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Best production on a record..

there's probably been loads of threads in the past.

i'll nominate the new beck record, stellar work from mr dangermouse.



  • *insert 'these' in between 'of' and 'threads'

    obviously there have been loads of threads before.

  • Burial

    on both records. He is so raw and just lays down some serrious sounds with primitive computer programs and minimal knowlendge. Both records are sonic master peices.

    • the drums are a bit sharp and forward

      imho

      • they are pretty

        in ya face at times. but other times they are covered in fuzz and you can bearly hear them I like that its like its always changing and moving.

        • hmm

          i find their standard position is far too upfront, and it does kind of take away from the depth of what's happening beneath them. Maybe Burial would be better as a more ambient artist (his drumless mood pieces are pretty great really)

          • I love his rhythems

            his loops are propper swingin and wicked.

            I bet he is only a young lad and he is still learnin and using soundforge god knows what he will mature into.

  • Joy Division - Closer

    Martin Hannett really was a genius

    • he really was

      thats beautiful

      • it was a toss-up between that

        and Unknown Pleasures. the echoes on She's Lost Control are making me shiver just thinking about them.

  • I'll agree with you on Modern Guilt

    It sounds fantastic.

    Besides that, I thought the production on In Rainbows was really good, easy on the ears, but still sharp and clear.

  • difficult to say really

    so much music is well produced, especially if you look to the past a bit - it was just a given that things had to sound good

    if you said "best production on a 2008 album" then there's be a lot more to discuss (because good production is definitely not a given)

    • ^ this

      Where to start? The Shangri La's or Marvin's Revolt? ;)

      • Although

        Good production doesn't always equal good sound quality.

  • Aphex Twin

    on everything he has ever done ever.

  • Well, if we're talking instrumental music

    then I love Clark's production, it's so full of depth and crackle. Justice as well, that album sounds amazing. Matmos too, the clarity of their field recordings is just so tactile.

    As for 'indie', it's probably not the best, but I've always loved the production on Electrelane's Power Out. It's really raw, but sort of restrained at the same time.

    • That Justice album

      I love it for all its choppy wonder, but there's no bass, it's all mid-rangey fuzz (which doesn't give it enough... weight, to knock you about), it seems hollow sounding somehow :( I wish so much for some more bass

      • It does very well through my modest speakers.

        Maybe you have something that can usually find more bass?

        It is kind of hollow sounding, but I see it more like the hollowness of a gigantic, austere metal sculpture rather than any thinness of sound.

        Yeah...

  • Its

    impossible to say really, but Return to Cookie Mountain is the first one that jumps to mind. Sitek's control over all the different aspects of TVOTR's sound is incredible.

    • bit muddy in places, don't you think?

      may well be on purpose, but i wouldn't say it sounded particularly great when the music gets busy

      • Anything Steve Albini puts his hands on

        is usually brilliant. Especally his work with McLusky, Pixies and Yourcodenameis:milo

        • the drum sound

          on any Shellac album = swoon.

          • Absolutely.

            When the drums kick in on "Prayer To God"... kills me every time.

    • Cookie Mountain was the first that jumped to my mind as well

      really thick and dense textures going on, really liked it.

    • ^ i agree

      one of my favourite albums in terms of how it's produced.

  • might be a bit sentimental here

    but I nominate 'Disintegration' by the cure. So so so many different layers to the music, but it all works, sounds coherent and never muddied.

  • neil young - tonight's the night

    rolling stones - beggars banquet

    • seconded on tonights the night

      it complements the loose, end-of-tether feel wonderfully. but then i always get confused by these threads, i dont know extricable the production is from the record itself. im out of my depth, but for example when people say raw power would be better without the fuzz...isnt the fuzz the record?

  • this question makes my head hurt

    Low and Fear of Music are my instinctive answers

    also (don't laugh) Lexicon of Love by ABC

    Tricky's Maxinquaye and the first Portishead LP

    modern guitar, drums bass vox -Silent Alarm, and Frengers

    and for a live LP - The Who live at Leeds

    Sergeant Pepper's and Pet Sounds should get a mention for a bunch of reasons as should Innervisions and What's Going On

    There would be a Pixies album or two in here as well if it wasn't for the fact that I always disliked their snare sound

    • Thankyou

      I'm shocked it's taken this long for someone to say Pet Sounds. Kudos on Innervisions and What's Going On too. All fantastically produced albums.

