Suede

Does anyone own the vinyl of Bloodsports? Wondered if that sounds any better. The only big problem I have are those crackles on What Are You Not Telling Me which spoil a really beautiful moment.

Hadn't got round to Bloodsports, but just had a listen to tracks 8 & 10 and they're exactly the same. I'd heard that the original vinyl had the problems anyway, and it looks like the version of Bloodsports in the box set is that same pressing - it's the only album not on 180g and it has Warner Brothers on the label rather than Edsel Records.

The mastering for Bloodsports was done by a guy called Howie Weinberg, who's notorious for this kind of thing. He's done loads of big-name alt-rcok records going back to Nevermind at least and is proud to be perhaps the main antagonist in the loudness wars. It's only after Bloodsports that I've really paid attention to him, but since then I've noticed this crackling on loads of records he mastered (e.g. Stories From the City, Story From the Sea). I doubt they would have got someone like him in to do their b-sides though - maybe he left some presets behind.

Piscex, wasn't planning to upload more of those interviews, and won't be doing so today, but maybe I'll see how it goes using a camera to get the whole book. Watch this space.

good man! i appreciate it.

Can't blame Howie Weinberg, he's mastered literally hundreds of records, for decades, everything from "Licensed to Ill" to Jeff Buckley, and they hardly all sound like shit. Dudes like him and Bob Ludwig ain't exactly auteurs. If I had to lay blame, and say first in line is 1) the band and then second is 2) Ed Buller, neither of whom made the best sounding records in their prime.

Yeah, I don't have a problem with the production/mix on Bloodsports really, but I'll definitely agree that the album is mastered way too hot. The mastering level has been pushed up so much that it does feel incredibly distorted in places. However, that's really the only major flaw that I can find with the album.

Weinberg and Ludwig aren't exactly mastering novices, but they do tend to master records with the "requirements" of the time. Weinberg's mastering of Super Furry Animals' Guerrilla from 1999, for example, is absolutely spot on. I guess the trend is to master records at a stupidly hot level these days, and Bloodsports doesn't buck the trend.

However, the band and Buller should take some of the blame, as they probably were in a position to hear the results of the mastering and OK/veto it.

In truth, shitty mastering is my biggest barrier into getting into contemporary records these days. Albums were mastered loud enough in the '90s, and I didn't have much of a problem with those, but it seems like the mastering levels have gone BEYOND that... especially from the mid '00s onwards!

You all need to listen to the most recent Phoenix record to hear an example of what a brick wall really sounds like.

Yeah, the newest Suede and Phoenix albums are tied for the most unlistenable mastering in recent history award.

You all need to listen to the most recent Phoenix record to hear an example of what a brick wall really sounds like.

― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, February 13, 2014 8:38 PM (54 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Death Magnetic and Vapour Trails bad? Or worse!?

Death Magnetic I've never heard. Vapour Trails I've not listened to in years, so can't say. But the Phoenix hurt my ears I turned it off. Bloodsports hasn't hurt me the same way, but then, like I said, I don't think the first Suede album or DMS are sterling audiophile works, so my expectations were not for some sort of Steely Dan slickery.

i literally couldn't stand to listen beyond 3 tracks of the new album. i hate where his voice sits, the shrillness, the shininess, everything. i'm sure the songs are maybe better live but.. urgh.

I'd thought the problem with 'Bloodsports' was as much in the mix as the master, but I'm no expert.

I'll agree on the Phoenix album. It's actually given me a small headache listening to it, completely off-putting mastering job.

another recently unearthed, needlessly tense very early 90s Suede interview. christ knows what show it is (MTV Europe?) but Toyah hosts!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZG5nhykpzGc

production on bloodsports v dissapointing yes, but good songs and singing imo - would like to the material live, which hopefully will happen since Suede are touring to back their UPCOMING ALBUM NIGHT THOUGHTS
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_Thoughts_%28album%29

I can't wait for this!

I see that they're working with Buller again on this one, hopefully they'll approve a mastering job on it that serves the songs well.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Undercurrent_(Bill_Evans_and_Jim_Hall_album)

yeah, I'm hyped too!

looks like a v good Bill Evans album, is it somehow suede-related?

