Hi-Res Downloads

96kHz/24-bit FLAC, Concord Records 37118 (supplied by www.highresaudio.com)

If perchance you woke up this morning and thought to yourself ‘Y’know what? The one thing really missing from my music collection is a jazz bass solo cover of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit”’, then here’s just the album for you. If not, then you’ll be pleased to know that track is one of very few misfires on this set by bassman Ben Williams – well, along with the over-rapped and insubstantial ‘Toy Soldiers’ immediately after it. Otherwise this is a tightly-recorded, fine-sounding package.It’s a bass-player’s album, which means the instrument is prominent in the clean, crisp mix, but fortunately Williams is a very fine, very expressive player, as is the band with which he’s surrounded himself here, whether on the harder-hitting cuts or the more lyrical tracks. The closing title track, all nigh-on eight minutes of it, builds in very impressive fashion. AE

Sound Quality: 82%

Hi-Fi News Lab Report

A very low-noise digital recording at 96kHz, this download makes good use of its 24-bit encoding to reveal the dynamic swings of percussion, in particular. Pity about the spurious tone at 32.5kHz, but this will be inaudible. PM