    • which version of Lexicon have you got?

      i've got the standard CD edition and it's pretty badly compressed really. I imagine the original record sounds great though (and apparently the most recent deluxe reissue is much better as well)

      great, great album

      • the vinyl sounds

        and always has sounded unbelievably erm ALIVE for want of a better word

        Trevor Horn knew what he was doing - the art of noise stuff was always super well produced too- the first time I heard 'Dragnet' as a young teen was a moment I'll not forget

        and I totally forgot to mention in my original reply

        GOLDIE - TIMELESS ... which is probably the Burial-Untrue of my age bracket

        • Dragnet

          Horn wasn't involved in that track. The Art Of Noise left Horn and ZTT in mid-85, and Dragnet came out in mid-1987.

          Horn, when he was firing on all cylinders [1982-1988], was really great. Shame he's been so MOR ever since.

  • ROCKNROLL by Ryan Adamsx

    Its so CRISP and you can hear the twangilicious guitars in the background like diamonds.

  • I reckon my alltime fave

    would be Computer World by Kraftwerk. It's one of the most beautiful, organic and heartfelt albums ever, something you wouldn't normally associate with electronic music. It also has that dark, weird and scary futuristic vibe to it, much like Ok Computer.

    • or

      Mt Eerie - Microphones
      In The Aeroplane.. - Neutral Milk Hotel

      Both gigantic and imaginatively produced albums.

    • I really need to get that Kraftwerk album

      I have man machine, radio activitie and trans europe express. they are all damn wll produced too.

      • I think it's their best

        I adore all the Kraftwerk albums, but Computer World steals the biscuit for me, for the complete little package that it is, not just being a list of songs.

  • times new viking present the paisley reich

    • SILLY BOY

      • man, 3 minutes it took you to post that

        are you getting slow in your old age douchebag

        • get off my lawn you bloody whippersnapper

          • youre such an old man douchebag

            • i know

              i'm bringing a bit of well needed maturity to all you pre-pubes

              • are you gonna start telling me to turn that bloody racket down in a minute

                im listening to rock music

                • it's not music

                  IT'S JUST NOISE

                  • yeah really

                    • that's what i'm talking about

                      some Real Music

                      • i only ever realised what the lyrics to la bamba were

                        a couple of months ago when a friend's band played it at an open mic night

                        'I'm not a sailor, I'm the captain, I'm the captain'

                        incredible, huh

                        • that's some deep shit

                          • did you know bamboleo by the gipsy kings is actually about swinging

                            • those zany Hispans

                              they sure love their swinging

                              • do you think now would be a good time to listen to da capo

                                i feel like listening to da capo, what do you think

                                • i think you should do it

                                  you're already doing it, right?

                                  • i am i just found it im listening to it

                                    right now with orange skies, carnivals cotton candy and you douchebag...

  • The Thermals - More Parts Per Million

    <3

  • Not BEST, but FAVOURITES

    include:

    Dan the Automator's production on the Deltron 3030 album (writes something about the beats and swirling grandious cinematic clarity), the sounds of the drums (obvs.) and how they seem to drone and fill space on Drums Not Dead, the sound of the drums again on the Slint e.p (don't know what it's called) (especially Glenn! it's also a love of what the drummer is playing though, and that oppressive mood in the guitars and bass). The two albums by the Unicorns had great (self?) production full of little post-production touches that just rose it above 99% of that sort of indie pop. Likewise Deerhoof's Milk Man, the clinical production makes that album what it is ((amateur) dramatics, mysterious, well-defined).

    • Deltron 3030

      :D

      brilliant stuff

    • Hell yeah for Deltron.

      The reissued edition's out on the 21st. Thought I may as well replace my oink copy. Automator's production on Dr. Octagonecolegyst is rather good, as well. :-)

  • well id vote for

    In Rainbows, it took me by suprise at first, but i think its so nice, very little production which leaves the sound so beautifully untouched and natural.. so really underproduced in a really good way...

    and also Isis - Panoptican, one of the best produced albums ever, the drums are magnificent, and everything else just encapsulates the band perfectly.

    • Good call on In Rainbows.

      I wouldn't have thought of it but you're right, it's really clean and open.

  • oh and Songs for the Deaf

    how good are the drums on that? bloody great. again the sound of the album perfectly represents the band i think..

    • Talk Talk - The Colour Of Spring

      Perfect

      • ând this

        there are just too many to think about

        and no one's even mentioned a Björk record yet

    • ^this is true

    • 4real?