The cover on the new Suede alb looks very similar

aaah, of course! indeed it does

Another Suede album that'll clash with the release of a Bowie album.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AL15Nvlf7ZU

Pretty good song. Around the chorus is occured to me that it could pass for something like Muse if the Muse singer were singing, but then it would suck.

There should be a thread for bands associated with specific fonts.

I was just coming here to post that Bowie is trying to steal their thunder again. Does this mean we can expect a new My Bloody Valentine record that month too?

Looking forward to a new album even though I'm not keen on Outsiders.

I quite like it, and I'm curious as to what the rest of the album is going to be like. From the looks of things, they're showcasing the album at some gigs next month, so now doubt that stuff'll be all over Youtube afterwards.

*now=no

not bad, all abt the chorus, verse is just a vehicle

sad his voice is so manipulated

btw stating the obv: bowie coincidence thing is kind of interesting since brett is one of the singers who took bowie's style most to heart

It's telling that the better Britpop bands seemed to be more influenced by Bowie/Roxy and contemporary '90s sounds and the ones that have aged dreadfully were more influenced by the '60s.

^word

interesting idea although, far from me the intention to defend them, oasis were more influenced by the pistols/t-rex/baggy than the 60s, to me (I suppose you had them in mind !).

Oh yeah, I definitely detect Pistols/T-Rex/Baggy in Oasis' sound, particularly on the first album, but after that the Beatles fetishism seemed to kick in, particularly with Liam Gallagher and his Lennon fixation...

I also had Cast, Ocean Colour Scene, Kula Shaker etc. in mind too.

that's true. the first album was fun then they became old bores.
the exact moment that happened was the "whatever" single, I guess.
(I think even noel gallagher agrees that only their first album was good !)

oh yeah, all these terrible, terrible bands...

but I guess it's the wrong thread to talk about oasis !

xxxpost:

Whereas bands like Suede, Pulp, Super Furry Animals, Supergrass and Blur seemed to come from more of a Bowie/Roxy thing, and weren't closed to soaking up what was going on around them at the time. I know that Blur started off as a baggy/shoegaze hybrid and a lot what made of Albarn doing a "Ray Davies" thing in the mid '90s, but musically I always detected far more late '70s/early '80s New Wave in Blur's sound than I ever did The Kinks. 'For Tomorrow' and 'Strange News From Another Star', just to name two, are Bowie as fuck, 'Trouble In The Message Centre' is very Numan etc.

Yeah, totally the wrong thread, but I didn't wanna bump the Britpop thread again!

this doesn't sound half bad
http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/21417-night-thoughts/
will try and blast it when I get home

hum. I must say this got me interested (although I didn't care about the previous one and the little I heard of the new one seems meh...).
I'll give it a try but I don't expect much !

I thought the last one was great (b-sides were a bit dull though aside from "Nothing Can Stop Us Now") but yeah haven't been crazy about the little I've heard from this . . . that review gives me hope.

Same here. Bloodsports was so eager to please but the songs were really good so they got away with it. These new songs have done nothing for me at all.

http://thequietus.com/articles/19571-suede-night-thoughts-review

Hrm. I was looking forward to this, because I love Suede and liked "Bloodsports" a lot, but then I sort of stopped looking forward to it. Then some positive notices started popping up and my enthusiasm went up again. But now I'm encountering a little too much hyperbole for comfort. "Musically, Night Thoughts is the most solid and focussed-sounding album Suede have ever realized." Guess I'll find out soon enough.

too much hyperbole for comfort, good expression

psyched too though!

Brett ranks the Suede albums:

http://noisey.vice.com/blog/rank-your-records-suede-brett-anderson?utm_source=noiseytwitterus

I really, really enjoyed Bloodsports and have liked what I've heard from Night Thoughts, and also the fact it's getting such good reviews is encouraging - I can see myself liking this record a hell of a lot.

I keep getting surprised by the good reviews Bloodsports gets, including Brett ranking it so high... I may give it another try.
And I feel the new one will leave me scratching my head too !

I'm surprised Brett is so happy with the production on Bloodsports, it's so offensive, sounds compressed, not a pleasant listen - but good songs and good playing

good interview

ah, so the new album is on spotify.
I'll give it a try this w-e...