Excellent really well recorded / produced CDs...? Recommendations?

[666666]

I would like to pick up some new CDs, specifically stuff that is really WELL recorded, mixed and mastered. Style of music does not matter, I'm open to anything. Want to hear some fresh stuff. I want some real ear candy here. I want to hear some of the best audio productions that exist.

After sifting through my entire CD collection recently, I came to realize that 97% of everything I have is either not recorded, mixed or mastered well... the music is great but the sonic quality is lacking for one of very many reasons.

Are there any CDs that you guys specifically like to use to compare your mixes against or for testing / calibrating your ears or audio systems?

Since I'm into rock / jazz mostly, one CD that I enjoy and use for reference is a CD by Simon Phillips, "Another Lifetime"... jazz/ jazz fusion... done all analog, really wonderful recording / mix overall, excellent music / performances as well. Has a nice wide frequency response, plenty of well sorted subsonic stuff, etc... very natural recording, no triggers or other ugly modern buggery... not overcompressed, etc.

But I'm looking for more. Any cool symphonic stuff or acapella? Any cool stuff done by Massenberg, etc? It just needs to be REALLY WELL recorded, mixed and mastered.... I want stuff I can listen to on a great system and achieve aural orgasm.

Thanks.

[superkev07]

I'm a big fan of the production on Diana Krall - Live in Paris. Recorded and Mixed by Al Schmitt. Great sounds (especially considering it's live!), and this album's not even one of the two Krall records that won Best Engineered Album for Schmitt!

[FatStudio]

Beck - "Sea Change" ,sounds great .

[PlatinumSamples]

Meshell NDegeocello - "Peace Beyond Passion" - mixed by Bob Power.

[Resonater]

On another musical tip entirely (folk/pop), try Mindy Smith's "One Moment More". Absolutely top flight sonics, and a great musical presentation altogether.

[u b k]

south san gabriel - welcome, convalescence

zero 7 - when it falls


those are great recordings, but more than that they're brilliant productions. if you like those, hit me up and i'll give you a list of others.


gregoire
del
ubk
.

[Daedalus77]

This is all so subjective, but...

Kathleen Edwards, Back To Me

One of the last albums mixed at Cello (I think...?). Great sonics, great arrangements.

HEM, Eveningland.

I find it amazingly open, warm, intimate.

[reid]

Anything from the Bad Plus / engineered by Tchad Blake has to be worth several listens, for both content and 'how the hell did he do that?' moments.

Shawn Colvin's 'A Few Small Repairs' and 'Fat City' have some astonishing engineering and production going on, in my opinion.

For symphonic, my go-to disc (but you've got to be in the mood for 24-carat fireworks dancing on LSD) is Respighi's 'The Pines of Rome' - it's only a cheapo Naxos disc (8.550539) performed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, but it consistently gets rave reviews for both performance and recording quality. Stunning stuff.

[AlexLakis]

TOOL - 10,000 Days: Joe Barresi - Engineering & Mixing / Bob Ludwig - Mastering.

[Sigma]

Alvin and the Chipmuncks.. a classic

[NesNeedsGear]

Originally Posted by AlexLakis

TOOL - 10,000 Days: Joe Barresi - Engineering & Mixing / Bob Ludwig - Mastering.

10,000 days is definitely ear candy.

[vernier]

There's tons more, but this will get you started.

[soundeziner]

most of Steely Dan's stuff

[NotVeryLoud]

Madeleine Peyroux - Careless Love
Paul Anka - Rock Swings

I've heard non-audio-geek listeners comment on the quality of these CD's. Not just in reference to the songs (which in the latter case, tends to be really polarizing) but in the 'sound'.

These CD's feel great on the ears.

[doorknocker]

Joan Osbourne 'How sweet it is'

This is a tremendous record that was recorded and mixed by Kevin Killen. GREAT vocals, amazing arrangements and reinventions of some very familiar tunes along with outstanding sonics.

