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Stickman and Wiggins,
you guys must be very close pals with Mr. Albini to slag him in his own forum, without any specific constructive criticism (other than it doesn't sound like the last album, which seems pretty silly to me). Also, neither of you started this post, but sort of hijacked it to put in your opinion on the album mentioned. You also ignored the first post.
I don't get it.
I think this sort of posting will lead to Mr. Albini not being very motivated to take his time to answer anyone's legitimate questions regarding recording, like the first post in this thread.
Maybe you guys are all just close pals having a long-distance laugh...
I personally would have liked an answer to the first post from Mr. Albini.
Also, if I wanted to hear your opinions on any album, I would have clicked on YOUR forum. It's plain common sense to weigh your (anyone's) opinion on anything against what I know of your expertise and accomplishments in that area. Most of us know of Mr. Albini by his work, but, I don't know you or your recordings (I'm sorry).
It's mildly interesting to see a thread on the best unknown albums, or whatever, but, this isn't an opinion poll.
I'm sorry for the rant, I'll buy the first round if we ever meet in person.
Thaddeus Corea.
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Thaddeus Corea (if that isn't your real name), come again?
did i write something drunk and forget or are you talking crap? hang on i'll go back and check by reading the posts... yep it's crap talk. when did we slag off steve?
mate, this is a forum. fair enough the question was about recording harp and was directed at steve and i too was interested in some info but it's up to steve to answer that and not us. but then again, if that was how the forum was meant to operate and nobody else could chime in then why not just have every thread completely locked so only steve can talk... but then that's not really a forum is it? and to be totally truthful, i originally posted because nobody else had at the time and i really wanted to keep this thread alive while steve wasn't around because i often come here to read and wonder why people don't ask about the good bands he has recorded and done great things with (this is the first i have seen). perhaps i should ask about them but i usually don't have time.
in all honestly, i didn't go back and read the posts (could not be bothered really) so maybe somebody did slag steve but i seriously doubt it. from memory (which i can't trust), wiggins said he didn't like the album - that has nothing to do with steve. he recorded the artist, he didn't write the thing.
anyhoo, i have reserved my judgement until now because i at least wanted to give it a go but i have to say, i think Ys is completely shite too (that's really hard to hear me say and write that). i am really disapointed because i am huge fan of hers. maybe i don't like it because i built myself up for something great, maybe it's because i wanted it to be like her last, maybe it's because it cost me $133 or maybe it's because it really isn't that good. it's probably a combination. to me, it is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy over-produced stuff that really doesn't suit her. it sounds very kate bush or something to me. that dyke parks string stuff is mostly cliche and unnecessary and the songs lack the character, folkiness, quirkiness and untouched production that made the last good. oh, and that high squeak that she is doing on the new album, well let's just say that it was cute the first time but then it seemed to be there after every line.
but then again, this isn't a cd review forum and we probably should be talking about the recording. that's always more interesting than people's stupid opinions like ours on how good something is anyway. just needed to vent my disapointment.
so the constructive stuff you want. that's hard because how do you constructively criticise an engineer without actually being there. it's impossible. plus, i see jim orourke mixed it - how do i know what influence he had. probably a lot i imagine.
to be honest, i am totally convinced that noah did something really special on that first album. by chance i was listening in the car and milk eyed mender just happened to be in there after Ys. wow, i got that special feeling back as soon as it came on. and it wasn't just about the songs. seriously, i think that is one of the greatest recordings i know. the harp and vocal sound amazing. like amazing like i can't imagine somebody could get it to sound like that out of some loudspeakers. again it's hard for me to say how steve did it but it certainly sounds a lot different than milkeyedmender. it actually sounds like a different artist to me. the harp and vocal sound in particular sound completely different. the vocals sound a lot drier in the first half the album and doesn't seem as consistent as the first. i also found the harp didn't have that nice extended low end like the first album but that could come down to many things such as how the song was written and the arrangement.
i guess we can get more technical and into detail if steve wishes to comment on anything to do with the recording. Thaddeus i hope you don't see the above as a slag off because it ain't. steve has recorded many albums i love that i can hear was down to both artist and the recording (ie, he recorded them RIGHT!) - labradford and joan of arc-related stuff. that doesn't mean i can't say i don't like the recording of Ys. now that's a rant Thaddeus!
