LP 286: London Philharmonic Orchestra – Opus One (Philips, 1980)

Side 1
01 Jumpin’ Jack Flash
02 We Can Work It Out
03 I Can See For Miles
04 Blowin’ In The Wind
05 All You Need Is Love

Side 2
06 Good Vibrations
07 The House Of The Rising Sun
08 If I Were A Carpenter 

This record is a true test of the domestic audio system; wide dynamics and frequency range; subtle treble presence and resolution of transient sounds in the music; superb stereo placement and a sense of ‘space’. Such fidelity will ensure Opus One a place in many collections as an example of what audio science can achieve in record quality. Is your Hi-Fi good enough?

Uh-oh, such grand pronouncements do look a little silly 31 years on.

The London Philharmonic mix up eight well known rock and pop tunes in a somewhat ambitious blend of technically-impressive but rather pedestrian orchestration combined with some very earnest and occasionally inventive arrangements. The opening pair of tracks are somewhat dull – a turgid bash at Jumpin’ Jack Flush and a ghastly panpipe slo-mo We Can Work It Out. They come to their rock senses with a decent I Can See For Miles before the St Paul’s Cathedral Choir get their hands on Blowin’ In The Wind – a reasonably sedate version that’s not bad after a few plays.

Over on side two we start with a swirly orchestral take on Good Vibrations complete with violas and bells. The House Of The Rising Sun mixes jazz melancholia with overblown throw-the-kitchen-sink-at-it style theatrics while a mammoth and meandering If I Were A Carpenter finishes us off.

Comments and feedback are welcome.

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