Thank you Vaughn Monroe

I started listening to the latest $1 bin haul, from my first visit to the recently relocated grouch at Rockit Scientist on St. Marks Place. First, Russ Tolman's Totem Poles and Glory Holes (Restless 1986). The attraction was the Byron Coley blurb on the LP cover describing it as a "real cooter". Had top find out what a cooter would sound like. AllMusic gives it four stars and makes it the AllMusic pick for Tolman. Shame. The LP sonics so bright as to be unbearable.

So, I switch to The Best of Vaughn Monroe (MCA Collectibles 1983). Mastered by Kevin Gray and reissue produced by Steve Hoffman. This duo handled much of the MCA Collectibles series. From what I can tell, based on hearing a handful, they're all outstanding. Monroe is not an artist I'd have pursued without the audiophile pedigree of this particular collection. Musically, I'm not wowed, but its pleasant singer / big band material, and such a relief after the screechy Tolman LP. I've gotten picky enough that I simply cannot listen to sub par mastering. Conversely my appreciation of good mastering with "the breath of life" has me enjoying and seeking out music that is more MOR, mainstream, and resolutely unhip. In fact, since I've become a regular on Hoffman's forum I've been pursuing the most uncool $1 bin artists imaginable.

My $1 bin strategy results in an odd hauls of on one hand Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Judy Collins, Simon & Garfunkel, RCA and Mercury classical, Pablo jazz, and on the other hand Congolese guitar, Algerian Rai, indie rock, experimental, etc. I'm glad that the forum has opened my ears to the obvious. I'm even enjoying Elton John. The way in has been that these mainstream recordings are, in certain pressings, audiophile experiences. I enjoy them first sonically, and often the music that I might have considered schmaltzy, grows on me. The whole idea of cool/uncool music is out the window, and I'm a musical omnivore, enjoying stuff purely on merit. In fact, the prior uncool factor has its own appeal, when my hipster brother raises an eyebrow at my listening to Jethro Tull. Certainly not Pitchfork Media-approved.