Hallelujah Live. A live concert album featuring Espen Lind, Alejandro Fernandez, Kurt Nilsen, and Askil Holm. I recently only discovered these guys, but Im just blown away by their voices (especially Fernandez and Nilsen).

Just got my stereo SHM-SACD sampler from Amazon since it was $20. Can't say I notice any difference from regular SACDs, although the material on the disc is nice considering some tracks were recorded 30+ years ago.

SHM just means the physical material is higher quality (more scratch resistant, longer lasting). If it is the same recording as the regular one, it will sound exactly the same.

Some SHM pressings are done with different (re-)masterings, in which case they may sound different.

CDJapan has plenty of SHM CDs and SACDs (and "Blu Spec" - also just different physical material?) for inflated prices. It is very hard to tell from the site whether they recordings themselves are remastered. I ordered a Hawkwind 3-CD set from them and it turned out to be an excellent sounding re-master, but I also got a Dire Straits SHM-CD and it sounds the same as my el-cheapo copy.

Staying on subject: I am listening to Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's new album, History of Modern. Great stuff if you were/are and OMD fan. It finishes with two awesome tracks.

Slayer, World Painted Blood

Crossroads Guitar Festival 2010 blu-ray...

Is that Crossroads Guitar Festival concert any good? How's the audio quality?
I've seen it several times in store but have never picked it up. Is it recommended for my Xmas wish list?

If Tim Hardin were an acoustic folk singing group right now (and not dead, would help), he'd be Iron and Wine.

They're on subpop. New EP dropped this week. Great "folk" band. Always well recorded.

And, after 20 years, The Posies finally got it right---ALL of it. The new "Blood/Candy" displays the same great music, lyrics and vocals. Now, however, they finally got rid of that "grungy thing" that always made their instrumental accompaniment tracks sound like glass-encrusted mudcakes hitting a wall.

They shouldn't have come from Seattle. It was the wrong place in the 90's for a pop band, no matter how good they were!

The Nightwatchman The Road I Must Travel.

The Temper Trap: Conditions
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d.html/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/182-6649062-5448437?a=B002MXA7TC