New Amy Winehouse CD

[jayfrigo]

Very cool retro-sounding CD from this UK artist, but no mastering credit on the booklet or in allmusic. Anybody know? It could have sounded OK 2 or 3 dB quieter (and still would have been in the range of hot modern levels). It's easily as loud as any Vlado/Rubin rock/metal CD, which for a very old school R&B sound is a bit out of place. Listenable in the car while driving, but not very appealing when listening in the studio.

It's a disappointment to buy a CD of music you are really looking forward to, but then not be able to listen to it very much because of the sound quality. It reinforces one reason I don't buy many CDs any more. That issue aside, it's very cool musically if you're into old school.

[jonesboy]

I felt exactly the same way about it. I enjoy the music, I think Amy and whoever did the production are very talented, but I found the lack of *any* dynamics in the album extremely disappointing.

I guess I'm too old.

-Matt

[rghose]

I believe the whole record (recording, mixing & tracking) was done at Metropolis. Mastered by Stuart Hawkes according to their website.

Honestly, I think the album sounds pretty darn cool! Couldn't care less how loud it is (or isn't) . . . I was too busy listening to the awesome music!!

Cheers!
Reuben

[arf]

Originally Posted by rghose

I believe the whole record (recording, mixing & tracking) was done at Metropolis. Mastered by Stuart Hawkes according to their website.

Honestly, I think the album sounds pretty darn cool! Couldn't care less how loud it is (or isn't) . . . I was too busy listening to the awesome music!!

Cheers!
Reuben

Music does have the power to survive all kinds of abuse, but it's still shame to keep clobbering it.

[lucey]

Might sound good in the car ...

[streaky]

Originally Posted by rghose

Honestly, I think the album sounds pretty darn cool! Couldn't care less how loud it is (or isn't) . . . I was too busy listening to the awesome music!!

I'm the opposite, the sound & production is good but the songs...urrgh!

[structuredloud]

The production like a reproduction with an added gimic, like recent black eyed peas records - but that's a music and arrangement thing. It also seems a bit dynamically flat (I'd even say 4-5db less would be useful), but I like the frequency spectrum, both as a mix and the individual timbres of the parts.

[max cooper]

Originally Posted by jayfrigo

It's easily as loud as any Vlado/Rubin rock/metal CD, which for a very old school R&B sound is a bit out of place. Listenable in the car while driving, but not very appealing when listening in the studio.

It's a disappointment to buy a CD of music you are really looking forward to, but then not be able to listen to it very much because of the sound quality. It reinforces one reason I don't buy many CDs any more. That issue aside, it's very cool musically if you're into old school.

I know we all sound like broken records (yeah, what's that?) but Blah! It used to be rock that was too mashed but now it's everything. Even the last Cat Power record.

[sedohr]

It would be fun though, to learn something about the production of the cd, which gear they were using and that kind of things..

I find it a bit strange how they went totally retro instead of mixing some modern elements in..

guess I'm a bit of topic, sorry. To bring it back: I find the sound cool on that album but can't listen to it very often..maybe it is the lack of dynamics..

Kalli

[gwr]

Although I agree the production/sound of the cd is cool, I think her live band at the Brit awards sounded way better. That's why I bought the cd, but I was hoping it would have a more live vibe .
Check it out here.

YouTube - Amy Winehouse - Rehab (Live at the Brits 2007)

Greg

[sedohr]

Originally Posted by gwr

Although I agree the production/sound of the cd is cool, I think her live band at the Brit awards sounded way better. That's why I bought the cd, but I was hoping it would have a more live vibe .
Check it out here.

YouTube - Amy Winehouse - Rehab (Live at the Brits 2007)

Greg

Very nice!!! The major difference is how the drums are not vintage sounding at all in the live version.

[Solar]

I simply love this album!! I hope she will be playing in some radio's here soon in canada.. its so well recorded and sounded very good.. now loud or not.. don't care. the record sounds good to my ear and that what counts!!! Simply a good record!! Wow... One day i wanna record an album with that warm sound of backing the days!!

[jayfrigo]

It's not just that it lacks dynamics and impact, which it does, but there's a jagged edge and audible distortion on transients and louder events that is unpleasant to listen to. It may not be the absolute worst example out there, but it certainly "runs with a bad crowd" so to speak.

