABBA's music is much deeper than it appears, many of the songs filled with the bitterness of relationships breaking apart while still performing together. An interesting thing about Side 2 is that the runout groove in the deadwax contains sound as well, and you can hear the applause, part of the last track, continuing until you lift the arm. Unusual but nice.
	ABBA, Voulez Vous (Polydor, Sunshine, South Africa). Hey man, I grew up with ABBA in the house. This 1979 release is very disco oriented, but the music is top notch. My copy is knackered, but I saw a reissue the other day that I may just buy. I may be in the market for more of ABBA's titles.
	Allison Moorer's Blood (Autotelic Records, USA) was a special import, handled by Echo's Record Bar. A mix of blues, pop, gospel, in a typical southern US style, Blood tells the story of singer Allison and her sister Shelby Lynne, dealing with the trauma of one parent killing the other, and then himself. The pressing was done on a budget. I believe Moorer deserves a contract with a company that can do her work justice and promote her much further than she is known at the moment. Nevertheless, it sounds good. The sleeve and artwork are simplistic but then more is not always better. If you have never heard of Allison Moorer, search for the theme music for the movie The Horse Whisperer, called A Soft Place to Fall. Also find the excellent track, Carrickfurgus, recorded as part of the BBC's The Transatlantic Sessions. Unbelievably good music by artists you may not have heard of – Jerry Douglas, a famous dobro player; Amos Lee; Alison Krauss; and more. The album ends with the beautiful song "Heal", a desperate plea for guidance and faith, even as an adult, as the trauma she endured so long ago is still with her.
	Alison Moyet, Alf (CBS, UK). What an absolutely outstanding album this is. I remember Alison Moyet from her days with Yazoo. Her first solo effort is just on another level. The first song, Love Resurrection, sets the tone. Hard-hitting and dynamic, Moyet's voice is powerful yet passionate. There are many outstanding singles – Love Resurrection, All Cried Out, and Invisible are my three favourites. Many years later, she would have this to say about her first solo effort: "I have, in the past, distanced myself from Alf. Because there were things about me at 21 that I could no longer relate to and it's slightly odd singing the lyrics of a 21-year-old as you age. But distance creates a love. I fell out with Alf because I felt like that, after making subsequent records, it was like walking down the street and being told, 'I liked you better when you were going out with him.' When you're older you can see that your first love was actually a really nice soul." It may be true for her. For me, I never grow tired of it. Mine is a UK CBS pressing, a really standard affair but elevated by the great dynamics of the music.
	Al Stewart, Year of the Cat (MFSL, Janus Records, Japan). I used to own many MFSL, later MoFi, titles. Back in the eighties your go-to for better sound was MFSL, Nautilus, Nimbus, CBS Mastersound, and some others. My first ever MFSL title was Dark Side of the Moon. Years later, I got Al Stewart's Year of the Cat. To this day it stands out as one of the definitive releases by Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab. Alas, it was sold along with the rest of my vinyl some 14 years ago. I recently found a copy again, the first release with the non-italic text at the top of the sleeve. This is the one to have, or so I have read. These records are never going to be available again and that most have survived so long testifies to the high quality releases they were. What stands out for me on this album? Well, Stewart is a very underrated artist and maybe some will not like his lean voice. Then again, this is what makes the artist unique. I can single out some tracks – Lord Grenville, Sand in Your Shoes, and Year of the Cat, but this is a cohesive album and everything fits nicely together. Given what I paid for it, I have a bargain. Some are starting to realise the value of these older MFSL titles and prices are sometimes high. What is a specific title worth to you? All in all a great addition to my growing collection.
	Arno Carstens, Atari Gala (Gallo, EU). This is great music. I had never been a follower of Arno Carstens before, but when a good friend recommended this album, I got it immediately. Now with some South African artists who have records pressed in the UK, there is often the complaint that the album was done using a CD rip. I have no problem with this. We have to understand that the South African market is small and few artists can afford the mastering costs involved. Remember that many of them are either independent, or their record companies just do not have the funds to invest in a vinyl product that will sell only a few copies. For me the allure here is that I have a vinyl copy. Whether it is analogue, DSD, or whatever, is less important in certain cases. Atari Gala is what I will call "expanding my musical horizons".
	Billy Joel, 52nd Street (CBS, Impex Records, USA), was one of my favourite LPs of the eighties. Back then I had a CBS Half-speed Mastered Mastersound copy that sounded excellent at the time compared to the standard pressing (CBS import, whether UK or USA). Many years on, I managed to track down an Impex Records pressing which is said to be the best sounding version you are going to get of this title. It is also a special limited edition pressing, now out of print, and I have number 966 of 2500. I just love this album. Based on the music scene in New York in the late seventies, this is a jazz-oriented album. The intro song, Big Shot, starts off the album as a very sarcastic and accurate look at rich people of the time, spending their time in clubs, snorting cocaine, and living the high life. Boozing to excess in the evening, all they have left the next morning is a massive hangover. Joel would have seen this while playing in clubs himself. What follows is an unusual string of successive hits – Honesty, My Life, and Zanzibar. There is not much of a bad track in sight. The title song ends the album. It is short but emphasises the jazz mood set from the second cut. I have read some reviews that say this cut should not even have made it to the final production, but it sounds awesome and is a great way to run out a brilliant album. Absolutely worth every cent I paid for it. The pressing is absolutely outstanding. Quiet surfaces and not a single pop or tick to be heard could make you think you are listening to a CD, but the all-analogue warmth is clearly evident.
	Boston, Boston (CBS Mastersound, USA). I had always wondered what the fuss was about this album, until a Mastersound copy in near mint condition came my way. Now I understand what makes the album special. The pressing is outstanding.
	Die Briels, Op Trein na Pretoria (Trio Records, South Africa). Afrikana at its best. My son found this at a vinyl fair and bought it for me on the spot, purely for the memories. I explained to him that we should see the Afrikaans music of those years in context. It is the same tear jerker as many American country songs.
	Cat Stevens, Foreigner (Island, UK). My son bought this for the stunning quality of the cover, and the embossed title. Side 1 has a factory flaw on it and no amount of cleaning will take care of it. It is a well-known problem with the pressing. I am not a huge Cat Stevens fan but can enjoy the artistic quality. Many of his songs were covered by others.
	Cat Stevens, Tea for the Tillerman (Island, EU). Have you ever bought a LP you should have bought years ago but never got around to it? Tea for the Tillerman is one such for me. Back in the eighties it was available from MFSL, today called MoFi, and I never thought of investigating it. My fondness for Cat Stevens actually came from artists who did covers of his music, such as Mathys Roets. My copy was bought brand new, a birthday present from my son. It is an Island EU reissue, 180 gram, and sounds fantastic.
	Cat Stevens, Teaser and the Firecat (Island, South Africa). Somehow this album should partner Tea for the Tillerman, but I am really having trouble settling down with it. It is just not on the same level. I have a local pressing, given to me by a friend, to test it out. I am not sure if I will spend money on a new copy. It has a few good songs, but not the depth of Tea for the Tillerman.
