The best pop production ever?

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steelsun241@yahoo.com (dansteel) wrote:

>nousaine@aol.com (Nousaine) wrote in message
>news:<c795n701gg3@news2.newsguy.com>...
>> "Harry Lavo" harry.lavo@rcn.com wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> >
>> >"Norman Schwartz" <nmsz1@att.net> wrote in message
>> >news:KwAlc.17666$IG1.651359@attbi_s04...
>> >> "Harry Lavo" <harry.lavo@rcn.com> wrote in message
>> >> news:fezlc.25196$I%1.1681822@attbi_s51...
>> >> > Was putting a repaired phono headamp back in my system and got off on
>a
>> >> > listening kick to Judy Collin's "Judith" album from 1975 (Electra
>vinyl)
>> and
>> >> > 1992 (?) (Electra HDCD).
>> >> >
>> >> There are more than a fist full of Cat Stevens albums from the same
>> period,
>> >> written, sung and some mastered in part by Yusaf himself that knock the
>> >> dress off of anything by Judy.
>> >>
>> >I've got all of them. We used them as voice and guitar references at The
>> >Abso!ute Sound (should have heard them on the big Maggie system).
>> >
>> >However, for overall pinnacle of song selection, arrangement,
>> >recording...simply the combined talents of lots of the most gifted at
>their
>> >task...at their peak...this is my nominee.
>>
>> My candidate is K. D. Lang's "Ingenue" which I guess would be classified as
>the
>> combination of the talents of a bunch of people of which all except one
>were
>> unknown to the general public.
>
>I have that same opinion of "Ingenue." Throwing some irons into the
>fire other than those I mentioned on another thread here, I'd include
>the following Dire Straits albums released prior to their big
>commercial hit "Money For Nothing."
>
>These include their first album, "Dire Straits", the third, "Making
>Movies", and the fourth, "Love Over Gold."

Agreed about Dire Straits. The other two just didn't capture me as strongly.

>
>I think Love Over Gold was once mentioned in a Stereophile R2D4 list.
>It is sonically the most spectacular IMO. As a bit of trivia, Eric
>Clapton said on a BBC broadcast that his favorite guitar solo was Mark
>Knopfler's at the end of the "Telegraph Road" cut. A true "must hear."
>
>The other albums are not as spectacular sonically but are superb in
>arrangements (especially lyrics on Making Movies) and performance IMO.
>
>One more sleeper: Rod Stewart's "Smiler." Not that great sonically in
>a hi-fi sense, but good enough in a raw sort of way, and what a band!
>Listen to the way those guys are playing. I love all the acoustic
>strings and horns.

I'm becoming of ther opinion that the songs may be perhaps the most important
underlying theme. For example I heard a rap version of "Killing Me Softly" the
other day and realized that the song was so strong that it was captivating in
nearly any venue/style/genre.

Rod Stewart's name brought me back to his wonderful "The First Cut Is The
Deepest" which is getting all kinds of exposure by Sheryl Crow these days. To
me the tune is so good it's hard for a good artist NOT to grab you with it.
(Cat Stevens tune BTW.)

Same with "Diamonds and Rust." Timeless tunes.

>At audio stores I managed, we always included that album for it's
>musical content (despite it's mediocre fidelity) during critical
>listening sessions. Which is at it should be : )

This is why I always bring my own 'audio obstacle course' cd-r with me :)
There is some material that captures your soul no matter what system reproduces
it.
 
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>From: nousaine@aol.com (Nousaine)
>Date: 5/13/2004 8:33 PM Pacific Standard Time
>Message-id: <c81ems028ul@news2.newsguy.com>

>
>Rod Stewart's name brought me back to his wonderful "The First Cut Is The
>Deepest" which is getting all kinds of exposure by Sheryl Crow these days. To
>me the tune is so good it's hard for a good artist NOT to grab you with it.
>(Cat Stevens tune BTW.)
>

IMO the Cat Stevens version is far and away the best. This is from an era in
his career that many Americans don't even know exist. Cat Stevens was first a
Brittish invasion teen pop star that simply never really invaded. "I Love my
Dog" is IMO a great song that stands up to just about anything else from the
Brittish invasion.
 
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Resolving the "most talented band to ever exist in the rock genre" is
not an answerable question, IMHO. Yes had tremendous talent, I never
cared for that genre of music, and I'm not a Yes fan, but that does
not prevent me from recognizing some brilliance in their music.

There's a great deal of subjectivity to this discussion. I submit
there are several (many?) muscians/songwriters/composers that fall
within the rock genre that we would be hard-pressed to order based
on talent. I love blues, but in my experience most Yes fans would
gag when listening to the recordings of Robert Johnson.

Knofler's been mentioned. One of my all time favorites - a genius.
Jeff Beck - "Blow by Blow" - can this be beat?

The list goes on.

Loving this thread...

/jim

> Yes is my all time favorite band and I think arguably the most talented band to
> ever exist in the rock genre. However I don't think they were the most
> influencial band of the last 30 years. I think I would have to say bands like
> Nirvana and U2 had a much greater influence on other artists and on the public.
> It baffles me that Yes has not even been considered for the Rock and Roll hall
> of fame. And for those who still have a chance i highly recomend seeing them on
> their current tour. It's one of their best I have ever seen in 26 years. P.S.
> That would just about all of them in the past 26 years.
 
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From: Jim Mauro james.mauro@verizon.net
>Date: 5/30/2004 9:36 AM Pacific Standard Time
>Message-id: <A4ouc.25164$Ly.659@attbi_s01>
>
>Resolving the "most talented band to ever exist in the rock genre" is
>not an answerable question, IMHO. Yes had tremendous talent, I never
>cared for that genre of music, and I'm not a Yes fan, but that does
>not prevent me from recognizing some brilliance in their music.
>
>There's a great deal of subjectivity to this discussion. I submit
>there are several (many?) muscians/songwriters/composers that fall
>within the rock genre that we would be hard-pressed to order based
>on talent. I love blues, but in my experience most Yes fans would
>gag when listening to the recordings of Robert Johnson.
>
>Knofler's been mentioned. One of my all time favorites - a genius.
>Jeff Beck - "Blow by Blow" - can this be beat?
>

Certianly so. But how many bands have as many people from their band in this
league?

>The list goes on.
>
>Loving this thread...
>
>/jim
>
>> Yes is my all time favorite band and I think arguably the most talented
>band to
>> ever exist in the rock genre. However I don't think they were the most
>> influencial band of the last 30 years. I think I would have to say bands
>like
>> Nirvana and U2 had a much greater influence on other artists and on the
>public.
>> It baffles me that Yes has not even been considered for the Rock and Roll
>hall
>> of fame. And for those who still have a chance i highly recomend seeing
>them on
>> their current tour. It's one of their best I have ever seen in 26 years.
>P.S.
>> That would just about all of them in the past 26 years.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>