Hello Brittany,
I appreciate your detail in illustrating the relevance of your mentioned songs with the club scenes of Chicago. I feel that it’s important to mention the people’s reception of the “I Have A Dream” speech being sampled in “Can You Feel It.” Overall, I found this post very informative. What are your personal reflections on the club scene and it’s music? I always like to hear of such experiences. Best of wishes,
~Ryan Johnson
It may not come as a huge surprise, but 90’s music production and engineering techniques therein are very close to me. I believe that many of the sounds explored today were the result of a pinnacle of sounds explored during this particular period. I personally seek the greatest degree of inspiration for production above all others in Butch Vig and the sounds he helped create during the 90’s. The second series of songs I want to compare as featured on this week’s material is Today, Disarm, and Tonight Tonight by the Smashing Pumpkins. Here we experience the same shift in sonic direction as discussed in my previous post. Without invalidating any work that simple isn’t of Butch Vig, the focus of this comparison is intended to challenge listeners regarding what has changed, not who is or isn’t in charge of the production. Siamese Dream, coincidentally also produced by Butch Vig possesses the same full, lush sound found in Nevermind. The same evident, quality treatment of the drums is also prevalent. However, something is amiss in my opinion when we compare Siamese Dream to Tonight Tonight off of Melon Collie and The Infinite Sadness.
To explain, I want to encourage readers to run the same litmus test to compare these two separate album production practices. You may notice that the same impactful sound found within the drums in particular may not be the same or in the very least, different. I personally do not believe that the drum mastering techniques in Melon Collie allow for the same degree of presence. This is unfortunate in light of the blossoming ability of the Smashing Pumpkins during this period. I have strongly felt the same change in quality and direction is heard from the transition of U2’s Unforgettable Fire and The Joshua Tree. The lyrics found within The latter of these two albums are highly developed and could even represent a pinnacle of U2’s writing career. However, I find myself rather critical of the album’s sound in retrospect as most modern sound systems can reveal a lack of midrange throughout the whole album, an issue not found in the Eno-produced Unforgettable Fire.
On top of this, it would appear that re-issues/re-masters of these albums can be further exploit these differences through the bonus demo tracks featured. Both Siamese Dream and Melon Collie have been re-issued with bonus, previously unreleased tracks. Here listeners can further explore the recording techniques found within each song as they lead up to the final product. Best of wishes for everyone.
~Ryan Johnson
Works Cited
Cohen, I. (2012, December 05). The Smashing Pumpkins: Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. Retrieved February 28, 2016, from http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/17389-mellon-collie-and-the-infinite-sadness/
Leblanc, G. (2011, November 29). Album Review: Smashing Pumpkins – Siamese Dream [Deluxe Edition]. Retrieved February 28, 2016, from http://consequenceofsound.net/2011/11/album-review-smashing-pumpkins-siamese-dream-deluxe-edition/
In 1991, Nirvana released their first major-lablel album, Nevermind. I believe that two of the three Nirvana songs from this week’s class playlist share one very crucial aspect in common, the other does not, necessarily. Personally, I believe that Nevermind achieved huge success largely due to the production quality of the album itself. Namely, Butch Vig’s production techniques were very inspirational to me personally. An interview with Sound On Sound from 1997 reveals that various techniques were explored during the production process of Nevermind. One process was the use of doubling rhythm tracks throughout the album in order to create a luscious, full sound as well as mixing clean and distorted tracks.
The desired effect is clearly evident in Smells Like Teen Spirit as well as Lithium. The sheer impact of each chorus and the sonic detail of the drums were strikingly prevalent. In retrospect, I feel that a very large degree of what makes this album so critically successful is the work of the producer. As mentioned before, the third featured Nirvana song, Dumb, off of the following album In Utero does not maintain the same effect as Nevermind to my ears. While it is obvious that they are of course,two separate albums, I want to challenge every reader to break down the differences in production between Nevermind and In Utero. For example, how does the distortion and dynamics sound when comparing the two albums? Furthermore, are the drums as clear on the two albums? Lastly I want each reader to consider this: would Nevermind be met with the same success had it matched In Utero’s production techniques? Such questions are up to the reader to decide, however, I personally believe that regardless of whether one subscribes to the grunge outfit/message, Nevermind is an excellent example of production craftsmanship. At the same time, I have always felt that the guitar tone-seeking ambitions of Nevermind were not found in In Utero.
