Dec 1, 2009
12 of my favourite albums for sound
Lots of people have asked me for albums I think sound great – so, here are some that spring instantly to mind. I should say upfront, this isn’t intended to be some kind of “top 12 best sounding albums ever” list, just some from my own collection that I love the sound of, for whatever reason.
If you take a listen, you’ll probably notice some pretty clear recurring themes – suggestions in the comments, please ! I’ve included the Amazon affiliate widget above so you can hear the songs, but if you live in Europe this Spotify playlist will be even better since you can listen to complete songs.
So, in no particular order:
Beck – Sea Change
Why ? Simply one of the best-sounding albums of all time. Big, warm, intimate, natural, atmospheric… and that’s not even mentioning the surround mix !
Favourite track ? “Lonesome Tears” – incredible drum sound, swooping, swirling strings, and a superb “Day In The Life”-esque climax. Oh, the strings…
JJ Cale – Troubadour
Why ? It just sounds so real, so natural, and and so cool. No fuss, no gimmicks, it just does exactly what it says on the tin. Eric Clapton owes this man a great deal.
Favourite track: “Cherry” Such an amazing double-tracked vocal sound
Burial – Untrue
Why ? Brooding, dark, glitchy, with rumbling subsonic basslines – what’s not to love ? A sonic world you can sink into and lose yourself in.
Favourite track: “Archangel”
Prince – Sign o’ The Times
Why ? This album is Prince at his peak – playing absolutely everything on many of the tracks, he hasn’t sounded this good since he threw away the drum machines. Dry, clean, bass-light, with his trademark guitar-sound and brass section. Sound effects, varispeed vocals, wild guitar solos – unparalleled.
Favourite track: “Sign o’ The Times”. No, “Housequake”. I mean, “If I Was You Girlfriend”. Oh hell, all of them !
Peter Gabriel 4 (‘Security’)
Why ? This was the other tape I played non-stop back-to-back with ‘Sign o’ The Times’ for a whole summer. Another artist at the top of his game, full of distinctive production techniques, including one of the earliest uses of that eighties staple – the gated reverb. Also chock full of Tony Levin’s stick bass playing : )
Favourite track: “I Have The Touch”
Bjork – Homeogenic
Why ? This album is another “sonic world” for me – almost entirely beats, synths and strings, and featuring some of my favourite Bjork songs of all time. Mesmeric.
Favourite track: “Joga”
Gil Scott-Heron – Pieces Of A Man
Why ? There are times when all you want from a production is straightforward, honest recordings of the instruments, and that’s what I love here. Powerful lyrics and simple, direct production.
Favourite track: “Lady Day and John Coltrane”
Frankie Goes To Hollywood – Welcome To The Pleasuredome
Why ? At the other extreme, I don’t see how anyone who loves music production can argue with this choice – where the producer played almost all of the instruments! Perhaps the perfect example of manufactured sound ?
Favourite track: “Welcome to The Pleasuredome”, especially the introduction. I just love the bird sound effects (or, are they synths ?) and the little vocoder-thing that introduces the beat.
Goldfrapp – Felt Mountain
Why ? Any album that seamlessly blends an operatic vocal with what sounds like a theremin and then changes one into the other until you can’t tell any more where one begins and the other ends is always going to get my vote… but there are so many moments I love on this album. Electronica, soundtrack, synth-pop, folk, cabaret… magic.
Favourite track: “Utopia”
Brian Eno & David Byrne – My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts
Why ? This album was insanely influential, and is an all-time favourite of mine. Production-wise, they invented sampling before the sampler existed – what more do you want ? OK then, how about complex african rhythms, startlingly innovative textures and a song that soundtracks an exorcism ?
Favourite track: “Regiment”
Imogen Heap – Speak For Yourself
Why ? Regular readers will already know how highly I rate Immi as a producer – check out her YouTube video diaries where (for example) she plays the light fittings in the ceiling of her studio, amongst other things. My only reservation is that if anything, her albums end up sounding a little too polished, so all those wacky sounds drift past without us noticing them properly. Luckily, we can always go and see her live !
