Covers
This week I've been delving into the world of cover songs. When one musician covers another musicians work, generally the results fall into 3 categories:
a.) They are riding off the back of someone else's success and either fail to honour the original or just manage to make it similar enough that its not offensive to the creator. A bit harsh I guess, I don't mean to belittle cover bands, I've seen some great ones and a live performance of your favourite tune is always welcome if done well. But in a sweeping generalisation (we like those here.. :-)) you are left wishing they sounded more like the original.Read more
London
This week's theme is ‘London’. I felt pretty smug when I'd put these 4 songs together. It seemed to me like a perfect little slice of London spanning nearly 4 decades. I then realised quickly that the slice is from a London cake that was baked in my own oven of experience and decorated with the icing sugar of my circumstance, so is probably completely different to yours. However, I hope you will enjoy these 4 tunes in their sequence.Read more
Audio-Technica ATH-CKR50iS in ear headphones
Audio-Technica is not a brand I knew much about when I lived in the UK. When my trusty Senheiser earphones gave out after I'd first moved to Singapore, I realised they would cost a small fortune to replace like for like, so I thought I would try another brand. That's when I bought my first Audio-Technicas. Read more
Men who sing good
I set myself an unnecessary challenge this week. 4 tunes by great male vocalists. What sets some voices out from the crowd? Power, range, tone? is it feasible to say one voice is 'better' than another? Well.. yes clearly I can name a vast number of people with a better singing voice than mine.. But with this qualitative analysis of vocal talent the bigger question is raised again. Is quality a direct reflection of personal taste? I try to avoid using the labels 'good' or 'bad' when I talk about music. Repeat the mantra after me: 'If I do not like something, it does not mean it is bad' There are many reasons that people don't connect with specific musical styles. I am not fond of Country and Western music. I let it be known.Read more
Bose SoundLink Color Bluetooth Speaker
This is a great little speaker from Bose. Easy to connect to, long battery life and great sound I take it on holiday with me, on picnics, to BBQs. It has surprising power and warmth for its size. there are so many little speakers like this on the market and many for a considerably lower price, but its likely that most will disappoint when you crank them up. Read more
Marantz Network Audio Player
With so much of our technology expected to multitask these days we often expect a lot of the new devices we bring into our homes. I had a very specific list of requirements when I started researching equipment to power my Dali speakers. Connectivity and sound quality being the two primary needs. The NA6005 delivers both in spades. Multiple options to connect via network streaming or bluetooth for wireless devices and a healthy span of ports on the back for wired connections. Its pretty straightforward to operate and gets fairly regular updates from Marantz - some more successful than others it should be said.Read more
Dali Menuet Speakers
I'm a little fussy when it comes to sound quality but I don't think I quite fall into the category of Audiophile. If you were to compare my level of 'connoisseurism' to that of a wine expert I would say I'm a $40 bottle guy. When I was looking to replace my home sound system I did a lot of research. I can recommend building a playlist of diverse tunes that you think are going to stretch the ranges of a speaker and taking that with you when you go shopping. Read more
Sennheiser PMX 684i Headphones
It should probably be said that my running style is not particularly elegant. It is a bit like a hurried lumber and the revolving track of the treadmill takes a lot of punishment during the process. All this vibration means I need headphones that are going to stay in place and survive a torrent of perspiration at the same time. Having owned a number of different forms of Senheiser equipment over the years, I can say that you rarely go wrong in terms of sound quality and these sports headphones are no exception. Read more
Japan
This week I have been on a mission to dig into Japan and bring you 4 tunes from Japanese artists. So much of Japanese culture is inaccessible to the non Japanese-speaking world. There are many things that Japan has brought to the rest of the world, from its food to literature and art but still there are many examples in the arts where the language barrier is too hard to climb. This is a shame of course as Japan has much to offer in is musical repertoire. What tends to be exposed on a global stage is the kitsch, the bizarre or the unfathomable. Read more