Yeah, I didn't particularly like Neon Bible's songs in general, but the production just killed it for me. A lot of great records embrace a kind of hazy, murky production technique (Grouper's "Cover The Windows And The Walls" and "Person Pitch" come to mind immediately from 07) but I don't think it works for Arcade Fire.

I disagree (re: Neon Bible), but that doesn't mean you're not correct. I've been hearing it almost all year now.

Easy: Tim by the Replacements. Bloody awful production for such a genius album.

I second the comment regarding Leonard Cohen. The songs would have sounded fine with just him and acoustic guitar, but then they had to go and add the cheesy strings and background vocals. Someone should remix and rerelease his early albums like they did with "Let It Be-Naked."

Where 2007 is concerned, I thought Bjork's Volta was over produced and some songs seemed cut very wrong (either rushed or too lazy).

Too long - The Dull Flame of Desire
badly cut - Innocence

This could have been a better album if less produced, then again, Bjork seemed to want back in the mainstream a bit, and the album suffers from being all over the place.

quote:

Originally posted by jayman:
Where 2007 is concerned, I thought Bjork's Volta was over produced and some songs seemed cut very wrong (either rushed or too lazy).

Too long - The Dull Flame of Desire
badly cut - Innocence

This could have been a better album if less produced, then again, Bjork seemed to want back in the mainstream a bit, and the album suffers from being all over the place.

I too was disappointed with Ms. Björk’s album from this year and I agree with you that it has to do with her wanting “back in the mainstream a bit.” Some people only like one or two of her albums but I have always liked all of them and Volta is by far the weakest thing she has done to date. It won’t be anywhere in my top 20, 30, 40 and maybe even, 50.

quote:

Originally posted by EricG75:
I knew somebody would reply with this. Guided by Voices is a great band because Bob Pollard and Tobin Sprout were great songwriters. Their music is great despite bad production, not because of it. You can listen to "Game of Pricks" and say,"Hey, this song rules" even though it sounds like it was recorded with a mini-cassette recorder. I'm just saying with slightly better production, I think they could've enjoyed some real commercial success.

You were high when you wrote this.

For bad production, you've got to revisit the 80s - like the Go-Betweens early albums, Dylan's Street Legal and a lot of Leonard Cohen's stuff since the 80s has been pretty tacky. PJ Harvey's Dry could be better produced. What's that album by the Stooges that David Bowie did, where you can't hear the drums?

quote:

Originally posted by Stocky:
For bad production, you've got to revisit the 80s - like the Go-Betweens early albums, Dylan's Street Legal and a lot of Leonard Cohen's stuff since the 80s has been pretty tacky. PJ Harvey's Dry could be better produced. What's that album by the Stooges that David Bowie did, where you can't hear the drums?

I disagree with Dry. Dry is perfect as is!

I'm not just saying this to be cute and all INDIE but I actually like the lo-fi sound on Bee Thousand. The choppy editing is sort of endearing and integral to the whole feel of the album.

I think Slanted and Enchanted could have benefited from a Remaster or production closer to CR2. I'm not sure that the result would have been better - since that album is already untouchable - but I'd like to hear it.

I also second the notion that Neon Bible's production is terrible. It's one thing to debut with a badly produced album when your resources are scarcer, but to follow up Funeral with that makes it a more deliberate attempt to focus your attention on the production. And I just don't think it works in their favor.

Yowza! (even if I'm in the minority) Funeral? Bah, Humbug! Scrooge even said it before me!

When people attack Neon Bible's Production, do they really mean the production on the entire album? Because I really think most of the songs are fine. There are just a few of them that in my opinion would be great songs otherwise, but are mixed very distractingly.

Starting the album with "Black Mirror" was a great move. Making it sound like it's being played in the subway was a very bad move. It starts people off feeling frustrated.

i think it was a mistake by liars to not bring back david andrew sitek to produce their new album. however, i do not hate the production on the new album. in fact, its still one of my favorite albums of the year.

quote:

Originally posted by Shadrach:
When people attack Neon Bible's Production, do they really mean the production on the entire album? Because I really think most of the songs are fine.

I am tired of that argument as well, it is a bit cloudier than the debut because it was recorded in a church but geez, people act like if they are hearing some loveless album or something.

quote:

I think Slanted and Enchanted could have benefited from a Remaster or production closer to CR2. I'm not sure that the result would have been better - since that album is already untouchable - but I'd like to hear it.

Yeah, I think S & E could have been better produced. I actually think it's pretentious to make an album so deliberately lo-fi. The drums sound like a cardboard box.

quote:

Originally posted by Stocky:
Yeah, I think S & E could have been better produced. I actually think it's pretentious to make an album so deliberately lo-fi. The drums sound like a cardboard box.

I disagree with you there. They didn’t deliberately make it sound “so lo-fi.” It sounds that way because they didn’t have any money and because they recorded it on tapes inside of their crazy drummer’s house. Story is that they had to play in one room and have the equipment in another, so when they would finish Gary would have to run to the other room to hit the “stop” button.

I think it is just fine the way it is and an admirable album in many ways.

the best example could be "Be Here Now" by Oasis.too loud , long , cold n safe.they v had a great set of songs n melodies , even better than "morning glory" in my opinion but the production really sucks.too much cocaine n i think that all of you know the final result.such a shame n a total disaster for them.they could follow that 60s based production of their previous lp but at the time they v just wanted to sound louder than the chemical brothers!oops!

I think Arcade Fire were just using VERY good headphones when producing their album. The album as a whole sounds great murky when you can really hear all the subtle nuances of the sounds, but for those of us sitting on the loud bus with tiny little earphones trying to listen to the murk of Black Mirror, it's a little difficult.

The album is really for playing loudly in a silent place. If you can manage that, it's brilliant.

Hmm, a few over-produced albums that haven't been mentioned?

Woke on a Whaleheart by Bill Callahan
Some nice songs, but completely unlistenable thanks to terrible over-production. I haven't made it all the way through the album yet, it's THAT plodding.

For when Our Lady Peace used to be great with their albums Clumsy, Happiness Is Not a Fish That You Can Catch, and Spiritual Machines, Bob Rock killed them when he produced "Gravity". Awful album. I still haven't forgiven Bob Rock for ruining my favourite band when I was a teenager.

"Gravity" had one or two good songs, so I wouldn't quite put the blame on the producer. "Happiness is Not a Fish" and "Clumsy" were great albums, though.

Also, I may be a clod but I see absolutely nothing wrong with Neon Bible's mixing.