Blonde Redhead

[pootkao]

I just gotta say, that the transformation of this band has been incredible.

Both Misery Is A Butterfly and 23 are some of my favorite albums, period.
Incredible sounds. Incredible mixes. Great songs.

Their old stuff definitely has its place, but their new stuff is so utterly exciting.
Ryan Hadlock and Chris Coady deserve awards for these albums.

[BeepBeep]

I love Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons. How do the new ones compare to that?

[fossiltooth]

I love Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons. How do the new ones compare to that?

... "Misery is a Butterfly"? Way better in my opinion. I love that record, and I love the way it sounds.

I asked John Goodmanson the why it sounds so good. He said it was in great part because of Greg Calbi's mastering and the Neve desk at the Magic Shop.

A lot of that's just humility. It was extremely well mixed. I like listening to Goodmanson's work because you can really hear him evolve as an engineer. Compare it to I don't know, a Sleater Kinney record or something. Or an earlier Blonde Redhead record. Sure, I love "Fake can Be just as Good" and "La Mia Vita Violenta", and all their other records, but "Misery" was a real sonic breakthrough for them. At first I almost didn't like how massive and impressive it sounded. It wasn't the band that I knew. Now I love it.

If I have one minor complaint, it's that the album succeeds so well in establishing one feel that the songs almost start to run into one another. I remember playing it on a long car ride with some friends, and about 30 minutes in somebody said "Hey, do you have this album on repeat or something? It's really good".

"23" is also a cool record, and along with "Lemons" it was one of the only Blonde Redhead records Goodmanson didn't work on. I still like the sound of "Misery" more. It's bigger, more open and has better arrangements overall.

"Misery" is a very modern approach to mixing. There's little actual dynamic range. In a way it's almost dynamically binary. The arrangements are kind of like an electronic record in the sense that when a new part comes in, the song doesn't get any louder at all... there's just a new frequency space that's perfectly occupied for a brief period of time.

It's a masterful work of sound and it's extremely consistent (almost too much so) but "misery" and "23" might have fewer standout songs than their earlier albums.

[skinsincyn]

As much as I agree with everything everyone is saying here, La Mia Vita Violenta is by far my favorite album from them. It may be lo-fi compared to their latest, but it truly captured everything they were doing live at that time.

Definitely my most nostalgic band of the mid-90's. Must have seen them 15 times between '94 and '99...

Ah...anyone remember the Cooler on 14th?

[fossiltooth]

Ah...anyone remember the Cooler on 14th?

Sure!

I don't think I ever saw them there, but I've seen them nearly as many times. Although I had the first record when it came out, I don't think I ever saw them live before '98 or so when they started playing slightly bigger venues. Man, it was still a different city back then. When did the Cooler close? Around 2000?

[skinsincyn]

The first time I ever saw them was there, in 94 - right after their first disc came out. I went to see Slant 6 and they opened. BR completely BLEW MY MIND!

I can't remember exactly when it closed, but 2000 sounds right. It went from meat packing plant, to indie-rock club to gucci store in a very short span of time. This city leaves you in the dust if you don't watch out.

[brew]

I think Misery... is mastered way too hot to the detriment of what sounds like fine mixes underneath.

In an Expression... is my favorite and favorite sounding of theirs, very clean and crisp, everything has it's own place. It really punches.

Misery... just stepped into a little too much of a "commercial" zone (sound and song-wise) which I haven't quite settled with. It's still good though, it just doesn't stand up to repeat listens.

I really like the sounds of records J. Goodmanson engineers, but I think they just crushed this one. Sonically it seems more busy and annoying because of it--more distortion--especially when you turn it up, it doesn't like that at all.

"Misery" is a very modern approach to mixing. There's little actual dynamic range. In a way it's almost dynamically binary. The arrangements are kind of like an electronic record in the sense that when a new part comes in, the song doesn't get any louder at all... there's just a new frequency space that's perfectly occupied for a brief period of time.

i.e. squashed!

[fossiltooth]

I think Misery... is mastered way too hot to the detriment of what sounds like fine mixes underneath.

In an Expression... is my favorite and favorite sounding of theirs, very clean and crisp, everything has it's own place. It really punches.

Sure, that's a great one too!

Misery... just stepped into a little too much of a "commercial" zone (sound and song-wise) which I haven't quite settled with. It's still good though, it just doesn't stand up to repeat listens.

That's exactly how I felt at first. For the first year I owned it, it never really lit my fire. It was a real sleeper for me... then something changed. I don't know what. I just gave it another shot later on, and it clicked with me all of a sudden.

"Misery" is a very modern approach to mixing. There's little actual dynamic range. In a way it's almost dynamically binary. The arrangements are kind of like an electronic record in the sense that when a new part comes in, the song doesn't get any louder at all... there's just a new frequency space that's perfectly occupied for a brief period of time.

i.e. squashed!

Exactly!

You got a problem with that?

For the arrangements on this record, I think it was the perfect approach.

The only thing that doesn't always work for me are the midrangey, super-squashed female vocal sounds. Depending on where the crossover is on any given set of speakers, they can be grating, obnoxious and loud, or absolutely perfect.

[MoreSpaceEcho]

I think Misery... is mastered way too hot to the detriment of what sounds like fine mixes underneath.

i agree. it's not as totally squashed as some stuff, but i really think like 2db less L2 woulda made a BIG difference.

otherwise i agree with fossil. it's a really good sounding record.

and i really like john goodmanson's (and larry's) work on sleater/kinney's 'all hands on the bad one', that's a great, natural sounding record.

is 23 the new one?

[pootkao]

Yeah, 23 came out earlier this year.
It feels poppier than Misery... and the drummer really shines on it.

[fossiltooth]

It feels poppier than Misery... and the drummer really shines on it.

You'll never know just how amazing he really is until you see them live.

He's phenomenal to watch, and is quite a bit busier in a live setting, while still being extremely tasteful.

Easily one of my favorite living rock drummers to see, but you'd never know it from the recordings. Not that the recorded drums are ever anything short of great, or that the sounds are off. He's just generally more restrained on record, which is great as well.

[MoreSpaceEcho]

yeah i saw them awhile back on the misery tour, and honestly i hadn't really paid much attention to them at all before that. my girlfriend at the time dragged me to the show. i was totally blown away by them and the drummer in particular. as good as the stuff all sounds on record i think it comes across even better live.

[Meriphew]

I'm a big fan of BR. Still loving the latest (23).

[rpmsongs]

i love putting misery is a butterfly on when i have a new girl over to see my apartment. works every time.

[jonathan]

infatuated with this band