Best CD version of _Famous Blue Raincoat_?

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hank alrich <walkinay@thegrid.net> wrote:
>I have a version of this that while wonderful in the musical sense is
>less than optimally transferred to CD. I read an interview with Jennifer
>Warnes and she mentioned some dreadful transfers and also one she felt
>was the finest. I can't remember where I read that and I'm not finding a
>solid pointer at Google Groups search.

In the early nineties, this seemed to be one of the standard demo CDs that
everybody was using. I remember Gabe Weiner showing me that one track on
the CD had a massive low-frequency oscillation in one channel, probably from
a servo circuit gone wrong. You could see the woofers on his WATTs slowly
move in and out on about a 1/10 Hz cycle.

>It already sounds good enough that I am intrigued by the possiblity of
>even better fidelity. Clues?

Isn't she on Chesky? If so, I would suspect the Chesky issue would probably
be the best of the set.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

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On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 17:26:05 GMT, walkinay@thegrid.net (hank alrich)
wrote:

>I have a version of this that while wonderful in the musical sense is
>less than optimally transferred to CD. I read an interview with Jennifer
>Warnes and she mentioned some dreadful transfers and also one she felt
>was the finest. I can't remember where I read that and I'm not finding a
>solid pointer at Google Groups search.
>
>It already sounds good enough that I am intrigued by the possiblity of
>even better fidelity. Clues?

Mine's from 1986, on Cypress, and sounds pretty much like the vinyl of
the same year and label. I can loan it to you to check out if you
want.

Chris Hornbeck
"Shi mian mai fu"

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

I never heard all that about it being less than optimal....I always
classified it as an instant "classic"....and it was obviously a labour of
love in the production......Mine sounds wonderful....
Len

--
Order the new "Accordion Evolution" video or DVD
http://users.accesscomm.ca/limbery/
"Chris Hornbeck" <chrishornbeckremovethis@att.net> wrote in message
news:l2qmr0dpmm2innt9rs5hom388npgjd2n7u@4ax.com...
> On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 17:26:05 GMT, walkinay@thegrid.net (hank alrich)
> wrote:
>
>>I have a version of this that while wonderful in the musical sense is
>>less than optimally transferred to CD. I read an interview with Jennifer
>>Warnes and she mentioned some dreadful transfers and also one she felt
>>was the finest. I can't remember where I read that and I'm not finding a
>>solid pointer at Google Groups search.
>>
>>It already sounds good enough that I am intrigued by the possiblity of
>>even better fidelity. Clues?
>
> Mine's from 1986, on Cypress, and sounds pretty much like the vinyl of
> the same year and label. I can loan it to you to check out if you
> want.
>
> Chris Hornbeck
> "Shi mian mai fu"

Archived from groups: rec.audio.pro (More info?)

If you can track down some library or archive copies of "The Absolute Sound"
magazine from that era, the editor Harry Pearson interviewed Warnes and her
producer in depth about the recording, production, vinyl and CD pressings so
maybe try the TAS website ffirst. It was a lengthy and rewarding, informed
interview.Maybe within 6 months of the albums relaease is the issue to look
for.
Ray Thomas
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------
"Krazy Kanuck" <limbery@accesscomm.ca.removethis> wrote in message
news:41bb9bde@news.accesscomm.ca...
> I never heard all that about it being less than optimal....I always
> classified it as an instant "classic"....and it was obviously a labour of
> love in the production......Mine sounds wonderful....
> Len
>
> --
> Order the new "Accordion Evolution" video or DVD
> http://users.accesscomm.ca/limbery/
> "Chris Hornbeck" <chrishornbeckremovethis@att.net> wrote in message
> news:l2qmr0dpmm2innt9rs5hom388npgjd2n7u@4ax.com...
> > On Sat, 11 Dec 2004 17:26:05 GMT, walkinay@thegrid.net (hank alrich)
> > wrote:
> >
> >>I have a version of this that while wonderful in the musical sense is
> >>less than optimally transferred to CD. I read an interview with Jennifer
> >>Warnes and she mentioned some dreadful transfers and also one she felt
> >>was the finest. I can't remember where I read that and I'm not finding a
> >>solid pointer at Google Groups search.
> >>
> >>It already sounds good enough that I am intrigued by the possiblity of
> >>even better fidelity. Clues?
> >
> > Mine's from 1986, on Cypress, and sounds pretty much like the vinyl of
> > the same year and label. I can loan it to you to check out if you
> > want.
> >
> > Chris Hornbeck
> > "Shi mian mai fu"
>
>


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skipper wrote:

> I wanted to make one point that I think is relevant. Great music
> recorded poorly is still great music, and bad music recorded great is
> still bad music. Famous Raincoat is great music! It makes the great
> recording standout even more.

Thanks, Skipper, for the sensible commentary! To be clear, I find the
music, the arrangements, the recording and the performances above
excellent. It's not that the CD I have is awful, nor that I fail to
forget about the plastic disc when I'm listening to it. But when I read
that danged interview with Jennifer where she used the word "dreadful"
in relation to several CD versions of it, and mentioned one she thought
was the very best, I got curious. Unfortunately I was busy as hell at
the time, reading on a short break, and lost track of the information
that would lead me to go ahead and buy another issue of it, one that she
feels does the best job of getting the music across. Hell, it alreaedy
knocks me out; what might I feel of one that also knocks _her_ out?

She is just one hell of a singer. Listening to the heavily bullshit
laden popera that attempts to pass for female vocalizations these days,
Jennifer's chops stand out even more.

--
ha