In the wake of it’s 20-year anniversary re-release, Steve Albini has taken a very defensive stance on his project, by claiming that those who initially disliked the album were “parasites”. While I don’t fault Albini for creating his own sound for the album, I do believe that the distinctions between the two albums were strong enough to warrant some dissatisfaction from critical listeners of Butch Vig’s material. Overall, there are in fact many songs from an artist’s catalogue that I wish were re-produced by a different producer. One album, which will be discussed in the next post is an all-time personal favorite album of mine which simply wasn’t produced by the hands I would have preferred. Best of wishes,
~Ryan Johnson
Works Cited
A. (1997, March). BUTCH VIG: Nevermind The Garbage. Retrieved February 28, 2016, from https://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1997_articles/mar97/butchvig.html
Bychawsky, A. (2013, August 19). Producer Steve Albini says critics of Nirvana’s ‘In Utero’ album were ‘parasites’ | NME.COM. Retrieved February 28, 2016, from http://www.nme.com/news/nirvana/72111
Hi Jason,
I can see your very appreciative of Tina Turner’s music and vocal style. Were there any particular songs that you personally liked from her discography? I would have definitely liked to have heard more of your personal listening experiences with Turner’s music. Overall, I do appreciate your enthusiastic description of Turners music and I hope to see more posts to come. Best of wishes,
~Ryan
If music is truly an emotional experience, then perhaps there’s no better way to get your politically-charged points across in an appealing fashion than through your own music. Perhaps the advent of big-time music videos and producers can help you along the way. Personally speaking, much of today’s music seeking to stand behind any political or social issue seems highly transparent. Instead, I want to discuss a period in which one band’s music possessed the smarts and musical craft needed to make strong political statements on the world.
In 1980, British rock/reggae/punk-inspired outfit, The Police, released their third album Ghost in The Machine. Boo Browning from The Washington Post breaks down each song of the album as they individually cover several topics relating to the current world condition as well as the human psyche itself, all the while parading as a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The sheep’s clothing, of course, referring to the excellent musicianship from Andy Summers, Stewart Copeland, and Sting as they dabble in reggae, rock, and jazz throughout but never enough to fully commit one way or the other. In my opinion, the result is extraordinarily appealing to the inner musician and producer, but one must ask: “Does this truly validate the album’s actual message?”.
Such answers won’t be found from just listening to the album, but doing just that might convince you. To be frank, when I hear Ghost in The Machine, I truly sense musicianship and intellect working side-by-side in the very same fashion I would like to see take place in any musician’s life. Should the appeal of music be used to brainwash listeners into a band’s beliefs? I absolutely do not believe so. But I do believe that if an issue is important to someone, they should accordingly make a strong case for it, which should in turn create for themselves a reflection of their very character. But I urge that one must exercise discernment in these matters as far as whether or not there’s actual benefit in agreeing with what’s being thrown at you.
As mentioned before, today’s music seems to offer quite a different experience when it comes to pushing a particular point. Billy Johnson from Rolling Stone explains the stark contrast to Snoop Dogg’s former message of violence and his “Snoop Lion” persona in the anti-gun anthem “No Guns Allowed”. While promoting a message of peace certainly does not seem bad, the wolf in sheep’s clothing his time would appear to be the credibility of the artist. The message is not only entirely opposite to Snoop Dogg’s previous message, the music is as well, and the difference is as blatantly obvious as the artist’s promoted image or rather, his current rendition of it. While I wish to leave no ill will towards artists choosing to change their views or undergo personal transformations, I simply leave the reader to determine what is genuine and what should be personally received.
Works Cited
Browning, B. (1980, October 30). ‘Ghost in the Machine’ Retrieved February 21, 2016, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1981/10/30/ghost-in-the-machine/4ed9943e-558b-47c4-846e-f1593ec9de70/
Johnson, B., Jr. (2013, March 25). Snoop Lion Explains Anti-Violence Song ‘No Guns Allowed’ Retrieved February 21, 2016, from http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/snoop-lion-explains-anti-violence-song-no-guns-allowed-20130325
I have always been perplexed and guarded in my reactions towards bands or artists deciding to re-record one of their previously released songs. In my own personal listening experiences of hearing Aerosmith’s Toys in The Attic (1975) for the first time, I was able to get a solid grasp on Aerosmith’s signature, 70’s rock sound. My personal favorite contribution Joe Perry has ever made to music history was his inventive riff during the verse of “Walk This Way”. I am not referring to the riff used during the intro of the song, which has it’s own place therein, but the one that plays during each verse. One of my all-time most rewarding listening experiences has always been observing and seeking thoughtful rhythm instrumentation found woven within songs. “Walk This Way” was no exception.
