ray

Yeah. It's a fart that casts a shadow. It's like a Number Two.

Ah... well that's a good reason. It's out in the UK and here in Australia. But the record company has done a rather poor job of promoting it. I hope it does better in the States. I'm feeling rather lonely being the only person who seems to be as blown away by it as I am.

Please don't insult Ken or Leroy like that. Anyway, reactions like the original poster are good because they serve as physical evidence that the band is on the right track.

Oh, I dare say it's even more adventurous (and less straight foward) than WTA. P.S. How fantastic does Stirratt's "Over and Done" sound? Great performance and recording there.

I'm just surprised there's no discussion about the CD/album now that it's finally out. For me, I really love the way the record sounds. It's funny because it has so much in common with WTA (being recorded in the same place, with Jim Scott, both features "You Never Know" etc.) yet it sounds vastly different to me. I actually prefer it to the glossy sound of WTA. And that's unusual for me, because I generally prefer the sounds that Wilco get on records. Besides that, there's an amazing collection of songs from some of my favourite artists. The most surprising factor is just how adventurous

Perhaps you didn't read the thread. The point is, it's not just a difference in volume. It's a difference in dynamics (and equalization) as part of a process used to increase perceived volume. And the comparison in that link echoes much the same thoughts.

Surprised? Perhaps you should've just paid more attention. See track 1 of the "Girl Interrupted" soundtrack: http://www.amazon.com/Girl-Interrupted-Original-Picture-Soundtrack/dp/B00003ZAKB It may be disappointing to you, but only because the band doesn't live up to the mis-identity you've created in your head. That's nobody's fault but your own.

While I largely agree, I think there is a fine line between being obsessive and just plain being observant. Some of us record and engineer music, and it is a necessary "ear" that we've developed to pinpoint what is wrong with what we're hearing. However, just because other people can't name the problem, it doesn't necessarily mean they don't notice it. They might just wonder why their ears get tired after listening to one particular album over another, and hit the stop button, or turn the volume down more than usual. Have you noticed that between, say, listening to SBS and WTA on headphones? O

If you can't hear the difference, it is best not to know. Sometimes it's worst off to know, because then you can't not ignore it and it's enormously distracting. Trust me, if I could ignore it, I would.

Yes, good point. I was listening on my friend's turntable and CD setup which was adjusted accordingly so that the two were outputing at relatively the same level (i.e. the CD player had an output levels adjustment and it was taken down to -10dB). So you should first get an album which is less compressed/mastered, that is, the CD and vinyl for an older release e.g. an early 80s Sinatra CD vs the vinyl. Note the volume difference caused by your setup and how it sounds. Then put on Wilco vs Wilco and now gauge the difference in volume. And to clarify, we're not talking about just the volume/le

I'm aware of that. But the fact that I think the vinyl master sounds much better indicates that the compression/limiting applied during tracking and recording was not what tipped it over the edge for me. It was the stuff applied during the CD mastering stage. In general though, yes, this album does feature a more compressed and up-front sound all round, and it was mixed and recorded that way too. Again, that's an artistic direction and a choice. I respect that as part of the album. You can use judacious amounts of compression artistically at that stage, without making it hurt your ears. B

It's wrong to call it "bad production" or to say "the production is shit". You might not LIKE the production, but that doesn't mean it's factually, or professionally inferior. It's just not in line with your aesthetics. Clearly, your aesthetics are much more akin to Jim O'Rourke's sonic tastes. There's a certain audio signature to that style of stuff, which is clear on the Loose Fur stuff too. I love it too, it's clarity, claustrophobic, yet warm and menancing all at the same time. But I think it goes too far to say the production is bad on WTA. In fact, it's really the opposite: alot more

I personally love the way SBS sounds (even on CD). It is (objectively) worlds apart from the mastering style of WTA. Subjectively, one may prefer one over the other. But the mastering style of SBS involves much gentler compression and is less loud (this isn't subjective, it can be measured by dB's). I do lean towards thinking it was a conscious decision to depart from the previous album(s) aesthetically. But it is also not unheard of that albums get mastered and approved by the record company and the artist didn't get a chance to check the final copy (see Dinosaur Jr.'s new album). Or they

