Friday songs to partake to, lean back, crank it up, and indulge in great production/soundscapes

[Hugh_Lebowski]

Last edited Fri Jul 7, 2023, 09:43 PM - Edit history (1)

when played on a dialed-in stereo system/listening position or nice set of headphones

I'm talking about songs where the production of the song gives it a unique feel, with great imaging and multi-dimensional soundstage, with a sense of height, width and (hopefully at least some) depth. Bonus points where sounds seem to come from well outside to the left-right of the physical speakers.

OR ... just incredible fidelity and recording quality is also acceptable, even if not particularly unique

Feel free to add your picks!

My reference listening rig:
Source: Spotify Premium on PC (yeah I know, MP3 compression, not optimal, but I love being able to dial up anything, and really it sounds pretty friggin good), pass-through digital via TOSLINK (Optical)
Pre-Amp: Anthem AVM-30 (circa 2003, PCM Stereo Mode, this unit has an amazing DAC) @ 96000MHz/24bit
Amp: OG 1990's Adcom GFA-555 (200W RMS/Channel at 8 Ohms)
Speakers: Polk LSi 15's (w/amazingly smooth-sounding ring tweeters, I LOVE these speakers @ used prices, VERY hard to beat!)
Subwoofer: Paradigm Defiance 15 (900W RMS) with ARM calibration.
Listening position: Top of an 8 foot triangle, ears just slightly above tweeter height

3 Favorite Examples that aren't old standards. I'll leave it to others to share all the Pink Floyd and such (which of course I also love) that they'd like :

3. The Flaming Lips - In the Morning of the Musicians (2001 - from Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, produced by Dave Fridmann).

Why I love: while the sense of depth is subtle at best, the height and width of the soundstage is something to behold. Instruments come from outside the speakers, and you can clearly hear a layering of heights where some instruments/sounds are above your head (if the acoustic in the left channel doesn't sound above your head, your system is broken lol), and some at your waist level. It's just a very cool production. Fridmann has always relied a little too much on the 'slightly distorted drum sound' as his trademark, but it's a small thing to me.

Spotify link: https://open.spotify.com/track/4ou3f7jaB41isbJkt6CF2b?si=6d271e94df8e4d05

2. Radiohead - Subterranean Homesick Alien (1997 - from OK Computer, produced by Nigel Godrich).

Why I love: Compared to the Lips song, recording quality is better (betting it's digital rather than tape), drums are crisp here, and I love the effects. From the production side what I REALLY love about this one is the WIDTH of the soundstage, the placement of some instruments seems far to the left and right of your physical speakers, and it's really pretty cool. Just about any song I could've picked from this record, though. Godrich's work is just incredible on OK Computer. And Ed and Jonny are guitar gods

Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/track/2CVV8PtUYYsux8XOzWkCP0?si=54e0b8433f594b9e

1. Destroyer - Poor In Love (2011 - from Kaputt, produced by I can't really tell from credits lol).

Why I love: For absolute, sheer ear candy, this one is really hard to beat. Production is phenomenal-sounding in every regard. Has great height, width, sounds moving side to side in trippy ways, etc. And the song is just freaking cool. Then again every song on this record sounds phenomenal. A highly recommended work.

Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/track/7LJn9rmki2eFKad2aRAJV0?si=3a7e6a94f65f4322

[ZZenith]

1. It gets no better than Godrich, does it?

All three selections are great examples of great production!

[Hugh_Lebowski]

2. Probably why 'God' is right there in his name :)

Good to see ya ZZ

[ZZenith]

4. LOL! Always a treat to read your posts, HL!

Re: Nigel - I often use his mix on Beck’s Sea Change to test new audio pieces. There are several nuances in it that, if they come across right, I know I’m listening to good gear.

Love those Adcom GFA’s! Don’t think there’s a better value in audio than Nelson Pass early designs.

My usual reference listening rig:
Source: Sony SACD
Pre-Amp: RME ADI-2 DAC FS
Amp: Amphion Amp 100
Speakers: Amphion One18
Subwoofer: Rythmik LV12R Direct Servo
Listening position: Smack dab in the center, 38% back from the front wall in a purpose-built, soundproof recording studio.

[Eko]

3. Good stuff.

My reference listening rig:
Source: Your videos.
Pre-Amp: Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 USB Audio Interface (Gen 3) A/D Resolution: 24-bit/192kHz
Speakers: ADAM Audio T7V 7" Powered Studio Monitor
Subwoofer: None
Listening position: Nearfield, ears in the same place as you.

