Veethree's Blog

If you’re going to rip your music… February 5, 2009

…do it properly first time round. Until recently, I just used the default MP3 format when ripping my CDs to my computer and thought it was perfectly good enough, especially done at 192k. It seemed like a good idea because I knew that all mobile devices with a music player would recognise that format and I have a few of those – no, really! Well, the Apple monster prompted me to use the AAC format when I was loading music for my son’s iPod Shuffle (I chose to do it at 256k) and so I had the opportunity to compare the two side by side.

Wow. Big difference. So much so that I started to wonder if it was just bad production values on the albums that I’d ripped to MP3 format but redoing those albums confirmed that it was rather the format of the track itself. After spending way too much time online researching the difference, it seems that the MP3 format cuts a lot of detail off the lower end of the sound spectrum to try to save space, whereas the different compression used by AAC manages to save space and still retain that detail. “Born in the USA” sounds a whole lot better now, punchy and not like Springsteen is playing it tired and thin at the end of a long, long gig. Trying WMA as another alternative (also at 256k) showed that the now aging MP3 format (it’s over ten years old) just can’t cope as well when it comes to capturing the music properly.

I must admit that reading around the subject did reveal that it’s often a matter of personal taste, but I’m sure you’ll hear a difference no matter what stage you’re at. As a tip for enjoying your music on the move – stay away from MP3! Hope you’re listening, Apple…

WOW Hits 2009 January 22, 2009

I’ve been a little short on up to date music recently, so a couple of Christmas vouchers that could remedy the situation were most welcome. The problem with being out of touch, though, is that you’ve no idea what is current and good when you walk into a music store. I settled on WOW Hits 2009 because it promised to have a good compilation of recent music and I’ve been pretty satisfied with their offerings in the past. I didn’t recognise too many songs or even artists when I looked at the cover but decided that was a good thing in terms of what I wanted.

It’s taken several spins, but I’ve really come to like the double CD. The sound was contemporary but a bit same-same first few times round; now I can appreciate the differences between the tracks. Quite a lot of adult contemporary (does the fact that I like it mean I now have to be an adult?), also some rock, pop and a smattering of country. Some tracks (“How you live” by Point of Grace, “Unbreakable” by Fireflight, “Your Grace is Enough” by Matt Maher) are immediately likable, whereas others have grown on me (“Song of Hope” by Robbie Seay Band, “Give Me Your Eyes” by Brandon Heath, “Sleeping In” by Nevertheless) to surpass them as favourites. One thing that did interest me about the collection of tracks was that several of them seemed to be “crossover” songs: though they are all gospel bands, the songs themselves were not overtly so. I’m not in touch enough to say if this is more of a trend than it was several years ago, but it was noticeable on this album.

All in all, the album has served its purpose well. If you’re looking for a good compilation of CCM, you won’t go far wrong with this one.

Blast from the past January 19, 2009

The Best of Mango Groove (2002)

“On my left hand I have
King of Kwela – Spokes Mashiane”

I remember attending a PJ Powers and Hotline concert in Durban way back in the late eighties which was supported by a fresh, exuberant and unknown band called Mango Groove. Though Hotline were in one of their more successful patches, they were completely blown off the stage by the supporting act, to the extent that, when a clearly irritated Powers asked the crowd if they would rather see Mango Groove perform again, they (unimpressed with Power’s cavorting on stage – hey, it was Durban) bayed an enthusiastic “Yes!”.

This album collects all Mango Goove’s hits that I so fondly remember,  capturing their infectious, toe-tapping rhythms and easy to sing melodies. From the get-on-the-floor “Dance Sum More” to “Hometalk” to the poignant “Another Country”, everything is there to remind me how enjoyable the music was without being pretentious. Driving bass, Claire Johnston’s soaring voice and, of course, the great pennywhistle and horn pieces: excellent stuff. Though some of the music goes back a long way now, it’s still appealing to all – you should see how much my young boys are enjoying it!

Mango Groove is still around and have actually released another compilation entitled “The Essential Mango Groove” but this album, which incorporates most of the tracks on that one anyway, was going for only R39.99 ($4!) on Kalahari.net. Couldn’t resist the bargain, bought it a couple of weeks ago and don’t regret it for a second!