      SFTD is massively overcompressed and totally flat. Sharp it might be, but an enjoyable listen it ain't

      I think the production of Rated R is definitely a better representation of QOTSA - warm and druggy to the max

      • yeah but

        Rated R is a messed up sensual orgy of a record whereas SFTD is a cheap meal, a quick blow job and then a punch in the face of a record

        the production suits it perfectly

        • yeah exactly

        • i know what you're saying

          but i don't think it quite works that way - there are some pretty fucked up, drugged out songs on there which don't really work through the AM radio filter, and i just find it all a bit tiring over the course of an album

          • but by that principle would you say

            that all the songs on rated r are perfectly suited to the production of the album? ill have to give it a listen now wont i!

            • i would say so, yes

              R has far more variation in its sound - it grooves out and then crunches when needs be.

              SFTD is a bit one-note

              • ok i take your point

                but i still think sftd is more distinctive, it grabs you by the testi straight away.. its one of those albums where the production and sound is immediately noticeable, in this case in a good way. i think so anyways

                • it grabs you, yeah

                  but doesn't keep you within its grasp - there just isn't much to discover below the surface

      • yeah i agree but for the songs on that album i think its really great

        you're right though it is overcompressed but i love the way it sounds, punchy and clear. rated r is of course great but you wouldnt call the songs on sftd warm and druggy

  • Ys

    • I wish I could agree with you

      but something is just not quite right about it. There's not enough punch to the orchestra sometimes, I think.

  • all zeps albums

    considering the extremely poor resources available at that time

  • who is that

    japanese guy with the plinky plonky electronic songs? that is the best

    • Cornelius?

      or another japanese guy with plinky plonky electronic songs

    • do you mean

      sasumu Yakota?

      Very very good sound (especially on Sakura), and kudos if this is who you mean.

  • Atlas Sound

    that record is pretty nice sounding.

  • You Forgot It In People

    Is my personal favourite.

    Single track, but i love Jon Brion's work on Kanye's 'Gone'.

  • Both Yourcodenameis:milo's 'Ignoto'

    which veers between fuzzy noise and delicate guitar work and PJ Harvey's 'White Chalk', dark and moody textures has been some of the best production I've heard in recent times.

  • Modest Mouse - Moon & Antarctica

    the is just so much going on that even to this day it reveals more n more of it's self! It sounds just as paranoid and lonley as the subject matter suggest as well, genius

    • dunno if its been said

      but Talking Heads - remain in light

      obv choice i know but it still sounds like nothing else

  • Nobody has mentioned

    Illinois by Sufjan. That is not only wonderfully produced but sounds amazing too. The warmth is unprecedented for me, if anyone knows of a warmer album please tell me - i don't know if its because of the instruments he's using but it sounds so good.

    Plus Yankee Hotel Foxtrot - expertly produced.

    • both great shouts

      YHF would definately have been one of mine.

  • Everything by Broadcast..

    ..real ear candy production, especially impressive considering they record everything themselves.

  • The Blue Album

    Absolutely perfect, in my dream world Ric Ocasek would produce all my band's albums.

  • Telefon Tel Aviv - Map of What is Effortless

    Is actually the best production i've ever heard on any album.

    Also everything by The Flashbulb, absolutely crystal clear sound all the time.

  • homogenic, return to cookie mountain, closer, itaots, ( )

  • .

    Jeff Buckley - Grace

  • Metal Box

    is pretty fucking sharp.

    Westing (By Musket And Sextant) inspires me to make music like nothing else just through the crackling glow it has going on... see Times New Viking for the completely wrong way to recreate this.

    (both very different records, produced in different ways, examples of how production isn't just like a one-size-fits-all deal)

    • 'the wrong way to recreate this'

      "examples of how production isn't just like a one-size-fits-all deal"

  • 2 polar opposite albums.

    Donald Fagen - The Nightfly
    some say clinical, i say perfect.

    i also always liked the job J. Robins did on "Do You Know Who You Are" by Texas is the Reason.

    • J Robbins has done some good work

      Hug the Coast sounded beautiful, such a nice guitar sound.

  • Stereolab

    everything sits perfectly for me

  • The Beatles - Abbey Road

    The Kinks - Lola vs Powerman

    Camel - The Snow Goose

    Low - Trust

    Nick Drake - Bryter Layter

    Grandaddy - Under the Western Freeway

    Not all conventionally best, but the best suited to their purpose.

    • ABC

      'Lexicon of Love'. Trevor Horn is a pop producer par excellence.

  • Tales from Topographic Oce... <abandon reply>

  • Broken Social Scene

    S/t- first time I've actually thought that production really added another element to the songs- listen to the two versions of Major Label Debut for example...

    I've always had a soft spot for Ross Robinson's 'hyper'production style- take a band and make them sound like themselves, but with more of it.

  • Cornelius - Fantasma

    Absolutely amazing.