Albums You Wish You Hadn't Bought

[MylesBAstor]

What are some records that received great reviews--or were on recommended lists--that truly disappointed sonically, musically or both. You know those albums. The ones you wonder what they were smoking when they listened to them.

The first album has been a long time resident on HP's list. Great music but when it listened to it not so long ago, the sound was sadly lacking. Lacking in upper octaves to be specific. A studio sound but was too rolled off. Also fetches mucho dinero, recently saw it on ePay for $500. Hmmmm....mine is in mint shape and that would pay for a tape or two.





The second album received a rave review from Mikey years ago and the music did nothing for me and thought even less of the sound. Plus it sounded like it was pressed on ultra, ultra-cheap plastic. You know that sound.

[Rob]

a NM copy of Corroboree on EMI recently set me back about 65 bucks, nowhere near 5 bills. I haven't played mine yet, the Tri-planar is with Tri and the Versa hasn't received any TLC since i acquired it...so not vinyl spinning right now. If you don't have the 45 rpm Everest redo of Corroboree with Goossens/LSO by Classic is a sonic block buster.

the second record looks like a no brainer with Ray Brown, Shelly Manne and bud shank - no good huh? Mikey has lost his touch as of late, his vinyl pics at the Techdas shindig were a let down.

In my day ive bought way too many dogs to list here, the ones that cost 50 bucks or more sting the most.

[Rust]

Yeah, I have a special shelf for the stuff I don't want to accidentally pull out and listen to.

[mep]

And just because an LP is well recorded doesn't mean you would want to listen to it more than once. HP and others raved about the Beavers at Carnagie Hall for years. I finally bought a new reissue and started laughing at myself for buying it when it started playing it. Who cares if you can hear hillbilly foot stomping or somebody farting at the left rear of the stage if you can't stand the music?

[spinblackcircle]

This was on somebody's records to die for list in one of the usual mags. My wife loves Tina Turner and even she won't listen to it.

[Bill Hart]

I tried some of the "new" music a while ago- though I like Black Keys in small doses, El Camino went from listen once to the 'outta here" pile. Ditto, the allegedly brilliant Arcade Fire record- can't remember which one-- big yawn. Sometimes, I'll dig the newer stuff- e.g. that Blind Melon record, or the Black Crowes (who can really rock, despite somewhat compromised sonics in the Rick Rubin vein of "11" all the time). So, I buy, if I don't like, it goes away. If I am ambivalent, I'll keep it, and on repeatedly listening will sometimes come to appreciate it. I left the "sonic porn" school a while ago. (Buying only for sonics). If the music is good, and there is a remaster that seems to be great, I'll buy it if the original or earlier copy has shortcomings. Which means I'm not a constant buyer of new audiophile stuff, only an occasional buyer. And, a lot of records I buy aren't terribly expensive, so my expectations aren't dashed- if I'm going to spend money for an album, I usually already know the music or take a recommendation from somebody who knows.

[Rob]

I love the black crowes, I missed their shows in their prime and I regret not going.

[Johnny Vinyl]

I avoid the vast majority of selections from any "records to die for" lists. Yeah, they may all sound great, but the music leaves me cold most of the time.

[Rob]

And just because an LP is well recorded doesn't mean you would want to listen to it more than once. HP and others raved about the Beavers at Carnagie Hall for years. I finally bought a new reissue and started laughing at myself for buying it when it started playing it. Who cares if you can hear hillbilly foot stomping or somebody farting at the left rear of the stage if you can't stand the music?

i'm not much of a weavers fan either, I like the cisco redo of "traveling on with the Weavers" better. I had the original vanguard press of Carnegie Hall and Chad's redos. IMO Its a very good folk record but not a sonic masterpiece.

I do find comparing the SQ of different records vary over different systems (namely speakers) I've owned/used. IIRC HP used line sources most of the time (Infinity IRS and Maggie tympans). I have many records that sound 'meh' over 'stats that are wonderful on cone speakers. it goes the other way too. I get stunningly realistic image sizes on tall line sources were I only get a glimpse of the recorded event listening over average sized floor standing box speakers. Horns can bring out yet another dimension to a record you've never noticed before.

[Johnny Vinyl]

i'm not much of a weavers fan either, I like the cisco redo of "traveling on with the Weavers" better. I had the original vanguard press of Carnegie Hall and Chad's redos. Its a good folk record but not a sonic masterpiece.

I do find comparing the SQ of different records vary over different systems I've owned/used. IIRC HP used line sources most of the time (Infinity IRS and Maggie tympans). I have many records that sound 'meh' over 'stats that are wonderful on cone speakers. it goes the other way too. I get stunningly realistic image sizes on tall line sources were I only get a glimpse of the recorded event listening over average size floor standing box speakers. Horns can bring out yet another dimension to a record you've never noticed before.

So a "record to die for" is really a "record to die for using (insert speaker type)". That doesn't help me much if I don't have the type of speakers a record was evaluated with.

[Rob]

So a "record to die for" is really a "record to die for using (insert speaker type)". That doesn't help me much if I don't have the type of speakers a record was evaluated with.

thats why I keep more than a few speakers around to mix it up. I use Quad ESLs and Wilson Watts both with subs and its like chalk and cheese, they couldn't be more different in the way the project sound into the room but they each do some things the other speaker cant do (so well). There are recordings that def sound better over one speaker than the other.

[Johnny Vinyl]

thats why I keep more than a few speakers around to mix it up. I use Quad ESLs and Wilson Watts both with subs and its like chalk and cheese, they couldn't be more different in the way the project sound into the room but they each do some things the other speaker cant do (so well). There are recordings that def sound better over one speaker than the other.

I agree completely about the differences between various speaker types and that some bring out the best (or more) with certain pressings. And it certainly would be easier to assess one when you have speaker options. Unfortunately I don't.

[Rust]

Over the last couple of years I bought a few albums based on rave reviews which included Arcade Fire and Daft Punk. Both received rave write ups in the press. Somnolent, bland, boring, the music was dull with no excitement to it. Sometimes I think there is a bandwagon effect going on with record reviews, where if one reviewer goes all fan boy, most the rest stampede in that direction too. Should have known better.

[Johnny Vinyl]

Over the last couple of years I bought a few albums based on rave reviews which included Arcade Fire and Daft Punk. Both received rave write ups in the press. Somnolent, bland, boring, the music was dull with no excitement to it. Sometimes I think there is a bandwagon effect going on with record reviews, where if one reviewer goes all fan boy, most the rest stampede in that direction too. Should have known better.

Agreed. I bought the Arcade Fire EP that was released prior to the LP and also Daft Punk. They're collecting dust.

[Bill Hart]

Agreed. I bought the Arcade Fire EP that was released prior to the LP and also Daft Punk. They're collecting dust.

So, when you put it on Ebay, you can truthfully say, "collectible."

[MylesBAstor]

So, when you put it on Ebay, you can truthfully say, "collectible."

Or put it under "audiophile" or "TAS List."