	Chris Jones, No Looking Back (Stockfisch Records, Germany). You may not be familiar with this title unless you have heard of the German Stockfisch Records label. Chris Jones, who passed away in 2005, was their number one session guitarist. Apart from his own album for Stockfisch, Roadhouses and Automobiles (45 rpm DMM), some of his older material was released by Stockfisch as a double CD, with Moonstruck and No Looking Back spanning two discs. The vinyl version is a classic and a true analogue recording. As with all the other Stockfisch titles, the presentation alone is worth the money. Each LP comes neatly packed in a paper sleeve with antistatic inner. A close look shows ample space between tracks and it just looks professional. These records are usually as flat as a pancake and a casual visual inspection shows this is something out of the ordinary. Right now there is no distributor for this great music label in South Africa. The problem is that this music is nor for everyone since it targets a very specific range of music styles. Have a look at some of other Stockfisch titles I own, The Greater Good, Paul O'Brien, and Sara K.
	Coenie de Villiers, Kruispaaie (Mountain Records, South Africa). Bought this one new. Afrikaans music has tremendous depth, if you discount the rugby, brandewyn, and "en jy soen my nie meer nie" rubbish. De Villiers is one of the outstanding artists in South Africa and I often wonder what a really well-produced album such as Hart van Glas would be like on vinyl.
	Coenie de Villiers, Die Reisiger (Mountain Records, South Africa). How I wish his later stuff such as Hart van Glas and Emoji was available on vinyl. De Villiers' earlier work had a few songs that were politically inspired, but I ignore these. I enjoy the music for the fact that these titles will never be re-issued.
	Coenie de Villiers, Skoppensboer (Mountain Records, South Africa). I bought this one as it had never been opened. You do not often find a sealed record that is 35 years old. Do I like everything on the record? Not by a long margin but overall his music speaks to me. I had the pleasure of seeing him in Montecasino, with the show Karoo Nagte, and it was exceptional.
	Dan Fogelberg and Tim Weisberg (CBS Mastersound, USA), Twin Sons of Different Mothers. How did I never know about this amazing album? I heard about the two artists but was not aware that they collaborated. I found this pristine CBS/Epic Half-speed Master for a ridiculously low price. Awesome music, mostly instrumental. Fogelberg's guitar work is superb and Weisberg's flute is always there, but never as pronounced as in for example Jethro Tull's music. This is one stellar collaboration, which they called "experimental". Well, experimental it may have been, but it was obviously very successful. This is a great example of the music of the seventies and eighties, and barring a few exceptions, we just do not get music like this anymore.
	Dave Brubeck, Time Out (DOL, EU). Bought this one new online. No sooner did I get it, and I was blasted by some online "audiophiles" that I committed an unpardonable sin by purchasing a DOL pressing. According to them, this is the worst, the pressing was done from bad digital sources, pressed in East Europe, and so the ranting continues. Whatever they say, this is a great sounding LP. I remember what previous pressings I had sounded like, and there is nothing wrong with this one. The gatefold sleeve is excellent, the vinyl is perfectly flat and centred, and there is little to no surface noise. Most of all, the music is just gorgeous. I have many other expensive records that do not sound nearly as good as this one. I get really annoyed with the attitude of so-called audiophiles that blast anything they consider less than their super expensive pressings. How about we start listening to the music and leave others to enjoy what they were able to get and can afford? My take on comparing different pressings is this: If you happen to have two different pressings of the same title (quite possible), and if you have two identical turntables, cartridges, and phono stages (unlikely) and you can compare the two pressings side by side so that each is a reference point for the other, then you can say one is better than the other. However, if you are listening to one copy only, you are not really going to pick out which one you are playing, and it sounds merely like music, as it should.
	Dave Grusin, Discovered Again! (Sheffield Lab, USA). What were we thinking when so many of us got rid of our LP collections in the eighties? Just because the new CD format was introduced did not suddenly make LPs vermin. Years on, I enjoy vinyl more and listen to CD less often. I am slowly building up a collection of titles I had on vinyl previously that we will never again see pressed as reissues. Discovered Again is one such. Released as a Sheffield Lab Direct to Disc recording, it is one of those marvels of vinyl record technology. Almost 50 years on, and Dave's music is as listenable as ever. Yes, these D2D recordings were often short, but that was because of the limitations placed on the artists. No mistakes could be allowed, or mistakes went through and were forever etched in vinyl which is not a bad thing, really. I got my copy for next to nothing and it sounds incredible. I previously had the version that was pressed from the tapes made during the recording, the Treasury Series, but to find the original box set was just special. When you listen to this album, also keep your ears open to the stellar guitar contributions by Lee Ritenour. Produced by Doug Sax and Lincoln Mayorga, we just do not have professional artists like these anymore. Back then there was no computer-generated junk; just pure genius.
	David Gilmour, On an Island (EMI, EU). To me this is one of Gilmour's best solo efforts. The album cover sets the tone for what is to follow. Gilmour was able to maintain a solo career while still with Pink Floyd, although with their later work, the last album being Endless River, the lines between the individual and the group are blurred. For much of their later work, David Gilmour was the Pink Floyd sound. Thankfully by this time it had been years since Roger Waters left the group. This is a EU pressing and sounds superb. A small thing though – the gatefold jacket is larger than the standard, and your outer sleeve needs to be large enough to accommodate it. Nevertheless, the gatefold sleeve is great and just feels special. It is also very thick. One thing I have found it that it is difficult to get the LP in and out of the gatefold sleeve. This is one well-protected LP! That many of the songs were written or co-written by Gilmour's wife Polly Sampson may irk some, I see no problem here. In fact, Gilmour's new album, Luck and Strange (2024), relies heavily on his daughter's influence. This is a perfect way to pass on the Gilmour legacy. Will I purchase the other Gilmour albums? Probably the new Luck and Strange. There are certain albums that I have on CD, and they are just fine. This one however, deserves to be in the vinyl format even if only for the fabulous presentation and awesome music.
	Diana Krall's The Girl in the Other Room (Verve, Germany, 2LP) ranks up there as one of the best titles I own. I love the intro, and years ago I bought my first copy based simply on the first song. What a pleasure this album has turned out to be. Spread over four sides, this is an album in a new direction, no doubt heavily influenced by Krall's husband, Elvis Costello. There is nothing wrong taking a new path. There are some darker elements and no doubt the moody tone of Departure Bay is the highlight of the album. I fondly remember the late Heinz Zazek, who would let us sit in his demo room with the huge Magnaplanars and Clearaudio turntable, lights and air conditioner off, and we would be carried away by the haunting piano work on this song. I tracked down this item for a reasonable price locally and it is an anchor in my collection. One gripe I have with the sleeve is that, the same as the release of 2004, the double album is forced into a single cover. How much better the presentation would have been, had it been presented in a double gatefold, with one LP in each side. It is time that the buying public places more pressure on companies responsible for issuing records. When you pay a premium price, then a decent gatefold sleeve should be standard. In addition, packing records properly without rushing will see fewer disks being damaged in the process.
