Dave Matthews: Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King - Bad Recording??

[Luckyleo]

I've recently purchased this album as I've heard a lot about Dave Matthews and wanted to give him a try. I was really disappointed with audio engineering of most of the album in general. The treble is high and piercing. The bass seems to be muddled. Overall, the sound seems to have an afterthought during the creative process. I hoping that any of you who may have already bought this album could post your impressions also.

Thanks

 

[Oteil]

I agree. This album was mastered too hot!! Another album we can chock up to the loudness war. Unfortunately, this album has no dynamics whatsoever. It's too bad because I really like the music.

 

[dan1son]

I'd have to agree... first listen was in the car (Bose system... not awful factory stereo... but not good) and it sounded quite nice, then I tried to listen on my HF-1 setup at work and was very dissapointed. The punch of the drums was gone, the treble was very harsh, and it just hurts after about 10 minutes. I've pretty much stuck with listening in the car... I really do like the music, but the mastering is meh...

Some songs are worse than others. The higher energy songs seem far more compressed and painful. Wonder if the LP is better...

On a side note, it's not even close to the worst album I've heard, but it's no where near how it could be.

 

[jilgiljongiljing]

Too hot. The clarity and quality of the recording of the individual instruments is upto DMB's standards, but the mastering has ruined it. There are no soft parts at all, even the mellow parts of the song sound loud.

This album is impossible to listen to in the car, it gives me an instant headache. When stuff gets busy and intense, its just way too grating and loud and just plain noisy, even though individual instruments still stand out with clarity, but the album has been ruined for me with mastering.

DMB is all about dynamics and its completely lost in this album, and there are really some stand out tracks that I like, just too bad that this is ruining every single album coming out nowadays, damn. Carter Beauford is really back in form and brought the groove back, just a pity that the album had to be recorded in such a way that I can only listen to it in low volumes.

 

[BobMcN]

Anyone heard the vinyl version yet? Is the mastering any better?

 

[salannelson]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luckyleo /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've recently purchased this album as I've heard a lot about Dave Matthews and wanted to give him a try. I was really disappointed with audio engineering of most of the album in general. The treble is high and piercing. The bass seems to be muddled. Overall, the sound seems to have an afterthought during the creative process. I hoping that any of you who may have already bought this album could post your impressions also. Thanks

Agreed. And it sounds like Dave is using auto-tune up the ass on this one.

 

[Shizdan]

I am no music specialist. As I am not an engineer in the field but yes, it just doesnt sound good.

 

[kamcma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luckyleo /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've heard a lot about Dave Matthews and wanted to give him a try.

In my opinion, and I'll go out on a limb and say that others would likely agree with me, you picked the wrong DMB album to start with. Like so many bands, their older stuff is just plain better. I would go with:

Studio
Under the Table and Dreaming
Crash
Before These Crowded Streets

Live
Listener Supported
Live at Luther College--a solo acoustic album
The Central Park Concert

Better music, and most of those are pre-loudness war.

 

[intoart]

This is unfortunate. I bought the CD yesterday, but haven't listened to it yet. I sure hope it doesn't turn out to be unacceptable!

 

[linuxworks]

I'm not even sure I like the material all that much.

but I'll wait until I hear live versions. the studio versions are there just so you can learn the song, for when you're IN the concert setting, next time

 

[tintin47]

I agree with Kamcma. You started in the wrong place. I don't really like anything DMB has done for the past 6+ years, but their older albums are good to very good, with top notch recordings. I would at least take a look at everything up to Everyday and, IMO, not much after. Before These Crowded Streets is at the top of my list. It is an amazingly mastered and very clean recording on top of everything.

 

[intoart]

Well, it is not actually unlistenable, and there are some good songs, but the brightness does detract quite a bit from the listening experience and causes me to want to shut it off after a while.
Perhaps I will try some of his older stuff, starting with Crowded Streets.

 

[indydieselnut]

I'll agree on the typical, compressed, studio mastering but I like the material very much. I have about five DMB albums and I've enjoyed the progression and experimentation. Not to start a war, but I've never understood the idea that a band should retain a certain sound throughout their recording career. Once your as established (and as rich) and DMB I'd prefer some risk-taking, even if it's a flop.

 

[kamcma]

Oh, I definitely agree. No band should make the same album over and over again. I just think (and I'm okay if others disagree) that regardless of whether a band moves forward by experimenting or by sticking with a proven formula, later material is often just not as good as earlier material. Logically, the earlier material almost has to be good by definition, because it's what they became famous for. The later material has no such guarantee.

I'm a huge DMB fan. I own every studio and live album, and I'm working on owning every Live Trax album as well, but I'll definitely admit they are past their prime.

But I also agree with linuxworks' point that a major reason DMB's studio albums exist is to provide material for the live shows/albums. So I'll reserve complete judgement of Big Whiskey until we hear the live versions.

 

[JSTpt1022]

Quote:

Originally Posted by indydieselnut /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have about five DMB albums and I've enjoyed the progression and experimentation. Not to start a war, but I've never understood the idea that a band should retain a certain sound throughout their recording career. Once your as established (and as rich) and DMB I'd prefer some risk-taking, even if it's a flop.

I would agree completely, except that their past three albums (prior to grux king) have been devoid of risk taking. Space Between started their journey into mainstream pop and except for a few glimmers of hope, they haven't looked back. I haven't heard Grux King yet but I hope they've changed course.