Huge, incredible sounding records.

[bedbug]

Zaireeka by the Flaming Lips. You haven't heard a huge sounding record until you've listened to four CDs at the same time. One of the coolest album experiences I've ever had.

[ottokbre]

"Eric Matthews "The Lateness of the Hour". It's like a warm blanket for your ears."

YES! The prior album is quite fuzzy too. Those recordings have really stood up too. I just put in "It's Heavy in Here" the other day and was floored by how it does'nt sound like last monday at all (like so many other SubPop records).

What's up with Eric and where did all that talent appear from?
Who was responsible for that album?
Is Portland that cool?
Inquiring minds wanna know![/quote]

[takeout]

What's up with Eric and where did all that talent appear from?
Who was responsible for that album?
Is Portland that cool?
Inquiring minds wanna know!

[/quote]

Tony Lash did both of them, I think. Eric's a classically trained musician, with (if memory serves) classically-trained-musician parents. Hence the ridiculous talent and composition skills.

I can't speak to Portland's coolness one way or the other; ask me again after the conference.

[greenmeansjoe]

I really like some of Stephen Street's work, particularly Blur's "Parklife" and "The Great Escape," and The Webb Brothers' "Maroon." "Maroon" is probably the hugest sounding of the three records, but there's a lot of detail and clarity in all three ... even when the arrangements get dense.

Cool stuff.

Joe

[charmingtedious]

as regards the Microphones/Phil Elvrum: "The Glow Pt. 2" is my favorite thing he's done, but the new one "Mt. Eerie" is bigger sounding. One thing that i've learned from listening to his work is that you can be most effective at creating "big" sounds by also including "small" sounds to provide contrast. "Big" is only "big" relative to small. it's the juxtaposition of the massive choirs and armies of drums with the super-intimate vocals and nylon-string guitars that makes it work. the open space that it was recorded in probably doesn't hurt either.

Mirah's "cold cold water" which phil co-produced demonstrates this as well.

[doyoudigworms?]

Squirrel Nut Zippers recorded "Hot" in an old 30 room mansion just down the street from my apartment. They had a yard sale I went to a year ago and the house definitely was a factor in that record. If you look at the liner notes it has a few pictures of the house and a few micing shots. Fantastic sound. A cool band in the SNZ vein I just found out about is The Beau Hunks "Saxophone Soctette"... An incredible "vintage" sound album. The even have a endorsement from Neumann mics!

A great "huge" sounding record is "Monuments To Theives" by the His Hero Is Gone a defunct hardcore band from Memphis on the Prank label. Great dynamics recorded by Dan Rathburn who is interviewed in the TapeOp book.

I gotta second the Dead Milkmen "Big Lizard".... one of my all-time favorite summertime records. maybe a desert-island pick. Ive been listening to that since the 5th grade all through high-school and college, and I still jam out to it. Joe Jack Talcum does some cool shit on that record, but Dave Blood's bass makes the record for me.

[markpar]

Zaireeka by the Flaming Lips. You haven't heard a huge sounding record until you've listened to four CDs at the same time. One of the coolest album experiences I've ever had.

How hard is it to sync up all four CDs?

-mark

[bedbug]

Zaireeka by the Flaming Lips. You haven't heard a huge sounding record until you've listened to four CDs at the same time. One of the coolest album experiences I've ever had.

How hard is it to sync up all four CDs?

-mark

Umm ... I'd recommend doing it with at least two, but ideally three or four people. The only thing that makes it hard is that you can press play on four players at the same, but not every player starts a CD the same way, so you have to take into account the delays and little quirks of certain players (usually the cheaper ones).

Having said that, it's not really so important to have them exactly 100% lined up. One, because they're gonna get a little off anyway, and two because some of the stuff sounds cool a little out of sync (the flute/whistle sound on track 3).

Each song starts off with a voice saying CD one ... CD two ... CD three ... CD four, so you get a chance to double check it.

It's definitely a bit of work, but it's worth it!

[black ark]

"A great "huge" sounding record is "Monuments To Theives" by the His Hero Is Gone a defunct hardcore band from Memphis on the Prank label."

oh yeah!
that first song "like weeds" is why i got into them!

i think that "15 counts of arson" (the next lp) was even "larger" though. such cool bass sounds and the ARTWORK is really amazing too.

oog.

the bad brains "roir sessions" (the yellow one with the capitol building getting hit by lightning) was a HUGE sounding record to my tender ears when i was 16 or so. this reminds me of the whole "perspective" thing in another thread. this may sound like a clusterfuck of an album, but it really hits me in the gut when i hear it. it is not technically a "huge"album with a lot of clarity or depth tone wise but it IS an amazingly focused, tight, fist of sound. it has a lot to do with WHEN i heard it. it's more of a mental "huge" than anything....

-paul m.

[lobstman]

Matthew Sweet's "100% Fun" is a monster- it pretty much put me on the road to compressor abuse. That, and Weezer's "Pinkerton". I'd give my left arm to be able to make a record as huge sounding as Kevin Salem's first two albums ("Soma City" and "Glimmer").

As much of cliche' as it may be, Led Zep I is pretty freakin' huge sounding, too.

[EasyGo]

Maybe not the usual "huge," but Yellowman's "Mr. Yellowman" is like a course in reggae production. The drums sound so goddamn good, I get so hyped I just wanna break stuff!

Henry "Junjo" Lawes produced a lot of the early 80s dancehall stuff, and his productions are HITTIN. He also did "Wa Do Dem" by Eek-A-Mouse and loads of other stuff from that time.

[markpar]

Matthew Sweet's "100% Fun" is a monster- it pretty much put me on the road to compressor abuse.

Yeah! I love that record. Very in-your-face, for sure. If you haven't, check out Blue Sky On Mars - also a huge record.

-mark