k.d. lang, Ingénue. Because Sound Matters, 33 RPM One-Step. $99.98
The k.d. lang, Ingénue One-Step reissue from Because Sound Matters has been an absolute delight from the first day that it arrived! It is clearly my favorite reissue so far this year! I was unfamiliar with this title, yet it has been on constant rotation in my listening room and has inspired me to seek out additional albums by k.d. lang. Released on the Sire/Warner label in 1992, Ingénue was the second solo album by the popular Canadian singer, and was also her best-selling album on all of the various global pop charts.
The songs "Constant Craving," "Miss Chatelaine" and "The Mind of Love" were all released as singles and the album itself charted at number eighteen on the US Billboard 200, number three on the UK Albums (OCC) and number 13 on the Canadian Albums (RPM). The album was also nominated for the 1993 Grammy Awards in the following categories: "Album of the Year," "Best Engineered Non-Classical Album," and "Best Female Pop Vocal performance." It won the Grammy for this last category.
Pressed at RTI on 180 gram Neotech D2 vinyl at 33 RPM, with a thick and beautifully designed gatefold jacket and foil stamped slipcase from Stoughton Printing, only the best was utilized for this offering. I do not have the 1992 original LP pressing for comparison, which was only released in Europe and was supposedly digitally sourced. I also do not have the 2017 25th Anniversary reissue cut by Chris Bellman, which was also digitally sourced. Interesting enough, this new One-Step reissue was also cut by Chris Bellman, but this time around he was able to use the first generation analog master tapes. This is truly an AAA all analog pressing! The Ingénue One-Step is limited to 3000 numbered units worldwide.
Two important notes here. Firstly, k.d. lang has an incredibly beautiful voice and singing style, something that I never really appreciated before. Secondly, her writing skills are simply amazing! Her songs here are all wonderfully romantic and appealing—more cabaret or nightclub than country and pop as many might know her. As you listen to this album over time, you will quickly realize that k.d. lang is highly under rated as a singer song writer, and just might be one of our best!
What I do have for comparison, is the original 1992 US CD which I borrowed from a friend, and I also streamed a 24-Bit/192kHz high resolution file on Qobuz. The CD and Qobuz digital editions sounded great, but the One-Step is a clear step up in sound quality. You will hear it from the first needle drop!
The One-Step has a sound stage that is so much more expansive and detailed, with an incredible amount of air and space that will quickly draw you into the music. On my system, instruments and vocals are exquisitely revealed with an inner density and resolution that can compete with any LP in my entire collection. Again, we have her voice. So melodic and clearly laid bare all for to hear and appreciate. Chris Bellman has provided us with another sonic masterpiece!
Green Day, American Idiot. Because Sound Matters, 33 RPM One-Step. $124.98
This review of the One-Step reissue of Green Day, American Idiot is actually a follow-up to my review of the One-Step reissue of Green Day, Dookie. You can read my review of Dookie HERE. This was all inspired by a discussion with my own kids and several nieces and nephews at a family holiday dinner. All grew up with these albums during their teenage and college years, and declared them as two of the most important for their generation. There was some fairly passionate disagreements about which album was the better, but all agreed that both were truly iconic.
Released in 2004 on Reprise Records, American Idiot was Green Day’s seventh studio album with total sales just behind Dookie, their most successful release. Certified 6x Platinum by the RIAA, American Idiot won the 2005 Grammy Award for "Best Rock Album." Rolling Stone magazine named it number 225 on their 2020 "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list. Described by band members as a "punk rock opera," its focus was on the dissolution and angst generated by the world events and social impact of the day. American Idiot follows the story of Jesus of Suburbia, an American adolescent and highly flawed anti-hero. With this storyline serving as the foundation, Green Day returned to its fervent punk rock roots with more of a creative and theatrical presentation.
The set includes two LPs cut at 33 RPM by Levi Seitz at Black Belt Mastering, pressed at RTI on 180 gram Neotech D2 vinyl, and packaged with a foil stamped slipcase and a thick stock gatefold jacket by Stoughton Printing. Again, no expenses were spared! American Idiot was recorded in the digital domain and then mixed to analog tape. These original flat master tapes were then transferred to 24-Bit/192kHz files that ended up being the audio source for the One-Step pressing. This reissue will be limited to 3000 numbered copies.
I have a 2004 original pressing from Europe cut by Ted Jensen for comparison. The OG provided some fairly decent sound quality. Slightly noisy and compressed, you can still feel the boldness and raw energy of the music. However, as I listened to this pressing several times to provide a reference and bench mark, I just knew that there was something missing and that there surely had to be more that this recording could offer.
The One-Step takes the sound quality to a new level. With Tré Cool on drums and Mike Dirnt on bass, you immediately sense an additional punch and drive that will have you sitting tall in your listening chair. For punk rock fans, this is a rhythm section to die for! Highs have opened up considerably, and there is a transparency in the mids that magically brings Billie Joe Armstrong on vocals to the forefront. You might even understand all of the lyrics for the first time! Though the OG is good, the One-Step will have you quickly pulling out your imaginary Fender Stratocaster. Air guitar has never been so much fun!
Because Sound Matters