	Dire Straits, Brothers in Arms (Vertigo, South Africa). I was doing my national service in 1985 when this album was released. I bought a tape copy on a visit to town, and my buddies in the bungalow were just simply blown away. The tape did not last long before it was completely worn out from being played by so many, so often. After I bought the LP12 in 2023, this was my first LP, given to me by a friend so that I could at least hear what the turntable sounded like. It is a local pressing but it sounds good. I will probably get a better copy at some point but I have no need for the 45 rpm edition on two LPs. I really do not like the idea of 45 rpm albums spanning two records. It just breaks the continuity of the original. Many, if not most, albums were specifically recorded to end Side 1 on a high before diving into Side 2. The new way of spanning a standard album across four sides just breaks the cohesion and flow of the album as intended. Then again, this is just my opinion. In the meantime, the hunt is on for a genuine OG – the 1985 (US Warner Brothers or UK Vertigo) first pressing mastered by Robert Ludwig at Masterdisk.
	Dire Straits, Love Over Gold (Vertigo, EU). I have owned four copies spanning 40 years. Got a pre-owned OG in 2023 and promptly ruined it while attempting a clean. Had to fork out lots of money for a new one, a 180 gram remaster. It has not lost any of its appeal and Side 1 with Telegraph Road and Private Investigations certainly stands out. I play this when it is really quiet in the house and I can turn up the volume just a little bit more and enjoy a spectacular sonic presentation. This is by far the bands's best album.
	Diva, Bande Originale du Film (Milan, France). This album has a long history for me. In the early eighties this was almost a cult film, shown only in selected theatres in Johannesburg. I purchased the cassette of the soundtrack in 1985. The music is quite haunting. In short, Jules (Andrei) is a postman who falls in love with Cynthia Hawkins (Fernandez), a famous opera singer whose voice has never been recorded. At one of her concerts, Jules records a bootleg copy that soon becomes the focus of a dangerous pursuit of said recording by Taiwanese bootleggers. Meanwhile, a prostitution ring is also being uncovered, and an completely different and incriminating recording falls into Jules' mailbag, complicating matters further. Without having seen the film, much of the music score will not make any sense. For me it was worth the R100.00 that I paid for it at a secondhand record shop. I am certainly not going to play it every day, but I can occasionally enjoy this as an example of excellent avante garde music. It will be typically Sunday morning music.
	Don Randi and Quest, New Baby (Sheffield Lab, USA). OK, this was an impulsive buy, but for a mere R100.00 (6 USD) I could not let this Sheffield Lab title go by. The cover received water damage at some point and I fixed this, but the vinyl is in a mint condition. Laid back funky jazz is what I can call it. Initially I thought I won't be playing it too often, but it has grown on me and shows the value of a good recording process. The thing with these direct to disc recordings is that both the technical team and artist/band/group had only one go to make this work. Any mistake in the music, and the recording is stopped, the laquer scrapped, the lathe reset, and we start again, or the mistake remains, forever etched into the master laquer. In addition, gaps between tracks meant artists had to either be dead quiet, vocalists catch their breath and then go on, or whatever noise they made, remains. An example is just before "Dusk" on the Lincoln Mayorga/Amanda McBroom album, where there is a definite shuffle, maybe a music stand or a chair moved slightly. This is what makes music authentic.
	Donald Fagen, The Nightfly (Warner Brothers, USA). A 1982 Warner pressing from the USA, this OG (with all the right credentials in the deadwax) copy sounds unbelievable for one that is already 43 years old. It is a great transitiopn/continuation from Stely Dan and Gaucho, to Fagen's first solo effort. Mastered by Robert Ludwig, this was also one of the first pop albums to be digitally recorded. I have no problem with digital steps finding their way to vinyl. There is no way we can eliminate digital steps, and there is no need to. I have had three copies in total. One was a super expensive Japanese pressing, and this one, R200.00 (about 6 USD) at a vinyl fair, is way above the Japanese pressing in terms of presentation. It is certainly one of my most treasured LPs and a fitting transition from his Steely Dan career after Gaucho and the start of a solo journey. Every track is excellent and it is difficult to single out any, but Ruby Baby just has so much punch, you want to turn up the volume even more. The New Frontier's theme is similar to that of a 1962 poem, Your Attention Please, by Peter Porter. Fagen lives the dream of a young man in the eastern United States, with visions of a great future, but with thoughts of the Russians pushing the button on the US. The Hunt for Red October, the 1991 movie, portrays this very well. Today, Fagen is much older and his last two albums have moved on from the youthful innocence of The Nightfly, to one of acceptance with the reality of old age, depicted on the cover of one of his last albums, Morph the Cat.
	Electric Light Orchestra, Discovery (CBS Mastersound, USA). This was one of the first Mastersound LPs I ever bought back in 1981 and to this day it is as good as it was then. I got my second copy the other day and the sleeve is really in a perfect condition, and includes the original inserts. On first look the vinyl appears to have a few scratches, but none of them are audible. Vinyl in the 70s and 80s was just much harder and better than the standard stuff we have today. A quick suck and scrub on my mate's VPI 16.5 wet/dry cleaner, and a cycle through the ultrasonic, and this LP is as good as new. Discovery has quite a few highlights – Confusion, The Diary of Horace Wimp, Last Train to London, and Don't Bring Me Down bring back fond memories of my early eighties forage into vinyl. Listen for the door slamming outside the studio at the end of Side 2. Definitely worth the few hundred rand I spent on it. Do I chase down so-called "audiophile" vinyl? Not really. I have a few Sheffield Lab LPs, some older MFSL pressings (which all sound sublime), and a few Mastersound pressings. I buy because I like the music, irrespective of the specific pressing or label.
	The Everly Brothers, The Very Best of (Warner Brothers, Germany). Bought this while waiting for some records to be professionally cleaned. Excellent Warner Brothers copy pressed in Germany. Classic stuff and contains all of their hits. Makes for really relaxed listening. I will definitely get the cover done by Norah Jones and Billy Joe, Foreverly.
	Frank Sinatra, Come Swing with Me (Capitol, UK). Never thought I would buy a Frank Sinatra album. Then I got this from a friend and I was just so impressed with the crooner's voice. There is a lot to like here and in time I will sit down for a more in-depth listening.
	Frankie Lane, Greatest Hits (Columbia, South Africa). I grew up with this music. My copy is battered, but it is an important part of the collection. It takes me back to the sixties and seventies when we watched home movies on 8 and 16 mm and my father would take out two at a time, one shorts and the other a feature film. Many were westerns.
	Friends of Carlotta, Live in Studio (Clearaudio, Germany) is not only a D2D (Direct to Disc) recording but also uses DMM (Direct Metal Mastering) done by Gunther Pauler who is also responsible for the sublime sound quality of Stockfisch Records, together with Clearaudio. Originally issued by Bowers & Wilkins as a CD with a run of only 2000 copies released, the vinyl version was produced from the original master tape. This was a must-have when I saw it and it sounds phenomenal. There is virtually no surface noise, unless you crank up the volume way above what is necessary. There are only eight tracks, all covers of popular songs, and it is great for demonstrations. Clearaudio did a sterling job with this. Definitely recommended if you can get hold of it. Track listing: How deep is your love (Gibb) Hello (Richie) Nothing ever happens (Currie) Fever (Davenport/Coley) In the air tonight (Collins) Ain't no sunshine (Withers) Walkin' in Memphis (Cohn) Time after time (Lauper/Hyman) This is a great example of how vinyl should sound.
	George Benson's Breezin' (MFSL, Warner Brothers, Japan) is an MFSL title I picked up for a mere R70.00 and it sounds fantastic. Those first MFSL pressings were not always the best, but this one is not one of them. It is a gem. The sleeve needed a bit of TLC and the original inserts are long gone, but I had many of these in the past, so I know the technical details. My musical tastes have changed somewhat over the years. I do not want to have to sit down and meticulously absorb every little detail a record offers. Sometimes, like with George Benson and Gino Vanelli, I just want something I can enjoy in the background.
	George Benson In Your Eyes (Warner Brothers, Germany) is a German Warner Brothers pressing. Continuing in the typical Benson style, this is laid-back jazz, with some great guitar work. Most enjoyable. There are some great tracks, the title track being one.
	The George Benson Collection (Warner Brothers, South Africa, 2LP) is a double album containing Benson's hits. What I like about his music is that it is enjoyable as background music and does not require intense focus. This is a South African Warner Brothers pressing and sounds excellent. The LPs are quite heavy, coming in at close to 160 gram, and the gatefold jacket is nice and sturdy.
	Gino Vanelli, Powerful People (MFSL, A&M, Japan). I had always known about Gino Vanelli and then one day I stumbled upon an absolutely mint copy of the Mobile Fidelity Soundlab release. It was way too cheap not to take it. The cover needed some work, but the vinyl is perfect, almost unplayed. I like restoring covers that have seen better days, and after a bit of TLC, and a black and red permanent marker, it looks as good as it can get. This is the sort of music I am into lately – something calm and relaxing that I can enjoy without thinking. These MFSL pressings are now over forty years old and finding this one was just great. It is also quite a short album, some 31 minutes. Technically the LP is virtually new. There is no surface noise between tracks and maybe this is because of the "super vinyl" that was used at the time when these pressings were almost translucent. Before I bought it, I read a review and someone mentioned the awesome dynamics. Well, that was no lie. This LP sounds just great and many more modern pressings I own do not sound nearly as good. It still has all of the original paperwork – the still folder to protect the record, the list of titles as of November 1980, and a certificate of authentication. This is definitely a prized addition to my collection.
	The Greater Good (Stockfisch Records, Germany) is a collaboration of two of Stockfisch Records' artists Eugene Ruffolo and Dennis Colen, and Shane Alexander. Together they form a formidable team. This is a brand new 180 gram DMM, expertly mastered and pressed. Stockfisch's catalogue may not be to everyone's liking, but then it opens new horizons. I have the CD too and it sounds fantastic. Just listen to It's a Looking Fine on Side 2. Clearly all the links in the chain – recording, mastering, cutting, plating, and pressing – are of an extremely high quality.
	Jackson Browne was way more important in the seventies than many people realise, writing hits for many other artists. Some may know him for "Laywers in Love". For me, The Pretender (Asylum Records, USA) was the album I was always looking to purchase as a MFSL release of, but could not find initially, and when I finally did, could not afford. The arrangements are absolutely top notch. One song that never fails to pass me by without making a huge impression is the title song. Browne describes it like this: I'm gonna rent myself a house, In the shade of the freeway Gonna pack my lunch in the morning, And go to work each day And when the evening rolls around, I'll go on home and lay my body down And when the morning light comes streaming in, I'll get up and do it again Amen, Say it again, Amen Isn't this how most of us live? We do the same things every day, just to survive. There's a cynical irony in this and I love it. I have a US Asylum pressing. The textured embossed sleeve has taken some battering but the vinyl is in great condition. My copy has "SP" etched in the deadwax and indicates it was pressed by Specialty Records Corporation. However, the second verse of the title song was removed. The time indicated on the label is 5:50 but it is actually about 5:05. Weird, but I can live with it.
	Jean-Michel Jarre (Polydor, Germany, 2LP) is an exponent in electronic music and The Concerts in China was my first introduction to this artist. Back in the early eighties we here in South Africa did not know much about China and for the most part China hid itself from the rest of the world. I have a German Polydor pressing which I picked up for next-to-nothing at a secondhand vinyl store. It sounds sublime and on first inspection it did not look like it had been played at all. This is a real gem and one I had wanted for a long time. I spent a bit of time removing some superficial blemishes on the cover, and a red permanent marker did the job just fine. You have to look really close to see that this is not a new purchase. The opening sequence is just amazing. Recorded in Peking (Beijing today), Overture starts the album in a spectacular way. The crowd's applause is initially almost amusingly underwhelming, as one could expect from a society closed off from the rest of the world. What were they to make of these strange sounds? Once the music starts, the crowd warms up to the strange electronic sounds. Side 3 and 4 were recorded in Shangai, and while the music is well-known Jarre works, I really enjoy the background sounds and scenes from typical life in China. Excellent collaboration with local artists allows more traditional music to get an electronic spin, enjoyed by the audiences. All in all, a treasured part of my collection.
	Jeff Wayne, Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds (CBS Mastersound, USA, 2LP) was a great endeavour to make the classic HG Wells story come to life in music. I had the title many years ago and when one became available again, marked as NM, I took the chance. The CBS Mastersound pressing is in a great condition. The album features artists such as David Essex, Justin Hayward, Phil Lynott, Chris Thompson, and Julie Covington, with actor Richard Burton as the narrator, who is also the journalist in the story. Burton's voice is ideal as the story teller. [ See Deconstructing Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds [2005] for an excellent in-depth discussion on the project. ] One perculiarity stands out – the way the sides are pressed. You have sides one and four on disk one, then sides two and three on disk two. Confusing, and a bit of a nuisance changing disks, but hey, this is another thing that makes collecting vinyl records interesting. Ulaa... Ulaa... Why do I continue collecting these CBS Mastersound pressings? Simply because they were presented well, and sound good to this day. The Mastersound editions were not perfect, but getting anything better in the local pre-owned market is almost impossible. I made the mistake selling some of these titles before, and I am not going to repeat it.
	JJ Cale, Troubadour (Mercury, EU). If ever there was a musician that deserved way more credit than he got, it must be JJ Cale. Many probably know him only for Cocaine or City Girls. In many cases Cale's music was made popular by Eric Clapton. This is my second JJ Cale album (I had Special Edition way back, and am struggling to find another copy) and I intend to buy more of them. His collaboration with Clapton on The Road to Escondido in 2006 showcases the musical brilliance of both. This 180 gram EU/German pressing by Mercury Records is superb and it shows again that good vinyl as as important as a good turntable. A good turntable is hardly going to make up for a bad pressing. I am not saying we should all go out and buy the most expensive pressings, just that we should find out about a particular pressing before buying it. If your budget allows, get the pressing you can afford. Keep your fingers away from the surface of the record and it will serve you well for many years.
