Mono Recommendations

Early Dylan (pre-'69) is better in mono, as are The Beatles, Kinks, Yardbirds, and pre-Sunflower Beach Boys. For Jazz, the Prestige and Blue Note Rudy Van Gelder recordings.

Otis Reeding - “Sitting by the Dock of Bay” sounds good even when using a stereo cartridge on the mono LP.

The Thelonious Monk blue note LP5002 is the same goodness.

bdp24, I was disappointed with the Beatles mono remasters but I had a different cartridge then so maybe I should try Rubber Soul again. I have the MOFI Dylan on cd, it's exceptional. Do you know if there's a good mono pressing of 'Odyssey and Oracle' from the Zombies?

holmz, that Monk is a 10" so I'm interested in owning that. I never had a fondness for Otis Redding, perhaps I should go back and listen.

In the Buffalo Springfield boxset, Neil Young includes the first and second albums in both mono and stereo, the third in stereo only.

Procol Harum's debut album was released in mono only in the UK, reprocessed imitation-stereo in the U.S. The U.S. album sounds not good, the UK only okay.

The Byrds first five albums are available in mono. Great music, Tom Petty’s primary template.

Phil Spector - Back To Mono 1958 - 1969 (box set)

Spector’s famous “Wall of Sound” recordings were all in Mono.  Essential to any 60’s rock / pop collection.

Have a root through my mono posts.

 

Otis Reeding - “Sitting by the Dock of Bay” sounds good even when using a stereo cartridge on the mono LP.

I have an original stereo  pressing of “Otis Blue“ which sounds pretty.fine to me. There is a certain ‘directness‘ to the sound which I love. Have never been tempted to buy a re-release

holmz, that Monk is a 10" so I'm interested in owning that. I never had a fondness for Otis Redding, perhaps I should go back and listen.

@goofyfoot I am not a fan of Tool or Nazareth, but it is good to have something for the visitors 😎

The Monk is not something I would listen to as much in a chair as with company over... But it sound good in the chair, The Otis is great either way.

 

Have a root through my mono posts.

@noromance I have my snout into it like a truffle pig.Thanks,

noromance, I noticed the Carmen McRae 'Bittersweet which I'm not familiar with. I have the mono Alfie which apparently is sought out in Paris. A record store around the 11h Arrondissement wanted around sixty euros for a mono Alfie. I paid about seven dollars for mine.

holmz, typically no-one but me listens to my hifi, so I'll just get whatever I want. If company stops over, we usually watch BluRay and DVD's; Man With A Movie Camera, People On Sunday, Metropolis, etc...

mksun, those Phil Spector recordings sounded so good coming through the mono am car radio in the sixties however, when playing The Ronettes on my hifi it's a bit different. However, there is a large catalogue attached to the Spector name. Too bad he was such a horrible person.

bdp24, I didn't realize Neil Young recorded anything in mono. I've been wanting to look into the Byrds but there excessive covers of Dylan's material have kept me from going there. Procol Harum I only know from their stealing a Bach melody. Anyway, what Byrds record do you suggest?

@goofyfoot This one.

noromance, thanks, I'm going to get a copy!

Days of future past - Moody Blues 

Thanks all, I know this topic is a bit arcane so I am appreciative for every response.

@goofyfoot: No, not Neil Young’s albums, the Buffalo Springfield boxset (you know he was a member, right?) he did of the three Springfield albums, as part of his ongoing Neil Young Archive Performance Series reissues. The boxset contains five LP’s: the first two albums in both mono and stereo, the third in stereo only. He also remixed from the multi-track master tapes, removing the bass-filtering and other sound quality-reducing compromises heard in the original Atco LP’s. Available for around $100.

bdp24, sorry about the confusion. I know I've heard those albums but it was so long ago I cannot remember. It would be preferable if I could buy those two mono records separately. Same with the Rolling Stones mono box set. I want the Decca Between The Buttons but don't want to have to buy the box set. Every now in then I check on Discogs to see if there's a single copy out there but I haven't seen one yet.

I believe the mono Springfield albums were offered individually, though I haven't seen them in any of my record stores. I'l check next time I'm in one, and let you know.

bdp24, I'll look into on my end. I would make the assumption that if they were offered individually, that they'd be available online. I can ask someone I know at one of the record stores here. Anyway, thanks for clarifying and I'll look into it further.

All of Ella Fitzgerald's   work  on Verve  up to mid 1960 is a must listen if you like Diva's. IMO the mono press is the way to listen to these. Many of them are what I prefer-Ella and simple quartet or small ensemble. Not the schmaltzy orchestra backing stuff..

I regularly suggest Julie London - Julie is her name as another mono listen. Excellent recording-at least on LP.

tablejockey, I like the Ella, 'Harold Arlen Songbook Volume 2' from that time period. I run hot and cold with Ella. I had a copy of 'Like Someone In Love' and the portamento was off. Then I figured out that the string section was recorded first and they superimposed Ella's singing on top of it. It was so annoying that I sold it.

I don't know the Julie London record but have seen it as released by Analogue Productions. I would prefer not to have to flip the record every fifteen minutes but here's the 45 rpm version listed;
https://store.acousticsounds.com/d/137793/Julie_London-Julie_Is_Her_Name-45_RPM_Vinyl_Record