Albums ruined by a poor production?

[zorrow]

Malmsteen's "War To End All Wars" sucked big donkey balls in my mind, until I recently "rediscovered" it and realized it contains quite a few songs I would have liked if the sound of the entire album wasn't so poor -well, please don't run for it now; it's still Malmsteen, but I did use to think this was one of his worst albums and well... it isn't!

So guys, any album whose songs are not bad but that got ruined by a bad production and might get overlooked because of that?

[Turdus]

One of the best hard rock albums, from the 70's, is Moxy's Ridin' High. But the production is just awful. Its muffled with no sheen at all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quSqMRz_Qmk

[coolfeel]

I need to be real careful here - I did 95% of the production for the album my band just finished and I know it could have been done much better - so I realize I may open myself up to the same criticsm if any of you ever hear it.

That said, I think Ratt's EP was not done well, there are some really cool songs that could have shined better with better production. On the other side of this argument, I LOVE the production of AC/DCs Highway to Hell.

It goes without saying that if the band isn't studio ready or if they cannot or are unable to get good acoustic values, this can negatively impact production out of the gate...

[gorch]

Gillan - Future Shock and Magic were a big dissapointments to me at the time.

Future Shock sounds thin like a toothpick.

Magic must have sold it's dynamic and highs for a hig price before the album came out.

Digital refurbish did not help much on them though.

[Disturber]

One of the most over rated "producers" in the world must be Steve Albini. He produces backwards, like he does not produce at all, just want an industrial sound that gives me a head ache. ANd he does not seem to do much about the acutal songs, arrangements etc. What a producer normally is there to destilate into a better sounding product. He ruined Nirvanas In Utero, for one. I know he did The Pixies, but I think he mostly pushed the rec button.

I love PJ Harveys Stories from the City, stories from the Sea, which is her best produced album to date, it also contains some killer songs. The album after Uh Hu Her, and the recent albums, all suffered from boring nasal indie production, deliberately mixing it low fi. It's a waste of fine pearls if you ask me.

Matchbox 20 debut album was killer. The follow up sucked due to too much Pro tools editing. Pro tools can just take the groove out of anything if you let the technician run wild. Less pro tools editing is 99% of the time more, (as in a lot better).

Velvet Revolver, not so much the production, but the mastering killed those two albums. Especially the 2nd one which is pretty much unlistenable.

The Loudness wars has killed more albums recently than bad production. That is why I try to by vinyl when it's available.

[murkat]

DIO, Holy Diver.

shitty production, no bass, no humph. just midrange. Sucks.

[Disturber]

DIO, Holy Diver.

shitty production, no bass, no humph. just midrange. Sucks.

I love that midrangey Holy Diver. It's just sooooooo eighties Seriously, that album has a special sound to it. Did I tell you I love it?

[Andrew]

Gillan - Future Shock and Magic were a big dissapointments to me at the time.

Future Shock sounds thin like a toothpick.

Magic must have sold it's dynamic and highs for a hig price before the album came out.

Digital refurbish did not help much on them though.

Future Shock by Gillan is a classic. It doesn't sound thin but it is so unprocessed - it may sound unusually spacious in a world of BIG production but is incredibly 'real'. By 'real' I think I mean it sounds like human beings making music in a studio room.

The first Virgin Steele album is ruined by muffled/imbalanced production.

[tbabinec]

How about Stooges "Raw Power?" Since re-released with a couple different mixes.

Chili Peppers' "Mother's Milk." Re-released with additional tracks and a different mix.

Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers "L.A.M.F" released umpteen times.

[MCChris]

The one that springs to mind for me is Motorhead's "Another Perfect Day." Oddball lineup but some great songs that are not well served by the limp production. I have a remixed/remastered version that still doesn't have enough balls.

The mention of Gillan brings to mind Sabbath's "Born Again." Distant, murky production that adds to the weirdness of that lineup/era but belies the power of the material.

Wasn't aware that there was a remixed version of Mother's Milk. I might seek out the additional tracks, but I like the sound of the original (very hard rock, which is probably what they didn't like about it and sought to change).

Loud-as-fuck, compressed-to-shit, brick-wall mastering is a separate discussion.

[Jeff R]

Sabbath's "Born Again" also came to mind reading this thread. But the first that came to mind is Metallica's "Death Magnetic." I can only take it in short intervals - the levels are WAY TOO HIGH and there's distortion where there should be none. It was like they set the record up for a remixed and remastered re-release before it even hit the sale racks.

[Hackubus]

One of the most over rated "producers" in the world must be Steve Albini. He produces backwards, like he does not produce at all, just want an industrial sound that gives me a head ache. ANd he does not seem to do much about the acutal songs, arrangements etc. What a producer normally is there to destilate into a better sounding product. He ruined Nirvanas In Utero, for one. I know he did The Pixies, but I think he mostly pushed the rec button.

Ahh, Albini...let me count the ways I could bitch about him. I suspect he enjoys getting high off of his own farts.

[anathemata]

How about anything Kevin Shirely has done? Aerosmith, Zeppelin, the Black Crowes -- he managed to take the life out of all of them.

[MCChris]

I suppose I should pipe up with my disdain for Jeff Lynne and the shitty drum sounds on everything he's ever worked on, but I don't need to get my blood pressure up this early in the day.

[serial]

Foghat always managed to have awful sounding records.

[Disturber]

How about anything Kevin Shirely has done? Aerosmith, Zeppelin, the Black Crowes -- he managed to take the life out of all of them.

Those Black Crowes albums are great!

Bruce Fairbairn on the other hand. What a nutter. Turned everything into 80's mash. AC/DC, Aerosmith, you name 'em, they suck.

[MCChris]

Bruce Fairbairn on the other hand. What a nutter. Turned everything into 80's mash. AC/DC, Aerosmith, you name 'em, they suck.

Beau Hill was another one. Apparently the go-to guy for '80s hair metal bands and yeah, a lot of his albums sold like hotcakes, but again, universally shitty drum sounds (something I suppose casual fans don't give a shit about).

[anathemata]

How about anything Kevin Shirely has done? Aerosmith, Zeppelin, the Black Crowes -- he managed to take the life out of all of them.

Those Black Crowes albums are great!

Bruce Fairbairn on the other hand. What a nutter. Turned everything into 80's mash. AC/DC, Aerosmith, you name 'em, they suck.

Shirely only did By Your Side, which even the band thinks is their worst record.

[sonic1974]

One of the most over rated "producers" in the world must be Steve Albini. He produces backwards, like he does not produce at all, just want an industrial sound that gives me a head ache. ANd he does not seem to do much about the acutal songs, arrangements etc. What a producer normally is there to destilate into a better sounding product. He ruined Nirvanas In Utero, for one. I know he did The Pixies, but I think he mostly pushed the rec button.

I love PJ Harveys Stories from the City, stories from the Sea, which is her best produced album to date, it also contains some killer songs. The album after Uh Hu Her, and the recent albums, all suffered from boring nasal indie production, deliberately mixing it low fi. It's a waste of fine pearls if you ask me.

Matchbox 20 debut album was killer. The follow up sucked due to too much Pro tools editing. Pro tools can just take the groove out of anything if you let the technician run wild. Less pro tools editing is 99% of the time more, (as in a lot better).

Velvet Revolver, not so much the production, but the mastering killed those two albums. Especially the 2nd one which is pretty much unlistenable.

The Loudness wars has killed more albums recently than bad production. That is why I try to by vinyl when it's available.

I really love that PJ Harvey, Stories from the Sea album. It's amazing!!

I don't think it ruined that albums, but some of the production on Replacements albums is kind of distracting for me, kind of "murky", I don't know how to describe it. I know they were on smaller labels, but even by Tim, which I'm pretty sure was on Sire, the production wasn't really that great.

Going in the other direction, Wilco albums seem really well done to me.

[petel]

Stones- Between the Buttons

[edgar_allan_poe]

Metallica - And Justice for All

Ozzy - Bark at the Moon

Horrible horrible horrible production that make those albums really difficult to listen to.

[crunchee]

Marshall Crenshaw's Field Day--destroyed by Steve Lillywhite in a swamp of unfocused murkiness:

[anathemata]

Metallica - And Justice for All

Ozzy - Bark at the Moon

Horrible horrible horrible production that make those albums really difficult to listen to.

This is where different opinions prevail. I've always love the dry production on AJFA. Everything is so immediate and in your face. Sure, there's not a lot of bottom end, but that's because there are so many guitar tracks eating up sonic real estate.

[humfree]

Yesterday and Today 'Struck Down'.. under Bill Graham even..

Alcatrazz 'Live Sentence'

After all these year they jump to the front..

[Steve Haynie]

Blue Coupe's last album has vocals way too low in the mix. Listen to the sound samples and you will notice. The album may have been mixed on a particular set of monitors that enhanced the vocal frequencies.

The first three KISS albums could have been mixed better.

Most of the mid to late 70's albums had those incredibly dry drums. That was Foghat, Journey, Ted Nugent, Aerosmith, etc. with those lifeless sounding drums.