Your Last Album

[The Computer Audiophile]

The newest mission to Mars by NASA's Curiosity robot got me thinking about the long trip from Earth to Mars.

 

Question: If you were going solo on the first manned mission to Mars, roughly 400-450 days to get there from Earth, and you could only bring one album with you on the voyage, what one album would you bring?

 

 

Here's my selection:

 

Artist: Pearl Jam

Album: Vs.

 

More Info -> Vs. (Pearl Jam album) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

 

 

[Boris75]

A single album for more than a year: I really have to like this one and be prepared to listen to it umpteen times.

Upon reflection, I'd go with Harnoncourt's recent recording of Brahm's Deutsches Requiem:

[REShaman]

Frank Sinatra's Only The Lonely. (And my family album.)

Best,

Richard

[Jud]

 

A little *very* basic music structure: A "theme" in music is denoted by a letter. So a piece of music consisting of one theme followed by another would have the structure "AB." A theme and variations would have the structure A A sub1 A sub2, etc.

 

Virtually all modern popular music of the past century, especially blues and rock-and-roll, has had the form AABA - verse, repeat the verse, the "bridge" (or "middle eight" as the Beatles and others used to refer to it), then reprise the verse.

 

Except for this album.

 

Most of the songs on this record, especially those on what used to be "side two" of the vinyl (even including the popular hit, "Rosalita") are novelettes set to music. You not only feel as if you've listened to a great record, you feel like you're sitting at the feet of a master storyteller - because you are. These songs are structured in service to the stories they tell, so they are far more complex than the usual AABA. Have a listen to the last song, New York City Serenade (perhaps my favorite Springsteen song of all time), apply a letter to each new musical theme you hear, and see if you haven't gone near or past the middle of the alphabet by the end.

 

Now this makes the album sound like an intellectual experience, and it is. But if the music hasn't made you feel like you should get up and boogie, or sing along out loud (in a 1974 Springsteen concert at a small college gym that held maybe 2000 people, everyone started spontaneously singing along to New York City Serenade at the exact spot I always did when I was listening at home - still sends chills up my spine to remember), then phone the undertaker, my man, 'cause your a$$ is dead and you just hadn't realized it yet.

[firedog]

The Beatles. The White Album

Great songwriting. Lots of variety. interesting lyrics.

 

Jud-

Because of you I clicked over to that Springsteen album and started listening -it truly is a great album.

But I can never get my head around the female backup vocals and other un-Springsteen like overdubs added to "4th ofJuly, Asbury Park".

[jshawn]

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

 

I know, I know, but it's one album I never get tired of, no matter how many times I listen to it. Pianist Bill Evans, drummer Jimmy Cobb, bassist Paul Chambers, and saxophonists John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley.

 

The Jazz "Dream Team".

[mwheelerk]

Nick Drake but it would be a toss up between Five Leaves Left and Bryter Layter.

[Music Matters]

Leonard Cohen - Live in London

[RankStranger]

The first thing that popped into my head was Tom Waits - Mule Variations, so I'm gonna go with that one.

 

It's certainly the one of my three desert island discs that I feel has the most legs.

 

RS

[REShaman]

Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

 

I know, I know, but it's one album I never get tired of, no matter how many times I listen to it. Pianist Bill Evans, drummer Jimmy Cobb, bassist Paul Chambers, and saxophonists John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderley.

 

The Jazz "Dream Team".

 

That was really my first choice (also).

Best,

Richard

[findog3103]

Exile on Main Street - Stones.

 

Rocks Off to Soul Survivor and everything in between.

[maelob]

Beethoven 5th karajan

[mav52]

1st : Mountain Jam by The Allman Brothers (22:00-45:00 long) The whole album is really long but good southern rock.

2nd : The Beatles. The White Album

3rd: Pink Floyd’s “Meddle

[Boris75]

Beethoven 5th karajan

 

Do you have a preference for one recording in particular? A lot of people express a preference for his 1963 take over his 1977 and 1982 recordings, but I personally most enjoy the most recent one.

[maelob]

I have the 63 recording and love it. Prefer it to the kleiber one.