	John Denver, An Evening with John Denver (RCA Victor, Germany, 2LP). This is probably my all-time favourite live recording. I remember listening to this when it came out in 1975, making this year a half century later. I really believe that Denver never received the recognition he deserved as a country artist. In the Ken Burns series on country music, Denver is hardly mentioned. This album is just a delight and it must have been awesome to attend the actual concerts. The man's musical talents were exceptional. In this recording he is backed up by a very capable orchestra, with Lee Holdridge at the helm. All his early classics are there, and you are taken on a journey across Canada and the USA ‐ from Alberta in Canada, south to Montana, Colorado, California, back east to West Virginia, who can forget his love for nature? That the man had severe personal issues is clear, but then who does not? Denver's voice is a high tenor and his unique style makes it difficult to copy his songs. He never really co-sang with others, one exception being Placido Domingo. As I write this, I am listening to Whiskey Basin Blues (not on the Evening With John Denver album) and I am reminded why he was an extremly gifted singer. I was lucky to find a RCA German pressing (1982) and for a 43-year old double album, it still sounds extremely good. The cover is now in a stellar condition but some TLC was required. I often touch up covers that have taken some punding, using permanent markers – black, brown, and red are often used with record covers.
	Katrina and the Waves, Katrina and the Waves (Capitol, RSA). My son bought this album sealed at a record fair in 2025. It took me back some 40 years when the album was released and I heard it from a buddy on the army base I was stationed. The very first track's introduction hits hard and while this is not what I regularly listen to, it's just fun. We do not always have to be stuck down in an "audiophile chair" listening to deep stuff no one else bothers to listen to. This group was no fluke either. Eurovision winners in 1987, for their 1985 Capitol debut, the band reworked 10 tracks from earlier Canadian releases into their self-titled international album. It proved both a critical and commercial success, with "Walking on Sunshine" becoming a worldwide hit (reaching No. 9 in the US and No. 8 in the UK). This completely re-recorded version differed significantly from the original 1983 Canadian release. Look in the sleeve's text and you will see the mastering was done by Robert Ludwig. It speaks volumes of the quality of the recording. The success brought a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist and extensive touring, which helped sustain sales. Another single, "Do You Want Crying," also cracked the US top 40 that summer. My original copy was pressed in Germany and I remember that it sounded absolutely stellar. My current copy, pressed locally, sounds perfectly fine. Not all locally pressed vinyl of the 80s was necessarily bad, and I had some imported stuff that sounds rather mediocre. Listening to it takes me back to carefree years in the SADF (South African Defence Force) in 1985-1986 before it was destroyed when it later became the SANoDF under our current "leedahs".
	Leonard Cohen, Songs from a Room (CBS, USA). Beaten, and probably one of the oldest records I own. I had it cleaned with an ultrasonic machine, but years of wear on the record have left their mark.
	Leonard Cohen, Various Positions (CBS, UK). Classic Cohen. I still think some artists did a better job than the original (Mathys Roets' covers in English, and Koos Van Der Merwe's Afrikaans translation are excellent examples), but it takes nothing away from the magic of a gifted sing writer. I got this from a friend, a UK CBS pressing, in great condition. It can do with a scrub and suck or ultrasonic clean, but it is not urgent.
	Lincoln Mayorga and Amanda McBroom, Growing Up in Hollywood Town (Sheffield Lab, USA) is a Sheffield Lab Direct to Disc recording from 1980 and a true "audiophile" record, as much as I hate the term. Got this one as a box edition with all of its liner notes for R120.00 from the secondhand store that has since moved out of my area. Those Sheffield Lab pressings were ultra thin with not much music on each side, but this is what makes it sound so good. I also have Thelma Houston, I've got the music in me, the original take, and not the Treasury Series that came out later, as well as Michael Newman's Italian Pleasures. There are many highlights on this recording. The Rose is a standout, and Mayorga's dynamic piano and low bass make it feel they are recording the music right here in your room. In order to give vocalists a chance to catch their breath between songs, each vocal is separated by an instrumental before the next song starts. What I like about these recordings is that anything that happens in the studio is recorded – feet tapping, sheet music turned over, chairs moving. This just makes it so real. Ending Side 1, Dusk is a stunner and you can hear movement in the studio, probably a slight move of a chair. Side 2 starts with the title song, Growing Up in Hollywood Town. I like the catch phrase "Don't call us, we'll call you". It still works like that today. The album's focal point must surely be the last vocal, Amanda. In our time of recording music using digital technolocy, and worse, AI, it is good to know that we have a lifeline in these older, and superbly recorded, records.
	Manhattan Transfer, Live (MFSL, Atlantic, Japan). What a great find, and one that I took without thinking twice. Had the title many years ago. Some rhythm and blues, swing, jazz, and a brass band for a great live performance recorded in 1978 three different locations, this is really easy listening. There is plenty to get excited about. Java Jive, Chanson d'Amour and Cuentame are well-known melodies. With these old MFSL records we know that it was all analogue. I have nothing against digital processing though. Music is music and we should enjoy it for what it is, not the format it is presented in. The thing is just that with every passing year these pressings become older, the master tapes deteriorate, and so the first pressings will probably be the best versions of these recordings. If you can lay our hands on these older pressings, grab them. I have been lucky to find two excellent sounding MFSL LPs in a short space of time.
	Michael Card, Present Reality (Sparrow Records, USA). Got this at a vinyl fair and it shows that Christian/Gospel music can be well-recorded and pressed equally well. It just sounds phenomenal, putting many of my "high quality" stuff to shame. It has become my go-to demo LP for visitors. Just listen to the incredible but controlled bass on "That's What Faith Must Be" on Side 1. It is pressed on thin 120 gram vinyl but man, this just sounds super. It cost me only R70.00. The album ends with "Flesh of His Flesh", reminding us about the closeness of our relationship with Jesus Christ. I would be great to find some of Card's other albums on vinyl. The Ancient Faith Trilogy comes to mind, but it would have been very expensive to produce, requiring four sides or more, and replicating the artwork as found on the box set CD which I have, would have been some undertaking.
	Michael Card, Scandalon (Sparrow Records, USA). I bought this along with Present Reality and it sounds equally good, with the same dynamics. Awesome stuff. Christian music deserves to be available on as many formats as possible, spreading the good news of salvation to as many people as possible.
	Michael Newman, Classical Guitarist (Sheffield Lab, USA). Sheffield Lab's direct to disc recordings have always been stellar and this box set is a must-have for those who like classical guitar. I also have Dave Grusin's Discovered Again, Don Randi and Quest's New Baby, Thelma Houston's I've got the music in me, and Lincoln Mayorga's collaboration with Amanda McBroom, Growing up in Hollywood Town. This is how music should sound. Newman is a fantastic guitarist and this album highlight's his incredible versatality. My copy definitely needs a clean. While the vinyl is generally quiet, as all Sheffield Lab pressings are, there are a few annoying pops all over the record. I had to do some repairs on the box as it seems to have suffered some water damage before I owned it. This is just the nature of collecting pre-owned vinyl. While I am careful what I purchase, sometimes an old, out-of-print title comes along that I just must have.
	Michael Newman, Italian Pleasures (Sheffield Lab, USA). An absolute classic D2D (Direct to Disc) recording by Sheffield Lab. I bought this pre-owned online without seeing or hearing it first, but I trusted the seller. Sheffield Lab's direct to disc recordings have always been stellar. I also have Thelma Houston's I've got the music in me and Lincoln Mayorga's collaboration with Amanda McBroom, Growing up in Hollywood Town. This is how music should sound. Newman is a fantastic guitarist and this album brings to life an older style of music not too many of us would be familiar with. Now the hunt is on for the remaining Sheffield Lab recording Newman did, Guitar Pleasures.
