Category: music

·

New CD Set

A few weeks ago we went to Dead Wax, a record store in downtown Garland. Great store. Very crafted to appeal to people JUST LIKE ME, which is why it is great. We bought a few albums. While we were there they were playing Celebrate Yourself! The Sonic Cathedral Story 2004–2024 (a boxed CD set) in the store. It was really good, but they didn’t have it for sale, so like the good American (consumer) that I am, I ordered it from Amazon.

Been listening to it one disc at a time for a couple of weeks now. It is quite to my liking.

Celebrate Yourself! The Sonic Cathedral Story 2004–2024

 

·

Ozzy

Well, Ozzy is dead.

No one will ask “Which Ozzy?” There’s only one Ozzy that matters, and we all know who he was.

I’ll say right off the bat — I don’t own any of his music at this exact point in time as I write this. There’s a good chance that by tomorrow I will own everything, as my wife may very well rectify the situation. She is a music listener and buyer, so this possible course of events would not surprise me.

I’m pretty sure my intro to Ozzy, via Black Sabbath,  was on KZEW or Q102, local album rock stations here in Dallas during my teen years. I’d guess I probably heard Paranoid or Iron Man first. Can’t imagine it being otherwise.

I think, upon reflecting on it right now this very instant, that Paranoid is one of the best rock songs ever written. Just so good.

That is all.

Rock on.

·

A Good Weekend

It’s been a good weekend.

It is now Sunday night 9:20pm.

Friday night we turned off the screens for about 3 hours and just listened to music on the big stereo. It was really nice. We turned down the lights, turned on the color-changing LED “candles” and relaxed. Perfect.

Our front room during music night.

Saturday I taught for two hours at our aikido dojo. A mix of experienced non-black belt students and very new people. Everyone did well. I enjoyed it. We just relaxed for the afternoon and listened to more music in the evening. Another good day.

Today we got up and took our beloved sheltie for a walk at Oak Point Nature Preserve in Plano. He loves it. The trails were dry enough enjoy, and he loves it. Came home and made coffee and chilled before going to Portillo’s for Italian beef sandwiches for lunch.

I’m now listening to this new XTC album while my wife does some stuff in another room. I have always liked XTC and I’m just now gettting around to buying their music. Weird. Anyway, this album was released in 1980. AMAZING!  Sadly my weekend is coming to a close. Oh well. It was good while it lasted.

XTC album

 

·

New Turntable Cartridge

I can imaging myself going down the audiophile rabbit hole very easily. I have thus far refrained, but a few weeks ago I ordered a new Ortofon 2M Red cartridge for our turntable. To simply installation I got the one that is pre-mounted.

Installation re-balancing the tone arm were both easy.

Sitting here right now listening to XTC’s Skylarking. Honestly, this album sounds amazing anyway. It is one of the best produced albums we have, but the new cartridge really does it justice. It sounds fantastic.

I’m really glad I made this purchase. Records, CDs, and this stereo are my only real indulgence besides coffee.

Ortofon 2M Red turntable cartridge
clicky clicky for full sized image