Favourite track: “Hide and Seek”
Pet Sounds – The Beach Boys
Why ? This is one of my favourite albums of all time – but oddly enough, only since I heard the stereo mixes. There are people who swear by the original mono release, but I need the ear-candy. It’s just a sublime example of arrangements supporting incredible songs. I can’t recommend the “Sessions” box-set highly enough – hearing the instrumental backings alone, and the studio out-takes where Wilson experiments with combining sounds is a revelation. This man was using additive synthesis long before the synthesiser was ever invented…
Favourite track: “Don’t Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)”
And finally, a few that nearly-made-the-list-but-didn’t, either because they were a bit “obvious” or because I wanted more variety: Blur – Parklife; The Beatles – Rubber Soul; Stevie Wonder – Songs In The Key Of Life; Pink Floyd – The Wall (Actually “Wish You Were Here” is the best-sounding Floyd album, but The Wall is another little sonic world…); Miles Davis – Kind Of Blue; Primal Scream – Vanishing Point (bass clarinet, baby !); Radiohead – In Rainbows; Steven Wilson – Insurgentes; Supergrass – I Should Coco; Underworld – Dubnobasswithmyheadman; The Strokes – Is This It; Nick Drake – Five Leaves Left; Pixies – Trompe le Monde… and many others !
Edit to add – almost anything by Alison Krauss !
Edit #2 – lots of great suggestions in the comments – how could I forget Nevermind ?! – but check out my comments about one of them in particular, in the next post – Personality In Audio
OK, let’s have it then – which are your favourite albums sonically, and why ?
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Watershed – Opeth
The clarity of everything, yet the intensity. As you said Ian, the production complements the arrangement perfectly.
Synchestra – Devin Townsend Band
The very definition of grandiose. I will never hear anything this HUGE again.
Dirt Floor – Chris Whitley
A microphone thrown over a rafter in a barn. You can even hear the foot stamps in the dirt. Perfect.
Mule Variations – Tom Waits
Waits is a genius, and this one feels a little obvious.
Animals – Pink Floyd
The dryness. I don’t know what it is, but it gets me every time.
Burias’s Untrue has to be there definitely.
Some other aditions I would have said:
Gang Starr – Daily operation –Finest jazzy hip hop ever.
Ed Rush & Optical – Wormhole –best dnb album, great dark organic ambiences and sounds, gritty…
Red Hot Chili Peppers – Blood Sugar Sex Magik –Rick Rubin at its best
i would continue until 12 more, but anyway, thats my 2 cents
I would put Rage against the Machine as my favourite album sonically. Why?
First thing is because the mix pays equal attention to each instrument. None of the instruments outshine the other.
As the album notes say, the only instruments used in the albums creation are of the standard rock arrangement a drum kit, an electric guitar, a bass and a microphone. By having such a simple arrangement in a high quality recording, RATM is able to draw images of a great band playing music that is loud and violent which is exactly how protest music should sound.
The National’s “Boxer” has to be on there as well. The incredibly dark strings, for one. Vocals are gorgeous, mixes are dense, and somehow airy at the same time. Oozes vibe. Read some threads with some guys who worked on it, and they had some crazy signal chains happening on that record! They’d do drum recordings ranging from two mics to 14. Great stuff.
Hemispheres by Rush… the sounds are good, but the arrangements are better, even with the few mistakes left in. Still, sonically it’s a lot of fun. 2112 was great too.
Bad Religions “Process Of Belief” is great for punk sounds too.
Thanks for all the suggestions – some new ones for me to check out there, keep ‘em coming !
@brett Yup, Tom Waits is a favourite of mine, too. And definitely Opeth – I was lucky enough to author the surround mix DVD of “Still Life” which sounds great.
@Ian I am in awe…
Have heard Devin’s new albums Ki, and Addicted? What are your thoughts if any production-wise?
I have to confess that I’m a sucker for such list posts.
It’s great to find albums on there that you like yourself and it’s maybe even better to discover new music you haven’t heard before.
I’d like to add my fav produced album: “The Seduction of Claude Debussy” by The Art of Noise.
Great Ian!
I remember commenting on one of your updates about asking for you opinion on great sound albums. Fantastic list!
Totally agree with RATM. Fantastic album
I would also include
This Town Needs guns – Animals. Clean and fantastic audio with the ‘Math’ guitar recorded in stereo. Sounds delicious!
+1 on the RATM suggestion.
Also, i wouldnt say BR’s Process of Belief for punk albums. Perhaps because its not one of their greatest albums. I think No Control has a more signature sound, compact wall of guitars and fast, catchy vibe. Process of Belief benefits from having 3 guitarrists in the band. Some Rancid records have a great sound, i would point them out as a suggestion.
