Review integrity

[Woodface]

Ella is obviously my number two in the greatest singer ever stakes. Technically she pips him on "vocal acrobatics" but IMHO Frank has even better timing and phrasing and can put the emotion across better.

I actually don't particularly care for scatting & acrobatics, her version of 'These foolish things' on Louis & Ella again is probably the greatest vocal performance I've ever heard

 

[shug4476]

An interesting testimony.

Unfortunately the results in some magazines speak for themselves. HiFi News now gives an award to everything they write about. Literally every product in the magazine gets some sort of 'badge'. And no comparative reviews at all. Completely absurd.

Paul Miller used to be the very best in the business and his blind panel comparative listening tests for HiFi Choice coupled with world class lab testing was imo the best hifi journalism ever produced. Now we just get page after page of glossy advertising material.

 

[Del monaco]

Ella is obviously my number two in the greatest singer ever stakes. Technically she pips him on "vocal acrobatics" but IMHO Frank has even better timing and phrasing and can put the emotion across better.

Sinatra told a story better than anyone. Ella sang Summertime....not a lot between them really.

 

[Martyn Miles]

I recall Gordon J King in HFN during the Seventies.
To me, he had a good balance between Technical & Subjective in his reviews.

I’m not sure Paul Miller was that good at Hi-Fi News.
He was part of the downward trend of HFN.

I’m surprised I still buy HFN from time to time, but look at the competition...

 

[Woodface]

Wasn’t Paul Miller discredited for his ‘science’?

 

[Woodface]

Sinatra told a story better than anyone. Ella sang Summertime....not a lot between them really.

‘Sings for only the lonely’ is Sinatra’s best, astonishing levels of technique & phrasing.

 

[Del monaco]

‘Sings for only the lonely’ is Sinatra’s best, astonishing levels of technique & phrasing.

I actually love The Concert Sinatra.Such a sincere generous voice. Even in his later years his voice had a charged, burnished and baritonal beauty.

 

[Arkless Electronics]

‘Sings for only the lonely’ is Sinatra’s best, astonishing levels of technique & phrasing.

"No One Cares" with Gordon Jenkins even better on that theme IMHO but makes laughing Leonard look happy.

 

[Nagraboy]

I actually love The Concert Sinatra.Such a sincere generous voice. Even in his later years his voice had a charged, burnished and baritonal beauty.

The last track - Soliloquy from Carousel is incredible. The whole album sounds quite different from most others he cut, being recorded on a Hollywood sound stage etc.

 

[Nagraboy]

‘Sings for only the lonely’ is Sinatra’s best, astonishing levels of technique & phrasing.

Siantra & Strings with Don Costa arranging is up there, too. Come Rain, or Come Shine is an all-time classic.

 

[Del monaco]

The last track - Soliloquy from Carousel is incredible. The whole album sounds quite different from most others he cut, being recorded on a Hollywood sound stage etc.

Carousel is one of the great musicals and I have loved Soliloquy since I was young. I have dreamed is lovely as well. I think my Mum used to have a Glen Campbell version of Soliloquy. May be misremembering.

 

[Dave J]

They review and except advertising from the most absurd foo that any publication with integrity would have nothing to do with. Zero integrity IMO. I can also recall several examples of Alchemist amps having total bollox written about them, and an interview with Ian Rankin in which he admitted sometimes writing reviews on equipment he hadn't even removed from the box. I was asked for a bribe to ensure a good review for the Arkless 640P when I first started making them. I told the publication owner where to shove it, natch. I very much doubt I would ever allow a review of any product I may make.

Which magazine was that?

 

[Joe Hutch]

'Which?'

 

[Nagraboy]

Sinatra told a story better than anyone. Ella sang Summertime....not a lot between them really.

Frank really rated Mel Torme too. Mel and Ella must be the best scat singers of all time. Here’s an outstanding duet at the Grammy’s:

 

[Arkless Electronics]

Which magazine was that?

Obviously I didn't record the phone call so anything I said would be hearsay, and without proof could be held to be libellous content.... so... "no names no pack drill"...

 

[Del monaco]

Frank really rated Mel Torme too. Mel and Ella must be the best scat singers of all time. Here’s an outstanding duet at the Grammy’s:

Wonderful.

 

[Arkless Electronics]

"Frank Sinatra Sings Rodgers And Hart" is another favourite here. I have my Dad's original mono copy

 

[Woodface]

"No One Cares" with Gordon Jenkins even better on that theme IMHO but makes laughing Leonard look happy.

I have that as well but I think only the lonely edges it, he sings with more subtlety. I also really like the Jobim album, wonderful.

 

[Woodface]

Siantra & Strings with Don Costa arranging is up there, too. Come Rain, or Come Shine is an all-time classic.

It’s a contender but not quite there for me.

 

[Nagraboy]

It’s a contender but not quite there for me.

I think if it had been recorded by Capitol rather than Reprsie it might’ve been the best.