Hi-Res Downloads

96kHz/24-bit  FLAC, Warner Music/Nonesuch (supplied by www.highresaudio.com)

There’s nothing like being ambitious: according to Punch Brothers lead singer and mandolin player Chris Thile, this album grew out of the question ‘how do we cultivate beautiful, three-dimensional experiences with our fellow man in this day and age?’. So we have songs about recognising a song – the epic ‘Familiarity’, all ten minutes plus of it – and about shining your light by holding a smartphone in the air at a gig, complete with a backing chorus comprising vocals submitted by fans, these two topping and tailing the set. All sound a bit icky and navel-gazing? Far from it: with the assured production of T Bone Burnett, some serious dynamics and close focus on the performers, this set is at turns attention-grabbing, unpredictable, quirky and sincere. It swings from folk to classical to even a little rocky, but all in a good way, and is hard not to like. AE

Sound Quality: 90%

Hi-Fi News Lab Report

There’s clearly some heavyweight production talent thrown at this album but levels of noise suggest either analogue recording or mastering at some point in the ‘96kHz chain’. Very little instrumental content beyond 30kHz. PM