Favourite recordings

koneguitarist · May 7

Been really thinking of recordings and how they have changed through the decades etc since the late 40s.

For me hearing Mystery Train by Elvis the first time was a revelation to me. Now I have been in Sun Studio in Memphis, it’s got peg board on the walls, Vinyl Tile flooring and also some hard reflective walls. Yet that sound recorded with one microphone to tape, is stunning.

It’s full and warm yet has bite when guitar solo cuts in. Elvis’s acoustic probably a D28 is being strummed hard and to get some extra volume for accents he leans in further towards mic to raise the level. I just think the quality is streets ahead of what we heard in UK for years.

Now I’m intrigued by this recording as Steve Earle and the Del McCourry band did similar in late 90s, recording the whole band together with one mic. Acoustic guitars, Mandolin, Double Bass, Banjo, Fiddle and vocals. Apparently no digital effects were used only room acoustics and a lot of compression and if you listen on a good system, it really does feel like the band are with you.

Is there a favourite studio recording, you all prefer?

https://youtu.be/XA5HErVE9oI?si=HCIhPvgXrZg7AL4Z

https://youtu.be/65Fj-LeEaQk?si=AwvuBPKzgyU-ALML

blobb · May 7

Hatfield first album, recorded by Tom Newman at the Manor in 1973 just as I was taking my first breaths in the world. Reminds me of what 1973 must have sounded like. In particular, the Northettes 3 part harmony on 'Lobster in Cleavage probe'. Bliss.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXcx8qGbDzo&list=OLAK5uy_k3DLr_YoS0ajnLFLlOvU1thTyyfg6UfW0&index=13

Macca_25387 · May 7

I have a few that adore. Today’s choice would be Beck - Morning. It’s glorious on a good set of monitors.

https://youtu.be/z_j25z5zwT4?si=nWyHv2bo7rXyHZoR

Danny1969 · May 7

There was a difference between UK and USA recordings in the early days of fifties to mid sixties. Studios like EMI didn't close mic anything, believing it (rightly so to a certain extent) to be bad form for the microphone. Everything was mic'ed further back than the stuff coming out from US Motown and similar recordings. The Beatles were instrumental in changing that once they had the clout to do as they pleased.

Grooving with Mr Bloe, a B side studio hack which got to no 2 over here via Dick James music has a certain charm and sound which is just perfect for the last gasps of the sixties. It has something about it, it's low fidelity in terms of bandwidth but high on energy and realism.

I think the peak of studio recordings was reached in the very late seventies and eighties. Toto, Pink Floyd, Crowded House, anything mixed by Clearmountain ... these records had a depth to the sound stage as well as a left and right width.

The only thing that really stands out now to me is some stuff done in Studios like Blackbird ...there's some KOL, Alison Krauss and other recordings that really have that older softer analog sound with the 3D depth.

Winny_Pooh · May 7

Here's a few:

Peter Gabriel - Growing up
Suzanne Vega - 9 objects of desire
Bonnie Raitt - Fundamental
Thomas Dybdahl - all these things

Either recorded and or mixed by Tchad Blake

Macca_25387 · May 7

I have a few Tchad Blake mixes in my reference playlist. The Black Keys record brothers is fantastic.

octatonic · May 7

This is my reference playlist:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1XJxiiHzj6DBgir8SzxWGK?si=204c20ff87f34c9e

grappagreen · May 9

Impossible to pick one... but if I had to it would be I.G.Y. by Donald Fagen.. or Nightfly maybe..

Si

duotone · May 10

Paul Simon - 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover —> I really love the drum sound on this, played by Steve Gadd & it’s fantastic.
https://youtu.be/ABXtWqmArUU?feature=shared

koneguitarist · May 13

I love the drums on this as well. Seems to be lost art nowadays, or at least you don’t hear it so much. Snare work like on original version of Sultans of Swing, Pick Withers or the original version of Country Boy by Heads hands and Feet. So subtle and tight.

