New Matt Molloy CD

[Fildafluter]

On release of her last album, I PM Louise Mulcahy( she is on my FL on FB) asking if she has the digital version, a couple of days later she sends me the link. Previously I paid over $20 for a hard copy of the first Mulcahy CD, and it took some time to arrive. I think the digital way is far better, costs a lot less and better audio as well.

So can I get a digital copy of Matt's album?

Is it available in digital form?

[Conical bore]

I haven't seen a digital version yet, but it may come along later.

The trend for niche-interest releases like this seems to be CD first, to maximize income during the initial buzz of the release. Digital sale is a pittance in comparison. Then release later on with iTunes, Amazon, and the other usual suspects. The last CD I bought was Sylvain Barou's "Last Days Off Fall" and it was done the same way. I had to buy the CD to hear the new music.

I'd recommend the CD for this release anyway, because it includes a booklet with background info on the tunes and why they were chosen, an introduction for the project, and full production credits. You don't get that nice background info when buying digital files. You also get uncompressed audio, and can decide how much you want to compress (if at all) when ripping the disk for your personal digital library. It's not that much trouble to rip the disk, although with new releases like this you might have to manually input the tune names and other info for the metadata. It took me about 10 minutes with Exact Audio Copy to enter data and transfer to 256kbps MP3 for our home music server.

Quick review based on a couple listens so far:

Love the flute playing, he's still got it. Not so thrilled with the accompaniment on some tracks (mainly the keyboard), but that's just me, and I can tune it out when listening to the flute. I like the way he included at least a couple of familiar tracks like Pigeon on the Gate and Porthole of the Kelp, so it isn't all obscure tunes and I can compare with the versions I'm playing. I'll never get anywhere close to what he's doing, but it's still good for inspiration!

[Casey Burns]

Nicholas86, the Bb used in the album was Matt's old Hawkes flute, not the one that I made for him. He confirmed this to me last night.

I asked him if the one I made him was playing currently or in need of service. It gets very hard use at Chieftain concerts.

Casey

[Unseen122]

better audio as well.

Unless you have access to 24 bit studio master quality lossless audio files this is totally false; if you have access to 16 bit lossless files then you get the same quality as a CD (bandcamp is the only digital music retailer that offers download of lossless formats like FLAC, WAV, etc.; if you have an account with them you also get unlimited downloads). Mp3s are highly compressed audio files, the best mp3 plays back at 320 kbps, so much information is lost; CDs on the other hand use 16 bit digital files which play back at 1411 kbps. In other words what you get from an mp3 is, at best, ~4.5 times lesser quality than what you get from a CD. Vinyl is even better than CD but unfortunately most new trad releases don't get pressed on vinyl as vinyl pressing it is too cost prohibitive for the small audience. Of course playback equipment makes a big difference too. Personally I only buy CDs if a) I can't stream it on Tidal (I have a HiFi subscription as this is the only streaming service to offer 16 bit CD quality streaming on the mobile app; some releases are even available as 24 bit studio master quality on the desktop app) b) it isn't on vinyl and/or c) it isn't on bandcamp. I just can't listen to mp3s anymore now that I remember how music is supposed to sound. However, I do appreciate that digital formats don't create more new plastics!

Back on topic; as the new Molloy album is not on vinyl, Tidal, or bandcamp I am awaiting a copy myself. Mine shipped Monday and I've found it usually takes things about a week to get from Ireland to Portland. Lots of the new trad that comes out lacks something to me; a lot of the older releases have a certain magic and I think it has more to do with the players than anything else so I am hoping this stands up to the rest of Matt's catalogue (on this topic but not flute related; Frankie Gavin and Alec Finn vol. 2 is every bit as good as the original; I already have this one as it is on bandcamp so I just downloaded the FLACs from there!).

[Fildafluter]

better audio as well.

Unless you have access to 24 bit studio master quality lossless audio files this is totally false; if you have access to 16 bit lossless files then you get the same quality as a CD (bandcamp is the only digital music retailer that offers download of lossless formats like FLAC, WAV, etc.; if you have an account with them you also get unlimited downloads)..

