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Great sounding/recorded albums

I'm tired of all the electronic fake drums and other music I'm hearing on so many albums. 

What are some excellently recorded albums/songs that actually sound like the instruments you're hearing and not a synth?

I am 2 channel only right now and primarily listen through Tidal.
dtximages
dtximages OP
350 posts
 
@mofimadness I need to broaden my flavors to Steely Dan then.  They've just not been on my radar.  They strike me as a bit boring and eh. But many of the things I love now, i had the same opinion of before I gave them a good shot.  It's clear I need to do the same for Steely Dan.
helomech
1,510 posts
 
Eric Clapton Unplugged 

Nirvana Unplugged

Alice in Chains Unplugged

Judy Garland: Judy in Love

CASH: American Recordings

Anything Dire Straits

Just about anything Steely Dan

Diana Krall albums (puke)

Elton John's Madman Across the Water

Sam Cooke: Night Beat







mofimadness's avatar
mofimadness
4,935 posts
 
@dtximages...there are others that share the same feeling about Steely Dan.  Everyone has a favorite band or group.  Not expecting everyone to love them.

Becker and Fagen were perfectionists.  Not only with their music, but their production and sound quality emphasis's were second to none.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,422 posts
 

As roberjerman suggests, a direct-to-disk LP. Once you've heard one, everything else sounds veiled, compressed, and lifeless. Sheffield made a bunch of them, both Pop and Classical. There are other d-2-d labels, but the Sheffields are easier to find and cheaper to buy. You may not like the music much, but for sound they are unmatched.

For albums made with a recorder, the releases on the Water Lily label possess instrumental timbres as natural and sonics as transparent as have ever been recorded onto tape. I suggest "A Meeting By The River", acoustic guitar by Ry Cooder. 

dbtom2
382 posts
 
Sometimes choosing a certain label will ensure a good recording. ECM and Chesky come to mind but there are others. On Tidal, look for albums by Keith Jarrett, Jan Garbarek, and produced by Manfred Eicher.  These are in the jazz genre but are well produced.  The ECM label usually means a good production. You may not like the genre but you'll appreciate the quality of the recording.  

I
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