Top Ten Albums All Recording Engineers Should Own

ott0bot · Post by **ott0bot** » Mon Jan 31, 2011 1:46 pm

palinilap wrote:Mogwai - Come On Die Young

i sort of agree....some great guitar tones and bass sounds, plus the overall mix sounds really great....along the lines of earlier mentioned Spiderland, or maybe Ariel M's self titled, where it has a really soft sound that when it edges into abrasive...it's really impacting. Sounds really nice on vinyl through a Hi-fi...as the back of Spiderland tells you "it's meant for vinly..." i think CODY needs a good listen on vinly as well. The Do Make Say Think catolog, especially & Yet & Yet, fits in there too. Then again...so many records sounds so good on vinyl......

however....how much reverb do you need on that snare!!! i mean come on! it's really, really, distracting to me, and it drives me nuts when I start really focusing on it. other than that i love CODY.

palinilap · Post by **palinilap** » Mon Jan 31, 2011 1:59 pm

ott0bot wrote:
palinilap wrote:Mogwai - Come On Die Young
i sort of agree....some great guitar tones and bass sounds, plus the overall mix sounds really great....along the lines of earlier mentioned Spiderland, or maybe Ariel M's self titled, where it has a really soft sound that when it edges into abrasive...it's really impacting. Sounds really nice on vinyl through a Hi-fi...as the back of Spiderland tells you "it's meant for vinly..." i think CODY needs a good listen on vinly as well. The Do Make Say Think catolog, especially & Yet & Yet, fits in there too. Then again...so many records sounds so good on vinyl......

however....how much reverb do you need on that snare!!! i mean come on! it's really, really, distracting to me, and it drives me nuts when I start really focusing on it. other than that i love CODY.

Ha, yeah it's over-the-top alright! it seems to be part of the Mogwai ethos, especially earlier in their career, to go to musical extremes. I kind of perceive it along those lines, but then again, maybe they were just drunk and thought it sounded cool at the time

T-rex · Post by **T-rex** » Mon Jan 31, 2011 5:57 pm

MoreSpaceEcho wrote:buncha good stuff already mentioned. top ten for me, in no particular order:

2. ruby vroom-soul coughing

my love for yuval gabay's drumming is well documented on this board already....suffice to say that tchad blake's production presents this drumming in the coolest possible way. another example of heavy handed production that serves the song. i love how wacky and playful this record sounds, and more importantly it sounds wacky and playful without being precious or self conscious about it.

3. the bed is in the ocean-karate

so back in the 90s, i was really into the sort of production exemplified in the two examples above. then i heard this record, tracked and mixed by andy hong, and it totally spun my head around. totally straight up, no adornment whatsoever....a drum kit, a bass, a guitar, and a vocal. in a room. with some microphones. the end. sounds incredible. the drums especially are just amazing.

4. steve albini in general

awhile back, garages and i were talking about 'in utero', and i was saying 'remember how WEIRD it sounded when it came out? listen to it now and it sounds TOTALLY NORMAL.' breeders 'pod' is an even better example. that thing sounds as fresh now as it did when it came out in '92 or whenever. how many early 90s rock records can you say that about?

I just had to comment on these. I love Soul Coughing and Yuvals drumming is absolutely stunning. Ruby Vroom is a definite, along with any Albini. Personally I love Crain's Speed album and Jesus Lizard's Liar.

Also, Superdrag's Head Trip In Every Key. I have long stood by this as the pinnacle of 90's rock n roll guitar sounds. I can hear the tape edits in a few places and that makes it even better!

MoreSpaceEcho · Post by **MoreSpaceEcho** » Tue Feb 01, 2011 11:22 am

all 3 soul coughing records saw heavy rotation on the boombox when i was building the new studio, and i noticed that yuval pretty much never plays a fill ever. there's a couple tom fills on one song on ruby vroom and that's IT. so badass.

Recycled_Brains · Post by **Recycled_Brains** » Thu Feb 03, 2011 7:17 am

No way I can narrow this completely down to 10, but in addition to (or aggreeing with) what others have posted, I would add these....

Neurosis - Times of Grace
Radiohead - Amnesiac
ZZ Top - Tres Hombres
Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
Nina Nastasia - The Blackened Air
Pink Floyd - Meddle (Dark Side is obvious, but I love how dark and dense this album sounds)
Led Zepplin - III (honorable mention to I for the fuzz tone on "Dazed and Confused" alone)
Grails - Burning Off Impurities
Trap Them - Seance Prime
Entombed - Left Hand Path (a stretch, but if you're into deathmetal...)

