Brandon Boyd Album May Be Worst Master Ever

[fistrock]

Originally Posted by adamgonsa

He should have gotten Big Bear's cover artist. Might have made that all that crunch go down a little easier if it was this creative.

Holy crap. That's the greatest thing I've ever seen.

[tensensi]

I thought maybe I had blown my new Sennheiser HD 280s already when listened to this.

Nope - put the Black Keys back on, and they're just fine.

[bgrotto]

Originally Posted by Chris Lago

How can this guy be taken seriously? People pay him to distort the crap out of their music?!? Has the recording world gone insane?

Er, maybe because he's made a pile of amazing records?

I'm not saying I like the sound of the Brandon Boyd record, by any means, but distorting the crap out of music isn't exactly news. Ever since guitar players plugged into amps and turned the volume too high, distortion has been a part of rock n roll. And on the recording end of things, you have guys like Tchad Blake and Dave Fridmann doing what they do, and doing it to great effect.

Hell, check out the bottom end of a Detroit-era Motown record. Or Al Green's "Let's Stay Together". Or the Beatles. Or any other number of risk-taking (or not) artists who paid somebody plenty to distort the crap out of their music.

While I can't say I think the aesthetic decision made on the record in question is one I'd agree with; and that it may not always be done well or in a way that I feel compliments a given song; it's not like distorting musical signals to create an effect is anything new, or even edgy.

[recall]

Good post Bgrotto. I always find myself agreeing with you!

[Chris Williams]

Brandon Boyd Official Page! | Facebook

Hi everyone. I have read a bunch of your comments about the "distortion" in the music and wanted to let you know that it was highly intended on my part. I wanted the music to be the antithesis of that "faux clarity" we've gotten so accustomed to in popular music. Filling spaces with beautiful distortion and fuzz as opp...osed to other, more obvious things...

My favorite albums growing up (and currently) never sounded perfect. In fact the most lasting ones were flawed in the most poetic ways. All that being said, there shouldn't be any clipping going on in the sound. Just distortion and a pinch of chaos. How loud are you guys listening? Maybe ya'lls speakers can't handle... muh steez! I can't believe I just typed that.

[Darwin James]

Originally Posted by Chris Williams

Brandon Boyd Official Page! | Facebook

Hi everyone. I have read a bunch of your comments about the "distortion" in the music and wanted to let you know that it was highly intended on my part. I wanted the music to be the antithesis of that "faux clarity" we've gotten so accustomed to in popular music. Filling spaces with beautiful distortion and fuzz as opp...osed to other, more obvious things...

My favorite albums growing up (and currently) never sounded perfect. In fact the most lasting ones were flawed in the most poetic ways. All that being said, there shouldn't be any clipping going on in the sound. Just distortion and a pinch of chaos. How loud are you guys listening? Maybe ya'lls speakers can't handle... muh steez! I can't believe I just typed that.

And all the sheep fall in line.

[recall]

Fair enough you don't have to like it. I don't like it either, not because of the production but because of the songs.

What is good sounding anyway?

For me it's Neil Young on Tonight's the Night, Ghostface on Daytona 500, William Fowler Collins, Fleetwood Mac, Kevin Ayers, Trembling Bells, Max Richter etc etc.

None of which are technically astonishing sounding records but they have heart and soul in spades. I reckon this is what this chap is going for. It doesn't work for me, it doesn't work for you but I like the fact he's at least attempting to get creative rather than the usual "track the record, call CLA in to mix" route.

[mobius.media]

The bass drum is just ridiculous. Sorry to everyone involved, but it sounds like it's farting out. No cohesion left after the distortion.

Mixes/masters like this are what come to mind when people say "it's all about the song"...

The biggest shame is I really like Brandon and his music, and I bet it would have sounded amazing had it been handled more conventionally (normally?). As it is, it's unlistenable.