[MetalNuts]

I guess Megadeth's Countdown to Extinction is my choice

 

[Brian A]

Only ONE album for 450 days???!!!??? Yike-o!!

 

I guess I would pick something that could rattle around in my subconscious rather than require direct engagement. Maybe Glenn Gould's recording of Bach's Two and Three Part Inventions (the Sinfonias).

[The Computer Audiophile]

Only ONE album for 450 days???!!!??? Yike-o!!

 

That's just one way! Plus who knows if you'd make it back :~)

[joelha]

Peter Gabriel's US, but that might be because I just listened to the DSD version last night and was blown away.

 

Plus, I would sneak a large capacity flash drive on to the ship so I listen to some of my other favorites.

 

Please don't tell anyone.

 

Joel

[REShaman]

That's just one way! Plus who knows if you'd make it back :~)

 

In that case, I am bringing two albums. Bill Evans' Sunday at the Village Vanguard [Live]

 

You're so strict!

Best,

Richard

[firedog]

That's just one way! Plus who knows if you'd make it back :~)

 

You might make it back, but your body would be such a wreck after all the months of low gravity that you'd probably wish you hadn't.

 

NASA scientists haven't figured out how to overcome the loss of bone density and other problems that long periods of weightlessness and low gravity entail.

[Boris75]

In that case, I am bringing two albums. Bill Evans' Sunday at the Village Vanguard [Live]

 

 

I am very intrigued: I was not aware there was a SACD version of this wonderful recording. The image is too small for me to read: is it a SHM SACD or is it published by someone else? I am eager to know more about this one...

[REShaman]

I am very intrigued: I was not aware there was a SACD version of this wonderful recording. The image is too small for me to read: is it a SHM SACD or is it published by someone else? I am eager to know more about this one...

 

Boris75, yes, it is a SHM-SACD. Several online sites sell them. Typically Amazon.com over charges for them; and I, personally, would not pay the exorbitant prices. But sites such as ElusiveDisc.com, Music Direct, Eastwind Home Imports, etc., charge the going rate for SHM-SACD. If you Google SHM-SACD you will see websites that do carry them, although ElusiveDisc.com and MusicDirect.com did not show up in that particular search.

 

Of course, I am not able to add the SHM-SACD into my computer audio collection. And I must play them through the same system but using an Oppo BDP-95 to my Atlona AT HD577 via HDMI to Wyred 4 Sound Dac2 via BNC coax cable etc.

 

I have a fairly large collection. Those editions are wonderful sounding. Others may prefer an Hi Res DL instead. I chose what sounds best even though DLs are very convenient.

 

Hope you found this information useful and sorry to all for my OT post.

 

Best,

Richard

 

PS Bill Evans, The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings 1961 may also intrigue you

[Boris75]

Many thanks Richard for your reply and the insight about where to get it. In the process of looking for the best way to get this SACD at the online stores you suggested, I noticed that Analogue Productions has also mastered this recording on SACD. So now I am hesitating... By the way, I have listened to the Complete Village Vanguard Recordings (on redbook CD), which I enjoyed very much.

[REShaman]

Many thanks Richard for your reply and the insight about where to get it. In the process of looking for the best way to get this SACD at the online stores you suggested, I noticed that Analogue Productions has also mastered this recording on SACD. So now I am hesitating... By the way, I have listened to the Complete Village Vanguard Recordings (on redbook CD), which I enjoyed very much.

 

I concur with your findings. And yes I know about AP's edition of Bill Evans' Sunday at the Village Vanguard [Live] as I have it as well. I have three versions. And in my assessment I favor the SHM-SACD over the Analogue Product's SACD, but that's a subjective choice. BTW The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings is 20 Bit.

Also recommended are Bill Evans' The Last Walt Final Recordings and Consecration The Final Recordings. Bill Evans died two weeks after the last session played in San Francisco (Consecration). I have several more SHM-SACD editions of Bill's recordings and they are very well produced. But not absolutely necessary if other editions are satisfactory.

 

You're welcome. Enjoy the music,

Richard