Thank you for the detailed technical explanation. But to my hearing there is nearly no difference between CD and mp3, I found the latter better on my PC speakers. Maybe my LG Blue Ray / CD player is not good quality?

Other thing, it is over 20 years since I was into recording but I must correct one thing. Raw audio is usually dumped onto Tape not Vinyl, today that would be a Hardrive of some kind. So loss of aural image body is there mostly. I still own a Nakamichi cassette type mastering deck, its 20-20 and then some, yet the only thing I notice on hearing stuff off of it is all background noise is filtered out. Too unless, the performance is on something exceptional, by a rare talent, I can not see why those sort of quality considerations are a benefit. For my money, most of the time, I go mp3, yet for something historical, eg Josie McDermott, I would chose some other media.

Effectively for me, then, no! it is not totally false that mp3 is worse than CD, quite the opposite.

[RudallRose]

I liked how he tries to replicate the original "black album" cover in the opposite direction
(we should note that the original black album cover was with a flute with silver band.....and the controversy of that caused it to be airbrushed over to look like the flute you see now)

[Julia Delaney]

That's his 6-keyed Olwell cocus flute.

[kenny]

Flute players !!! - if you want to hear track #1 from this CD - [ preceded by tracks from the new Michael McGoldrick CD, and a track by Laura MacKenzie’s "Brass Lassie" project ] follow this link :

http://www.shmu.org.uk/fm/shows/wednesday-session

Available to listen to until Thursday.

[bradhurley]

Flute players !!! - if you want to hear track #1 from this CD - [ preceded by tracks from the new Michael McGoldrick CD, and a track by Laura MacKenzie’s "Brass Lassie" project ] follow this link :

Thanks for that, Kenny! I agree...still the boss.

It's also interesting to hear the influence of Matt Molloy on Michael McGoldrick's playing, which opened the show -- for a minute I wasn't quite sure if I was hearing a track off Molloy's new CD or whether it was McGoldrick.

[Fildafluter]

I liked how he tries to replicate the original "black album" cover in the opposite direction
(we should note that the original black album cover was with a flute with silver band.....and the controversy of that caused it to be airbrushed over to look like the flute you see now)

Thank you for the lovely pictures!

I have a FB saved video of Matt at his pub, Wesport Co. Mayo, Ireland, playing the old Irish Air, 'Easter Snow', and it speaks a library of why this man is so exceptional, and special.

I used think of Josie McDermott whenever I heard Matt, especially on faster tunes, but he absolutely nails this old gem!

He owns it.

I never heard anybody else get it so perfect.

For those who do not know its story, the piece is a song, not about an event, but about a place near to Boyle Town Co. Roscommon Ireland. Well feted for some reason, Seamus Tansey made a CD with the name as its title. I have a copy of that, and treasure it. Like old Vinyl of Coleman I own, it will become a rarity.

Perhaps after all, I may go shop for this CD later on Amazon when the market better suits my purse.

[kenny]

From post above : "(we should note that the original black album cover was with a flute with silver band.....and the controversy of that caused it to be airbrushed over to look like the flute you see now)".
What was it that was "controversial" ?

[dunnp]

Fake news
Not sure there was any controversy over the image except on old chiff threads. I just looked at the old photo and the newer version and I think they are two different images taken at the same photo shoot with different flutes. Not airbrushed. Not sure why they went with the other image for later releases. All speculation on my part though.

[cheip]

Also the font of Matt Molloy text is different. Probably a second edition of the album.

[kkrell]

It's actually very common for record labels to have differences in artwork for later releases, to help distinguish them for various purposes. Many remasters, re-releases with bonus tracks, label changes/sales, etc. result in at least slight changes. Usually a different catalog #, for instance.

https://www.discogs.com/Love-Da-Capo/release/8786403

[rama]

Appears to be 2 different photos, and 2 different flutes