	Norah Jones, Feels Like Home (Blue Note, EU), A great record, one I had as a 200 gram Classic Records pressing back in the day. Bought this 180 gram pressing from Echos Record Bar. For me the first two albums were outstanding, and I really must buy Come Away With Me again. Her later work deviated somewhat from the innocence of the first two albums.
	Oscar Peterson Trio, Nigerian Marketplace (Pablo Records, South Africa), a new title I was given by someone. I knew nothing about the artist yet but was willing to learn and broaden my horizons. On the first listen (Horror of horrors – listening on Apple Music via headphones instead of on the LP12) all I can say is, Wow! This is amazing music. The piano work done during this live recording is absolutely stellar. This is how jazz is supposed to sound, live and intimate. It reminds me somehow of Friday Night in San Francisco, with blistering pace while really just having fun enjoying the audience's participation. Nigerian Marketplace and Au Privave are fast and furious. Misty/Waltz for Debby slows down the pace considerably but the piano work is still on another level. Do not forget the drumming by Terry Clark, and Niels Henning Orsted-Pedersen's bass, vital for a good live performance. After a brief pause, Nancy picks up the pace again. Cakewalk follows and You Look Good to Me rounds off a great show. My copy is is a South Africa-pressed LP but it sounds good.
	Paul O'Brien, Long May You Sing (Stockfisch Records, Germany). Paul O'Brien has done three albums for the Stockfisch label, Walk Back Home (CD/SACD); a 45 rpm high resolution vinyl version with four or five songs that has been out of print for a long time; and Long May You Sing (CD/SACD and 180 gram DMM vinyl). A great list of songs by Canadian artists, O'Brien does not falter in his rendition of any of them. While it would not be possible to fit all the songs on the CD/SACD version on a single 33 rpm vinyl pressing, the most important ones are there. O'Brien is a great story teller. Just listen to Cold Missouri Waters, a tribute to an actual event of fire fighters dying trying to put out forest fires. I have also never appreciated Joni Mitchell's Big Yellow Taxi more than with the way O'Brien sings it. Sonny's Dream is a powerful way to end the album. This is a phenomenal collection of music, the pressing is top notch and super quiet, and it is completely out of print, but you may still find copies at Acoustic Sounds. You may have to fork out a lot of money for it but it is worth every cent.
	Patsy Cline and Jim Reeves, Remembering Patsy Cline and Jim Reeves (MCA, South Africa). The voices alone are worth the combination. Patsy Cline was one of the sensations of the late-50s and early-60s, with Jim Reeves being a well-respected singer in the same period. It is ironic that both died in aeroplane accidents that cut short great careers. Well-known songs of both are contained in a sort of a greatest hits compilation. While the cover does not elaborate on the compilation, we find an interesting footnote – the involvement of Chet Atkins in the production of some of the songs. This is not an audiophile-type record that demands critical listening and it will not win any prizes. It serves as an enjoyable and quiet experience, probably on a Sunday morning. Listen to the emotional quality of Fall to Pieces (Cline) and Distant Drums (Reeves) and you have a summary of the work of two exceptional artists.
	Paul Simon, Still Crazy After All These Years (CBS Mastersound, USA). Apart from The Concert in Central Park and Bridge Over Troubled Water, I have never had anything of Paul Simon. I found this CBS Half-speed Master for a bargain and could not let it pass by. The music is excellent and laid back – the type of music I lately enjoy. Simon was a stellar writer and his melodies are often simplistic but very successful. The LP is about 44 years old but still in an excellent condition. A cycle through the cleaning machine and it is as good as new. Many "audiophiles" will immediately critisise this as an example of how bad CBS's Mastersound series and the half-speed mastering processed used, is. Let them rant and rave all they like. I do not have to answer to any so-called audiophile why I chose to purchase a certain pressing. It's about the music, nothing more, and it to my ears it sounds great.
	Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon (Harvest, UK). I bought this sealed in 2024, a 2003 30th Anniversary remaster, probably the best sounding version of the title ever on vinyl. It was expensive but it is worth every cent. It is one of those seminal albums that just goes beyond anything else. I enjoy the quality of the sleeve and accompanying artwork. Taking out the posters when I received it took me back to 1981 when a friend and I begged and then borrowed money from his mother to purchase "our" copy of Dark Side of the Moon on MFSL's original master recording series. It cost us R56.00 back then when standard imported LPs cost about R16.00 but translated to today it would be about R1545.00, an absolute fortune. I inherited it from him later. This is a sort of album where you cannot really isolate one song and call it a single. The entire album functions as a unit. I just love the end of Money and how it transitions into Us and Them, two songs with very different keys but the same time signatures. I have a thing for vinyl records with black covers. Over the years I have owned a few, DSOTM being one, and then others such as The Police's Ghost in the Machine, Sara K's Water Falls, Friends of Carlotta's Live in Studio and Michael Newman's Italian Pleasures. The 2016 version has a completely matt finish that looks so nice but will be a fingerprint nightmare. The DSOTM cover is about as recognisable as the corporate logos of Apple, Nike, and the like. I have an audiophile dog, and he pays attention when this album plays. I renamed it to Dog Side of the Moon.
	Pink Floyd, The Wall (CBS, USA, 2LP). This is a 1979/80 original CBS USA first/second issue according to the matrix numbers in the deadwaxm mastered by Doug Sax at The Mastering Lab (TML-M stamped in the deadwax). It is absolutely mint and when I got it pre-owned in 2024, the clingwrap had never been taken off. I was the first one to open the gatefold since its purchase about 45 years ago. It is a standard pressing and it sounds sublime. There is the odd pop and click, and a small scratch, but these are masked by the amazing dynamics this LP has. I played it for visiting friends who had never heard vinyl before, and they were absolutely stunned. I am not sure if there are other versions that will sound better, but this one is just superb. My copy does not have the title printed on the cover but is on a sticker on the plastic wrapping. For me, Side 3 is easily the best part of the album, especially with Hey You and Comfortably Numb. Maybe it is because I do not like Roger Waters, but he really overcooks things sometimes with the permanent references to his father, a WW2 pilot. Aeroplanes and crashes are a recurring theme, from Dark Side of the Moon to The Wall, and then The Final Cut. I really find Water's public statements annoying. Maybe the time will come that I will purchase a new copy, simply to not hear the scratch that lasts for about three or four rotations. As someone said the other day, a scratch will always appear on the quietest sections of a record. Yet another law of Murphy.
	Pink Floyd, Wish You Were Here (CBS, USA). I own three copies. The first is a 1975 CBS USA OG, still in shrink wrap and with a promo sticker. I also had a Columbia Halfspeed Master back in the eighties and I hunted down one again, shown below. The older copy has seen better days and despite a good clean on a VPI 16.5 as well as a Degritter, there is still a lot of surface noise but the music still sounds surprisingly good. I am keeping it simply for nostalgia's sake. Note the slight difference between the cover photos of the American releases compared to the European releases.
