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Best song for immediate impact when presenting or testing?

I, as most of you, have my regular tunes that I play or listen to when trying out a new system or playing music for friends. My current starter is 'Feels like Rain' by Aaron Neville. It engages me immediately because I love it so, but it is also very well recorded and has a bass voice doing backup which in the right system has a real visceral impact.

I was at an Audio shop recently, listening to my standards, and wanted to show the sales consultant a piece that he might not have heard. I played 'Golden Rust' off the Miles Gurtu album. After about 30 seconds, he pulled out his device and added the song to his favorites. I asked why did he add so quickly, and he said that the opening electronica had a three dimensional stereophonic quality that made a remarkable impression right off the bat. I paraphrase lightly; that was his comment.

What pieces do you play of any genre that have an immediate impact, especially for people listening to a good system for the first time?
128x128cmjones
redmosessc
13 posts
 
On Agon i came across a song "Breaking Silence" by Janis Ian, that apparently was all the rage for demos when it came out in ’93. The song is a bit on the cheesy side IMO but the recording is fantastic. iIs punchy and dynamic, it has a lot of stereo field gimmicks on it and its short so it does a terrific job for demos.

Its not the kind of track i would listen to for enjoyment per se but if you want an idea of what a rig is capable of this one covers several bases. My gf and I joke about the song all the time but when we were at the Hifi show in Manhattan a couple months ago it was our go to suggestion and it really worked well to identify the strengths and weaknesses of several rigs alien to our ears.
diverlou
4 posts
 
Oops. To clarify on Dire Straits "Your Latest Trick", it's actually a trumpet that starts out low in the back of the stage and then the sax that comes to the front.  Great effect non the less.
thebman70
8 posts
 
Into Your Arms -- Nick Cave 
I created many Nick Cave fans after playing, great natural mid bass and deep vocals

Radiohead --  Codex   
I think it's a simple song about spiritual awaking/welcoming  and the music supports Thom York's meaning

hartf36's avatar
hartf36
200 posts
 
This list gives me a nice cross-section of musical tastes and moods that I typically find myself engaging in and brings out the best in my admittedly mid-fi system:

Frank Morgan "Mood Indigo" CD
Miles Davis "Freddie The Freeloader" from "Kind Of Blue"
Jaco Pastorius "Continuum" off his self-title debut album
Bob Dylan "Things Have Changed"
Lyle Lovett (anything)
Pat Metheny (anything)
Steely Dan (most anything, but "Only A Fool Would Say That" from "Can't Buy A Thrill" and "West Of Hollywood" off "Two Against Nature" in particular)
Dave Grusin’s "Migration" CD
Shivaree, track "Goodnight Moon"
Jerry Joseph "Happy Book"
Karl Richter’s interpretation of Bach’s "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor"
Alison Krauss + Union Station "Live" CD
Mahler’s 9th from Claudio Abbado + Lucerne Festival Orchestra



arcam88's avatar
arcam88
436 posts
 
+1 for Bozzio Stevens & Levin "Black Light Syndrome"  entire album!
Also Glenn Hughes "The Way it is" and Joe Satriani (self titled)😎
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