Our Lady Peace - Burn Burn Burn - King Noise Recorder, LA

PheelTheMusic · 27th July 2009

Anyone get a chance to check out the new OLP album yet?

All of the album previews on their website sounded absolutely killer on junky computer speakers so I was extremely excited to hear the finished CD on proper monitors. Unfortunately, when that day arrived, I was shocked at how 2-D the record sounds and the obvious digital distortion in many places.

Apparently the album was recorded at King Noise Recorder in LA and engineered and produced by Raine Maide, the lead singer of the band. I think that there are some great songs on this album but sonically it sounds like cheap dynamic mics hooked up to a mackie board and then run through behringer converters.

What is so interesting is that it sort of sounds like the sources were great but the engineering while tracking was simply lackluster. Nice drums and guitar tones made 2-D and somewhat muffled. The vocal is particularly flat sounding. Then it feels almost as if the mixers' job was more one of resurrection than polish.

They included a bonus DVD with some studio footage in the deluxe edition of the album and it shows the whole band tracking in a single room. Vocals are on an SM58 which is exactly what it sounds like to me on the final record. Anyone know anything about the recording of this record? I guess I'm just a bit frustrated that this album is pretty cool musically but tarnished by its distracting sonic shortcomings. The last few records (most recently with Bob Rock) have been a model for modern rock album tones IMO.

No disrespect to Raine Maida, but is this just what happens when the lead singer decides he's an engineer?

Mixing by Andrew Scheps, Paul Hager, and Raine Maida.

Thescort · 27th July 2009

I know nothing about this album, but I'd like to point out that there is a distinction between "Producer" and "Engineer".

PheelTheMusic · 27th July 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thescort

I know nothing about this album, but I'd like to point out that there is a distinction between "Producer" and "Engineer".

uhhhh.... ok

.

Our Lady Peace - Burn Burn
Recorded at: King Noise Recorder, Los Angeles
Produced by: Raine Maida & Our Lady Peace
Engineered by: Raine Maida

Thescort · 27th July 2009

Oh boy is my face red, I must have glossed over that word in your original post!

Never1 · 27th July 2009

An interview I heard said that they were looking to get back to being a band that just plays live music without all the extra bells and whistles. The end result may be a flatter sound, but the strength of the material will more than make up for that to the average listener. Their last album was lackluster, at best. What I've heard of is one so far has been promising and it might put them back ontop as a great rock band.

PheelTheMusic · 27th July 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thescort

Oh boy is my face red, I must have glossed over that word in your original post!

No worries!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Never1

An interview I heard said that they were looking to get back to being a band that just plays live music without all the extra bells and whistles. The end result may be a flatter sound, but the strength of the material will more than make up for that to the average listener. Their last album was lackluster, at best. What I've heard of is one so far has been promising and it might put them back ontop as a great rock band.

Cool! I totally dig the concept, I just feel that hiring a "real" engineer might be even MORE worthwhile for the band-in-a-room tracking concept.

John Eppstein · 28th July 2009

And this has WHAT to do with gear?

PheelTheMusic · 29th July 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Eppstein

And this has WHAT to do with gear?

What's with everyone being so harsh in this thread? Last I checked a discussion of the gear used to record an album is a discussion of gear. Not to mention that album production threads are often the absolute best that this forum has to offer!

glissando · 29th July 2009

I haven't listened to it. What I find interesting is that you felt it sounded fantastic through your computer speakers on their website, but now it doesn't. Have you listened to the CD on those same speakers? If so the difference is probably at the mastering stage. Hard to say of course, but that seems odd.

PheelTheMusic · 29th July 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by glissando

I haven't listened to it. What I find interesting is that you felt it sounded fantastic through your computer speakers on their website, but now it doesn't. Have you listened to the CD on those same speakers? If so the difference is probably at the mastering stage. Hard to say of course, but that seems odd.

It is definitely an interesting phenomenon. I think when I was listening to the web-streams I kind of mentally subtracted the mp3-ification. Without the mp3 haze it seemed like it would sound awesome. Then the album came and it still sounded mp3-ified on CD.

I don't want to appear to be overly critical of the sonics of this album - it just sounds like there is a kind of mp3 wash over everything. Lack of width, a bit phasey, digital distortion.

27th July 2009	#1
PheelTheMusic Lives for gear Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Long Island, NY & Washington, DC Posts: 1,100 Thread Starter	Our Lady Peace - Burn Burn - King Noise Recorder, LA Anyone get a chance to check out the new OLP album yet? All of the album previews on their website sounded absolutely killer on junky computer speakers so I was extremely excited to hear the finished CD on proper monitors. Unfortunately, when that day arrived, I was shocked at how 2-D the record sounds and the obvious digital distortion in many places. Apparently the album was recorded at King Noise Recorder in LA and engineered and produced by Raine Maide, the lead singer of the band. I think that there are some great songs on this album but sonically it sounds like cheap dynamic mics hooked up to a mackie board and then run through behringer converters. What is so interesting is that it sort of sounds like the sources were great but the engineering while tracking was simply lackluster. Nice drums and guitar tones made 2-D and somewhat muffled. The vocal is particularly flat sounding. Then it feels almost as if the mixers' job was more one of resurrection than polish. They included a bonus DVD with some studio footage in the deluxe edition of the album and it shows the whole band tracking in a single room. Vocals are on an SM58 which is exactly what it sounds like to me on the final record. Anyone know anything about the recording of this record? I guess I'm just a bit frustrated that this album is pretty cool musically but tarnished by its distracting sonic shortcomings. The last few records (most recently with Bob Rock) have been a model for modern rock album tones IMO. No disrespect to Raine Maida, but is this just what happens when the lead singer decides he's an engineer? Mixing by Andrew Scheps, Paul Hager, and Raine Maida. __________________ FOR SALE IN GEARSLUTZ CLASSIFIEDS: Wunder CM7-GT (M7) "Laziness is the worst trait an engineer can have, besides being deaf." - Roc Mixwell "...then we wouldn't have these mangled, distorted blocks of cheese that the major labels seem to call music." - danasti

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27th July 2009	#2
Thescort Gear nut Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Kingston, Canada Posts: 91	I know nothing about this album, but I'd like to point out that there is a distinction between "Producer" and "Engineer".

27th July 2009	#5
Never1 Lives for gear Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 905	An interview I heard said that they were looking to get back to being a band that just plays live music without all the extra bells and whistles. The end result may be a flatter sound, but the strength of the material will more than make up for that to the average listener. Their last album was lackluster, at best. What I've heard of is one so far has been promising and it might put them back ontop as a great rock band.

28th July 2009	#7
John Eppstein Lives for gear Join Date: May 2009 Location: San Francisco, CA. Posts: 9,232 47 Reviews written	And this has WHAT to do with gear?

29th July 2009	#9
glissando 3 + infractions, forum membership suspended. Join Date: May 2009 Location: SJCap Posts: 1,148	I haven't listened to it. What I find interesting is that you felt it sounded fantastic through your computer speakers on their website, but now it doesn't. Have you listened to the CD on those same speakers? If so the difference is probably at the mastering stage. Hard to say of course, but that seems odd.