Music Direct__Catalog_Web 2016 | Page 178

JANIS JOPLIN MOBILE FIDELITY SOUND LAB Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab has been the undisputed leader in audiophile recordings since its inception in 1977. Using only the original master tapes as source material, the company offers faithfully reproduced high-fidelity recordings that bring you—the listener— closer to the absolute truth and emotion of the original performances of the very finest albums ever made. Experienced on LP, SACD, or Gold CD, Mobile Fidelity software unveils all the detailed information on original master recordings without adding deterioration, coloration, or other sonic artifacts. The result: The most realistic, lively, full-range recordings you will ever hear. Merging biker-babe ruggedness with wounded-bird poignancy, Janis Joplin’s expressive belting, mega-watt moaning, and sensitive crooning remain among music’s most authentic signposts. Recognized as the greatest-ever white female blues singer, Joplin conveys desperation, sadness, vulnerability, soulfulness, humor, and innocence on 1968’s Cheap Thrills (recorded with Big Brother & the Holding Company) and 1971’s Pearl in a cathartic language few had heard before or experienced since. Her unrivaled passion and gut-wrenching vocal prowess have never sounded better than on these 45RPM 2LP and SACD reissues. Cheap Thrills Pearl JEFFERSON AIRPLANE The first album to bring the 1960s counterculture to the attention of the mainstream, Jefferson Airplane’s Surrealistic Pillow folds acid-rock experimentalism into folk-derived constructs. Blending mysteriousness, darkness, beauty, and romanticism that mirror the very traits of vocalist Grace Slick, the 1967 landmark is restored to its original mono sound on 45RPM 2LP and SACD versions that fully bring out the virtuosic playing of the band and guest Jerry Garcia. Equally transfixing and even more potent, Volunteers doubles as the revolutionary march of a group that understands music can change the world. Surrealistic Pillow Volunteers SANTANA CARLY SIMON Santana’s self-titled debut announced the arrival of a guitar god. Made during the bandleader’s most fruitful period, the 1969 set is an accessible entry point into the tangy world of Latin music by way of intoxicating blends of Afro-Cuban percussion, jazzy tempos, exotic leads, and psychedelic accents. The equally legendary Abraxas comes on as the confident sound of Santana stretching out. Taken to peak sonic heights on deluxe 45RPM LP and SACD pressings, the albums’ celebratory vibes, bluesy jams, mellow vocals, and hip-shaking grooves eclipse common description. An archetypal confessional singer-songwriter, Carly Simon won over listeners with personal early- and mid-70s works that address themes ranging from intimacy to jealousy with disarming honesty and biographical forthrightness. Her elegant period albums are further enhanced by a parade of top producers, engineers, and guests—including Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, and ex-mate James Taylor, who is instrumental to the success of No Secrets and Hotcakes. Given nonpareil audiophile treatment, Simon’s first four (and finest) studio records shine on these warm, detailed SACDs. Santana At Fillmore East Anticipation Carly Simon Hotcakes No Secrets Abraxas THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND CAROLE KING They looked like any number of young, hopeful bands straddling the violent fade of the 1960s with the advent of the 1970s. Yet this amicable Georgia collective sounded like no other, its youthfulness belied by virtuosic abilities and interlocking interplay Miles Davis would’ve envied. Between 1969 and 1973, the group recorded four studio albums and one exalted live double album whose stunningly resonant blues, spirit-moving soul, raw-boned R&B, purifying gosp