Gordon Lightfoot Forums - View Single Post - The "one" Gordon Lightfoot album you could never do without!

geodeticman.5 · 08-10-2008, 06:12 AM

Bo-Stone: I must agree, without hesitation. Sundlwn LP. And while I'm at it, the audiophile Mobile Sound Labs High fidelity 1/2 speed( i think the shop talk goes on it ) version of the album, of course i would insist on an old "Dual" brand high-end direct-drive tangential tone-arm with counter-balance, top-o-the-line dimaond needle stylus -Pickering as I recall - not the cr** v15 cartridge that came with my old other wise incredible Scott stereo system.

Oh - and a 3k-watt Honda generator as back up or source for power , if its the desert island scenario - and two old/new JBL 15" 3-way acoustic suspension speakers, for that "warm bass sound" that suits the album, along with a McIntosh vacuum-tube amp, and a years supply of diet pepsi and power bars.

Really - Sundown - for all the reasons I have heard plus: there are a representative cross-section of nearly his whole spectrum of music styles- or maybe better stated - song types. Think about it a minute - the differences between:
Sundown - and Circle of Steel. - "hard" & "soft" sounds

Watchman -no vibrato and Too Late for Prayin - vibrato

Somewhere USA - not meant imho to be *important*, but fun,
versus Sevel Island Suite - where i believe he is trying to convey something important.

Is There Anyone Home - my favourite "ethereal" mood
song, versus ,say Carefree Highway - not hard to figure
out. And as you said, it is a defining album (I believe you said "definative" for [his career ?]for the period - and imho for Lightfoot - of what he was searching for in his "sound" not fact, just my opinion, based losely on the progression of albums from his last UA album, to Warner first
- Sit Down/IYCRMM album - "sound" progressing, searching.... through the near-perfect DQ i agree, and a personal favourite of mie as well -ODR, to my all-time favourite only have one - Sundown.

My closest 2nd would be DQ or COTS - surprised no one mentioned that - I thin of that as the end of his "Broad-Brimmed" period, last album before significant introduction of new instruments, and very good - Summertime Dream with its epic of course we all know - TWOTEF.

On 2nd thought - if we could have any "release" - I'd reconsider and maybe take GG1 - as it captures his 74-ish Broad-Brim sound, with that added in re-recording to the UA songs, and I'd have CRT, IYCRMM, Beautful, SONGS i COULD NOT LIVE WITHOUT. hMMM

is that you final answer - yes - GG1. GG1 it is.

~geo steve

08-10-2008, 06:12 AM	#7
geodeticman.5 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Eastern Slope urban corridor, Colo. USA Posts: 1,007	Re: The "one" Gordon Lightfoot album you could never do without! Bo-Stone: I must agree, without hesitation. Sundlwn LP. And while I'm at it, the audiophile Mobile Sound Labs High fidelity 1/2 speed( i think the shop talk goes on it ) version of the album, of course i would insist on an old "Dual" brand high-end direct-drive tangential tone-arm with counter-balance, top-o-the-line dimaond needle stylus -Pickering as I recall - not the cr** v15 cartridge that came with my old other wise incredible Scott stereo system. Oh - and a 3k-watt Honda generator as back up or source for power , if its the desert island scenario - and two old/new JBL 15" 3-way acoustic suspension speakers, for that "warm bass sound" that suits the album, along with a McIntosh vacuum-tube amp, and a years supply of diet pepsi and power bars. Really - Sundown - for all the reasons I have heard plus: there are a representative cross-section of nearly his whole spectrum of music styles- or maybe better stated - song types. Think about it a minute - the differences between: Sundown - and Circle of Steel. - "hard" & "soft" sounds Watchman -no vibrato and Too Late for Prayin - vibrato Somewhere USA - not meant imho to be important, but fun, versus Sevel Island Suite - where i believe he is trying to convey something important. Is There Anyone Home - my favourite "ethereal" mood song, versus ,say Carefree Highway - not hard to figure out. And as you said, it is a defining album (I believe you said "definative" for [his career ?]for the period - and imho for Lightfoot - of what he was searching for in his "sound" not fact, just my opinion, based losely on the progression of albums from his last UA album, to Warner first - Sit Down/IYCRMM album - "sound" progressing, searching.... through the near-perfect DQ i agree, and a personal favourite of mie as well -ODR, to my all-time favourite only have one - Sundown. My closest 2nd would be DQ or COTS - surprised no one mentioned that - I thin of that as the end of his "Broad-Brimmed" period, last album before significant introduction of new instruments, and very good - Summertime Dream with its epic of course we all know - TWOTEF. On 2nd thought - if we could have any "release" - I'd reconsider and maybe take GG1 - as it captures his 74-ish Broad-Brim sound, with that added in re-recording to the UA songs, and I'd have CRT, IYCRMM, Beautful, SONGS i COULD NOT LIVE WITHOUT. hMMM is that you final answer - yes - GG1. GG1 it is. ~geo steve