Ultimate Audioshow Album Cliches?

prime minister

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Ok folks. Which are the worst ones? Albums that would otherwise be unlistenable, but are loved by Audiophiles for other then musical qualities. The ones you just can't escape at the audio shows.
 
For me its less that the music is unlistenable and more that its just so cliche and overplayed. For example, I don't think Norah Jones' "Come away with me" is a bad album, but I'd be happy to NEVER hear it again on a nice stereo in a mediocre hotel down by the airport.
 
Yeeeeeah. My disdain for the music of Diana Krall is so pure that it got me quoted in a Stereophile editorial once.

I do know that I don't know a single person who's not an audiophile who likes her music. But..to each their own. If somebody is moved by her tunes, then they are moved by her tunes. I do wish they'd not play her so much at audio shows. It makes trying to get my friends into stereos all the more harder, and my wife made fun of me for weeks after I dragged her to Axpona.

I'm trying not to be mean spirited as, seriously, if people like her music and find it moving, more power to them. But man, I just don't get it, on the same level that I don't get Scandinavian Black Metal. Just, you know, different.
 
Oh, you can't just drop that tidbit and walk away, John. We demand details...
it was about 5 years ago. It was from a query that Stereophile asked online somewhere about the declining numbers in audio and why young people, or people in general, weren't getting into the hobby or something. I posted a much too harsh comment, as I was prone to do before I found the peace, calm, and lack of posting while tipsy of my 40s, and not knowing what it was for, it showed up in the next months editorial among a few others, quoted to me without the context I was replying to. I do recall using the word "dweebs" (in reference to minutia obsession, not Mrs Krall), which in hindsight was a lot of the pot calling the kettle black. I mean, I sat here for 1/2 hour trying to figure out how to adjust my azimuth this evening by a few degrees.......I'm king dweeb of my house.

I actually don't feel nearly as strongly as I once did. If people love a type of music and it makes them happy, more power to them. I just wish for more variety in audio-demonstration circles.
 
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I don't like much of anything about Ms Krall. She is an OK piano player, but I do not like her voice, her mannered singing -- heck, I don't even think she is particularly attractive. Best thing I can say about her is -- Elvis.
 
I just feel her take on songs is very.... by the numbers. I guess that's my feeling about a lot of pretty girl piano standards. It needs some wabi sabi.
 
To be fair, I'll list something I like. Dark Side of the Moon. I love that album and have listened to it hundreds of times. I don't need to hear it at an audio show. I'd rather hear something that surprises, something new and unexpected.

My now-wife got Quintessence Audio at Axpona to play Bowie and Nine Inch Nails for her, and a few younger people actually flocked into earshot to listen something that was closer to what they'd play. It was probably a six figure setup and didn't sound as good as it could playing that stuff, but it was fun and people got excited that it was something different. My wife was unimpressed, thought it sounded flat. It kind of did. And there you have the rub... you can get into a super expensive stereo that sounds wonderful on music you're not into, and pretty terrible on what you like.
 
Yeeeeeah. My disdain for the music of Diana Krall is so pure that it got me quoted in a Stereophile editorial once.

I do know that I don't know a single person who's not an audiophile who likes her music. But..to each their own. If somebody is moved by her tunes, then they are moved by her tunes. I do wish they'd not play her so much at audio shows. It makes trying to get my friends into stereos all the more harder, and my wife made fun of me for weeks after I dragged her to Axpona.

I'm trying not to be mean spirited as, seriously, if people like her music and find it moving, more power to them. But man, I just don't get it, on the same level that I don't get Scandinavian Black Metal. Just, you know, different.


I like her voice about as much as some forum members like brussel sprouts and lima beans.
I have nothing against her but it's not my kind of music.
 
After spending a few days on a facebook turntables forum, I take back that dweebs was too harsh. It wasn't harsh enough. More like total assholes. I really just don't get along or like most audiophiles. ALL present company excluded. "Haven" is right.
 
Now don’t be hatin’, but I must confess, I LOVE Live in Paris. Based on that album, I bought three more and thought they were all dreadful and unemotional.
 
Now don’t be hatin’, but I must confess, I LOVE Live in Paris. Based on that album, I bought three more and thought they were all dreadful and unemotional.
That's me and so many bands. I'll find one release that I love and so I just do a deep dive without sticking my toe in first, only to realize the mud-bottom is 1 foot under the surface. Sploosh! Wasted $60. Thankfully I have Tidal and Spotify now to try things before they break the bank.
 
I got tired of hearing Madeleine Peyroux. Don't get me wrong, I like her stuff, but I had to give it a complete rest for a few years after hearing it at shows, in shops etc. endlessly. I always take weird stuff to shows....
Now don’t be hatin’, but I must confess, I LOVE Live in Paris. Based on that album, I bought three more and thought they were all dreadful and unemotional.
I think one of the problems with Krall is that she doesn't function as a musician in a studio setting. Some people just don't. They lose their stuff.
 
Yeeeeeah. My disdain for the music of Diana Krall is so pure that it got me quoted in a Stereophile editorial once.

I do know that I don't know a single person who's not an audiophile who likes her music. But..to each their own. If somebody is moved by her tunes, then they are moved by her tunes. I do wish they'd not play her so much at audio shows. It makes trying to get my friends into stereos all the more harder, and my wife made fun of me for weeks after I dragged her to Axpona.

I'm trying not to be mean spirited as, seriously, if people like her music and find it moving, more power to them. But man, I just don't get it, on the same level that I don't get Scandinavian Black Metal. Just, you know, different.
I can't say as I even like how she is recorded all that much to be quite honest. I picked up a huge pile of her CDs at a yard sale a couple of years ago and the only one I played all the way through was Live in Paris.

Listening to Keith Jarrett playing clavichord at the moment. Now that I find engaging. My wife's response is to walk by the door to my study with an odd look on her face, shaking her head. Hah. I think it is bloody marvelous and stunningly recorded.
 
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I've never actually been to an audio show... If that's the music they play, why bother?

Then again, I am of that under-30 set that will leave the room if you play anything remotely like Diana Krall.
 
After spending a few days on a facebook turntables forum, I take back that dweebs was too harsh. It wasn't harsh enough. More like total assholes. I really just don't get along or like most audiophiles. ALL present company excluded. "Haven" is right.
Something about turntables brings out the worst in people -- or maybe brings out the worst people.
Just go on any vinyl/turntable/analog forum and post one word.
Hanpin.

Easiest mode of trolling extant.

Hanpin.
Hanpin.
Hanpin.


maybe one Ya Horng for good measure. ;)

And listen to some Patricia Barber or Holly Cole while you're at it -- or Jacintha ;)
 
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