My system is not is as good as yours but its still good but with a different purpose.

3. The Flaming Lips - In the Morning of the Musicians
This was pretty cool, but so many things were mixed so high I kept wanting to sit up straighter lol. I like the distorted drum sound, it has that ol tape sound driven hard. I loved the sound of the snare. Cool song good mix.

2. Radiohead - Subterranean Homesick Alien
Definitely digital, Wide, good separation, Drums and bass were pretty center along with the vocals while the keys and guitar provided a wide sound. Some good use of moving the guitar or keys from left to rights. Good stuff.

1. Destroyer - Poor In Love (2011 - from Kaputt
Loved the quiet things that you hear if you really listen. I swear the snare moved from right to left in the beginning. About 2 min a good solid snare comes in. There sounds like frequency separation, of using a range of freqs from the keys on the left and the rest on the right. Rick Rubin does some of that to great effect. Good song, good mixing.

I personally like The flaming lips one the best, but Im a sucker for tape.

This is a pretty good Rick Rubin mix.

A lot of that is the instrumentation though.
This explains it a bunch.

Thanks for sharing and giving me some music to listen to tonight!!
Eko

[Hugh_Lebowski]

5. Glad you like!

Your rig sounds like a reference setup for doing your mixes. Think I remember talking w/you about those monitors when you were buying. I have not heard them but know they're well-regarded.

Of course I've heard Johnny's Hurt many times, classic cover for sure, and think I may hear what you mean about splitting frequencies but OTOH sounds like it could just be two guitars

It's a nicely produced song as per usual w/Rick but the focus is, as it should be, on backing Cash, nothing flashy about it.

Here's a fave Rubin production ... he's in the vid, and the song is just awesome. This is in fact the version on the album, being recorded live in studio. Dude can do it all, any genre.

Yeah the production on the Lip's song is a trip, it's almost like it's raining down on you. That record, and the one before it from 1999 called The Soft Bulletin are two of my all-time favorite albums, both totally worth listening to, esp. if you like the analog sound and great production work. Honestly it's quite George Martin-like in many places. Many songs on them have these subtle hooks too where first time you hear you're like 'what is this' and then the 2nd or 3rd time you're like ... oh, I get it now. And the lyrics are often subtly brilliant ... for example the title track on Yoshimi is about a female friend battling cancer.

And that Destroyer album is also an all-time favorite, not a bad tune on it, and most of them are really, really good. And the SOUND ... it's so well done. Maybe a tad bright in parts, but overall awesome.

[Eko]

6. Yeah its a setup for recording/mixing.

I used to have a much bigger one but this is easy for a living room setup. The Adam's are pretty good for the money. The ribbons tweeters are great, they don't give you that ear fatigue you can get from a lot of high freq's. If you watch the second video it is just two different guitars but it is still using different frequencies and arrangements. Ya Rick is pretty straightforward, no or little reverb and not much delay. Of course the Avett bros is a great example. What you shared and what I did made me think of a buddy of mine, he was a great guitarist and used delays, chorus and all kind of effects to create a crazy soundscape. Listening to him live was great. But, my playing was always straightforward. It was just 2 different approaches much as what you and I shared. They are both awesome, just, different colors. I will spend some time this weekend listening to The Soft Bulletin, I've never really listened and love learning new things. And Destroyer. Another mix I like is Daft Punk Random Access Memories. Way different than what I usually listen to. Most people that have know me for years are way surprised I really like that. Listen to the right guitar buried in the mix on the beginning of this. Simple rhythm guitar in the middle in the beginning. Key come to dominate the center. Guitar takes over center, back to keys, then big spread of strings. I could keep going but I have to go to bed to get up way early.

Thanks and have a good night!
Eko.

[Hugh_Lebowski]

7. I have definitely spun RAM by Daft Punk a number of times, it's a great record.

And that track is a definite highlight. Like you, not my typical jam but good music is good music.

Hell I dig Dua Lipa's Future Nostalgia, and both Taylor Swift's 2020 records folklore and evermore, and I'd never really listened to her. When I read the guitarist from The National was her collaborator and producer on them I was like, I'll check 'em out. Now I think they're both pretty great records, more my usual speed than I anticipated, lotta americana feel to 'em.

[Eko]

8. Found this one cause of you Hugh. Thanks!

[Hugh_Lebowski]

9. Never heard that one? It's their most famous song actually, most spins on Spotify

Glad you like, it's a great one

[Eko]

10. I'm not a popular music kind of person lol.

It leads me to listen to music people don't get to hear but also creates a blind spot for me.
Eko.