Stereophile

Shifting Gears, My Final Word on Record Cleaning The September-issue As We See It—about bicycles, value, and the connection to hi-fi—provoked more (and more enthusiastic) feedback than any I've written. Apparently people love their bikes, maybe even more than they love their hi-fi equipment. So this month I'm going to write about ... record cleaning. Earlier this year, I wrote two articles on record cleaning, in particular the ultrasonic kind (footnote 1).

Oscar Peterson: a Centennial, a "World Tour," and a Love Letter Oscar Peterson was born in 1925. In late 2026, a set titled World Tour was released on the Mack Avenue/Two Lions label. It is advertised as "part of the continued celebration of Peterson's centennial." Consider this article a modest attempt to join the celebration. Mack Avenue/Two Lions is a small, specialized imprint that puts out previously unreleased recordings from the Oscar Peterson estate.

Margaret Glaspy: I Am Both ATO Records (auditioned as 24/192 FLAC). 2026. Joe Henry, prod.; Patrick Dillett, Thom Beemer, engs.; Chris Gehringer, mastering. Performance ****½ Sonics ****½ Margaret Glaspy is a Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter with a spare style and skill on acoustic guitar. I'd never heard of her before discovering this remarkable album on Qobuz.

Re-Tales #70: Is This Heaven? No, It's a Record Store in a Shopping Mall. The Sharp Notes is owned by Evan Toth. It carries new and pre-owned vinyl as well as CDs, a curated selection of books, a few T-shirts, and a small selection of audio equipment: a couple of turntables from Audio-Technica, including the Bluetooth-equipped AT-LP70XBT (the store favorite), SpinClean record-cleaning machines, and some accessories. Toth told me he's about to become an official Technics dealer.

Jim Pugh, Trombone: New American Symphonies Works by Roy Harris, Scott Ninmer Anderson Audio A-512 (DXD). 2026. Jim Anderson, Jim Pugh, Ulrike Schwarz, prods.; Jim Anderson, eng. Performance **** Sonics ***** In 1938, American composer Roy Harris wrote a composition he called American Symphony, for trombonist Tommy Dorsey and his band. Jim Pugh, also a trombonist, made it his business to locate the work.

Ambrose Akinmusire/Mary Halvorson: Slo-Mo Neon Luminate Hoverings Akinmusire, trumpet, electronics; Halvorson, guitar, electronics Nonesuch 075597892819 (CD). 2026. Akinmusire, Halvorson, prods.; Chris Allen, eng. Performance ****½ Sonics ***** To say that these two musicians are at the top of the current jazz world is an understatement. In the important jazz critics' polls, Ambrose Akinmusire is consistently No.1 trumpet and Mary Halvorson is No.1 guitar.

Kacey Musgraves: Middle of Nowhere Lost Highway (CD). 2026. Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Tashian, Ian Fitchuk, prods.; Konrad Snyder, Serban Ghenea, Mike Poole, mix. Performance **** Sonics ***** Like fellow East Texas native Lee Ann Womack before her, Kacey Musgraves has increasingly embraced restraint. On Middle of Nowhere, she eases away from the powerful vocals that defined much of her early work, choosing instead to sing in a lower, warmer register. It's a smart decision.

Billy Corgan is a busy man. The Smashing Pumpkins frontman has a schedule that would exhaust artists half his age. (He's 59.) Right now the guitarist/vocalist is guiding Smashing Pumpkins on "The Rats in a Cage Tour," in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the alt-rock giants' biggest release, 1995's 5× Platinum, double-album epic Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (footnote 1). He also hosts a popular podcast called The Magnificent Others, now in its second season. He wrote a book.

The Lemon Twigs Have Not Forsaken Melody for Rhythm But here and there in the world of new music, musicians are unconvinced that rhythm has totally vanquished melody. These same true believers are also certain that the greatest melodies are still out there waiting to be written. Enter the Lemon Twigs.

> Further inquiry Would it have been possible to incorporate the functions of the NET and FLOW into the Nazaré rather than putting them in separate boxes? "It wouldn't work as well," Vitorino said. "Unless you want to have three power cables in the same box, you will always have some ground contamination.