Sound quality in modern music

[wes]

I bought, Wilco's new album the other day, great album, but the sound quality just has an edginess to it....Phony sizzling vocals, cymbols, etc.........

I've noticed that in modern music, they just don't know how to record vocals and cymbols anymore......... I played a few of "Live's" albums, Matchbox 20, Flaming Lips, Marvelous 3, Superdrag......and they all bite the big one...So I listen to these on secondary systems.....

Can anyone name a great sounding modern rock album?................


-Wes

[Kayaker]

I also listened to the new Wilco last night. I then randomly put on a Wes Montgomery DCC Jazz CD and harked back to a simpler time. Real instruments - what a concept. I started to thinking along the same lines as you. I don't really listen to Modern Rock. Listining to Robert Earl Keen right now - more real instruments - I am happy.

[Grant]

I'll bet they are recorded better. The bad sound, again, comes from the mastering.

But, it's true. The thing used to be that you fix the sound with mic placement and using the right room, mic...but now the answer is all "fix it in the mix", or run it through Pro Tools or Sonic Solutions. In other words, the fine art of recording is being lost to fixing everything in a DAW. Sampling has replaced capturing the feel of playing instruments in real time. Human imperfection has been done away with for favor of cold accuracy.

[Martin M]

There tons out there, try. A fairly wild grab of musical styles may dredge up...

Lambchop - Is a Woman

Yello - Baby (well I can't think of a bad sounding Yello album)

African Headcharge - In Search of Sashamaine Land

Dub Syndicate - Stoned Immaculate

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - Night Song (a bit of electronic haze on this one but not bad overall - great music)

Plaid - Double Image


These are only a few of what I could think of here and now.

[Bob Lovely]

Originally posted by wes
I bought, Wilco's new album the other day, great album, but the sound quality just has an edginess to it....Phony sizzling vocals, cymbols, etc.........

I've noticed that in modern music, they just don't know how to record vocals and cymbols anymore......... I played a few of "Live's" albums, Matchbox 20, Flaming Lips, Marvelous 3, Superdrag......and they all bite the big one...So I listen to these on secondary systems.....

Can anyone name a great sounding modern rock album?................


-Wes

Wes,

With some exceptions duly noted such as Collective Soul, most modern/alternative recordings are heavily compressed. A few even sound like 100% modulated noise when played on FM Radio. This is unfortunate because all the "processing" makes far too many of these recordings sound "unmusical" to my ears but I am a dynamic range fanatic!

Bob

[joelee]

Sound on the new Paul Westerberg "Stereo/Mono" sounds great(not compressed etc.)
I think he made it a point to have a non-professional sounding release. A few songs start up late and a couple stop abruptly (liner notes explain the tape ran out). Very good songs though. A twofer for the price of one!

[wes]

I'll make a note of some of these titles that were mentioned...............
Thanks people....

-Wes

[Drew]

Tough to believe that this album is 10 years old, but I really enjoy listening to the Cranberries "No Need to Argue" through my single ended triodes... Lots of very tasteful guitar work and I think Delores O' Riordan's vocals are quite good. Sounds very dynamic to these ears. Unfortunately I think their last album or two have been quite repetitive. Trying to decide whether I'm going to buy their boxed set that comes out next month. Just thought you might want to check them out.

[Pinknik]

System of a Down - Toxicity

[wes]

I guess I forgot about the Foo Fighters Nothing Left To Lose........Bob Ludwig did a pretty good job........Excellent album.....

-Wes

[Djose]

I'm a fairly new member so maybe I'm wrong. I see little discussion of new releases.
I enjoy the increased musical pleasure that my high-end system provides,
whether playing audiophile or more mainstream produced releases. The high-end
is a boon for me this way.

Djose

[Grant]

Originally posted by Djose
I'm a fairly new member so maybe I'm wrong. I see little discussion of new releases.
I enjoy the increased musical pleasure that my high-end system provides,
whether playing audiophile or more mainstream produced releases. The high-end
is a boon for me this way.

Djose

Look around for past threads. There are lots of discussion about new or current releases, it's just not usually positive. That is because most new releases of any type are compressed or limited to death to make the CD LOUDER!

Steve does classic material of mostly rock or jazz titles. That's what brought most of us here.

You might try www.icemagazine.com
The guys and gals are also into classic rock but many are also into new stuff. It just doesn't get as technical or audiophile as this place.

