ELVIS COSTELLO
Elvis Costello has made caustic rock. He’s mastered new
wave. He’s crafted originals steeped in traditional R&B
and soul. And he accomplished the feats on touchstone
albums released between 1977 and 1986, arguably the
best initial run of records ever issued by one artist.
On them all, the clever singer/guitarist navigates
maelstroms of emotional spite, romantic infatuation,
sexual angst, and biting commentary. Pump it up in the
best-possible fidelity these exemplary efforts—including
1981’s spectacularly diverse Trust and 1986’s vicious
Blood & Chocolate—have ever enjoyed on vinyl.
Garcia/Grisman
Brothers in Arms
DIRE STRAITS
JERRY GARCIA AND DAVID GRISMAN
The recipient of the Grammy for Best-Engineered Recording, Dire
Straits’ 1985 blockbuster Brothers in Arms has always been a go-to sonic
standard. But never has it sounded so reach-out-and-touch-it realistic as
it does on Mobile Fidelity’s 45RPM 2LP set and SACD. All of the hallmark
characteristics—ample spaciousness, ideal balances, widescreen dynamics,
immersive depth, lush production—are omnipresent. Ditto the expertly
crafted songs and precision-based performances, as well as spatial
dimensions that cause instruments and vocals to naturally float.
Contemporary interest in bluegrass and roots music can be directly traced to
Jerry Garcia and David Grisman’s stellar 1991 collaboration. Putting distinctive
rustic spins on pop standards, blues classics, and folk staples, the kindred
musical spirits’ earnest authenticity, friendly chemistry, and relaxed intimacy
are matched by virtuosic playing and superb production. As realistic, warm,
close-up, and enveloping as any acoustic album, Mobile Fidelity’s 2LP and
SACD reissues raise the bar on reference-standard.
Blood & Chocolate
King of America
Trust
PRETENDERS
Part pop, part new wave, part R&B, and 100% pure melodic rock n’ roll, the
Pretenders stood at the forefront of the revolutionary changes that swept music
during the late 70s and early 80s. Vocalist/leader Chrissie Hynde channeled her
infatuation for the rawness of the U.K. punk scene, adopting a don’t-take-nomess attitude that the band promptly filtered through soulful disciplines. The
results? Classy albeit barbed music that’s always been and always will be instantly
identifiable.
This Year’s
Model
Armed Forces
Get Happy!!
Almost Blue
Learning to Crawl
CHICAGO
Goodbye Cruel
World
Bill Withers’ Greatest Hits
HALL AND OATES
Chicago always strove for and attained multi-discipline diversity, emerging with
one surprise after another. It’s one of many reasons Mobile Fidelity is compelled
to do sonic justice to the collective’s finest hours. Whether magnifying spiritbuoying fusion via intertwined woodwinds, guitars, horns, and percussion—or
adult-contemporary glory via unforgettable refrains, dramatic balladry, and timeless
melodies—these transparent-sounding SACDs pull back the previously concealing
veil on Grammy-caliber productions nearly as famous as the content within.
Setting decade-defining standards, Hall and Oates crafted sleek, stylish, and
sophisticated pop music that dominated the early 1980s. Rolling Stone perfectly
described the group as teaching “the way to make rock girls, disco girls, and newwave girls scream together.” Striking a keen equilibrium between polish, melody,
muscle, and craft, the b