Album Reviews

Elvis Costello With Burt Bacharach "Painted From Memory" Finally AAA

Michael Fremer  |  Aug 9, 2017

Painted From Memory
Elvis Costello With Burt Bacharach
 
Mobile Fidelity/Mercury MFSL 1-475 180g LP
Produced by: Burt Bacharach and Elvis Costello
Engineered by: Kevin Killen
Mixed by: Kevin Killen
Mastered by: krieg Wunderlich, Assisted by Rob LoVerde At MFSL, Sebastopol, CA
 
MUSIC
SOUND
A heavenly pairing of Bacharach's suburban pop melodic intent and Costello's insightful lyrics that well-capture the required Bacharach late afternoon bedroom melodrama produced this 1998 gem of a soap operatic collaboration.

Yes, on one level the mind is programmed for and longs to hear Dionne Warwick crooning the regretful lyrics to "This House is Empty Now", but on the big crescendos Costello pulls it off with his stretchy, somewhat strained vibrato and sells the drama.Fans of Bacharach/David will find this an easy, tear-drenched fit and love every minute.

Primary Category: 
Album Reviews
Category: 
AAA Vinyl
Album Reviews
Artist: 
Elvis Costello With Burt Bacharach
Album: 
Painted From Memory
Cred Label: 
Mobile Fidelity/Mercury MFSL 1-475 180g LP
Cred Prod: 
Burt Bacharach and Elvis Costello
Cred Eng: 
Kevin Killen
Cred Mix: 
Kevin Killen
Cred Mast: 
krieg Wunderlich, Assisted by Rob LoVerde At MFSL, Sebastopol, CA
Michael Fremer
A heavenly pairing of Bacharach's suburban pop melodic intent and Costello's insightful lyrics that well-capture the required Bacharach late afternoon bedroom melodrama produced this 1998 gem of a soap operatic collaboration.

Can I Have My Money Back?

Why WSJ Writer Neil Shah’s Career is Over

Michael Fremer  |  Aug 8, 2017

Back in 2015 Wall Steet Journal correspondent Neil Shah wrote a curious piece called “The Biggest Music Comeback of 2014: Vinyl Records”. Curious because while the headline heralds that “the biggest music comeback of 2014” was the resurgence of vinyl records, the story itself threw a mud caked wet blanket over the entire experience, one created by Mr. Shah’s cynical and highly selective use of the information he obtained by talking to people in the industry.

News

Coming Soon! Full Evaluation of Jolida's FOZ XT-R Crosstalk Reducer

Michael Fremer  |  Aug 8, 2017

Coming up shortly on AnalogPlanet will be a full evaluation of Jim Fosgate's electronic azimuth setting/crosstalk reduction FOZ XT-R!

Thailand 2017

In A Thai Vinyl Noodle Factory (TPC—Thai Plastic Company)

Michael Fremer  |  Aug 1, 2017

Did you ever wonder where the vinyl used to press your records originates? Most of the vinyl pellets used by American pressing plants originates in Thailand, manufactured at a TPC plant on the outskirts of Bangkok.

Thailand 2017

In a Bangkok Street Market

Michael Fremer  |  Jul 28, 2017

Okay, I'm not Anthony Bourdain but while in Bangkok I figured you might like to experience some of the local color.

Thailand 2017

At Thai International High End 2017 News of New Audible Illusions Phono Preamplifier

Michael Fremer  |  Jul 28, 2017

Sometimes you have to travel overseas for news about American audio. While at the Thai show I learned of a new stand-alone phono preamplifier from venerable but until recently inactive Audible Illusions.

Thailand 2017

Opening Day Coverage of Bangkok's What Hi-Fi? 2017 High End Show

Michael Fremer  |  Jul 28, 2017

AnalogPlanet.com editor Michael Fremer is at the 2017 What Hi Fi? Bangkok Show taking place Thursday through Sunday July 27th through Sunday July 30th at the sprawling BiTech convention center.

Thailand 2017

At Thai International High End 2017 VPI Debuts Cliffwood Turntable

Michael Fremer  |  Jul 27, 2017

At What Hi-Fi?'s International High-End A/V 2017 show in Bangkok, Thailand VPI introduced the new Cliffwood turntable. The new turntable features a vinyl-wrapped plinth, an inverted ceramic ball topped bearing, an aluminum alloy platter and a new gimbaled bearing tone arm.

Thailand 2017

What Hi-Fi?'s Thai International High-End A/V 2017 Show Begins Today

Michael Fremer  |  Jul 26, 2017

It's early Thursday morning Bangkok time. Today is day one of the Thai magazine What Hi-Fi?'s big audio show (the magazine is not related to the U.K. magazine of the same name, started around the same time).

Unlike the previous hotel show I attended here, this one takes place in the sprawling Bi-Tec Exhibition Hall well away from downtown Bangkok.

Turntable Reviews

The Pear Audio Blue Robin Hood SE Turntable and Coronet 1 Tone Arm (Speed Issue Explained)

Michael Fremer  |  Jul 24, 2017

Editor's note: AnalogPlanet (and Stereophile) policy is to review products as sent to us unless they are broken and/or clearly defective. In this case the speed was "off" but the 'table was neither "broken" nor "defective" so we chose to review "as sent".

The importer wrote to say the unit was sent with "the wrong pulley" and as stated in the review, we allowed for the possibility that the 'table had been previously used for reviews or for some other purpose. However, without trying to sound too harsh, if you're going to send out a product for review, it's important to check out its functioning before shipping and that would include making sure it's running at the right speed.

As the importer points out, the Kid Thomas previously reviewed ran at the correct speed but clearly this one did not and it was what was sent so there was an obligation to review "as sent" just as there was an obligation to ship a properly functioning review sample! I know this might sound "harsh" but I'm always thinking of the consumer who buys and uses without checking speed accuracy and ends up listening at the wrong speed.

AnalogPlanet readers' thoughts on this are most welcome.

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