When I first heard Run DMC’s collaboration/rendition, some of the charm of the re-recorded tracks seemed lost when compared to the original version. Without putting a finger on the specific issues I had, it simply felt as if some of the “good ol’ analog sound” and presence of the instruments were lost in the transaction. The most obvious and initially noticeable change is the complete overhaul of the original drums. To be completely transparent, I was personally introduced to the Run DMC version first many years ago, yet I had believed that the drum composition from that version was created in order to accommodate a hip-hop oriented sound. Come to realize, the original drum track possesses the same drum groove, which seemed remarkably ahead of it’s time in it’s own right for 1975.
Regardless, I found the writing process between Aerosmith and Run DMC rather amusing. An article from NME recalls Tyler’s disliking of Run DMC’s alternation of the band’s lyrics, yet praised their rhythm keeping alongside their altered lyrics. One less-than-pleasant discovery revealed within the article claimed that the collaboration itself was primarily arranged by producer Rick Ruben as opposed to a mutually decided project between artists. At the very least, some of the initially turbulent aspects of the two group’s relationship were nonetheless captured very well during the beginning of their song’s music video.
WJS depicts the story behind the original version’s composition. While touring in Hawaii, guitarist Joe Perry begins an interactive writing session with drummer Joey Kramer as he lays down a groove alongside the riff of the future song. This strikes me as a far more organic approach to writing than phoning up with your producer to arrange the next big duet. While I completely recognize the fact that the song is an intentional crossover between artists, it certainly seems to appeal to the MTV crowd more than it does the performers themselves.
Works Cited
A. (n.d.). Steve Tyler – How I Wrote Aerosmith & Run-DMC’s ‘Walk This Way’ Retrieved February 20, 2016, from http://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/steve-tyler-how-i-wrote-aerosmith-run-dmcs-walk-this-way
Myers, M. (2014, September 11). How Aerosmith Created ‘Walk This Way’ Retrieved February 20, 2016, from http://www.wsj.com/articles/how-aerosmith-created-walk-this-way-1410275586
Hi Shauna,
I too am a fellow fan of Soul and Jazz in particular. I wanted to ask about your experiences with those who sampled some of the class material mentioned here. Glad to hear you have connections with those who preserve the tradition of using sampling in their music. This was overall very informative and an enjoyable read. Definitely would love to hear more of your personal experiences in the world in future posts. Best of wishes.
~Ryan Johnson
For this post, I wanted to further reflect on the commercial success of songs which don’t possess a simple, straightforward message. The diversity in the song’s sound, as mentioned in my previous post regarding Kraftwerk’s “The Model, can be found through the musical design of the song as well as the tone by which the song is conveyed. The band Steely Dan has been a personal favorite of mine and could be safely considered a band that has never written a straightforward love song in the expanse of their entire career. The lyrics of Walter Becker and Dan Fagan are often songs of incomplete, even dysfunctional misadventures of a hapless protagonist, all the while carried by the sway and intrigue of their music. This is where the song “Aja” comes to play.
The song itself tells the story of a man seeking refuge from the stress of life through finding the person his affections are pursuing. All the while, the journey never fully completes itself. Yet as this song has been marked as a recommended track from the class playist, it’s clear that the song resonated well with it’s audience despite lacking the firm completed notions of a typical love song. Patrick Mckay of Stylus describes another unique conundrum in Steely Dan’s “Reelin’ in The Years” while reciting the chorus lyrics, which further speak of unrequited love.
On the opposite side of the ironic, musical depth spectrum is the unique quality of Reggae music’s strong political messages. While one may often consider Reggae music as an upbeat genre with pleasant island-centric images, the history of Reggae clearly begs to differ. The song “Simmer Down” addresses “rudeboy” culture, as explained by the class textbook, but as we observe the musical qualities of early Reggae itself, we can see the a message as sombre as political and social issues is met with major-keyed anthems with catchy off-beat rhythms. Andy Wagstaff praises the catchy music as an invitation to dance.
Personally speaking, I believe that there’s an inherent attraction to mixed messages in music, which can allow for the listener to sympathize and relate with what’s being shared. I also believe that one crucial aspect and responsibility listerners have to exercise in order to truly appreciating such songs is to actively understand the meaning of each song and not let the lyrical content and message go to waste. Overall, I hold to the belief that emotional depth in music can be achieved through a little bit of lyrical and musical contrast.
Works Cited
McKay, P. (n.d.). Top Ten Obscure Steely Dan Lyrics. Retrieved February 14, 2016, from http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/staff_top_10/top-ten-obscure-steely-dan-lyrics
Wagstaff, A. (n.d.). Great Albums You May Have Missed: The Wailing Wailers’ Simmer Down (1963). Retrieved February 14, 2016, from http://www.nypl.org/blog/2010/03/19/great-albums-you-may-have-missed-wailing-wailers-simmer-down-1963
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