New Leonard Cohen album, "You Want It Darker" due Fall 2016

Yes, mine will go back to the store today or tomorrow. I cleaned it and nothing helped. Side A constant swishing on right channel and distortion time to time. Also A4 looped at the end. Lots of visual vinyl surface marks throughout both sides. Bad pressing.

 

I was expecting higher placements as well in best-albums of 2016 lists, especially considering he just passed away. You Want It Darker absolutely deserves real album of the year contender status, not simply as a token nod to Cohen's career accomplishments.

 

Leonard Cohen just died, why not just chill and try to enjoy the music rather than wasting time like this? If you can't get on with a CD or digital copy of this album and it's fantastic production and profound songs, then perhaps it is not for you. Life's too short man.

 

That is pathetic - I buy vinyl because I like it - If you have a problem with that keep it to yourself. This is an album discussion not the RIP thread!

BTW I am perfectly chilled thank you.

 

But you are on your third copy already, whereas the music on other formats is perfect each time. Doesn't that behavior strike you as a bit, well, odd?

 

Not on this forum anyway . Am I supposed to accept faulty product and knowing from others that most copies are OK? Got a refund on first two so no loss. Frankly it's rare I get two bad copies of a pressing.

 

This obsession for perfection from an imperfect medium (vinyl) is one reason why vinyl producers charge $30-$50 for one record, instead of $10-$12 for a CD. Maybe there is a loss.

 

Just cleaned my black vinyl version last night. I may have won the 'vinyl press' loto as mine is flat, centered, and quiet. A few non-audible light surface marks from rough factory handling/sleeve. Low surface noise and hardly a tick so there are good vinyl copies out there. This vinyl will reward those who make the effort to seek out a good copy.

LC's voice rises from the grooves. His rough aged voice is larger than life. Prodution is great. You can imagine his presence in room. This is powerful musical poetry at its finest.

 

This is physically impossible.

The CD sounds fantastic, unfortunately it sounds like the vinyl press is flawed. Why are you guys tormenting yourselves? Just buy the CD and enjoy.

 

Well said, couldn't agree more. The longer I spend reading posts from people moaning about 'bad presses' and warped this and non-filled that, brickwalled screen grab wailings here, slightly damaged cardboard bitchings there, the more I am convinced they must be a certain kind of masochist to persist in such stressful activity.

God forbid the actual musical content be enjoyed.

Maybe Leonard should have retitled his album You Want It Cleaner.

 

I have listened to plenty of synchronized A/B comparisons of today's new vinyl issues with the same item issued on CD. Same sound. But one cost three times the other

 

I personally feel people are More picky these days with their new vinyl purchases. When I sold records in the 70s we did get a lot of returns but folks didn't dwell on a collective skip here or fill there. Records were rarely perfect even then but there were so many pressed and even though we had nice stereos we never when into our first listen looking for problems like many people today.

 

My wife already has the cd. I want it darker
I agree that bad quality control takes away some of the fun of vinyl. Still, most new albums I buy are fine. Bit of bad luck recently as I had to return the new Yello as well (also swooshing sounds in the right channel). Luckily the replacement was fine. Many vinyl records show higher DR than cd's, so there might be some benefit to listening to vinyl...

 

DR values for vinyl don't correspond to those for CD so you can't compare the two like that. I would link you up but am on my phone so can't right now - but Google should help put you on the right track.

Vinyl is a great medium for the physical nature of the artifact, the ritual of putting good it on and swapping sides, and the aesthetic value of the artwork etc. It also makes you feel like the robots haven't quite won yet.

But sonically, you can fry up some bacon while listening to the CD and get the same effect. Plus you will have a tasty sarnie to go with the music.

 

Enough already. My God, does every thread have to devolve into a discussion of vinyl vs. CD?

 

Agreed. I seem to recall a similar off-the-rails discussion with Popular Problems...

 

I agree. There should be a ban imposed on anyone attempting to whinge about the state of their vinyl pressing.

 

I whinge about the quality of a Big Mac hamburger these days. Hope I don't get band too

 

I prefer vinyl because I have much more vinyl and I don't like having to switch around formats - it works for me.

But it is extremely frustrating recently that it seems like you can't buy a $30 record without huge issues that make it impossible to listen to - not even talking about the normal stuff - Ticks, pops, etc.


With that out of the way, I just bought the LP of this, I hope it is one of the good ones...I'll report back when I get a chance to spin it.

 

When he sings

Little by little
We're cutting the chord

I have to be sitting down when I hear that. Those few words hit me like a sledgehammer.

 

Your finding only proves with your ears. It says nothing about the equipment with which you listened. It could have been mediocre mastering.

I can tell you that I have both the CD and vinyl of Kate Bush's Before The Dawn. The CD is very good. The vinyl is quite a bit better. If anyone can't hear it, it's their ears or equipment, not the records.

The vinyl cutting, done by Bernie Grundman, is superb, by the way.

 

What goes around....full circle. Especially with Leonard's passing.

 

Leonard makes it darker...a wonderful read for all--a long article but not long enough...appeared just weeks before we lost Leonard.

Leonard Cohen Makes It Darker

©New Yorker / Oct. 2016




Leonard Cohen Makes It Darker »

You Want It Darker is one of my favorites now. It recalls Various Positions...the album that the label didn't think had any good songs so they didn't release in the USA. All the more reason to treasure my vinyl import!

 

Thanks..I posted it again above. Missed it the first time around!

 

This is definitely one that one CANNOT play on shuffle! It is one of those rarities that must always be listened to in full, songs in order...like a symphony!