[Chris Williams]

I used to be a big incubus fan and would have listened to this album and at least given it a chance. He says he's going against the "faux clarity" thing. To me the album sounds like it's all been engineered like a normal pop production then distorted to buggery afterwards.

Doing it wrong tbh

I think light grenades was badly done as well and pretty much un-listenable.

[Waltz Mastering]

Originally Posted by Chris Williams

Hi everyone. I have read a bunch of your comments about the "distortion" in the music and wanted to let you know that it was highly intended on my part. I wanted the music to be the antithesis of that "faux clarity" we've gotten so accustomed to in popular music.

In what capacity did you work on the record? It sounds like much of the distortion was achieved in the digital domain... or maybe a combo of analog and digital. Care to share?

[aivoryuk]

Originally Posted by Waltz Mastering

In what capacity did you work on the record? It sounds like much of the distortion was achieved in the digital domain... or maybe a combo of analog and digital. Care to share?

I think he has just quoted from Brandon Boyds facebook site and did not work on the record.

[Waltz Mastering]

^ Gotcha - didn't see the link above.

[trmchenry]

Reading through the Facebook comments pains me very much. People are clueless.

I went to Apple to get new earphones! That explains it! Thank goodness I kept my receipt! Love the "distortion"!

[Cellotron]

Thing is there's "cool" distortion (which is hard to get) - and then there's the plain ol' crappy kind (which seems to be what this album has in abundance).

i.e.:
original ProCo Rat vs. Boss Super Distortion
Budda Superdrive turned up to 10 vs. Roland JC-120 turned up to 10
Thermionic Culture Vulture vs. Line6 Amp Farm
etc. etc.

Best regards,
Steve Berson

[Waltz Mastering]

Originally Posted by Cellotron

Thing is there's "cool" distortion (which is hard to get) - and then there's the plain ol' crappy kind (which seems to be what this album has in abundance).

Agree. Something like "O.K. Computer".. Kid A, Dinosaur Jr. etc etc etc. or any Black Keys album I get and are favorites...done right.

From the little I've heard from this ...it sounds off.... of coarse the songs would have to be there in the first place to have a chance.

[24-96 Mastering]

Originally Posted by Chris Williams

To me the album sounds like it's all been engineered like a normal pop production then distorted to buggery afterwards.

Sounds like it to my ears too. I'd guess the crunch is on the mix bus, not in the production, not on individual elements.

What I'm wondering is this: Seeing the distortion is intentional, and seeing that the artist claims to enjoy that amount of distortion and doesn't think that it makes the album hard to enjoy, did he then have that level of distortion on his cans in the studio for the duration of the production?

[Chris Lago]

Originally Posted by 24-96 Mastering

Sounds like it to my ears too. I'd guess the crunch is on the mix bus, not in the production, not on individual elements.

What I'm wondering is this: Seeing the distortion is intentional, and seeing that the artist claims to enjoy that amount of distortion and doesn't think that it makes the album hard to enjoy, did he then have that level of distortion on his cans in the studio for the duration of the production?

I think they screwed up and now are making excuses for the artist wanting his record to be loud as ****.

[bgrotto]

Originally Posted by Chris Lago

I think they screwed up and now are making excuses for the artist wanting his record to be loud as ****.

I'm confident you're 100% wrong.

[Winey]

Fridmann producing distortion is news? Check out spoonful weighs a ton off "the soft bulletin". Sounds like everything is going to blow up with the distortion and low end. Works great there... Then again he was working with the lips, not some guy from Incubus. The bad taste of this music trumps the bad taste in the processing any day. I'm shocked when he releases something without the distortion (which he has btw). I've heard he runs the mix bus trough a TC finalizer mastering himself. Now that takes balls.

[wado1942]

You know, making a grungy mix for effect is fine if you want people to hate your album. However, when the trend for all rock/pop music has been to get more and more distorted, making one that's even more distorted isn't an artistic or political statement. It's just being yet another follower.

[luddite]

It really does sound like a mistake was made.