Yes. You can hear the difference very noticably, even from listening to a vinyl rip in WAV. (I listened to it at my friend's place with his turntable - I don't have a turntable, we made a rip so I can listen at home and even there it's quite clearly noticible alongside the CD). It's a completely different mastering job. That's what mastering is, they compress and EQ the final mix for that "finishing touch". In the old days, it used to be done to cater to the medium the music will be pressed on, because you can't put too much bass on a vinyl record or the needles on the turntable will skip, e

Anybody else noticing how "modern" the CD mastering is on the new album? To achieve that "loud" sound that's common on most releases today, it's compressed heavily, much more so than any previous Wilco CD. It has a really "pressed-to-the-lens" sound, and to be honest, as much as I hate to criticize an artist's output, it's fatiguing to listen to. The vinyl however, is a world of difference. And it's not just the sound of the medium. They're actually very different masters: Bob Ludwig mastered the CD, and Bernie Grundman mastered the vinyl release. Grundman's master is much more conservative

Hang on a second..., you might be onto something there! The similarities are remarkable... the hat-wearing furry animal, the headpiece, the centered logo... spooky.

Yes. Although I'm not sure what's more annoying. The first seems to be baiting for the second response, by stating an opinion without justification, they're just asking people who are passionate about it to jump out and defend it irrationally. And if one don't care to justify something, then why post about it? This isn't Twitter. Ultimately, a band as musically diverse as Wilco will always attract a widely conflicted audience, with varying and contradicting tastes. There will always be people who only like certain sides of the band, and dismiss/ignore other aspects that are not to their liki

Er... you seem to be suggesting that ballads which segue (or "degenerate") into "rawk" moments was a new trend for Wilco. If you think that, then you're surely not listening to the albums (or you're only remembering what you choose to?). If anything, this was one of their most signature habits. Perhaps you need to remember "At Least That's What You Said", "Misunderstood", and "Sunken Treasure".

Why do people feel compelled to "rank" albums? Do you rank your children, and have a favourite, "2nd fave" and a "runner up"? "Jane was an alright kid, but Billy was a real improvement". If not kids, do you rank your friends? "Hey, we're having a real get together this weekend. My equal 5th favourite buddy is coming along, it'll be a blast".

I think there's alot of truth to this. And it baffles me completely when people say "Sky Blue Sky" is "too light" (earlier in the thread). I think we're having different definitions of "light" and the word is being thrown about carelessly. I think there is no doubt the sentiments expressed in SBS is far heavier than those on WTA. And by heavy, I'm not talking about "a faster tempo", or "more distorted guitars" or "more screaming". I'm talking about more gut-wretching emotions and themes that weigh your heart down. There's a different theme being explored on WTA, but it's definitely in a

I guess that's true... but it felt like a bigger reaction this year because it was, relative to the lesser reactions to the other songs... and especially for the subdued beginning few songs (which I loved). It was a great show eitherway, and i'm just picking at nits as to the difference between this year and last's.

I hear you. Although I'm no good at picking favourites, if I was really forced to pick one album, it would be Being There. There was a huge roar that came up when they started playing 'Jesus, etc.' -- not that I don't love the song, but I didn't expect that reaction... it was much bigger than any of the other songs I think. It is great to see and hear the love though. We Sydneyians are definitely an appreciative audience, and it shows in the quiet bits. And hey... let's not forget the "well putted" third album

I think the encore was just what we needed, because that's the side of Wilco that we've had the least of from previous Sydney gigs. I did get the feeling that a lot of the local fans didn't go that far back and were more YHF/AGIB oriented folks, and that's what previous gigs have tended to more. But would you really want the same gig over and over again? That's not Wilco. "It's Just that Simple" was a highlight for me... I just didn't expect it. Have they been doing that more often these days or was this a real rarity? When John stepped up, I thought there might actually be a new number for

Also... Nels was fairly low in the mix as well, didn't quite cut through as last time. The sound was incredible last year... but I was further back last time (behind the divider), as opposed to this time, where I was 3 rows from the front. Maybe that's the only reason it sounded like that? Did anyone else notice these problems with the mix?

It was a great show... except there were some weirdos in the audience... one guy in particular, insisted on improvising his own handclaps to every song (including some attempts at adding handclaps to Jesus, etc and Pick Up The Change!). That kinda spoiled it for me, and he was pushing people left, right and center and forcing his way into the crowd. Also, I don't know if it was just the sound right up at the front of stage... but Jeff's vocals kinda went AWOL in the mix. Couldn't hear him at all by the end of the show. But when John stepped up, we could hear him clearly. Did anyone else furt