[Matt]

Absolutely. Whenever I llisten to a mix of CD's that includes some older music with, say, Wilco or Radiohead, the first thing I do when I switch over to the newer discs is turn down the volume, way down. There's always that huge jump in volume. It seems more of a problem with late 90's CD's. I have CD's first released in the early 90's that sound just fine.

[Grant]

Originally posted by Matt
Absolutely. Whenever I llisten to a mix of CD's that includes some older music with, say, Wilco or Radiohead, the first thing I do when I switch over to the newer discs is turn down the volume, way down. There's always that huge jump in volume. It seems more of a problem with late 90's CD's. I have CD's first released in the early 90's that sound just fine. Well, you know the answer. It has been discussed to death in this forum!

[John Buchanan]

I bought "she who must be obeyed" Kasey Chambers' new album "Barricades and Brickwalls" and thought the CD was broken, the vocals were recorded so badly. Great album apart from that, except over in Australia, they are playing "Not Pretty Enough" to death.

[Djose]

I stand instructed......

Djose

[Metralla]

Originally posted by John Buchanan
... "Barricades and Brickwalls" and thought the CD was broken, the vocals were recorded so badly.

I bought this one and have listened a couple of times. Hasn't grown on me yet, unlike the first one. And I think the minimalist recording approach on "The Captain" helped to make it a good sounding disc.

Nick Cave's albums sound pretty damn good. And the latest Church album is a beautiful recording.

Regards,
Metralla

[nashreed]

I find that there are some new CD's that are obviously supposed to sound the way that they do, but most are just cluelessly recorded and mixed like crap.
For example, the new Wilco, and specifically the Flaming Lips "Soft Bulliten" are supposed to sound they way they do- with the distortion, flanging, etc. The Flaming Lips is even HDCD. If I can obviously tell that sonic flaws are what the artist intended (and you usually can) then I consider them to be good sounding discs. It's when a CD sounds so crummy that there is no way this is the way the artist would have wanted it to sound is when I get mad. Easy example would be Red Hot Chilli Peppers "Californication". The flat, compressed, distorted sound could not possibly been what they wanted...right? It takes all the power out of the songs.

Bad modern production has affected the most experienced artists. I was listening to the radio and heard the new Rush song, "One Little Victory(?)" (not positive of the title). Anyway, terrible production- flat, compressed, like some rank Creed song, or something and then next comes on "The Spirit Of Radio". No comparison- the old song sounds full, dynamic and rocks. The new song sounds retarded next to it. This is progress??

nashreed

[Grant]

Rap records actually benefit from compression, as rap is supposed to be in your face and make you feel uneasy.

[Djose]

I can think of many more things I'd rather have in my face, thank you.

LOL I wonder if that strategy works standing farther away......

Djose

[Grant]

Well, when a Nissan with a teenager wearing a white bandanna pulls up next to some middle-aged couple in their Crown Victoria at a stoplight with rap music booming from it, it's supposed to intimidate.

[wes]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by nashreed
[B]I find that there are some new CD's that are obviously supposed to sound the way that they do, but most are just cluelessly recorded and mixed like crap.
For example, the new Wilco, and specifically the Flaming Lips "Soft Bulliten" are supposed to sound they way they do- with the distortion, flanging, etc.


Yeah, I understand that they use distortions for musical purposes......I'm not talking about all the buzzing amps and white noise on the new wilco. I'm just saying that Jeff Tweedy's vocals have a bad sizzle on em, that I don't think was intentional......but hey, maybe it was intentional to get that unnatural tin foily vocal sound.....maybe most mixers, mastering engineers really love that sound...........It's all about taste baby.........:)

-Wes

[Djose]

Grant;

Wow, I never thought of it that way. Somewhat off the topic (SOTT)-
I wonder if the artists view this as empowerment in these specific cases.
Or politics. .. whatever

Djose

[Grant]

Originally posted by Djose
Grant;

Wow, I never thought of it that way. Somewhat off the topic (SOTT)-
I wonder if the artists view this as empowerment in these specific cases.
Or politics. .. whatever

Djose
Naaaa, just unit sales...

I read an interview with a record producer somewhere and according to him, what I stated is exactly what they go for when mixing/mastering a rap album.

[Djose]

So what you are saying is the whole rap scene is corrupt. No one with artistic control?
Or integrity.

Djose