	Pink Floyd, Wish You Were Here (Harvest, EU/UK). The second copy I own is a 2011 remaster, done by Doug Sax, James Guthrie, and Joel Plante, and pressed in the UK. It comes with the original posters and more, and in the original black outer sleeve with promo stickers on the front and back. It sounds sublime but beware: if you buy the 2011 edition new, the LP is in a very tight and thick paper inner. I struggled to get mine out and in the process it was scratched, although this could also have happened when it was packaged in the factory. This is an example of an album that really should be in a gatefold cover, like Dark Side of the Moon, one sleeve for the record and the other for the artwork. We as consumers should put much more pressure on record companies to actually listen to what we as buyers of their products want. I vote that ALL single albums be presented in a gatefold cover! The quality of the pressing is unparalled. All UK/EU Harvest pressings show the photo with the burning man leaning forward, whereas the American CBS pressing's artwork shows him standing upright. Some say the photographer was quick to snap another photo when he saw the man leaning forward. I do not agree. Compare the two photos here. They were taken at different angles and one further away from the handshaking men. Note the parts of the buildings hidden, the buildings right at the back, and the shadow close to the grid in the middle of the photo.
	Pink Floyd, Wish You Were Here (CBS Mastersound, USA). My third copy is a 1982 re-release of the original half-speed master done in 1980. There was an issue with the equalisation of the original's mastering (HC 33453) which was corrected with a later release, HC 43453. This is probably the definitive copy to have and one of the best CBS Mastersound releases. It cost an absolute fortune but is in NM condition. The sleeve also has the correct numbering on the spine and not the plastic tab that was stuck over the orginal number. Thus you know you have the correct version even before checking the label and the deadwax. I love the way the album winds down towards the end, on Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts VI–IX). Richard Wright's organ work here is what anchors most of the album. It sounds like the pace is slowing down, but at the same time, the timing does not. From the first note to the last, this is a testiment of the genius of Wright. It is definitely very close to The Dark Side of the Moon and probably my favourite Pink Floyd album. OK, so why three copies of the same title? It's probably coincidence, but there are some pressings that will never be available again, like the Mastersound. As I said elsewhere, back in the day we did not realise how special the 70s and 80s pressings actually were, and most are collectors items today, if you can find them.
	Roger Whittaker, Live with Saffron (EMI, South Africa, 2LP), was a record my parents played often. To this day for me it is one of the outstanding live recordings with lots of interaction with the crowd. A double LP, I would love to get a new copy if any were available. This is lively and enjoyable recording with lots of audience interaction. It is not meant to be listened to in silence and it is not an "audiophile" type album. Just listen to an artist with an exceptional voice, the ability to whistle, and to let the audience make fools of themselves trying the same.
	Roger Whittaker, Collection (Readers Digest, South Africa, 5LP). A five-disc Readers Digest set, covering most of his work. I am not going to play this every day, but it is a welcome addition which was given to me by someone who needed the space in his collection. Most of the records have never been played. This is just laid-back music and I fondly remember how often my parents played this type of music.
	Santana, Zebop! (CBS Mastersound, USA). This album takes me back to the early 80s when I had the same CBS Mastersound release. I don't know what it is with "audiophiles" who always complain about the CBS Mastersound Series. They claim only those with low-end systems will appreciate the Mastersound series as it makes their inferior systems sound better. No wonder I have such a disdain for these "audiophiles" who are simply bragging about how much money they spent on their systems. OK, rant over. This is a fantastic album, but maybe not quite what many Santana supporters were used to when it was released. It includes great renditions of Cat Stevens' "Changes" and JJ Cale's "Sensitive Kind". It is probably for these two cuts that I bought the album, but the rest of it is not half bad. Listening to the album again after many years not hearing it, I can add this to my list of excellent titles of the seventies and eighties. They just do not make music like this anymore. The recording itself is great and the pressing excellent. In fact, I have never had a bad Mastersound title. CBS's efforts may not have been as successful as that of MFSL, Nautilus, and others, but it offered good releases at realistic prices. This is a great asset to my collection and I grabbed a pre-owned copy as soon as I found it.
	Sara K, Water Falls (Stockfisch Records, Germany, 2LP). Someone lent me a copy of this album in 2005 and the rest was history. This is easily the best ever example of direct metal mastering (DMM) as done by Stockfisch Records in Germany. It was out of print for a few years but was recently made available again. Spread over four sides, Sara K's weird style guitar playing, together with the awesome guitar skills of Chris Jones, make this a must-have. Of course, spanning a standard length LP over four sides means I have to get up every few minutes to flip over a disk or change it. I sometimes forget I am not listening to the CD where I can listen to the entire album in one take. By the way, Stockfisch's ability to produce high quality CD/SACD recordings is absolutely above anything I have heard before. That their catalogue of artists is not commonly known puts off some, when it shouldn't. It is a good way to expand your horizons. If there is one wish I have, it is that Stockfisch Records will release Sarak K's later album, Hell or High Water, on vinyl as well. I have both CD/SACD and XRCD and the recording is truly phenomenal. It will do the vinyl format proud. Water Falls probably represents the best of what the Stockfisch catalogue can offer. The bass is unbelievable without ever becoming muddy and the entire presentation is first class.
	Simon and Garfunkel, The Concert in Central Park (Geffen, UK, 2LP). I remember when this double album was released in 1982 and the impact it had. This was a live show unlike any other I had heard before, except maybe An Evening with John Denver. A get-together by an incredible duo that also had a painful working relationship, The Concert in Central Park delivers. It is extremely well engineered and an excellent "greatest hits" for these two artists. I have seen the video version of the show and hearing it now without the video does not in any way detract from what is a most enjoyable album. Mine is a 1982 Geffen UK import, in excellent condition. The black cover had to be restored and given some TLC but there is nothing a black marker pen and a bit of patience cannot do to bring it back to life again.
	Sky, 2 (Ariola, Germany, 2LP). A great record of classical music by the progerrive rock group Sky, with a modern spin, at least when it was released. Sky is a British-Australian instrumental rock band from London, formed in 1978 by John Williams and Herbie Flowers. Sky 2 was a hit in the UK, reaching number one, unusual for a double album. This is just nice music to relax to. As an ex-drummer in a military style, I appreciate the offbeat and alternating beats used on Fifo, the first track on Side 2. It cost me only R90.00, an Ariola pressing from Germany. I have a thing for German pressings. Some say vinyl records pressed in Germany lack bass, the same with Japanese pressings. What I appreciate about the likes of EMI Electrola, RCA Victor, Warner Brothers and others is how quiet the surfaces are. I have a fairly old copy of George Benson's In Your Eyes, and it sounds fantastic despite taking a pounding in the hands of the previous owners. My copy of Sky 2 is visually in NM condition.
