Around the Big Ten

[SeanB]

Going further off topic, but if you're a Rolling Stones fan, Netflix has a "Watch Instantly" documentary about the making of "Exile on Main Street". I stumbled across it a few months ago.

One of my favorite Stones albums and a very cool documentary about the band if you're interested.

[hack]

Thanks the tip, that's great. New site: stonesarchive.com. First bootleg for sale officially is a Brussels show that people apparently are raving about. Haven't listened yet, but going to for sure...

[SeanB]

Here's a good link about the Stones new high quality digital releases.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/web/02/28/rolling.stones/index.html

I knew MP3 files were compressed, but I never realized by how much until I read the above article and this one as well:

http://articles.cnn.com/2012-01-31/tech/tech_web_neil-young-apple-high-def-music_1_music-downloads-high-def-neil-young?_s=PM:TECH

I would love to hear some of these so called HD recordings to see how different they sound (if at all) from CD digital remasters and/or typical iPod files. I have some on vinyl, too, but no record player right now.

[Rob F]

Going further off topic, but if you're a Rolling Stones fan, Netflix has a "Watch Instantly" documentary about the making of "Exile on Main Street". I stumbled across it a few months ago.

One of my favorite Stones albums and a very cool documentary about the band if you're interested.

I'll add watching that documentary to my "to do" list---I love that album, too, probably my 3rd favorite Stones album, behind Some Girls and Let It Bleed. Thanks for the heads up on that, Sean!

I always find it interesting to see how well albums and artists like these hold up over time---Exile On Main Street came out nearly 40 years ago, believe it or not!

[SeanB]

Be careful, Rob. It might make you want to buy a mansion on the French Coast, drink a lot of wine and do a lot of drugs.

Tough to argue with your album rankings. Some Girls was always my favorite, too, but when I revisited Exile, I could NOT STOP listening to it. The sound is so raw on some tracks and I really like that about it. It bounces around between so many styles, too. Can't go wrong with either one, though!

[hack]

Sticky Fingers IMO.

I think I must have a very tolerant ear, to put it kindly. I could never do vinyl. But that's interesting reading.

[UMStan White]

I saw the Stones live in 1965 at McCormick Place in Chicago shortly after they released Get off of My Cloud and in 71 at Cobo Arena. When I saw the Stones at Cobo Arena, my sister-in-law was an usher and dating the main usher. We had free seats in the third row.

[hack]

You were probably one of idiots wasting space up there b/c you got free tickets. I bet you asked the person in front of you to sit down, and you probably, during the ten minutes in which you were actually paying attention, clapped awkwardly and off beat.

[drok]

I recently bought Exile on Mainstreet on Vinyl, a really good new print of the album. Really good stuff

[UMStan White]

"You were probably one of idiots wasting space up there b/c you got free tickets. I bet you asked the person in front of you to sit down, and you probably, during the ten minutes in which you were actually paying attention, clapped awkwardly and off beat.'


You got me pegged sweet pea!

[WM Wolverine]

Compression ruins the original quality of the music, most people don't care or can't hear the difference. There is a clarity, depth, richness in less compressed music or music you listen to live that CD's, MP3's don't offer.

[hack]

I for sure can't hear it. I mean, if you're talking about a classical piece on vinyl vs. mp3, or something exceptionally intricate with more than 5-6 instruments, sure. I get that. And in some cases I have spotted the difference between something at 128 bitrate and higher. But for the most part it's lost on my ears. I tried the new Exile on FLAC and the old Exile on FLAC and I didn't pick on up the difference.

[WM Wolverine]

You really have to listen to 24-bit/96kHz or higher (192kHz) quality music on good speakers to appreciate the difference. Your on-board sound probably doesn't offer that quality to tell the difference even if you have good enough speakers and hearing.

[hack]

I probably no longer listen to music through speakers that would make a difference. iPod, computer, etc. It's not like I'm running anything through good speakers.

I don't have good hearing -- I have occasional tinnitis. So I'm not gonna do headphones either.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Be careful, Rob. It might make you want to buy a mansion on the French Coast, drink a lot of wine and do a lot of drugs.

Tough to argue with your album rankings. Some Girls was always my favorite, too, but when I revisited Exile, I could NOT STOP listening to it. The sound is so raw on some tracks and I really like that about it. It bounces around between so many styles, too. Can't go wrong with either one, though!

See, to me, Exile is very repetitive. A lot of the songs have a very similar "sound". Don't get me wrong, it's a very good album, but a lot of people consider it the Stones' best album and I don't feel the same way.

Let it Bleed, Sticky Fingers, and Some Girls are probably my top 3. Beggar's Banquet after that.