[Berolzheimer]

K.D. Lang's "Ingenue" has long been one of my favorite refs. Also Los Lobos' Kiko, & Peter Gabriel's "So". And, speaking of Kevin Killen, Mr. Mister "Go On".

[bdmctear]

Buddy Guy "Sweet Tea" album. Truly awesome sounding record. Puts me in my place about once or twice a week.

[deve]

James Taylor - Walking Man
Elvis Costello - North

[nevusmusic]

1.Michael Jackson's -- Off The Wall produced by Quincy Jones Engin. Bruce Sweden

2.The Jacksons -- TRIUMPH produced by The Jacksons Engin. Tom Perry

These albums are out of this world in all aspects!! If your not familar with TRIUMPH you better pick a copy up today. You wont believe how it was so underated. Off the WaLL is
a R&B classic. Many African Americans judge it to be Michael Jackson's greatest work!
With the writting of Rod Temperton producing/arranging of Quincy Jones and the Mixing of Bruce Sweden HOW CAN YOU GO WRONG. These Mixes feel like you can reach in and touch them.

[RCM - Ronan]

Originally Posted by FatStudio

Beck - "Sea Change" ,sounds great .

Hell Yeah!!!! This record blows me away every time I hear it.

[Grizzly]

Originally Posted by bdmctear

Buddy Guy "Sweet Tea" album. Truly awesome sounding record. Puts me in my place about once or twice a week.

+ 1 !!!... Pure Magic....

[tamasdragon]

James Taylor - Hourglass
Pink Floyds
Steely Dan's
Diana Krall's
etc
etc

Tamas Dragon

[AllAboutTone]

Originally Posted by superkev07

I'm a big fan of the production on Diana Krall - Live in Paris. Recorded and Mixed by Al Schmitt. Great sounds (especially considering it's live!), and this album's not even one of the two Krall records that won Best Engineered Album for Schmitt!

+2 for me.

[StrykeBack]

I used to use Dave Matthews Band's Under the table i think the cd was for reference but lately i've been into the polished and slightly compressed mixes of

Red Hot chilli peppers: Stadium Arcadium

Muse: Black Holes and Revelations

Switchfoot: Nothing is sound, and the new one that lilly white did, Oh Gravity!

I put those on and theres just so much going on and the production is huge and it all sounds pretty damn orgasmic to me

[DSMrehearsal]

An album that I find is always an excelent reference is "Absolution" by MUSE.

It has highs, lows and for a modern disc , the feel of dynamics

try tracks 'the small print' 'endlessly' and 'thoughts of a dying atheist'

[nandoanalog]

In a rock context, TOOL albums are like the holy grail of mixing\mastering.

[gtr123]

'Joshua Judges Ruth' - Lyle Lovett (Massenberg)

'AJA' - Steely Dan

[Sigma]

most of rudy van gelders stuff

creed tayor produced CTI material [don't rememeber the engineers names]

John Woods Fariport Convention stuff

Don Murry's work on the GRP material

Town Waits Blue Valentine album..just awesome ....stunning..made me want to quit engineering

rock is way too subjective to consider for me..this is hard enough

[JPM]

"A Boot and a Shoe" by Sam Phillps. Produced/recorded etc by T-Bone Burnett. If I remember correctly, was done at sunset sound and the village in CA. Great natural, non hyped, vintage, raw sounds done mostly live and straight to tape. It's not ear candy in that it probably wouldn't grab the average listener right away but upon repeated listens it gets sweeter and sweeter. The ear never tires. Everything else starts sounding bright and harsh by comparison. I often listen to it just because the sound makes me feel great. Songs and performances are second to none. "Fan Dance" is the preceding album that is also similar in style.

check out the classic sounding strings on if i could write:

http://www.myspace.com/samphillipsmusic (fan site)


http://www.samphillipsmusic.com/bio.html

[anne_paranoid]

Sex Pistols, never mind the bollocks
Green day, american idiot
Ramones " Ramones ", strange way of mixing
System of a Down, mezmerize