[cylens]

just like the first time an overdriven guitar amp was heard...

i think it sounds really bad, but i can only blame a "choice"

Low's last 2 albums were recorded/mixes by Fridmann (and mastered by Calbi) and they sound amazing to me (and yes, some distorsion is involved).

[UnderTow]

Originally Posted by cylens

just like the first time an overdriven guitar amp was heard...

This comparison has come up a few times but I don't feel it is valid. Distorting a single element is not the same thing as distorting the whole mix. Nor does every distortion sound the same and work for every type of sound or work in every context.

There are many types of distortion (and sounds in general) that I heard for the first time (bit reduction, sample rate reduction, various shapers, clippers, metalizers and whatnot) and enjoyed because they were used in a way that worked for the particular element and for the music as a whole.

In the case of the track I heard from Brandon Boyd it wasn't pleasing at all. It sounded cheap and tasteless.

Alistair

[electricsound]

Originally Posted by cylens

Low's last 2 albums were recorded/mixes by Fridmann (and mastered by Calbi) and they sound amazing to me (and yes, some distorsion is involved).

The last Low record (Drums & Guns) is probably the best sounding DF recording since the 90's.

[cylens]

Originally Posted by UnderTow

This comparison has come up a few times but I don't feel it is valid. Distorting a single element is not the same thing as distorting the whole mix. Nor does every distortion sound the same and work for every type of sound or work in every context.

i agree, i shouldn't have taken this example. i was thinking about using a piece of equipment for doing something it's not intended for, originally.
say you're playing a tape at half speed, somebody might think "it's a mistake, it doesn't sound right".

[Coyoteous]

Originally Posted by recall

What is good sounding anyway?

"faux clarity?"

But, how can you fake clarity?

BTW, I had to look up "steez."

[UnderTow]

Originally Posted by cylens

i agree, i shouldn't have taken this example. i was thinking about using a piece of equipment for doing something it's not intended for, originally.

Sure. (mis)use of things like distortion or gear like the Roland 303/808/909 spawned entire genres but I hear absolutely nothing original or groundbreaking in the track I listened to. Just ugly distortion.

say you're playing a tape at half speed, somebody might think "it's a mistake, it doesn't sound right".

It might or might not sound right depending on material and intent. I (and maybe even most listeners these days) dont care wether the gear is misused but whether it sounds cool or not and that is the thing, in the case of this album the bus distortion seems to be something done because symbolicly, in someone's mind, it sounds like a cool thing to do. Not because it actually enhances or improves the music or the sound.

To me this seems like running out of creative ideas rather than the opposit.

Alistair

PS: That Cher hit is a prime example that people don't mind novel sound manipulation. The following cheap imitations are also prime proof that a good thing will be abused and overdone ad nauseum.

[wado1942]

say you're playing a tape at half speed, somebody might think "it's a mistake, it doesn't sound right."

My response to that would be, what if over the last 20 years, master tapes on virtually all rock/pop tune have been getting played back slower and slower till the normal is 1/8th speed. This guy took it down to 1/16th speed and is calling himself creative because of it.

For a while in the early 60s, there was a tendancy to speed up the tapes to #1, shorten the song and #2, give a "fresher" feeling to those who heard it too many times (the producer). It got as bad as maybe a full step sharp and eventually went away when more studios started charging hourly rates instead of by time on tape. This distortion thing just keeps getting worse and worse.

[cylens]

i agree with all of your arguments, really. i think this distorted-oriented mix was a really bad choice. i just have a problem with the idea of "mistake". it would mean that certain things (regarding aesthetic choices, not audio signal integrity) would be "verifiable" (not sure about the english use of this word, though).

[RoundBadge]

Yikes. heard it on itunes on my good DA/speakers.
I've always loved DF's work but this record sounds like absolute shit.
nothing musical whatsoever going on w/ that master.
so this was done intentionally? if it was.. oh man.