Great Recordings, Sonically Speaking - and Why.


I think many of us would accept that artists such as Pink Floyd, Steely Dan, and Dire Straits have consistently put out music that was at least originally recorded to a high technical standard. [I'm not too sure what the loudness wars may have done to subsequent reissues, but even so, the tone and timbre thankfully tends to remain intact.]

However there must be plenty of lesser known recordings out there that could be said to be of a high sonic standard.

One such recording that I like to put on in the background whilst I'm doing other things is a piano recording that features wonderfully lush timbre and some delightful tunes.

This one is The Disney Piano Collection by Hirohashi Makiko and to me it makes a lot of other piano recordings sound a little washed out.
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Jason Isbell does a great job with all of his recordings - it’s clear he cares about the sound. I’ve especially been listening to his 2 most recent releases with the 400 Unit - Reunions, and The Nashville Sound and am always blown away by how good the recording quality is. 
Sinatra at the Sands is a great recording on the right pressing. Also believe it or not, his Christmas Album is very well recorded. Richard and Linda Thompson’s Shoot Out The Lights, great record, top quality sound. I’m not talking about reissues here, the original pressings. Bob and Ray's Stereo Spectacular is another record that comes to mind.
Boy, you guys are strictly Walt Disney. How's about What Do You Want From Live, The Tubes. NIN Broken and The Downward Spiral.

Actually, there are so many excellent recordings and excellent in different ways. It is impossible to catalog them all. There are more excellent recordings than there are truly horrific ones. I was listening to an old Supremes album last night. It was totally amazing! 
Mark Lanegan - Houston
Joanna Newsom - Y’s
Robert Wyatt - Rock Bottom
Henry Cow - Concerts (Side 1 only; Peel BBC Session)
Kate Bush - Never for Ever
Van Der Graaf Generator - Godbluff
Twenty One Pilots - Trench
Chelsea Wolfe - Unknown Rooms
Hawkwind - Levitation
Gentle Giant - Octopus
I hesitate to call these lesser-known albums but I guess it just depends on how old you are. Phoebe Snow Rickie Lee Jones and Leon Redbone first albums on vinyl sound stunning to me. Extremely natural and the note Decay on the Phoebe Snow in particular is very satisfying. Kooper Stills Bloomfield super sessions is another if you you like to hear three Master musicians just sit around and jam. Tracy Chapman's first album occasionally has sounds that have startled me more than once thinking somebody was in the room with me although I have heard many criticism of this album because of the close close miking