Nobody has mentioned before Nirvana’s Nevermind, its sound has always driven me nuts.
Thanx for all those good suggestions that ive never heard before. Some new stuff to dig out is always welcomed.
My friend turned me on to Imogen Heap a while back and i just love her music! Great list I totally agree.
More suggestions to check out, thanks ! Art Of Noise & Nevermind I totally agree.
Rage Against The Machine – yes, it’s a great-sounding album. BUT there’s a “but”… which I think I might save for another post.
What about Nine Inch Nails’ Year Zero?
Hi Ian.
Actually there is not theremin in Goldfrapp’s album Felt Mountain. What sounds like a theremin is actually Alison’s vocals run through the filter of a Korg MS-20 analog synth. She has also been reported to use this setup when playing the Felt Mountain songs live.
I did something similar.. (running vocals through the MS-20 filter) on my own album and the results are eerie.
Thanks
@ enigmafin You’re right, I meant to describe the way it sounds, rather than how it was done – it sounds like theremin to begin with, and then it sounds like processed voice, and then you aren’t sure any more… either way, I love it
Thanks for putting this up Ian. Lonesome Tears by Beck struck me the same way and it was satisfying to read your thoughts. Also great now to listen to Lonesome Tears as your example of a great mix. Gives me calibration here in my DIY center as I mix my own stuff. This is the best audio blog on the internet. I come in here when I need inspiration and wisdom. Tons of gold nuggets can be found within this blog for folks of varied experience.
ELECTROHERMIT
Thanks David, Glad you like the blog !
I’ll try and list some not mentioned….Kinda got carried away here but….if I had to pick 10 they would be the first 10 on the list
Yes – Big Generator
Def Leppard – Hysteria
Joe Jackson – Night and Day
Machines Of Loving Grace – Concentration
P.M. Dawn – The Bliss Album
Sisters Of Mercy – Floodland
Phil Collins – No Jacket Required
Madonna – The Immaculate Collection
Prong – Cleansing
Alanis Morissette – Jagged Little Pil
Catherine Wheel – Feremnt
Dream Theater – Images And Words (or Awake)
Don Henley – Building The Perfect Beast
Eric Johnson – Ah Via Musicom (or Tones)
Extreme – Pornograffitti
Faith No More – King For A Day
Guns N Roses – Appetite For Destruction
INXS – Kick
K.M.F.D.M. Nihil
Pantera – Cowboys From Hell
Megadeth – Countdown To Extinction
Metallica – And Justice (Tight and Dry)
Michael Jackson – Thriller
Midnight Oil -Diesel And Dust
Ministry – Lay Lady Lay (Single)
Porno For Pyros – Pets (Single)
R.E.M. – Automatic For The People
Red Hot Chili Peppers – Blood Sugar Sex Magic
Public Image Limited – Happy?
Rush – Power Windows
Seal – Seal
Spin Doctors – Pocket Full Of Kryptonite
Steve Vai – Sex And Religion
Stone Temple Piolots – Tiny Music
The Farm – Groovey Train (Single)
Tool – Undertow
Sisters Of Mercy – Vision Thing
The Verve (Lucky Man and Bitter Sweet Symphony)
The Verve Pipe – Villians
Toad The Wet Sprocket – Dulcinea
Type O Negative – October Rust
Wang Chung – Mosaic and the (Dance Hall Days single)
Cheryl Crow – Everyday Is A Winding Road single
Peter Gabriel – So
Pink Floyd – Dark Side Of The Moon
RATM – RATM
Alan Parsons Project – Tales Of Mystery And Imagination (1987 Remix)
Camel – Rain Dances
Dire Straits – Love Over Gold
Fleetwood Mac – Rumours
GnR – Chinese Democracy
John Mayer – Continuum
Mark Knopfler – The Ragpicker’s Dream/Sailing To Philadelphia
Roger Waters – Amused To Death
Robert Plant – Pictures At 11
Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman
U2 – The Joshua Tree
Van Halen – Van Halen
David Gilmour – On An Island
I agree with Bruce on Tool’s Undertow. Although the album is mixed quite low, every instrument can be heard, and nothing overpowers anything else. This mix really displays Danny Carey’s amazing abilities as a drummer.
great post, Ian… I was catching up on the loudness war and came across your blog, etc…
most of the suggestions here are really nice.
