Mostly Sophisticated Summer Music Mix 2014

This is a list of the cds I have in my 100 disc changer.  It is not a top 100 list, but it is all good music that I recommend.  Usually, I have posted this list every 6 months or so, such that normally this would have been posted in the beginning of June.  However, I haven’t been able to listen to cds much lately because on humid days, which are frequent, the amplifier’s “Protect” function shuts down the amplifier, supposedly to prevent damage.

Porcupine Tree – Deadwing (discs 1 and 2)

Porcupine Tree – In Absentia (discs 1 and 2)

Porcupine Tree – Lightbulb Sun

Porcupine Tree – Fear of a Blank Planet

Porcupine Tree – Coma Divine

Steven Wilson – The Raven That Refused to Sing

Steven Wilson – Grace for Drowning (disc 1 and 2)

Flower Kings – Space Revolver

Flower Kings – Stardust We Are (disc 1 and 2)

Flower Kings – Retropolis

Flower Kings – Back in the World of Adventures

Flower Kings – The Rainmaker

Dream Theater – Dream Theater

Dream Theater – A Dramatic Turn of Events

Dream Theater – Systematic Chaos

Dream Theater – Score (disc 1)

Dream Theater – Master of Puppets

Jordan Rudess – Notes on a Dream

An Evening With Jordan Rudess and John Petrucci

James LaBrie’s Mullmuzzler – Keep It to Yourself

Led Zeppelin – In Through the Out Door

Mix cd of Tony MacAlpine and Led Zeppelin

Wes Montgomery – Full House

Wes Montgomery – Fusion

Fates Warning – Chasing Time

Ozzy Osbourne – Tribute

Ozzy Osbourne – Bark at the Moon

Alice In Chains – Dirt

The Mighty Mighty BossTones – Devil’s Night Out

Megadeth – Youthanasia

Megadeth – United Abominations

Megadeth – Countdown to Extinction

Ayreon – The Human Equation (disc 2)

Ayreon – Into the Electric Castle (disc 2)

John Coltrane – First Meditations

John Coltrane – Impressions

John Coltrane – Live at Birdland

Poison – Poison’s Greatest Hits 1986 – 1996

Symphony X – Twilight in Olympus

Symphony X – The Odyssey

Stryper – Seven

Extreme – II Pornograffitti

Extreme – III Sides to Every Story

The John Scofield Band – Up All Night

John Scofield – Pick Hits Live

The Who – Who’s Better Who’s Best: This is the very best of the Who

Amazing Journey – Disc 1

Metallica – Kill ‘Em All

Metallica – Ride the Lightning

Metallica – black album

Steve Morse – Coast to Coast

Dixie Dregs – Industry Standard

Dixie Dregs – What If

Dixie Dregs – Free Fall

Chick Corea, Gary Burton, Pat Metheny, Roy Haynes, Dave Holland – Like Minds

Pat Metheny - Secret Story

Pat Metheny Trio – 99 00

Rollins Band – End of Silence

Stanley Clarke – School Days

King Crimson – The Power to Believe

Red Hot Chili Peppers – The Abbey Road EP

Red Hot Chili Peppers – The Uplift Mofo Party Plan

Red Hot Chili Peppers – Freaky Styley

Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble – Greatest Hits

Soulive – Doin’ Something

Pantera – Far Beyond Driven

Pantera – Vulgar Display of Power

Phish – A Picture of Nectar

Steve Vai – Sex & Religion

Gil Evans Play Jimi Hendrix

The Mahavishnu Orchestra – Birds of Fire

King’s X – Gretchen Goes to Nebraska

Radiohead – OK Computer

B.B. King – 20^th Century Masters

Joe Satriani – The Extremist

Bozzio, Levin, Stevens – Black Light Syndrone

Roy Hargrove – The Vibe

Herbie Hancock – Empyrean Isles

Green Day – Dookie

Niacin – Niacin

Testament – The Ritual

Transatlantic – smpte

Fear Factory – Transgression

Platypus – When Pus Comes to Shove

James LaBrie – Winter Rose

Death – Individual Thought Patterns

The Guitar Artistry of Charlie Byrd

Pearl Jam – Yield

Deep Purple – Machine Head

Joe Pass – Virtuoso 2

Gorilla Biscuits – Start Today

Queensyrche – Here in the Now Frontier

Tool – Aenima

Bill Frisell – Live

Black Label Society – Kings of Damnation Era

Savatage – The Wake of Magellan

*** Greatest Hits: Back to the Start by Megadeth – Just Okay Because Some of Remakes Are Sub-Par

Let me tell you something. I have been a fan of Megadeth for a heck of a long time. One of the first compact discs I ever got was Countdown to Extinction back when it was brand new in 1993. That was back when compact discs used to come with extra cardboard paper packaging artwork. I put my picture of Vic in my Trapper Keeper notebook, as a proud statement that I was a fan of Megadeth, who for most of my life I have thought are one of the coolest bands on earth. I have seen Megadeth live twice. Really, Megadeth is one of my favorite bands of all time, along with Dream Theater. I even loved Killing Is My Business and Business Is Good.

So, by now you must be wondering, where did Megadeth go wrong on “Back to the Start?” That answer is entirely in the mix. I loved all the original mixes, and I detect that in this remake they tried to make the album sound better through doing a tad of things such as adding the effect, compression. I hate compression, probably, because it seems as if everyone uses it these days. Sure, the kids probably won’t know the difference, and maybe even will like it better, but Dave you’ve got to admit that you sold your soul to the devil on this one.

Of course, some of the tracks that were originally released with compression like Skin O’ My Teeth rock hard. It is just that I don’t like the touch ups on what I considered to be the old classic Megadeth albums. They didn’t need touch ups.

Additionally, while I don’t like this record mixed in with other discs, as I crave the original sound not the remix, as a whole the album mixes better with the touch ups. For example, Hanger 18 sounds hideous in this collection. Megadeth has been around for so long that technologies have changed, some for good, some for bad. What this means is that when listening to a bunch of music the technology on each album usually varies, and this hits package seems to try to overcome that, and it does so with a moderate amount of success.

**** Killing Is My Business and Business Is Good by Megadeth – Awesome and Totally Old School

The reason I subtracted a star and gave this album 4 stars is that I don’t want anyone to be disappointed with the quality of the sound of this album.  This album was made on a shoestring budget, and as in the way that there isn’t so much need to buy old jazz albums because the newer ones are higher quality, so it is that way with Killing Is My Business.  As for me, I like the old school production.

As for the music on this album.  It is some of the best thrash/speed metal out there.  It really is a good album.  This is the type of album that when someone says to me, “I think metal blows,” and I say to them, “Well if you think it’s so bad, then why don’t you try playing it?”  I have never heard anyone complain to me about an album like this one when I said something like, “I will listen to your criticism, if and only if, you can play it,” because truly this album is a work of art, and it is not easily repeatable, as it is with all great works of art.