	Steely Dan's Gaucho (Geffen, USA) has been a favourite of mine for some 43 years. I recently found this 180 gram gem, remastered by Bernie Grundman. Not a pop or tick is to be heard, and the presentation is simple but effective. Done by Geffen/UME in 2023, it ranks up there with the best in sound quality in my collection. Sure, the Analogue Productions 45 rpm may possibly sound better, but it is inconvenient to have only one song on some of the sides. It also removes the whole idea of "LP" – long play. Gaucho is already a short album at only some 37 minutes, probably because of the absence of "The Second Arrangement". With this song included, had it not been erased, the album would have reached about 45 minutes. A deviation from Aja, it took a long time, and a lot of money for the time, to produce. Fagen and Becker were simply pushing for the best possible production, and they delivered. Both the original MCA (some surface noise) and later Geffen (dead silent surfaces) pressings are absolutely sublime and easily rank close to the top of the list of my collection. I only wish we could change the album's format to include "The Second Arrangement", the "lost" track which was meant for Gaucho, and accidentally deleted. Some cassette copies of the track exist, but never had Fagen and Becker's approval, and never made it to the final album. Good as this verion of Gaucho is, it is still not my "go-to" copy. Instead, this honour goes to the one below.
	Steely Dan's Gaucho (MCA, USA) was released in 1980. I remember getting a gift voucher from my friends for Hillbrow Record Bar, for my 21st birthday. I could not wait for the party to be over so that I could redeem the voucher for my copy of Gaucho. Like my copy back then, the one I have now is an original MCA pressing from 1980, with the "right credentials" in the deadwax – MASTERDISK stamped, RL (originally mastered by Robert Ludwig) etched, and EDP (Europa Disk Plating) stamped in the deadwax. Why are we hunting down these original OGs today? Simply because the mastering was absolutely epic. Sure, a newer version may sound cleaner and the originals are known to be a bit noisy, but the quality of the music is stellar. Incidentally, a very knowledgeable YouTuber rates the original MCA pressing a 9.2/10 whereas the 2023 Geffen pressing gets a 8.2/10. Read an article I wrote about OG titles for Gaucho and The Nightfly as a content writer for AV News, South Africa. Gaucho contains only seven tracks, and I really cannot single out any one of them as the best. Reading the sheet lyrics, I do not always understand all of the references, but then I don't think we were meant to. Let's leave some of it just there on the album while we enjoy this sonic spectacle. This is one example of the exceptional care that was taken to produce albums in the 70s and 80s. No wonder youngsters are discovering and appreciating the music enjoyed by their parents.
	Stevie Wonder, Original Musiquarium 1 (Motown Records, South Africa, 2LP). Easily the best first 20 minutes of funk/soul ever. Side 1 is a treat, explaining life as a black man in the USA, and serving in Vietnam. Thought provoking – "Now I'm standing at the back of the line when it comes to getting ahead." America never learnt anything from Vietnam. Even today, those who went to the Gulf Wars have all been but forgotten. I love all four sides of this incredible album. I definitely want to purchase a better pressing. However, on closer inspection, the following appears in the deadwax: TMD-11708 D PRECISION LAQUER D.L. STEVIE WONDER D-1. Now this is unusual for a South African pressing. An online search came up with the following: Precision Lacquer D.L. in the runout (deadwax) of an "Original Musiquarium I" record indicates it was likely cut by mastering engineer Darrell Johnson at the Los Angeles studio Precision Lacquer. This specific deadwax inscription is commonly found on early US pressings or international pressings that utilized lacquers prepared by this studio, including some variations linked to a Japanese pressing. I need to investigate this in more detail.
	Stravinsky, Igor, The Firebird (CBS Mastersound, USA). A great recording of this classic piece. Years ago I used to own many titles in the Columbia/CBS/Epic Mastersound series. Back in the day they were simply miles better than the standard pressings. Today many, rather snobbish, "audiophiles" will scream that the recordings were heavily EQed and sounded terrible. True, but not everyone can afford the latest and greatest 45 rpm pressings (which I loathe, not for sound quality but for the inconvenience of having to get up every five minutes) that are available lately. These old CBS pressings are collectors items and many still sound surprisingly good. Take Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here as an example. The second version of the Mastersound pressing is said to be the best version available, despite many later releases and commands a massive price tag, if you can find it. Kudos for CBS for trying to compete with MFSL in the early eighties. Maybe the did not quite achieve MFSL's standards, but what they had was way less expensive than the MFSL titles. My copy of The Firebird has a pressing flaw on Side 1 at the start, for about two minutes. Thereafter it is fine and I can live with it. Stavinsky's work is majestic and you may even recognise part of it, even if you have never listened to the entire piece.
	Thelma Houston, I've got the music in me (Sheffield Lab, USA). This is already my second copy of this classic Sheffield Lab Direct to Disc recording. It is the original, made from the original stampers based on the cut directly made from the lathe during the studio recording, not the Treasury version that came out later made from the tapes recorded during the session. You can hear everything going on in the studio during the recording. Nothing is filtered. This is how music should be. I found it at a second hand record store for R120.00. Easily one of the most sought-after D2D pressings of all time and an absolute classic with many who enjoy high-quality music. Shellied Lab sort of loaned Thelma from Motown records for this project. Listen for Larry Carlton's unmistakable guitar work.
	Theuns Jordaan, Roeper (Coleske, SA). One of only two Theuns Jordaan albums on vinyl I know of, the other being Tribute to the Poets. Pressed in South Africa, this one cost me R400.00, pre-owned. Great pressing and excellent music. I had to use, of all things, COVID sanitation gel to remove pen markings from the cover to get it looking like new again. I had the pleasure of attending one of his shows a few years ago. We lost a true gentleman the day Theuns passed away. If you have ever listened to Jordaan's music, on this album "Net Voor die Storm Kom" stands out because it was a commercial hit. But just listen to the last song, Bloutrein. It was written long before his death but somehow sounds like his swansong. I have found out that the album was pressed in South Africa. Nothing is visible in the deadwax. I would be the first to ignore albums pressed locally, but this one is exceptional. It is clearly about 180 gram, prefectly flat, and has absolutely no surface noise. Kudos for the pressing plant here.
	The Travelling Wilbury's Volume 1 (Warner Brothers, South Africa). I bought on a whim after hearing it played at a vinyl fair. This is great music. It does not require intense listening and is just nice to enjoy. A local Warner Brothers pressing, there is nothing wrong with it. Not sure if it warrants a new copy, but I must look out for its successor.
	Willie Nelson, Always on my mind, (CBS Mastersound, USA) Columbia Mastersound half-speed mastered audiophile pressing in a very good condition. I was not even aware of this edition until one came up for sale.
	Willie Nelson, Stardust, (CBS Mastersound, USA) Columbia Mastersound half-speed mastered audiophile pressing. Some of these pressings sounded great, others not so much. I got this one for only R200.00, in absolute mint condition. Why did I never discover this awesome collection of songs back in the eighties? Maybe I was not ready for it back then. Now I appreciate the laid back style so much more. I sometimes wonder why I did not collect more of Nelson's albums. "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" stands out for me as one of the best examples of an excellent voice with limited instrumentation. Nelson was one of the best country artists ever. Once he is gone, it is almost the end of the old guard. Yet, music moves on and changes with the times. We should embrace this.
	Willie Nelson, Tougher Than Leather, (CBS Mastersound, USA) Columbia Mastersound half-speed mastered audiophile pressing in a very good condition. Nelson is a special artist. At his current age, he probably does not have too many years ahad of him. On his passing away, his albums are going to soar in value, so getting them while I could was a best investment. I have no intention of selling any of them though.