Smashing Pumpkins Machina? Something's wrong?

Tibbon · 3rd July 2005

Perhaps it's just my ears misguiding me (I did fail Eartraining several times at Berklee) but the Smashing Pumpkins Machina album just sounds wooly to me. Is it just bad recording? Perhaps the studio had a really bad AC problem? Used a Digi001 to convert it from a shitty analogue machine? Every song on it just sounds like it has a really undefined high end, and really messy low end. Their double CD sounded pretty tight and well done, but Machina just sounds messy.

Does anyone have any details on the recording (what studio, board, engineer, etc) to give any idea as to why it sounds so shitty? Every system i'd heard it on makes it just sound weird... from cars to my studio monitors...

max cooper · 3rd July 2005

Yeah, well, I liked P.J. Harvey until she did a record with Flood.

ziegenh5 · 3rd July 2005

It's not you. It really does sound that bad. For an even worst sound try listening to the Zwan album. If you can make it through two complete songs without turning it off you win a free T-shirt.
Sean

Binaural2010 · 4th February 2010

Both Machina and Zwan sound ****ing great! Don't know what you 2 are smoking but you might wanna get off of that shit!

mexicola · 4th February 2010

I remember when Machina came out. A guitar player friend of mine commented that it sounded like they ran the album through a RAT distortion pedal!

Patrice Baumel · 4th February 2010

great record, though. i like that gritty, lo fi sound....

pinky · 4th February 2010

I agree that machina sounds a bit wooly but it really fit the mood of the songs. I'd probably call it more dark sounding then wooly. The dark/mysterious nature of the album art, the overall sound of the album, and how the songs were played and the lyrics, created a great dark but beautiful mood for me.

Do I appreciate the recording butch did on Siamese dream better, sure but I liked every album after that for different reasons.

I don't hate zwan but that was the begining of the end for me. The zeitgeist tour solidified it.

ryst · 4th February 2010

I don't have the whole Machina record. But I do have the song "Stand Inside Your Love" which to my ears, sounds pretty bad...especially when the chorus kicks in.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed this.

musicianof1 · 4th February 2010

I love Machina but it does sound a bit boomy. The Zwan records sounds worse.

shakespearesmans · 5th February 2010

I like it. Stand Inside Your Love and Age of Innocence are the best tracks.

Cheech · 7th February 2010

I wish I could make my mixes sound that "nasty good"!

fenderbender. · 7th February 2010

And that is why I've always hated The Smashing Pumpkins! They like to make 'nasty'-sounding music... yuck!

joeq · 7th February 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrice Baumel

great record, though. i like that gritty, lo fi sound....

did you say gritty??

antti · 7th February 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by max cooper

Yeah, well, I liked P.J. Harvey until she did a record with Flood.

Well, for me 'Is This Desire' is her best album ever (especially production point of view

When Machina came out I thought it had a couple of amazing songs but it's not 'Mellancollie' nor 'Siamese Dream' which are my favourite SM albums. But I liked the sound of Machina.. wish the music would have been up to same quality. What you hear is definitely meant to sound like it = there's nothing wrong in technical point of view, it's just their approach. Love it or hate it.. And I'm sure plenty of money was spent making this album to sound as it does

3rd July 2005	#1
Tibbon Lives for gear Joined: Jul 2004 Location: Boston/MA Posts: 4,780 Thread Starter 2 Reviews written	Smashing Pumpkins Machina? Something's wrong? Perhaps it's just my ears misguiding me (I did fail Eartraining several times at Berklee) but the Smashing Pumpkins Machina album just sounds wooly to me. Is it just bad recording? Perhaps the studio had a really bad AC problem? Used a Digi001 to convert it from a shitty analogue machine? Every song on it just sounds like it has a really undefined high end, and really messy low end. Their double CD sounded pretty tight and well done, but Machina just sounds messy. Does anyone have any details on the recording (what studio, board, engineer, etc) to give any idea as to why it sounds so shitty? Every system i'd heard it on makes it just sound weird... from cars to my studio monitors... __________________ David Fisher (aka tibbon) What is Noise, Blog (DIY, gear, tech, etc) Follow me on Twitter imVOX- Voice for Gamers WTB: Moog Theremin Signature Edition

4th February 2010	#5
mexicola Lives for gear Joined: May 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 914	I remember when Machina came out. A guitar player friend of mine commented that it sounded like they ran the album through a RAT distortion pedal! __________________ There's nothing rock and roll about 1's and 0's. Recording engineers are not yes-men. www.regularjohnrecording.com

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3rd July 2005	#2
max cooper Lives for gear Joined: Aug 2004 Location: tx Posts: 8,802	Yeah, well, I liked P.J. Harvey until she did a record with Flood.

3rd July 2005	#3
ziegenh5 Lives for gear Joined: Sep 2002 Posts: 826	It's not you. It really does sound that bad. For an even worst sound try listening to the Zwan album. If you can make it through two complete songs without turning it off you win a free T-shirt. Sean

4th February 2010	#4
Binaural2010 Gear Head Joined: Feb 2010 Location: Columbus,Ohio Posts: 64	Both Machina and Zwan sound ****ing great! Don't know what you 2 are smoking but you might wanna get off of that shit!

4th February 2010	#6
Patrice Baumel Gear nut Joined: Jun 2009 Posts: 91	great record, though. i like that gritty, lo fi sound....

4th February 2010	#7
pinky Lives for gear Joined: Jun 2008 Location: SLC, Utah Posts: 564	I agree that machina sounds a bit wooly but it really fit the mood of the songs. I'd probably call it more dark sounding then wooly. The dark/mysterious nature of the album art, the overall sound of the album, and how the songs were played and the lyrics, created a great dark but beautiful mood for me. Do I appreciate the recording butch did on Siamese dream better, sure but I liked every album after that for different reasons. I don't hate zwan but that was the begining of the end for me. The zeitgeist tour solidified it.

4th February 2010	#8
ryst Lives for gear Joined: Dec 2004 Location: Hollywood, California Posts: 2,679	I don't have the whole Machina record. But I do have the song "Stand Inside Your Love" which to my ears, sounds pretty bad...especially when the chorus kicks in. I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed this.

4th February 2010	#9
musicianof1 Gear maniac Joined: Jan 2010 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 210	I love Machina but it does sound a bit boomy. The Zwan records sounds worse.

5th February 2010	#10
shakespearesmans Gear nut Joined: Jan 2008 Location: NC Posts: 125	I like it. Stand Inside Your Love and Age of Innocence are the best tracks.

7th February 2010	#11
Cheech Gear maniac Joined: Jun 2005 Posts: 203	I wish I could make my mixes sound that "nasty good"!

7th February 2010	#12
fenderbender. Gear maniac Joined: Jul 2006 Location: Golden Posts: 224	And that is why I've always hated The Smashing Pumpkins! They like to make 'nasty'-sounding music... yuck!