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The Sounds

"So how many records did you buy last night?" Elizabeth asked me.

"Six."

She gave a look&#151a sort of grimace&#151that expressed sympathy for my bank account. I nodded.

"What did you get?"

"I've had this total crush on a girl called Santogold.

"Her music is this dub, hip-hop, indie-rock fusion, and it's really fucking great. The store had her full-length, but only on CD. I almost bought it, but I held back because I know I'm eventually going to buy the vinyl. So, instead, I just bought the LP single. It was six bucks."

"A 45…

Totally Pumped

My first record cleaning purchases: A Hunt EDA carbon fiber brush for dry-cleaning (footnote 1), a MoFi brush for wet-cleaning, a couple bottles of MoFi fluid (Super Deep Cleaner for the really nasty records, and Super Record Wash for the plain old dirty ones), 100 Polyline inner sleeves (because of all the different options these were the least expensive per sleeve, but, at some point, I'd like to try the MoFi rice paper sleeves), and 100 4-mil outer sleeves (because 4-mil seemed just thick enough, and because I liked the packaging).

I am totally pumped to spend some time…

Across Time and Space to You

Her name was E. and the gentle quaver in her soft voice gave me the impression that she was nervous, anxious, young. Something about it seemed sweet, seemed sincere. Which made me want to help her more. She was calling from England, and the connection was crystal clear. I could hear her perfectly, though she was so far away. She was doing research on the high end hi-fi industry.

"I'm not so sure that I'll be able to help," I said, "but I'll certainly try."

We talked about this and that, and I could sense that she was taking notes, when she finally asked, "So, how do…

Something Worth Dreaming Of

Reminds me of so many of the '80s music videos that absolutely scared the bejesus out of me. Love it.

Our Endless Numbered Ping-pong Match, Or: Music for Frustrated Lovers, Or: The Subliminal Baton

Part of the problem is that I'm almost always thinking about what I should, or could, be writing here on the blog. I'll be in the shower, thinking: "Man, I haven't written anything good lately. Haven't written anything that's inspired discussion. Maybe, today, I'll write about my father and how his alcoholism relates to speaker cables…."

Shit used to piss her off. We'd be at dinner or walking through the park, and I'd bring up some audio-related topic, and she'd hear something in the tone of my voice.

"Are you thinking about writing this in your blog?" she'd ask.…

The Long Holiday Weekend

Dear Stephen,
You probably will be cleaning records over the long holiday weekend, as your cleaning machine was shipped today.

Have a great weekend.
Sheila

It's a Vinyl World After All

This isn't "perfect sound," it's perfect life.
&#151George Reisch, Stereophile, Vol.20 No.9

Vinyl News from Mikey Fremer: Last week, Michael Fremer sent me a copy of his 21st Century Vinyl DVD. Originally released in June 2006, Mikey's "Practical Guide to Turntable Set-Up" has sold over 7000 copies. While I recommend it to anyone interested in learning how to set up a turntable, I think it provides benefits to recent converts as well as experienced analog lovers. It is highly informative and entertaining. That Mikey, he's a funny dude.

Today, Michael announced…

Jeff Gauthier's Goatette (<I>wha'?!</I>)

The Jeff Gauthier Goatette’s House of Return, on the L.A.-based Cryptogramophone label, is one of the most sinuously pleasing albums I’ve heard in a while. I confess that I haven’t followed this quirky label or its roster of musicians as closely as I should have, but I intend to make up for lost time. The Goatette (don’t ask me why it’s called that—there are five musicians, so it’s not even a Dada play on “quartet”) consists of Gauthier, violin; Nels Cline, guitar; David Witham, piano; Joel Hamilton, bass; and Alex Cline, drums. The way each of them weaves in and out of different tempos,…

Collecting My Mail

The cute bartender and her unimpressive boyfriend opened Abbey's Pub at just after 1PM on Saturday afternoon. She was wearing tight blue jeans and a small black top. Who cares what he was wearing? I noticed them from where I stood, at my living room. Not that I was eager for them to open the bar or anything. It was just that my VPI 16.5 record-cleaning machine was waiting for me in there.

UPS had delivered it the day before. I do not live in the bar, but above it. Abbey is my landlord, and he's a good dude, happy to collect my large packages. In any case, I was anxious to…

Cleaning Your Records in Ten (or so) Easy Steps

I knew that the VPI 16.5 measured around 15" x 9" x 14" and weighed something close to 30 lbs, but it still struck me as large and heavy. I sliced through the packing tape to find that the machine was carefully and securely set within its carton, held in place by heavy wedges of foam. Once unpacked, it was clear that the VPI was all business and built to last, as though it could withstand great amounts of strenuous work over much time and from place to place. It's a product made to satisfy its owner. With solid, black side panels and an acrylic top, it may be nothing much to look…