OK, here's the second installment:
Maxim: Different treatment on the Wurly. Don’t know if it was necessary, really. I do think inserting the Wurly phrase throughout the verse is a novel and rewarding idea. There’s some sort of whispering delay/reverb behind the main vocal that’s distracting me, though. The guitar sounds muted, round and distant, though it’s certainly present. Kick seems lost, though I like the overall neutral and natural timbre of the drums. Only one kit used. Sounds like you’ve made the Wurly the focus, instrumentally. Wow, you’ve transformed the Chop guitar. Now it’s a tinkling waterfall flange thing. And then the end – big, pappa bear bass.
Nick Evans: One of my favorite, favorite mixes. But you’ve given Marcus a lisp! I love the small band feel in the beginning, and how it explodes in the chorus. Kudos, kudos! And the drums are so tight and natural. Man, everything is present, separated and big. Perfect - just put back some of those esses. Right now, this is my #1 mix. I’m listening again….Oh, yeah: that opening note of the chop guitar. Did you have a reason for keeping that?
NickT: A pretty trebly drum sound. Did you use a lot of the OH? It sounds smallish. Those sibilants are driving me mad in the delay returns. Very distracting. This is another “narrow” mix, in my estimation. Again, I get very little sonic differentiation between the verse and chorus. This is another “left a lot on the table” mix for me.
Nizzle: And now we return to stereo drums. Whew, THIS is a vocal treatment. It’s pretty engaging, interesting. I don’t know if I’d be that heavy-handed with it, especially when it seems to *reduce* the impact of the chorus vox. Overall, I like the ambiance. It remains spacious, but still very present. I guess the drums are pretty dry. Where’d you get that NASCAR sample? It’s great! And another bleghchttpppt.
Rankus: Snare reverb. Slap! Slap! This is a generality, and not really related to Rankus’ mix, but, you know, listening to this, I really think that stereo drums were the way to go. You have so little to work with throughout the stereo field. Great use of the chorus vox to spread things out. I think if you’re going to go with the single-drum treatment, it really needs to smack. The part is pretty anemic by itself – it needs help. I hate to keep congratulating Nick Evans, but that’s one of the best single-kit sounds I’ve heard. As for this mix, it’s good. Another good, solid mix that’s filling up the middle. There are a lot like this, not bad; not great.
Redfro: This is a mix that again sounds close to my tracking mix, albeit with one kit. Sounds good. The verse vocal is small, but intimately so. I don’t know how successful the swishing, sibilant delays are in the chorus. They sure add space, but sound like a chorus of shushing librarians in the corners.
N.B.: I’m going to take a break to remind everyone that these are my opinions only. And I’m not Bob Clearmountain. Or even Bob Murkyhill.
ScotcH: The most prominent use of the bass-doubling guitar. Whew, I should have rerecorded that part! But I do like the sound of it. So what’s going on with the drums? Sounds like the hats are wide L/R, but the rest of the kit is up the middle? Did you use both HH tracks?
Scott Oliphant: When I first heard this mix, I couldn’t dig into the amount of reverb on the main vocal. But now, with a few consecutive listens, I “get” it – and like it very much (this is very similar to my reaction to the vocal treatment on My Morning Jacket’s stuff). I read J. Hall’s critique, and I understand his point. I don’t really agree with it. I hear this mix as a Yin/Yang deal: the drums deliberately contrasting with the vocals. And then, in the ending chorus, the whole mix is swimming and swirling and moving. The reverse tambourine is BRILLIANT.
SingSing: What is that blzzzeeeeet at the top of the song? Egh. Hypodermic needle to my ear. Nice contrast between verse and chorus. Wow, that bass is really growling and gurgling. Overall, this is a sonically interesting mix, but lacks drive for me. And that flanging mosquito noise is killing me. I keep trying to physically turn away from it – and I’m on headphones, so I can’t!
Six Wax: Somehow, you’ve made the hats sound like a small ride. I kinda like that. The vocal is very forward, while the drums are muted and distant, though that snare has some girth. Hey! The tambourine makes an early appearance! I like that - you used the tambourine as a percussive hit AND you kept the loose, colored feel of it. Best of both worlds. A dark, distinctive mix that I think accomplishes the goals you set out to achieve. Like the swell/fade ending, too. Bleghchttpppt!
Spoon: There are some sibilant spittings in the vox delay/reverb that I’d try to address. You know, even though the guitar is in stereo, it sounds less “big,” and more “smeared,” like a big blanket in the middle of the mix. Drums are a little reserved in the choruses. This is another in the large group of B mixes for me – not an A or a C. A solid B – good enough for grad school.
TLester: The count off. That’s still funny to me why that was kept. Regardless, here’s a good example of the one drum kit approach. Tight, snappy, but not late-80s sparkly. But the verse vocal seems a bit squashed, kinda lumpy. Though, that muted sound does contrast well with the chorus.
TomC: Those drums are really small. Like someone left Ringo in the closet. Ah, the harmonies. You know, I like them, but I would have been a little more judicious in their use. You’ve made some weird choices, to my ears, of when they come in and out. Also, when doing this trick, you might want to edit out the breath noises from the harmony track – it’s a tell that the harmonies are mechanical when both voices inhale together – and a third apart! This to me is another narrow mix. I miss the power, width and impact of some of the other mixes. Man, I wish the drums were more present – the tambourine is overwhelming them, even.
UnderTow: Now that’s an interesting take on the Wurly. You made it sound like two instruments. Was there a particular reason for breaking up the phrases like that? Nice, solid single-drum sound. The bass is really big and potent, too. Maybe too big? Whatever, it’s certainly THERE. And your kick sound is thumping, too. I’d like to steal some of that girth.
VKorehov: LOTs of guitar ambiance here. You were the one grumbling so loudly about the guitar performance, and yet you make it nearly the entire focus of your mix. I can see why you were upset, ‘cause some of the guitar’s timing does make for some weird flams in the delays. I’d counter, though, by asking why you insisted on making the guitar that forward? The Rhodes is nearly non-existent and the Wurly seems a weak afterthought. The Double guitar can’t be heard until the end. I think you went into this mix with a too-concrete formula for what “Indie” is (as evidenced by your four rules) and just missed the point. Drums sounds are pretty good, though.
Volthause: Reverb! Again, there are some distracting sibilant moments in the vocal’s delay/reverb returns, but hey, it was a very sibilant track. That snare sound is good, but might be anachronistic in the context of this mix, maybe. I do like how it seems to tighten up in the chorus. A good, solid conveyance of the track. And thanks for using the tambourine.
And I’m done. My apologies to anyone I’ve offended. Thank you all for working so hard in making this one of the most diverse and instructive IMPs yet.
Lindsay