Freakmagnet451 · Post by **Freakmagnet451** » Thu Feb 03, 2011 2:19 pm

The Band by The Band - done on the cheap in a converted poolhouse, a masterpiece of DIY in all respects.

Moonlight Over Vermont - Johnny Smith

Eddy Arnold's greatest hits.

Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs by Marty Robbins

Quarter Moon In A Ten Cent Town by Emmylou Harris

Duke Ellington and His All Star Band Live (1962)

Swordfish Trombone by Tom Waits

Who's Next by The Who

Electric Ladyland - Jimi Hendrix

Blue - Joni Mitchell

Abbey Road - The Beatles

Palmer · Post by **Palmer** » Thu Feb 03, 2011 7:08 pm

Freakmagnet, can you elaborate?

Freakmagnet451 · Post by **Freakmagnet451** » Thu Feb 03, 2011 10:24 pm

Palmer wrote:Freakmagnet, can you elaborate?

To some extent, I will try.

The Band by The Band - done on the cheap in a converted poolhouse, a masterpiece of DIY in all respects.

Moonlight Over Vermont - Johnny Smith - State of the art for the early 1950's and still sounds fresh and clean today.

Eddy Arnold's greatest hits - VERY FEW artists have sold anything like the number of albums Eddy Arnold sold. Lots of great songs done before overdubbing was common with elaborate arrangements and quite a population of musicians and singers.

Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs by Marty Robbins - Beautiful sounding record, lush and focused on the stories Marty was telling.

Quarter Moon In A Ten Cent Town by Emmylou Harris - IMHO her finest effort which is high praise indeed. GREAT band, great arrangements, great sounds and really a cohesive wonderful record.

Duke Ellington and His All Star Band Live (1962) - Live, bitches. Pretty rare to get this much talent in one place at one time and have ALL the ducks in a row.

Swordfish Trombone by Tom Waits - a refreshing approach, not so much lo-fi as a fearless commitment to letting things be what they are.

Who's Next by The Who - One of the all time classic rock albums and often overlooked. A beautiful sounding recording, crunchy guitars, slamming drums, insane bass parts that somehow work perfectly and excellent vocal work.

Electric Ladyland - Jimi Hendrix - Wadda ya gonna say? It just has to be on the list.

Blue - Joni Mitchell - a delicate, soul-baring blast of reality. Simplicity that is classic and never boring.

Abbey Road - The Beatles - The second side is a masterpiece of sound collage. Side one has some great stuff too!!!

red cross · Post by **red cross** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 1:30 am

Ok, this is veering far from the "What Recording Engineers Should Own" topic into more personal tastes but I guess I'll still throw it out there for the interested...

Yoko Ono's "Plastic Ono Band" and "Fly" are both terrific examples of late 60s / early 70s recordings of improv rock. POB was recorded at Abbey Road around the same time as Lennon's version, while "Fly" was cut during the "Imagine" period at Lennon's Ascot home studio. Both engineered by Phil Macdonald and sound FANTASTIC. If you ever wanted to hear Jim Keltner, John Lennon and Klaus Voorman grinding out 18 minutes of pure Krautrock, you must get this! If you're the type that can't get over the fact that She's The Woman Who Broke Up The Beatles

then give it a pass.

http://www.allmusic.com/album/r67636

http://www.allmusic.com/album/fly-r46034/review

Wlouch · Post by **Wlouch** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 4:32 am

Thought I would chime in with a few of my essentials. These albums are ones of which I grew up with in some manner. I came to realise as I learn more and more about audio that they are impeccable for their respective genres in terms of production, regardless of whether you like the music or not.

