Which "Gaucho" sounds best?

[jack020]

Some info on the MFSL release:

http://granatino.com/sdresource/18crime.htm

http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/ar...hp/t-1260.html

[danfaz]

Originally Posted by danfaz

To the OP, you can't beat the multichannel layer of the SACD.

So, have had a few listens to the SHM-SACD, and I must change my response...

The SHM-SACD is flat out stunning! More spacious and analog sounding than the US release.

[weixing]

like Countdown to Ecstasy a bit better than Can't Buy a Thrill, but I would be first in line to buy both of those, as well as Pretzel Logic and Katy Lied.

[Blackcow]

I grew up on albums & cassettes in my formative years (born in '72), and still loved music! Wings, Chicago, etc... BUT, the odd thing is that I first got into Steely Dan around 1985 when using my mom's old 8-track player. She gave me a bunch of her old 8-track tapes and one of them was "Countdown To Ecstacy", and I fell in love with it's songs. To even imagine "better sounding Steely Dan" is epic. I ended up finding most of their "old albums" at record stores, and was quite amazed by how well crafted their music is I have a soft-spot for "The Royal Scam".

I then spent my meager "paper-boy" money on getting all their stuff on the "new Cd-format" when they came out. Blown away. The first actual "CD"s I got was the Beatles & Steely Dan, and I loved the Steely Dan quite much more than the Fab Four's. Not a slight against the Beatles, but I found SD far better and more interesting in terms of lyrics & musical ideas. Its all potato/tomato, but Becker/Fagen are tops to me.

Bottom line, If they release even "better quality" SD, then I'm all for it. Although I already love "SD SD" (Standard Def Steely Dan), go for it. I even love my original "vinyl" version of AJA, though I don't have a quality turntable for to play it on.

[Gremal]

Originally Posted by Blackcow

I then spent my meager "paper-boy" money on getting all their stuff on the "new Cd-format" when they came out. Blown away. The first actual "CD"s I got was the Beatles & Steely Dan, and I loved the Steely Dan quite much more than the Fab Four's. Not a slight against the Beatles, but I found SD far better and more interesting in terms of lyrics & musical ideas. Its all potato/tomato, but Becker/Fagen are tops to me.

I agree--I spent my money mowing lawns on Countdown to Ecstasy and other SD records. In terms of the Becker/Fagen tandem, it's Fagen who is the voice and the lyrics/music "idea-man". I think it was his embrace of jazz that enabled him to transcend '70s rock. During the golden age of jazz, Fagen would go into Manhattan and catch artists like Mingus, Monk and Coltrane. With influences like that, he was able to take a different direction than most rock bands in the '70s. For example, Eric Clapton said the only thing he learned from jazz musicians was how to dress nicely. That epitomizes much of the superficial music and attitudes in rock and goes a long way in showing why Steely Dan could bring something new that still sounds relevant today.

[pentatonic]

Anyone got the chance to compare the SACD with the DVD-A, similar prices, just don't know which to get, same player and all.

Edit: answered myself as I will go for the sacd, that way I also get the CD layer. Still curious though if they both sound the same.

[blu2]

Originally Posted by Gremal

I agree--I spent my money mowing lawns on Countdown to Ecstasy and other SD records. In terms of the Becker/Fagen tandem, it's Fagen who is the voice and the lyrics/music "idea-man". I think it was his embrace of jazz that enabled him to transcend '70s rock. During the golden age of jazz, Fagen would go into Manhattan and catch artists like Mingus, Monk and Coltrane. With influences like that, he was able to take a different direction than most rock bands in the '70s.

Not only was jazz an influence, "the robber barons of rock 'n' roll" have been caught "borrowing" from at least a couple of jazz artists. The title track on Gaucho for example did not initially include writing credit to a certain ECM artist. I encourage Gaucho fans to research and seek out the source material that was borrowed (found on a great album) - there's an interesting interview from Musician magazine which can be found on the net on the topic.

Note: This is not a dig at Steely Dan - I love them.

[Gremal]

Well, the intro/rhythm to Rikki Don't Lose That Number was lifted straight from the classic Horace Silver recording Song for My Father, so it's not like Gaucho set a different precedent. Song For My Father itself was a straightforward latin rhythm--Horace Silver couldn't really lay any more claim to it than Fagen--and Steely Dan embellished it to the point where Rikki became a totally different tune. (That's not the case with, say, Led Zeppelin ripping off Willie Dixon but I digress.) By the time Gaucho came along, Fagen was not nearly as inspired as he'd been over the previous 10 yrs.

[blowabs]

You guys just convinced me to snipe the GAUCHO sacd off Ama for 12.68!!!!!!!!! Cant wait to get this! Tell me ...this is 5.1 Surr., correct...not just 2 ch.?:
"Gaucho (Hybr) [Hybrid SACD - DSD, Import]"
thx guys

Tosh 55" LED
PIO ELITE DV 58AV SACD/DVD-A PLAYER
PIO ELITE BDP 51D BD PLAYER
PAN 65K BD PLAYER
KEF Q500 FR, Q100 RR, Q200CC, VELO VX-11 SUB
DENOB AVR 1911 (gotta change)
APPLE EVERYTHING (exc. Apple tv)

[danfaz]

Originally Posted by blowabs

Tell me ...this is 5.1 Surr., correct...not just 2 ch.?:
"Gaucho (Hybr) [Hybrid SACD - DSD, Import]"

Yes, that should be the m-channel + 2 channel.

The stereo only SACD is from Japan and sells for no less than $60.00.