Mike Mettler

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The S&V Interview
Goo Goo Dolls Prescribe an Aural Miracle Pill
Mike Mettler  |  Sep 19, 2019
Goo Goo Dolls guitarist/vocalist John Rzeznik and bassist/vocalist Robby Takac got on the line with us to discuss the finely prescribed music on their new album Miracle Pill, plus the best way to find analog sounds in a digital world, how to make albums that are immersive experiences, and what the secret to their longevity is.
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The S&V Interview
Graham Nash, Harmonic Sound Catcher
Mike Mettler  |  Jan 15, 2014
“Music is astounding, isn’t it?” Graham Nash is genuinely enamored with the wonders of sound. There’s always a special twinkle in his eye whenever we get together to talk about the indelible music he’s made since the early 1960s, the new music he’s planning to make next, and how he plans to have it all, both new and old, sound even better. Nash, 71, and I met at the Broadway HQ of Random House publishing arm Crown Archetype in New York City to dive deep into his quite revelatory autobiography, Wild Tales. In addition to discussing all of the shadows, shades, and sweet sonic details to be found within Tales, we also delved into why he’s been working “under the headphones” on a Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young project that may very well become the first official hi-res Pono release. Carry on...
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The S&V Interview
Graham Parker Squeezes Out Hi-Res Audio Sparks
Mike Mettler  |  Jun 12, 2015
Graham Parker has a surefire way of ensuring his longtime backing band The Rumour understands exactly how to execute the arrangements of his new songs: “You have to kick them a lot, very hard!” he says with a devilish laugh. He is, of course, joking (I think). Parker and The Rumour are quite in sync on Mystery Glue (Cadet Concept/UMe), as evidenced by the hard-edged wink/nudge narrative of “Pub Crawl,” the rollicking swing state of “Railroad Spikes,” and the silver-screen teardown on “My Life in Movieland,” which features Parker going to Tinseltown with (yes) a killer kazoo solo. Parker, 64, called from across the Pond to discuss his overall sonic goals for Mystery Glue, how and why his voice has improved over the years, and what he thinks of his earliest work. His passion for quality ain’t manufactured or just another sound.
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The S&V Interview
Greg Lake & ELP: Welcome Back to the Hi-Fi Show That Never Ends
Mike Mettler  |  Sep 07, 2016
Emerson, Lake & Palmer were always at the forefront of progressive music, and being original has been a hallmark of ELP ever since their adventurous self-titled 1970 debut. Now, the band’s sonic legacy has been distilled into a nice three-disc collection, The Anthology (Manticore/BMG), which also serves as a 39-track sampler of a full-bore catalog reissue series, which recently commenced with three two-discs sets, each complete with outtakes and bonus cuts, for 1970’s Emerson, Lake & Palmer, 1971’s Tarkus, and 1971’s Pictures From an Exhibition. I Skyped with ELP vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Greg Lake, 68, across The Pond to discuss how effectively ELP utilized the stereo soundfield, why he prefers the analog format, and what the ultimate key is to making good records. Ooh, what a Lucky Man he still is.
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Spatial Audio File
Ground Control to Spatial Audio
Mike Mettler  |  Jun 17, 2022

As the lead track for this week’s Spatial Audio File is very much a cosmic experience by its very nature, it served as a nice parallel for how truly great Atmos mixes can put you in a different listening space altogether—one that’s fully enveloping and takes you on a journey outside of your normal, day-to-day environmental confines. Frankly, any time music can take you somewhere you usually aren’t is something that’s a-ok in my book.

As per my usual SAF M.O., each of these five tracks has been quite thoroughly test-driven aurally via personal deep-dive listening sessions on both my home system and headphones alike. It’s hardly difficult to tell by now that I quite enjoy engaging with the very best offerings of Made for Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos tracks found within the ever-enlarging Apple Music library in any listening experience locale I can.

That said, this week’s five-spot of cosmically cool and universally immersive tracks are. . .

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Blu-ray Movie ReviewsMusic Reviews
Hail! Hail! Rock 'N' Roll
Mike Mettler  |  May 15, 2020
Picture
Sound
Extras
It would be easy to characterize Chuck Berry, who passed away at age 90 in 2017, as one cantankerously acrimonious fellow, but after revisiting Taylor Hackford's astute 1987 documentary Hail! Hail! Rock 'N' Roll, now available on Blu-ray for the first time via Shout Select, I'm reminded of how captivating, creative, and downright business-savvy the pioneering, guitar-playing singer/ songwriter actually was.
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Stream On
Hands On with Qobuz Hi-Res Music Streaming
Mike Mettler  |  Nov 23, 2018
Qobuz makes a play to own the U.S. hi-res music streaming market — but does it have the goods to pull it off?
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Stream On
Hands On: Does Amazon Music HD Make the Grade?
Mike Mettler  |  Dec 23, 2019
Amazon Music HD came out of the gate with hi-res guns a-blazing. Can the online retail giant deliver on the level of quality their customers have come to expect from its other services?
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Stream On
Hands On: Roon Music Playback, Management System
Mike Mettler  |  Mar 22, 2019
Once you let Roon manage your digital audio playback, your multizone listening aspirations will be fulfilled.
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Other Tech
HDTV: Full Throttle
Mike Mettler  |  Oct 18, 2004

ANNOUNCER Tonight on American Chopper , a journalist explains HDTV to the Teutels in plain language.

CUT TO author MIKE METTLER in the Orange County Choppers office, flanked by PAUL TEUTEL SR. and PAUL TEUTEL JR.

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