In no particular order:

Peter Gabriel - Secret World Live (One of, if not THE best live recordings I have ever heard)

Sting - Mercury Falling (Some of Hugh Padghams best work)

Sting - Ten Summoners Tales (Some of Hugh Padghams best work)

Michael Jackson - Dangerous (Bruce Swedien is a disgustingly talented producer/engineer)

Oceansize - Effloresce (Not necessarily the best produced album in the world, but it gets a mention because it is my favourite record of all time, that said it is well produced, and mixed brilliantly by Chris Sheldon) A great reference for heavier rock/prog

Oceansize - Everyone in to Position (same as above but with some mesmerizing head hurting crescendos, heavier than previous album. A bit too clinically recorded for my liking, but certainly very well done)

Led Zeppelin - Back catalog (Nuff said)

McCoy Tyner - New York Reunion (Possibly the most audiophile recording I have ever heard, absolutely perfect)

Rage Against The Machine - Self Titled (Again a brilliant example of how heavier rock should sound)

Balmorhea - Self Titled (Because this albums flaws are perfect for the music. This album shows me that its not all about gear, its about capturing good performances from great musicians and that the musical composition and performance will always outweigh gear used)

Also of note: Anything recorded by Steve Albini in the rockier genre, he has a drum sound that I one day want to replicate but with my own take/spin. Absolutely brilliantly talented engineer with everything he touches, he somehow raises the musicality in everything he is involved with and his engineering choices are always for the music.

palinilap · Post by **palinilap** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 5:48 am

Recycled_Brains wrote:Grails - Burning Off Impurities

Great Album. It's easy to associate independent label psychedelic music with haphazard recording, but this album's really well crafted.

JGriffin · Post by **JGriffin** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 6:44 am

red cross wrote:Ok, this is veering far from the "What Recording Engineers Should Own" topic into more personal tastes but I guess I'll still throw it out there for the interested...

Yoko Ono's "Plastic Ono Band" and "Fly" are both terrific examples of late 60s / early 70s recordings of improv rock. POB was recorded at Abbey Road around the same time as Lennon's version, while "Fly" was cut during the "Imagine" period at Lennon's Ascot home studio. Both engineered by Phil Macdonald and sound FANTASTIC. If you ever wanted to hear Jim Keltner, John Lennon and Klaus Voorman grinding out 18 minutes of pure Krautrock, you must get this! If you're the type that can't get over the fact that She's The Woman Who Broke Up The Beatles then give it a pass.

http://www.allmusic.com/album/r67636

http://www.allmusic.com/album/fly-r46034/review

Niiice!

Recycled_Brains · Post by **Recycled_Brains** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 1:27 pm

palinilap wrote:
Recycled_Brains wrote:Grails - Burning Off Impurities
Great Album. It's easy to associate independent label psychedelic music with haphazard recording, but this album's really well crafted.

Why I picked it.

It's such a dense record, but everything is so well represented. And the blending of textures and sounds, the depth of it all... just amazing. Could not have been an easy record to mix.

Recycled_Brains · Post by **Recycled_Brains** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 1:34 pm

red cross wrote:Ok, this is veering far from the "What Recording Engineers Should Own" topic into more personal tastes...

I don't see it that way. Ask a million engineers, and you'll get a million answers. Almost everything we do comes down to personal taste. Seems like people are making their choices intelligently, and backing them up. Who's to say what every engineer should own?

There are no rules. As an example... People jump all over the Beatles.... I don't own a single record by them, and never will. Nor do I go crazy over the recordings. Not saying they're not great and worthy of respect, but that's not my world, musically, so why should I reference it? If you played me "Sgt. Pepper's...", then "Times of Grace", I'd most def. tell you the latter sounds better. That's why it's essential to me. It's a record with a level of sound quality and fidelity that I hope to achieve in my own work.

Not trying to bust your chops or anything... just offering some perspective.

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Fri Feb 04, 2011 2:44 pm

Lemme bust yer chops ...

Butt seriously, the thread title includes "All Recording Engineers" (italics mine) so I took it as recordings that, arguably, will serve engineers in general, inna kinda universal sense.

Obviously, it's impossible to make a complete and/or agreed list of only 10, butt I took it as being asked to name 10 potentials, for a much larger list.

Now, I also am decidedly not a Beatle fan, almost never playing a recording on my CD player unless ...

... I need the reference.

That's what makes, for me anywhat, Abby Road an example of an essential recording, and why I listed it; it's worthy of reference and, I believe, an essential example of the type of production it perhaps even created. For similar and yet different reasons I could have listed my much preferred White Album (altho' I like the remastered Hits best of all), butt I just think A.R. is more important in the recording lexicon, even if I don't particularly care for it. (Truth be told, I might be more liable to reference Paul's Boutique or In Color or Bellybutton ... depending.)

Anywhat, how's them chops feelin'?

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Top Ten Albums All Recording Engineers Should Own

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