KATE CEBERANO - Brave
Regular - Festival Records
Cat# TVC 93303
1989
Australian release
SPECIAL NOTES:
When played with "decent" equipment such as a Naka or other high quality, well maintained machines, the sonic results from the humble cassette tape can be outstanding!
However, cassette tape is a delicate beast! Make absolutely sure your own machine is in top condition to enjoy the tapes you wish to play! If you have "warbling, failure to FF or RW or the worst yet - the tape snaps due to excessive tension, GET YOUR MACHINE SERVICED! If you run a sub-standard machine you will get sub-standard music or worst still, destroy every tape you insert into the door!
Time is the enemy of tape machines (R2R and Cassette) as they extensively use rubber components which stretch or even "melt" inside which creates a big headache inside the machine.
HERE is a link for more information about the love and caring of your tape machine
MY CURRENT TEST CASSETTE MACHINE: Nakamichi DRAGON (the DR 8 has gone to a new home now)
Prior to testing, each tape has been repacked (FF - RW - FF - RW cycling) to ensure even tape loading in the cassette. This is a vital process for cassette tapes that have been unplayed for considerable periods of time.
Clamshell is in good condition, no writing, stickers or cracks but some light scuff marks from normal handling over the years.
The tape media is in very good visual condition, but the only real way to judge the condition of magnetic tape media is to actually play it, the ENTIRE length of the tape in both directions, so I had a big Kate Ceberano session and played the tape ENTIRELY, both sides and all tracks. There were no tell-tale squeeks (indicating that lubrication is failing) and nice smooth movement through the tape transport.
Audio is full range with very good high end and nice punchy lows. No drop outs. No tape sticking or other transport issues which could indicate dried out lubricant. Head pads are in good condition.
Very nice playback of this classic music from Kate!
TRACKS: Since You've Been Gone, Love Dimension, Quasimodo's Dream, Young Boys Are My Weakness, Brave, Bedroom Eyes, That's What I Call Love, Higher Ground, Obsession, Changing With The Years
