Records To Die For

Records to Die For 2018

Stereophile Staff  |  Jan 25, 2018

What's your favorite record? It's a simple enough question, but one that dedicated music consumers never tire of asking each other. And so, every year, we ask the distinguished writing staff of this magazine to choose a pair of favorites and tell us a little of what seems so compelling about them. Music in any recorded format is fair game, the only restriction being that it must still be available, if only in the deep, dark recesses of the Internet. Of course, favorites come and go in minds and hearts—speaking of dark recesses—but these are Stereophile's takes on the essential music of the moment. Enjoy!—Robert Baird

Note: If a recording listed here was previously reviewed in Stereophile, whether in "Record Reviews" or in a past edition of Records to Die For," the volume and number of the pertinent issue(s) appear in parentheses at the end of the review. For example, a listing of "(Vol.37 No.5)" indicates that a review of the recording appeared in the May 2014 issue.

COMMENTS
Frank Larsen's picture
Submitted by Frank Larsen on January 25, 2018 - 12:59pm

“Magnificat” by Nidaros Cathedral Girls Choir
https://open.spotify.com/album/4xzFTIufSJK02FA5uYHVLV?si=F2FXXzxFSDeekkNRn0haWg
“Arktis.” by Ihsahn
https://open.spotify.com/album/397XouQkm5WLVcPYVG76f3?si=vbwHa0BwT_SWDH1Z9a7gCw

volvic's picture
Submitted by volvic on January 25, 2018 - 1:05pm

I have the Stravinsky conducting Stravinsky and although fine, it still is a bit tame compared to other rival interpretations. But that's just me.

rustybutt's picture
Submitted by rustybutt on January 25, 2018 - 2:45pm

One of my go-to records for listening to system detail is this Scott Hamilton recording. You can't listen to something again and again if you don't fall in love in the first 4 bars and this is it. Take a listen to (flac format)

That's All

hnickm's picture
Submitted by hnickm on January 25, 2018 - 3:04pm

Some of these albums I have; some I have never heard, but will explore.

May I humbly suggest Neil Young's After the Gold Rush be added.

Jerry Garcia's picture
Submitted by Jerry Garcia on January 26, 2018 - 8:16pm

Lindsey Webster's Back to your Heart. What a voice! Phenomenal recording on Shanachie SH5445

romath's picture
Submitted by romath on January 31, 2018 - 6:30pm

Listening right now. Nice for dancing. However, whether or not she can sing - hard to tell from the title song - the music sounds like a zillion other songs on for quite some time on smooth jazz radio and many pop stations. Would like to hear something original from her.

lowcost plentymusic's picture
Submitted by lowcost plentymusic on February 6, 2018 - 5:02pm

Start selling low cost musical instruments and digital sound processing and recording for the general market. Today's digital technologies are produced at next to nothing costs and can be sold worldwide. Every young folks can now produce an album and post it in a website for almost no money. Digital studio monitors and every recording devises cost less than a thousands.. Do you realize how much money it cost them to produce pink Floyd the wall ??? now stop this game and produce as good albums as yes, emerson lake and palmer or pink Floyd and put that on the market. For a living any musicians and album producers can keep their daily jobs in restaurants or factories and work late at night and on week ends at home and just transfert their tracks to each other and record at home with headphones. If ever the material is good than show it on free hdtv antenna television channels so we gonna record it for free at home and remove all publicity

RVCJJ3J's picture
Submitted by RVCJJ3J on May 28, 2018 - 10:00pm

I realize I’m way late to this conversation but still felt as if I must respond to the Tom Petty picks for ‘Albums to Die For’. While the above mentioned are great picks I’ve recently been going for Petty’s 1994 solo masterpiece Wildflowers. Another gem recorded at the legendary Sound City in Los Angeles. The album was produced by Petty, Mike Campbell and, notably, Rick Rubin. Like some of Rubin’s other recordings, I’m thinking of the Johnny Cash American Records and some of the Avett Bros. stuff, these tracks are stripped to their minimums yet still carry weight ‘like a Mack truck’. This album of great songs were exceptionally recorded, mixed and mastered and are one of the ‘Albums I’d Die For’.

Bkhuna's picture
Submitted by Bkhuna on September 9, 2018 - 3:06am

I zipped over to Tidal to give "The Yellow Moon of Andalusia" a listen. Thought it was a long lost Frank Zappa recording.

X