Lori Lieberman – Bend Like Steel( 200g LP)

Analogue Productions – AAPP 10 – 200g vinyl – Pressed at QRP

Best known for “Killing Me Softly,” written during her Troubadour days in Los Angeles when she saw Don McLean in concert, Lori Lieberman has now recorded 14 LPs and CDs for Capitol Records, Pope Music and Drive On Records. She has gleaned the respect of an industry and a devoted base of fans worldwide.

Bend Like Steel is Lieberman’s most personal record to date, and she stated, “The more I said, the more I felt I had to say.” The songs were arranged by Lieberman and feature her on guitar and piano with guest artists that include guitarist Lyle Workman (Sting, Beck) and mastered by Gavin Lurssen (Alison Kraus/Robert Plant).

“Bend Like Steel is some of the best work you’ve done. It’s tied in my estimation with Home Of Whispers, and you known in what high esteem I hold that CD. Beautiful, beautiful work. And your voice has never sounded better.” – Rich Warren, WFMT Midnight Special, Chicago

Lieberman’s early music history formed in California in the seventies on the Sunset Strip and the West Coast club scene circuit that included singer-songwriters such as Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne and the Eagles. As one of Capitol Records’ premier artists, she worked with some of the leading studio musicians – a young Larry Carlton, members of the L.A. Express, Sneaky Pete and pianist Joe Sample. She toured the U.S. and Europe with Randy Newman, Billy Joel, Leonard Cohen, John Sebastian and Rick Nelson, to name a few.

Lieberman was nominated for the Golden Note Award for excellence with A Thousand Dreams on Pope Music, and two CDs followed – Home Of Whispers and Gone Is The Girl, which featured her stunning songs, warm vocals and rich orchestrations.
“I have conducted many A+B comparisons over the years as one of the founders of the late Cello Music and Film with Mark Levinson, and now as a professional recording engineer I spend a great deal of time comparing tracks, mixes and fine tuning mastered material. Recently we decided to release two collections of Lori Lieberman’s on vinyl and ordered Test Pressings from another source. When you told me about QRP I was very interested and excited to have our material pressed at your remarkable facility. But I had no idea what a dramatic difference could be made by just the pressing technique. Both sets of lacquers were prepared by Kevin Gray so all conditions were equal. The depth of the stage, clarity and detail of our mixes, and in particular the air surrounding Lori’s voice, representative of what I hear in our studio was remarkable. This was not subtle. The material lives as pressed by QRP. You would have thought I changed phono cartridges, turntables or phono preamp. Congratulations. Your pressing plant is the finest anywhere and we will continue to only press Lori’s albums exclusively with QRP. I can’t wait till we have the opportunity to do a Direct To Disc and press those at QRP.” – Joseph Cali, Recording Engineer of Lori Lieberman’s Bend Like Steel and Gun Metal Sky