Basher · May 13

I've been listening to quite a lot of jazz recently and Rudy Van Gelder did a lot of the Blue Note records that sound wonderful to me.

Obvious, I suppose, but the Steely Dan albums were beautifully recorded.

One of the first CDs I bought back in the 80s was David Syvian's "Gone To Earth" and that remains a favourite although most of his and the Japan stuff still sounds fresh and interesting sound-wise (IMO).

Lastly, I absolutely love the Dukes of Stratosphere recordings that XTC did in the mid-80s when they had some unexpected spare studio time. They wanted to record a "lost" psychedelic album and limited themselves (quick compressor joke there) to the instruments and techniques available in the 60s. Great fun and full of references/parodies of Beatles/Floyd/Kinks/Faces etc.

Kurtis · May 13

I really like John frusciante's 'The Empyrean'.

It's very processed and clean, and electric, unusual for JF's solo work, but there's some really creative studio techniques and great effects in it. Kind of his creative peak imo. Or one of them!
Sounds totally other worldly, loud, on a decent system.

Or Bowie's 'Hunky Dory'.

I can get lost in that. Very old school analog warmth.

EDIT And Nirvana Unplugged.

Just for capturing all that emotion so beautifully.

thecolourbox · May 22

I think I use Jeff Buckley's Grace (the album as a whole, although ironically the song Grace itself probably least of all despite being my favourite of the actual songs, some weird vocal effects that really annoy me on that one in a couple of places) as a reference for a lot of things.

Have to agree with the mentions of Nirvana Unplugged and 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover as well. There must be loads of similar examples where they are just beautifully recorded and produced in the right spirit of that moment and that song/set of songs.

I'm not sure I have the best tastes/ears for this, so probably going to quote something that proper tasteful ears or knowledgeable recordists people would scoff at - but I'll nominate Back to Black (again the album, not just the song) as one of my favourites also.

Not necessarily beautifully recorded or even technically that good, but I do always love the sounds produced on White Stripes Elephant as well, Black Math and I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself in particular. Interestingly I Just Don't Know was actually recorded live at BBC's Maida Vale ages before the rest of the album, but they clearly kept the same sounds. Simplicity and absolutely electric with energy. Probably a good example of recording something perfectly within the right spirit of the content, rather than actually objectively recording something brilliantly

digitalkettle · May 22

thecolourbox said:

...
I'm not sure I have the best tastes/ears for this, so probably going to quote something that proper tasteful ears or knowledgeable recordists people would scoff at - but I'll nominate Back in Black (again the album, not just the song) as one of my favourites also.
...

Legendary!

equalsql · May 22

I always thought "Night Train" by Rickie Lee Jones on her 1979 debut was exquisitely produced.
The wide stereo field, the thump of the acoustic guitar and the creamy Fender rhodes is just gorgeous.
And then there's her voice...

Winny_Pooh · May 22

digitalkettle said:

thecolourbox said:

...
I'm not sure I have the best tastes/ears for this, so probably going to quote something that proper tasteful ears or knowledgeable recordists people would scoff at - but I'll nominate Back in Black (again the album, not just the song) as one of my favourites also.
...

Legendary!

Epic sounding album, lots of recorders use it as a reference, the drums are great!

thecolourbox · May 22

I've honestly never listened to Back in Black the album, I've only casually heard the song and not really my thing, and having heard all of their songs should basically much the same I never much cared to seek it out

Back to Black however is much more up my street

koneguitarist · May 22

It’s clear to see some of our favourite recordings are ones that affect us personally, grown up with for instance. I worked in a radio station for quite a few years and part of the joy was not just my weekly show of Country which was mainly knew but all the odd shows I did standing in and playing music for the sheer joy of it. Had a great sound in studio, just a desk some large Tannoys and a power amp. And no interference.

Various songs always make me think what it must have been like in some of those studios, like when Buddy Holly recorded True Love Ways, Steely Dan Reelin’ in the years, Elvis recording Suspicious minds in American Studios with Chips Moman. All arguably low tech but high musical ability. Magical moments that transcend technical complexity.

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