What am I gonna do with Bruce?

[tfarney]

While some folks don't seem to think my system is resolving enough to detect the subtle differences between electronic components (and they are probably right) it is quite resolving enough to bring the not-so-subtle and often annoying differences between mastering techniques into sharp focus. To that end, I've been working on my own set of eq pre-sets in iTunes (I know...not bit perfect. I'm ok with that as the stuff I'm using it on was quite a bit less perfect, in my view, before I started messing with it).

I have given them (my pre-sets) intuitive names like "de-veil," "de-mud," "anti-glare," and "anti-glare light."

Springsteen's recent work is all over the freakin' place. The Rising needs "de-mud." In fact, "de-mud" was created for it. We Shall Overcome needs "anti-glare light," as "anti-glare brings it down a bit far, though still, sometimes, as songs build, I find myself turning them down or just turning down the treble. Magic is just awful. At the very least, it needs full "anti-glare" and it's still too freaking loud and nasty for headphones. It gets played in the car. Pity. Some great songs are in there underneath all of that edgy, nastiness. But if you go back to earlier Bruce works, Tunnel of Love comes to mind, no eq is called for at all; it is just smooth and warm and dynamic and lovely.

How is it that an artist of such talent and integrity can seemingly care not a lick about the final sound of his work, just turning it over to the tin ears of whatever mastering engineer sold out to the big label belief that louder is better that his producer picks, resulting in such an uneven product?

I love Springsteen's work. I wish he was paying as much attention to it as Knopfler, or even Van Morrison. Or maybe it's just the result of decades of those long aerobic stage shows. Maybe Bruce just can't hear any more.

Rant complete.

Tim

[Jaska]

I actually like these variances among Springsteen's albums. I own a huge number of his albums, and have listened to them all with most of my headphones without ever thinking anything was wrong.

His artistic approach changes so much from album to album that I think the mastering actually lends itself in some cases (think of Nebraska and The Ghost of Tom Joad, for example) to the message of the music.

I guess I'm probably cutting the guy too much slack, since I'm really only paying attention to the quality of the work as "music" itself rather than a sort of "deliverable," if that makes sense. At least in your situation, you've mentioned that you are happy with some of the recordings, so EQing isn't necessary in all cases. Other artists like Nick Cave seem to have the same basic mastering principles applied in the whole scope of their work, and this can have the effect of making all the artist's music unlistenable with certain headphones or other gear if the sound is other than neutral, balanced and flat.

[tfarney]

I hear you Jaska, and I don't mind the variety either. Born To Run was pretty compressed for its day. The River was not. In fact it was quiet and kind of flat. Not my favorite production, though it has a handful of Bruce's greatest ballads. I really can't find any fault with Darkness on the Edge of Town or Tunnel of Love or Human Touch...even though they're all different. It's just these last few. I love We Shall Overcome. The treble is a bit juiced up, but it is still a wonderful record with an amazing, vibrant, spirited view into traditional American music. But The Rising is just plain muddy. And Magic is so compressed and so juiced up that there are no dynamics left at all. And it is such a shame as there is great music on both of those albums.

And I'll always cut Bruce some slack, as I consider him one of our greatest living songwriters, and that's the part that matters to me most.

MHO. YMMV.

Tim

[Jaska]

Originally Posted by tfarney

The Rising is just plain muddy.

I will have to give this fine album another listen to see if I pick up on this.

Magic is so compressed and so juiced up that there are no dynamics left at all.

This one is totally "in your face." It seems illogical to me, but it absolutely rocks (to my ears) with Grados. I'll be receiving my new K601 on Friday if the delivery is on schedule, and will probably listen to this album with them over the weekend to see how much the presentation changes. I sold my HD580 just before getting this album, so I can't directly relate to how you're hearing it (our ears also being different, of course).

I'm glad we see things pretty much the same way with cutting a great artist some slack when it comes to this kind of thing. It's hard to "swap" artistic talent, while it's relatively easy to swap headphones and make other gear-related concessions. It adds to the thrill of the hobby

[Cerumenator]

It's that Brenden guy who produced "the Rising" and "Magic". Same kind of fuzzy mix found on Stone Temple Pilot stuff, who he also produced. Very similar sonic signature. A direction into the "lo-fi" trend, that appears to be popular with rock artists these days.

Shame, really.

The rock genre was, amongst the popular genres, at the forefront of recording fidelity envelope-pushing in the late 60's, 70's, and died somewhere in the early 90's with the grunge movement.

Nowadays, you gotta hand it to some of the Nashville records, listening to Alison Krause now, and wow she and her band sounds great! As do some of her country peers who record fully digitally. Just wish the content was up to the technique.

Not to say old school techniques don't have their place, a few short years ago bluesman Buddy Guy recorded "Sweet Tea" on some vintage gear in a shack in Georgia. Sounds INCREDIBLE.

Maybe "Magic" did to at some point, but somewhere in Brendan's mixing/mastering phase, it all got wrapped in gauze. Which is his trademark.

[tfarney]

Originally Posted by Cerumenator

I
Maybe "Magic" did to at some point, but somewhere in Brendan's mixing/mastering phase, it all got wrapped in gauze. Which is his trademark.

Close. The Rising is wrapped in gauze. Or wet towels. Magic is wrapped in aluminum foil.

Tim