A big one for me was observing the co-lead of the youth group go through Shinders’ double doors to the porno section when I was there looking at sports cards.
In its heyday, there were over a dozen other options, but this guy chose the Shinders that was the geographically closest to his church.
This is my favorite one
I just consider 2nd and 3rd as one, so each phase has five albums, pretty clear dividing lines: IRS era, move to Warners and superstar era, three-piece era
Me today: shopping for a Bosch electric cooktop to replace my broken old one, after previously replacing another appliance with a Bosch.
Me, on Super Bowl Sunday, ragging on Bosch for using Guy Fieri in their Super Bowl ad:
I have the 45LP Mobile Fidelity that I'll save to celebrate a turntable upgrade someday, but they have done a nice job on this SACD. Now announce Tusk, you cowards!! A Tusk SACD is probably my most-wished for request.
Well, that's it. This is a real highlight. This is up there with the best of the MoFi SACDs I have. Pixies Doolittle is always one of my very favorites, but this has a lot of fun takes and sounds on it.
I'm So Afraid now. I always love the Iron Maiden-esque dual guitars on this. While the last one had wide horizontal spacing, this has some really high vertical placements. One of the droning guitars is above, hovering like a federal helicopter over occupied Minneapolis in January 2026.
Mix is good, with a nice wide soundstage, with vertical spacing. You can sort of imagine the band playing this.
The jam at the end is great.
Okay, at Sugar Daddy. These lyrics are funny, I think. Don't touch me, you lecherous rich old coot. I have a young man for that, just give me money and/or food and/or whiskey served neat.
At World Turning Now. The bass drum is the key that unlocks this. I actually am interested in hearing an Atmos mix of this, there are about 12 different things going on in the last 90 seconds of this song.
The electric guitars in the solo are kept up. But they keep the vocals up. I also don't want any sort of precedent where they are burying the female vocals to bring up Lindsey's guitar.
At Landslide now. This is slower and sparce, like Crystal, but just subtly putting the accompanying guitars on the sides is nice.
It's funny because the "Falling Falling Falling" outro is so memorable, and they are kind of burying it behind the different guitars. This is an audacious take, this is a blast to listen to.
There are at least five different guitar sounds on this, and they've done a nice job placing them all over the soundstage.
Say You Love Me. The best Christine song on anything until Mirage.
Nice shades of the banjo being brought up.
Also, this song starts fading out with a minute left. Probably the least impressive mix so far, but I am really enjoying this.
This version is like moving into a nicer neighborhood and toning down your parties.
Okay, back in the right order now. At Crystal now. Somewhat pedestrian intro, mix-wise, but the chorus really widen out.
I still think I prefer the Buckingham Nicks version. That version is not as complex, instrumental-wise, but Lindsey lets loose a little more.
U2s recent Unforgettable Fire was really focusing on the drums, and is that why that album is great? I don't know. I don't consider mixes definitive; they're sort of like silent film soundtracks, where there is always a bunch, and no one has the sole claim.
My notes got mixed up, and I'm out of order, but at Rhiannon now.
The bass is really brought out. The interplay between drums and bass is really good. The best thing about really distinct mixes is when they have you think about what makes a song memorable.
Over My Head: They are really polishing up Christine’s songs, in particular. Warm Ways and Over my Head are not my favorites but both sound great. The guitar after the first verse is really brought out.
Blue Letter: I upgraded speakers to Magnepan 3.6 a few years ago, and there are times during listening, depending on the mix, when the spatial music placement can go along the z-axis for an insane 3d effect.
It really feels prominent on this record so far.
Warm Ways: keyboard on the left, drums and vocals in the middle and rhythm guitar on the right. Lead guitar in the middle. This song is generally a snoozer, especially so early in the track order, but the mixing is a blast to listen to.
Right off the bat, Monday Morning sparkles. Let me show you it’s done, boys. Richer bass and great separation.
Choruses really spread out, and guitars alternate between left and right sides.
Mobile Fidelity generally crushes it on their SACD mixes, so I’m excited to sit down with this.
Listening through Mobile Fidelity’s recent SACD of Fleetwood Mac’s 1975 self-titled album. I was bummed at Rhino’s release last fall, but did focus on its stereo mix only.
Dropkick Murphys at the Palace
RIP Home Depot Kits in our house.
After completing nearly 40 of them on the first Saturday of each month since 2021, my son has officially said he’s “probably too old” for them now.
My wife and I are both educators, both with side gigs primarily to pay down student debt.
When I finish paying off my loan this summer, I have the pleasure of helping my wife pay down her remaining $40K student loan.
Just looking forward to those five golden years with no loans before we retire.
Norman Rockwell courageous man, in the mid-90s: “The Monkees had some deep cut jams”
