Comments on: 12 of my favourite albums for sound

By: Patrick

Patrick — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 18:29:09 +0000

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

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:41:59 +0000

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.

By: Ian Shepherd

Ian Shepherd — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 14:26:21 +0000

@ 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

By: Benjamin

Benjamin — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:50:11 +0000

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!

By: Elton

Elton — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 22:21:06 +0000

Opaline by Dishwalla. Beautiful

By: How to Use a Reference Track to Improve your Mixing | Audio Issues

How to Use a Reference Track to Improve your Mixing | Audio Issues — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 07:03:00 +0000

[...] If you’re lacking ideas on what constitutes a great mix, Ian over at Production Advice has a great post on his favorite albums. [...]

By: Elrik Merlin

Elrik Merlin — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 13:00:56 +0000

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;

By: boyan

boyan — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 16:11:38 +0000

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.

By: Warstub

Warstub — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 23:39:50 +0000

Yeah just backing up Boyan on the Morphine suggestion. The Night is a brilliant album – definitely check it out.

By: Ian Shepherd

Ian Shepherd — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 22:36:13 +0000

Hi Boyan,

Thanks for commenting – I’m going to check out your suggestions, thanks !

Ian