The days of being able to crank up a record and look like a Maxell commercial seem to have come and gone. When you turn up most current records, instead of getting immersed in sound, lost in the music, and pounded in the chest, you unfortunately get assaulted in the eardurm and experience wincing pain with little or no musical immersion.

Still, musically and production-wise, it is a very cool record.

[lucey]

Originally Posted by jayfrigo

Still, musically and production-wise, it is a very cool record.

I think the record has an integrity ... copycat-style songwriting and production from a past era ... copycat mastering from the modern era.

It makes sense as a very aggressive commercial release.

my .02

[Franco]

I have a "remastered" Mary Wells CD that makes my ears bleed, maybe that's what they're going after these days with stuff like this?

At least with regards to Mary Wells, I still have old casette tapes I can listen to.

[peeder]

All this is going to take is some major artist to break the mold and send the needle skidding off the party disc by offering two versions of their album. The "in your face" version and the "dynamic" version. The dynamic version could be downloadable, perhaps with a challenge/response system using the retail disc.

This would engender a lot of debate, hopefully, and raise awareness in the general public. People can hear the multiband smear. And once people start hearing it, that entire style will go away like chia pets toppling off a rubik cube.

[streaky]

Originally Posted by peeder

All this is going to take is some major artist to break the mold and send the needle skidding off the party disc by offering two versions of their album. The "in your face" version and the "dynamic" version. The dynamic version could be downloadable, perhaps with a challenge/response system using the retail disc.

This would engender a lot of debate, hopefully, and raise awareness in the general public.

Interesting point, particularly the bit about the dynamic version being downloadable...as an mp3? A dynamic mp3? And what could be more your face than a tinny mp3 being blasted into your skull by crappy earphones? But it's a nice idea

I'm hoping that portable music players become powerful and fast enough to play WAV or AIF as the default file format - there's no reason why this shouldn't happen as the internet is getting faster and mp3 players are getting bigger storage and faster hard disks, but only time will tell...

But it would be nice to know that the work we're putting out is getting heard at least close to how it sounded in the studio...

[Masterer]

Originally Posted by peeder

All this is going to take is some major artist to break the mold and send the needle skidding off the party disc by offering two versions of their album. The "in your face" version and the "dynamic" version. The dynamic version could be downloadable, perhaps with a challenge/response system using the retail disc.

This would engender a lot of debate, hopefully, and raise awareness in the general public. People can hear the multiband smear. And once people start hearing it, that entire style will go away like chia pets toppling off a rubik cube.

I'm actually working on this right now [the artist is not major - they are indie but have gotten some decent press. You gotta start somewhere]. In fact I convinced them to make the smashed in your face version the downloadable one! We haven't worked out all the details yet but it will probably be some sort of web site sign up challenge / respone or some kind of serial # that comes with the purchase of the CD.

Maybe if they get some good reviews they might influence a few artists to follow suit. That would be a fun trend for a change.

[soundroid]

Did this for a band a little while ago for the first time. They're a Mlebourne band called 'spider goat canyon'. I really dug their tracks and I thought the mixing was of a high standard. It wasn't gonna be a particularly long session so I thought I'd ask the band if I could record an alternate, more dynamic version of each mix. (essentially switching off any compressors or limiters) Since it wasn't going to really add that much more time to the overall session, the band agreed to the idea. At the time, they were a little unsure what to do with the alternate versions, however I think they were stewing with the idea of placing them at the end of the disc as a 'bonus' feature, for those astute listners. Not a a bad marketing tool really. It'd be great if more CDs came out like this. I quess the only catch is that the EP or album has to be 40 minutes or less in order to fit 2 versions on a disc.

[Franco]

Went and bought the CD yesterday because I wanted to hear the mastering quality. I can see why she and the band (assuming her band has input on the mastering stage as well) were happy with the results, after learning a little more about her in between the time I even heard of her and now that I know a little more about her.

She has a passion for rap music as well. The sound of "You Know I'm No Good" is GRIMEY, it's loud, yes I can be lower in volume like most CDs out there today, but the flavor on some of these tracks is "hip hop" - there's a Ghostface Killa cameo on this track as well (she formed a rap group in her teens called "Sweet & Sour" and when I found out about this, it clicked).

