By Wade Meredith • Published in Weekly Track — Dec 24, 2024 Throw Cares Away What if Transformers raided the handbell room at the church down the street? It would probably sound like Mannheim Steamroller's Carol of the Bells.
Weekly Track "When the Levee Breaks" by Led Zeppelin There's nothing like those first four bars of "When the Levee Breaks." It's the foundation of a grimy driving bluesy groove as unstoppable as the tide.
Weekly Track "Lisztomania" by Phoenix Lisztomania starts with a click and a piano chord, then the whole thing lifts. It's crisp and airy. Nothing is buried. This pop confection rewards a system that can separate midrange detail.
Weekly Track "Wicked Game" by Daisy Gray Daisy Gray's cover of Wicked Game strips the original to its bones. It's a beautiful dynamics showcase for hifi systems with midrange control and a low noise floor.
Weekly Track "Sledgehammer (2012 Remaster)" by Peter Gabriel The 2012 remaster of Sledgehammer puts the horn section in your lap. That opening hit is all brass and breath, tight and forward. The texture on the snare is wildly good and never gets lost in the mix.