worst sounding albums

[moxiebean]

 

My vinyl copy of this sounds like it was dubbed from a tape recorder at the bottom of a well - I didn't "get" Sister Lovers until I picked up the remastered CD 25 years later.

[Rusty Shackleford]

R.E.M. Accelerate.  It gave me a headache the first time through.  There was no second time through.  The songs sounded okay live, but the CD was just awful.

[tinnitus photography]

for the S&E haters, what gives?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cxe5EqISVf8

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFiCookGu0E

[Atticus]

I don't speak for the other haters, but I'd like the good songs to sound gooder.

[NoJ]

I've listened to Slanted & Enchanted a zillion times and not once did the quality of the recording come up. I bought it when it came out, maybe there's different pressings (or whatever?).

[Atticus]

in fairness to my brain, I think I was thinking of something else when I made the comment about Pavement.  I can't really remember.  My humidifier has not been working for shit.  But Slanted & Enchanted kind of sounds like crap.  Good songs, lousy recording.

 

I am glad that y'all enjoy it so much regardless.

[tinnitus photography]

IIRC it was recorded at Gary Young's house so it wasn't like they were the Stones, rented some French Chateaux and brought in Bob Clearmountain.

 

 

 

 

you must really hate Billy Childish and early Sebadoh/Sentridoh stuff.

 

 

 

has no one mentioned this yet?

[uncool2pillow]

Have you heard Iggy's remaster?

[choo-choo-charlie]

I threw on the LP of The Whole Love last night and it was like my ears were being molested. So goddamned noisy.

 

I think it's the best sounding of the records by the current lineup.

[tinnitus photography]

Have you heard Iggy's remaster?

that one that's compressed to hell?

[Atticus]

Texas Flood

[choo-choo-charlie]

Texas Flood

 

Agreed. Love me some SRV - one of my original inspirations to pick up a guitar - but so many of those tunes have that 1980s gloss all over them. My favorite SRV record is the The Sky is Crying compilation. To my ears more of the tracks on that sounder rougher and rawer than the material that made the final cut for the albums.

[Atticus]

the show that ended up being the Live at the El Mocambo DVD was recorded July 11, 1983.  The Texas Flood album was recorded Thanksgiving '82.  It's amazing to watch his playing on El Mocambo and then listen to those flat tunes on the album.  Such a shame.

[Lammycat]

I don't mean that the music isn't any good--although sometimes the music is bad also.

 

I'm talking about records that just sound shitty.

 

for example:  every studio album by the Grateful Dead, except maybe the one with the song that makes everyone so angry.

 

even American Beauty and Workingman's Dead have pretty lackluster production and mixing.

 

 

Terrapin Station is almost over-produced, but sounds good. Go To Heaven is crisp, too. I always thought American Beauty had a great sound to it, actually.

[uncool2pillow]

I love American Beauty and Workingman's Dead.  Never understood why people are so down on their studio output with those 2 gems.  It's been a long time since I listened to it, but I remember really liking Blues for Allah as well.

[Atticus]

Jerry's guitars are never recorded properly.  

[choo-choo-charlie]

the show that ended up being the Live at the El Mocambo DVD was recorded July 11, 1983.  The Texas Flood album was recorded Thanksgiving '82.  It's amazing to watch his playing on El Mocambo and then listen to those flat tunes on the album.  Such a shame.

 

This also is a good one for Stevie "in the raw."

 

[Lammycat]

Jerry's guitars are never recorded properly.  

How so? They sound fine to me on the above-mentioned Lps. Just curious what you're hearing.

 

I think of worst-sounding albums like some of the Jesus and Mary Chain albums: murky. Had a cassette of an early Rush album that was pretty shitty-sounding, too, but that might have been due to it being on cassette.

[Atticus]

I sold all my dead studio CDs years ago except American Beauty and Workingman's Dead but I'll try and find them on the interwebs and report back later. Once I heard some clear recordings of Jerry's live rig it ruined most studio recordings for me (except, again, that album with Touch of Makes Everyone Angry).

[Lammycat]

The live sound is going to be better than the studio sound in most cases, I'd think, and with most bands. Particularly with the GD, too. I still think their studio stuff, Wake of the Flood, too, sounded good, regardless of the content on some of them.

[Atticus]

thanks to Spotify I think I just found an Althea I didn't already have.  sweet.

[uncool2pillow]

The live sound is going to be better than the studio sound in most cases, I'd think, and with most bands. Particularly with the GD, too. I still think their studio stuff, Wake of the Flood, too, sounded good, regardless of the content on some of them.

I think the Rolling Stones sound way better in the studio.  After reading the Keith bio, I feel that opinion is validated.  The guy experimented like crazy.  Might say the same for The Who, but when Pete, Keith, and John were in form, probably not.

 

There are lots of other band who sounded so different live and in studio that it's hard to pick.  Sugar comes to mind.  Bob Mould produced Copper Blue and Beaster like crazy and I love listening to those as loud as possible.  Live, they played them as loud as possible, but completely stripped down, raw and in your face.

[i'm only sleeping]

Nothing sounds worst in my CD collection than MC5's Kick out the jams...unlistenable

[lamradio]

 Live, they played them as loud as possible, but completely stripped down, raw and in your face.

 

Yeah sort of reminds me of seeing Wilco on the front row. When you're that close, you can hear the true un-mic'd sound of their amps which is a beautiful thing.  

[Sir Stewart]

U2's last two albums.