More Rock and Pop Personal Favorites

An Audiophile Hall of Shame pressing and another Mobile Fidelity LP incompetently mastered for the benefit of those given to falling for easy answers and quick fixes.

I had not actually played the LP when I reviewed the MoFi CD, noting that the CD sounded great and that I expected the vinyl to be even better. In 2006 I should have known better but apparently I did not.

Mea culpa.

Boy, was I ever wrong. The vinyl has a bad case of sucked-out half-speed mids.  It’s far too polite and lifeless to be taken seriously.

Is it the worst version of the album ever made? Since every CD I own sounds better, that would seem to be the case.

The comments about the music of course still apply — it’s brilliant — but I recommend the Gold or regular CD over this audiophile Heavy Vinyl pressing.

I used to consider this Mann’s One True Masterpiece. It’s actually her co-masterpiece, taking its place alongside the amazing I’m With Stupid, which is more of the rocker side of Mann. This is her Burt Bacharach side, prettier, sweeter and more melodic. Both are brilliant.

Aimee Mann is one of a handful of artists from the ’90s who actually makes music that can hold its own against the best popular recordings of the last forty years. There are few albums that I prize more highly or that have provided me with more musical satisfaction than those by Aimee Mann.

If you don’t know her music try one or both of the above-mentioned titles. Modern pop music just doesn’t get any better.  

TRACK LISTING:

How Am I Different
Nothing Is Good Enough
Red Vines
The Fall of the World’s Own Optimist
Satellite
Deathly
Ghost World
Calling It Quits
Driving Sideways
Just Like Anyone
Susan
It Takes All Kinds
You Do

With all this fancy stuff going on, why doesn’t this record sound any good?

180 gram vinyl “audiophile” edition of the album (originally released in 1999).
Comes in a gatefold sleeve with single fold monochrome 9.5″ (w) x 11.5″ (h) lyric sheet insert.
Special Limited Edition No. stamped on back cover.

From back cover:
Half-Speed Mastered by Stan Ricker and Shawn R. Britton at
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, Sebastopol, CA on the
Gain 2 Ultra Analog System™

This Edition and Packaging ©2006 Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, Inc. Made in the U.S.A.
Half-Speed Production and Mastering by Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab •
Specially Plated and Pressed on 180 Grams of High Definition Vinyl • Special Static Free – Dust Free
Inner Sleeve • Heavy Duty Protective Packaging • Mastered From The Original Master Tapes •