20th Century Masters - Bill Monroe

Advantages: All the benefits of the quadrophonic recording without the crackle
Disadvantages: the vinal still sounds warmer

...What can I add after that title? I have my original pressing first release vinal album which still sounds superb although getting a quadrophonic amp that still works is a bitch! This SACD presentation brings back much of the original feel and nearly the depth of the original which the cd lacked particuarily if used via naff kit. This is Floyd at their peak in my humble opinion and one of the defining albums of the twentieth century. If you don't already own it buy it now forget Seargent Pepper and th White Album this is the must buy album of all time. Ok you need a sacd player and a decent 5.1 amp to appreciate this album at its best having said that if you have the kit sit back and enjoy. It's hard to believe this album was recorded so long ago considering the multi level nature of the tracks that are so far ahead of their time.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Flawless Heavy Metal record, technically stunning time signature shifts with occasional classical structuring
Disadvantages: 20 year old production job, could do with a re-mastering

...the track. 'Disposable Heroes' - boom. badda, badda, badda, badda, da. da. da. This riff is intense, and furiously paced. It was hand picked by 'Chimaira' to be covered for the 20th Anniversary version of 'Master of Puppets' that was given away freely on cover mount magazine 'Kerrang!'. What a choice from another great band, it lived up to the hype. Now back to the original, and we're on that intro riff, the thing that strikes most is how tight the band have become over the years. There are absolutely no moments in this track where you don't feel amazed; it's that precise right through. At 8 minutes 16 seconds this kind of intense riffing is bewildering, how on earth do they manage to keep the momentum up for so long? It's over one and a half minutes before 'Hetfield' has even begun to stretch his vocal cords "Bodies fill the fields I see... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Authentic recording, a direct link to the composer of this beautiful music, very expressive and stylish.
Disadvantages: A different style with some small technical discrepences, some might prefer a more modern recording.

...The contributions of Maurice Ravel to the 20th century piano repertory are a tender and expressive gift, standing out as some of the best examples of French Impressionist solo pieces from that time along with works by his contemporaries Debussy and Fauré. Since his early death in 1930, many performers have turned to his pupils - Vlado Perlemuter, and Marguerite Long expecting that they, with all their close contact with him, would be the most direct link to the man himself. They strongly emphasise the idea of strictness, lack of any kind of exaggeration, expression or imitation of past traditions, as though the piece is like an object to be guarded. However "Masters of the Piano Roil..." is primary evidence that flatly contradicts what they say - there are over 250 recordings of Ravel playing his own work (some of the best featured... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful