I'll start with a classic example - The Sonny Sharrock et. al. group, Last Exit. Absolutely fantastic musicians, arrangement, playing, vision, and attitude. Sounds like an 80s TV commercial for deodorant. Actually impressive in a sense, but God what a total fucking nightmare.

Chris Whitley - Living with the Law. Sounds like shit. Great songs nonetheless. Every album afterwards sounds better and better. Dust Radio, the documentary, is fantastic and revealing insofar as the major label tip their hands lower and lower with regard to their sonic target. Worth watching for this alone

The last two Low LPs.

Everything by Tom Verlaine up through Flashlight, at least.

XTC Oranges and Lemons.

Verlaine's second record sounds fine to me (I wish I had a copy, Flashlight I own, and find unlistenable). Last Exit's Iron Path too, actually. Laswell sure did a number on many rock acts on the 80's, though, attested by the fact none came back to him for a follow up. AJFA sounds great to me as it is, also. I don't believe that a record can somehow be great AND ruined by production, I do believe some music is actually complimented by fucked up decisions and production choices.

There are probably many potentially great records hiding behind misguided production, but I wouldn't know it from the outside.

Bernardo wrote: Thu May 20, 2021 9:29 pm Laswell sure did a number on many rock acts on the 80's, though, attested by the fact none came back to him for a follow up.

Speaking of Laswell, PIL's Album sure sounded like shite.

enframed wrote: Thu May 20, 2021 10:37 pm

Bernardo wrote: Thu May 20, 2021 9:29 pm Laswell sure did a number on many rock acts on the 80's, though, attested by the fact none came back to him for a follow up.

Speaking of Laswell, PIL's Album sure sounded like shite.

I don't remember minding the sound per se, but the account of how it was made and its aftermath is telling:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Album_(Pu ... Ltd_album)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9_(Public ... Ltd_album)

All Rolling Stones studio recordings up until late 1966 or early 1967 are just not good production-wise. I love all that early R&B shit and Aftermath especially, but nothing was recorded well and the stereo mix of that album really blows.

BARK AT THE MOON. Fuck cocaine and fuck the shitty mixes it makes. Fucking goddamn 1980s.

Bill Laswell has definitely earned himself a punch in the dick. He didn't even get the callback to be in the booth for the Golden Palominos - and he was in the band!

Throwing Muses' Hunkpapa sounds like a bunch of demos. That quartet was one of the greatest rock bands to ever grace the planet, it's a damn shame one of their albums sounds like four people in different rooms.

I wish Gun Club's Miami didn't have such a thin sound.

Warehouse and Pleased to Meet Me come to mind. The Stone Roses too.