19 of 21 recommend this SA-CD
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Label:
   Stockfisch Records - http://www.stockfisch-records.de/
Serial:
   SFR 357.4039.2
Title:
   Sara K.: Hell or High Water
Description:
   "Hell or High Water"

Sara K. (vocals, 4-string guitar)
Chris Jones (guitar, dobro)
Bruce Dunlap (guitar)
Christian Willisohn (piano)
Brian O´Connor (flutes)
Hrolfur Vagnsson (accordion)
Michael Kleinhans (tuba)
Grischka Zepf (electric bass)
Michel Poffet (double bass)
Hans-Jörg Maucksch (fretless bass)
Beo Brockhausen (saxophones, harpsichord, low whistle, tin-whistle, ocarina, fujara, autoharp, kalimba, glass harp, kantele, percussion)
Details:
  
Genre:
   Vocal
Content:
   Stereo/Multichannel
Media:
   Hybrid
Recording type:
  
Recording info:
  
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Related titles: 2
 
Reviews: 7 show all
Review by markmazza March 12, 2008 (4 of 4 found this review helpful)
Performance:  Sonics (MC):
I categorically disagree with the previous reviewer. This is one of the very best recordings available! Stockfisch engineers produce exquist recording and I want to emphasize that through my system the sound is just stunning. I've listed to a lot of SACD's and many are boring with only transients coming from the rear channels. I might as well be listening to a mono amplifier.

In this CD the sound surrounds you in a sumptuous wide open soundstage....I absolutely love it and hope that Stockfisch continues to be revolutionary in this way. As a former studio musicians I can't say enough about the choice of accompaning instruments and their placement in the 5.1 surround sound field. It's beautifully arranged and provides clarity across the entire audio spectrum from 20Hz to 20KHz.

I deliberatly look for the Stockfisch label in the hope of finding more recordings like this one! If you have the requisite system to reproduce such an excellent recording you will not be disappointed. I listen to Sara K and Eugene Rufallo quite often because the recordings are so exquisite!

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Review by audiofreak August 28, 2006 (4 of 9 found this review helpful)
Performance:  Sonics (S/MC): /
My comments to this disc will concern how bad the multichannel mix is. On some tracks Sara's voice is completely diffuse and on almost all tracks some of the instruments are placed in the rear speakers. I don't like this way of "exploring" the posibilities of MCH, since it sounds childish in my ears. Rear speakers should contain only some reflexions from the recording studio - or if direct radiated sound is mixed into the rear it should be done like on "Ca Ira" by Roger Waters. Ca Ira is musical theater and I find it logical to find parts of the scenery to take place behind my listening position. On the Sara K disc the mix is overdone and it shows that some studio technicians still have not learned what MCH is about.
I did not expect this from Stockfish.

You can always play the the stereo mix (which as a contrast is very good), but what a shame that the multichannel track is wasted in such a way.

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Review by onenairb November 19, 2008 (3 of 3 found this review helpful)
Performance:  Sonics (S/MC): /
I completly disagree with Audiofreak. This is a well engineered SACD, frankly one of the best I have heard. The clarity of this disc is superb.
Musically its one of those albums that grows on you. Its very laid back and I think Sara K can sometimes sound a bit like Annie Lennox though the music does not.
If you want a SACD to show off your 5.1 system then this is certainly one of the best you'll find IMHO.
I'm looking forward to her next release on Stockfisch.

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