I need music, today.

Which means I need this. It's my favourite album on Factory Records. My favourite Martin Hannett production. How's that, for some high praise? I can't think of another album that inspires me, and engages me, as much as this one. I have multiple copies (of course), including the now legendary Sandpaper sleeve, but it's this Japanese CD that I play most often. It's an early pressing - 1989 - but the sound is crisp and clear. All it really needs is that textured sleeve, and it would have been perfect. Original first press tracklist too - even though the second press has the extra track, it somehow interrupts the flow of this simple, unassuming masterpiece.

 

It's the little things

 I'm quite amazed at what it takes to make me happy. Specifically - this:

It's a CD player. Remember those? For some time now, I've flitted from streaming service to streaming service. Let's try Tidal! OK, how about Amazon Prime, with HD?

But there was always something missing. I could listen on a laptop, or on my earbuds, but it wasn't quite right. I needed a wider, stereo soundscape. I needed to listen, how I used to listen. I've got vast amounts of CD's, but they've languished, for years.

But yesterday, I just thought - oh, sod it, let's see if I can knock something together. So, an old mini-hi-fi unit, out of the loft. Found the remote, whacked in some batteries. Found a power cable. Got a pair of bookshelf speakers, again - out of the loft. Then it was about 20 minutes of agro, moving cables and devices, in the unit in the lounge. But, miraculously, it all fired up the first time - and straight out of the box, it sounds incredible. I'd forgotten how wonderful CD's can be - how uncluttered, unfussy, and simple. They sound great, and the presence of the music is intoxicating. 

I'll see if I can whack up a photo of the first pile of CD's I cobbled together, to be able to play. It's quite informative.

More change

And this one is odd. I've started to think I've got it wrong about CD's, and remasters. I thought that a remaster couldn't be anything but an improvement, but I've just had to go out and buy a dozen original Genesis albums, as the remastered CD's were just awful. Original CD's give me the chance to hear things as I did, when I first heard the albums. Am I just growing old? Or do I crave that link to my past?
I need to delve deeper. I'll report back.