How do you like “Waiting For The Punchline” by Extreme? “Cynical”, “Naked”… “Better Of Dead” is a track that ddin’t make the album, but has one of my favorite guitar sounds. Everything on the album sounds huge.
How do you like Curtis Mayfield’s “There Is No Place Like America Today”? “So In Love” and my favorite – “When Seasons Change”. beside artistic value, I think everything sounds great.
King’s X have great sound, beside being a totally awesome and under rated band. “Dogman” (“Sunshine Rain” sounds great, check out the vocals in “Shoes”, esp. after the solo) is their most famous album, i believe, but I like things throughout their discography… “Mr Bulbous” felt like a conceptual album, i listened to it so much… maybe it’s the dropped tuning. if you think about it, it doesn’t make sense because Ty Tabor recorded it with a POD – a tone sucker… I guess the subjectivity of music comes to play here, because i still like it for what it is.
“Dark Side of The Moon”, RATM, “Blood Sugar Sex Magik” – i love them too.
A lot of “old” music sounds absolutely kick ass, great clarity, punch, dynamics – Ray Charles (the Atlantic jazz/blues stuff), James Brown, Muddy Waters…
I think my top choice for best sound/production and artistic value will be “Beneath The Surface” by Incognito. Have You checked it out? What do you think?
it has great arrangements, very complex, yet it has clarity, punch, definition, etc.. great players and singers on this one, and technically perfect IMHO.
Regards,
Boyan
How could I ever forget… Mark Sandman… Morphine… talk about signature sound.. nothing ever has or will come close…
Hi Boyan,
Thanks for commenting – I’m going to check out your suggestions, thanks !
Ian
Yeah just backing up Boyan on the Morphine suggestion. The Night is a brilliant album – definitely check it out.
Thanks, Ian and Warstub.
I could be biased for Extreme’s “Waiting For The Punchline”, the same way people are biased for RATM… It’s the music really. “Punchline” has great playing… I also like Californication, even though it’s pretty squashed…
Morphine however, they are a category of their own. I think everythting they put out is very special… There is a collection of the solo work of Mark Sandman called “Sandbox”. Ian, you talk about signature sound and how you can tell a recording, JJ Cale’s, etc.. I feel the same way about Mark Sandman’s solo work – not only he used harmonica microphones a lot, which is a signature sound by itself, but just about everything he recorded has that special Mark Sandman touch. He was a DIY guy and absolutely brilliant.
My own picks would include the following (not in any order):
Klaatu – first album (different US/UK titles): excellent all round. Terry Brown production I recall;
Pet Sounds: DVD-A version is stunning; I do like the original mono but the stereo is great too IMO;
Toy Matinee: stereo or surround versions very impressive;
Thunderclap Newman – Hollywood Dream: “Accidents” includes the coolest bass sound I’ve ever heard;
Beatles, Love: wonderful piece of work sound-wise as well as mixwise. Again, the DVD-A is brilliant;
[...] If you’re lacking ideas on what constitutes a great mix, Ian over at Production Advice has a great post on his favorite albums. [...]
Opaline by Dishwalla. Beautiful
I’m with RATM too. Very curious to find out what’s your bug BUT Ian… To me, it is one of the most intense albums ever made, and the consistency throughout the entire thing is also very rare.
Happy to see you included Goldfrapp!
Oh, and there’s WAY too little Fleetwood Mac in this thread!
@ Benjamin – Oh, you’re right. “Rumours”, for example…
I talked a bit more about RATM here:
http://productionadvice.co.uk/audio-personality/
Let me know what you think
Two years on. Ian, I read your article on RATMs sound when it was first posted. While I agree with the main point that albums need a sonic signiture, I don’t see how RATM lacks one. Maybe its a difference of taste?
Honestly though, this is an album that does not pull any punches. Its an album written by a band as a means for them to play the songs live at a rally, and as a consequence they end up sounding that way too. RATM is their best album. Evil Empire and Battle Of LA do not even come close to touching it.
Just stumbled apon this list! Wow!!! Have I got some vinyl to buy! This is goooood stuff!
A couple of my fav’s
Stereo
CSN – Deja Vu
Heart – Dreamboat Annie
Rush – Permanent Waves
Traffic – Traffic
Santana – Abraxas
Surround
Joe Satriani – Strange Beautiful Music
Roy Orbison- Black and White night
Mark Knopfler- Sailing to Philadelphia
Alan Parsons – On Air
Nora Jones – Come Away with Me
Procupine Tree – Stupid Dream