FOO FIGHTERS = WASTING LIGHT

[Nick Sevilla]

Nice job Butch Vig!!!
This actually has some dynamic range, and things that are HARD PANNED.
Just for that, I like it.

The things I do not like about it :
Sounds too "digital", edgy... and 2 dimensional. But it is the style of music, everything loud.
Vocals get buried at times. At least for my tastes, and I know I love a LOUD vocal...

Discuss...

[No Wave Casio Kitsch]

The things I do not like about it :
Sounds too "digital"

That's funny considering how much hype there has been regarding this being tracked at home on an API to 2".

I listened to the entire album one time. I thought it sounded decent. I didn't listen that intently but it sounded like they may have stuck L-C-R when mixing. The songs themselves are nothing to write home about.

[vvv]

I listened to it once earlier at low volume, it was aiight.

I listened to it 2night cranked on my big home stereo - excellent!

Both sessions I was doing other stuff (cooking, actually) and so have not given it a detailed listen, but I'm liking what I heard.

[digitaldrummer]

I happened to buy the limited edition or whatever with the scrap of 2" tape in it. supposedly the "masters" all cut up by Dave. Not sure I believe that, but good publicity stunt maybe...

I haven't really A/b'd it with another Foo album but I can't say I hear any huge difference with them recording at Dave's house and using tape vs. another digitally recorded CD of theirs - it still sounds like the Foo Fighters to me.

Mike

[jnTracks]

i think i agree the vocals are sometimes low, but not so much that i would blame it on anything but taste.

besides that i think the sounds and mix are stellar! i love how many different guitar tones they get, and all of them sound great. and probably my favorite drum set sound from any Foo Fighters album.

i like the closer sounding space, there was too much reverb for me on "in your honor". i think "echoes, silence..." sounded better, but not as good as this one. i'm really into it!

[shedshrine]

The Foo Fighters Interview | EM Interviews The Foo Fighters on Audio Production Techniques for Wasting Light 2011 Album

[cgarges]

This actually has some dynamic range

Really? Where?

The things I do not like about it :
Sounds too "digital", edgy... and 2 dimensional. But it is the style of music, everything loud.

Agreed. I heard it and my initial thought was, "This is tape?" It doesn't sound anything at all like they took advantage of anything that they're making a big deal about. It very well could have been done on a Mix Plus setup or ADATs and mastered by one of the normal loud guys. Nothing at all special about the whay this record sounds or feels to me. And I wanted to like it.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[Nick Sevilla]

This actually has some dynamic range

Really? Where?

The things I do not like about it :
Sounds too "digital", edgy... and 2 dimensional. But it is the style of music, everything loud.

Agreed. I heard it and my initial thought was, "This is tape?" It doesn't sound anything at all like they took advantage of anything that they're making a big deal about. It very well could have been done on a Mix Plus setup or ADATs and mastered by one of the normal loud guys. Nothing at all special about the whay this record sounds or feels to me. And I wanted to like it.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

I listened to the CD.. not a download... and when you play it nice and loud, as they recommend, you do get to hear dynamic difference between sections, and even within some sections of the songs.
If you're listening at low or moderate levels, it might seem to be all one volume.

Cheers

[cgarges]

I dno't know. I listened to it from a CD pretty loud at the studio and it didn't really breathe at all. In fact, without doing a side-by-side comparison, it pretty much sounded like every other Foo Fighters record I've ever heard, which to me sound like most boring modern commercial recordings.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

[Nick Sevilla]

I dno't know. I listened to it from a CD pretty loud at the studio and it didn't really breathe at all. In fact, without doing a side-by-side comparison, it pretty much sounded like every other Foo Fighters record I've ever heard, which to me sound like most boring modern commercial recordings.

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

Hmmmm, well it moved my hair differently in different sections, so that is what I was calling dynamic range.

Maybe it was the wind...

[Bender83]

In general, I agree that the Foo Fighters (most of the time) sound like boring, modern commercial rock. They have their moments, but I'd much rather listen to Dave's other projects. With all that said (and huge grain of salt), I state the following. I think the album sounds really good LOUD and on a GREAT system. I think that is a really really bad way to make an album. Throw whatever you wish, but people don't listen to albums loudly on their stereos anymore. Even making it sound good in a car is getting a little outdated. This stuff had to sound good on your average headphones.

[fossiltooth]

If it's of any interest to you guys I did an interview last month with James Brown, the guy who helped engineer a lot of that stuff and build-out their studio. It made for a pretty good read. Link is here if you're curious: http://bit.ly/iZezjZ

[vvv]

Nice interview, ft.!

[Professor T]

I thought it sounded like:
Rush's Test For Echo
Joe Satriani's Time Machine

I listened to it about 3 times and don't really have any need to play it again.

The documentary movie was pretty cool though, even if it was just a big commercial.