The album is great, sure, the style is 60s, but regardless, her singing grabbed me, as did her lyrics. I can hear a hip hop feel on this too, some of the beats hit hard like a sampled rap joint, but it's live, so they did a good job of making it sound as if the songs were sampled breaks ran through some heavy compression.

Damn, I got the CD just to hear the quality of the music and now I'm loving this (probably also because in my teens, in addition to listening to hip hop, I also got into Al Green, Barbara Lewis, Aretha, The Shirelles, etc.)

[Franco]

...and didn't get a chance to dig in the credits until yesterday, now it all makes sense; the whole album was produced by Salaam Remi, no wonder it has that hip hop/reggae feel to it. Now I gotta pick up "Frank" and listen to that one as well. Good sh*t, real soulful.

[sleestack]

The drums NOT sounding vintage is better how, again? Thats the best part of the record. The vintage sound. Seriously, some people scare me.

[Arksun]

Originally Posted by rghose

I believe the whole record (recording, mixing & tracking) was done at Metropolis. Mastered by Stuart Hawkes according to their website.

Honestly, I think the album sounds pretty darn cool! Couldn't care less how loud it is (or isn't) . . . I was too busy listening to the awesome music!!

Cheers!
Reuben

Can't comment on Stuart Hawkes or the quality of this album, but Miles Showell (who also works @ Metropolis), I seriously rate that mastering engineer, every single or album i've heard mastered by Miles sounds really good, both the vinyl and CD work hes done.

[studilaroche]

Originally Posted by peeder

All this is going to take is some major artist to break the mold and send the needle skidding off the party disc by offering two versions of their album. The "in your face" version and the "dynamic" version. The dynamic version could be downloadable, perhaps with a challenge/response system using the retail disc.

This would engender a lot of debate, hopefully, and raise awareness in the general public. People can hear the multiband smear. And once people start hearing it, that entire style will go away like chia pets toppling off a rubik cube.

On a related OT bent: The new Shellac album is available from their label's website (Excellent Italian Greyhound | Shellac | Touch and Go/Quarterstick Records) as 24 bit wav files. I do not know if this version of the album is mastered differently, but this is the first of heard of 24 bit downloads.

Ben

[nobtwiddler]

Hey Guys;
Look in the last Tape Op issue, I believe some of that record was cut in Brooklyn? At the DapTone Records recording studios...
Basically an old brownstone I believe.

Although I could be crazy, just had my second Belgian beer!

[PlugHead]

FWIW,

I've been listening to this CD (via iPod lately) and yeah: there's distortion all over the place. Of course when listening via headphones, having it as loud or louder than everything else is par for the course, tho it's still not as loud as the mixes of the live jam I recorded/ripped last week!

I guess we have to keep in mind, this is a carbon cutout "Motown" knockoff (with whipsmart/smarmy lyrics) and one can expect a certain amount of distortion, esp. in keeping within the same framework as those Motown hits...

That said, I do like the vibe of these songs, but this is nothing original or groundbreaking.

I guess the days of being original are over. Sad to see them go...

[jayfrigo]

Originally Posted by PlugHead

I guess we have to keep in mind, this is a carbon cutout "Motown" knockoff (with whipsmart/smarmy lyrics) and one can expect a certain amount of distortion, esp. in keeping within the same framework as those Motown hits...

But that is not what Motown distortion sounded like.

[Bob Olhsson]

Originally Posted by jayfrigo

But that is not what Motown distortion sounded like.

No and it's definitely not what Motown musicianship and mixing sounded like. Our distortion was never intentional. We just kept early takes other people would have still been "getting sounds" on.

It also doesn't sound nearly as good as the Dap-Kings did when I heard them live.

[ttauri]

Originally Posted by jayfrigo

It's a disappointment to buy a CD of music you are really looking forward to, but then not be able to listen to it very much because of the sound quality. It reinforces one reason I don't buy many CDs any more. That issue aside, it's very cool musically if you're into old school.

Yeah, that's what I thought too.

Rehab and You Know I'm No Good came out on 12" single (in the UK at least), anyone know if those came out any better?

Peece,
T. Tauri

[Alex Niedt]

"Frank" is better, IMO. I think the only thing that makes "Back To Black" interesting is Amy's presence.