Hot Leg of Rhodes
Mar. 9th, 2009 09:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
soobiebearSo I should probably do some writing and get things out, given the lack of sleep and sheer amount of Stella I've consumed.
Go here and sign the petition to keep this monster in prison. Read the story and decide for yourself. It was a sad day for the Cleveland music scene.
Finally listened to the Hot Leg (Justin Hawkins) stuff I've had lying around. It's sloppy. The songs themselves are good, but he's not experienced in the studio. The reverb and tracking choices are the most blatantly obvious. He's tried to saturate tape while recording, works good with RTB running to 15ips 2", but doesn't work through an ICON board running PT 7.4. Two different beasties. I don't care what Digidesign sells you, it never sounds the same as a 8128. Sounds like Justin absorbed a lot of what he learned but was unable to apply it to his own home setup. It sounds clunky. Peaked in spots. You can't push digital. It clips instead of distorting. Layering track upon track of vocal isn't as easy as it sounds, and it rarely gives the sound you want, and I think he's looking for a) a maximizer/soft limiter with a knee and b) an exciter. EQ. His boost isn't at 11-12k, I can hear it. It's higher, especially when he punches it. At least he knows not to use a 57 or 58 on his voice, he's using a 67 (that's what it sounds like anyroad.) I would really love to hear him on a Manley or a Bock, but... Guitars are overdone, at least he didn't melt the recording head. The whole thing is too hot, there's actually not much dynamically going on. 'I've Met Jesus' is a mess, as is 'Cocktails'. But the songs are good, he's not lost that edge to his writing, even if he does do the Robert Plant thing of nicking little bits here and there. I'd love for him to get a producer who knows how to handle him. It's annoying me that I can't track down exactly who the producer is. My guess is it's a self-effort.
The listening setup I used (for comparison):
Tracks are 192kb/s mp3 rips of unknown origin, this could be a factor but it sounds like clean rip with minimal compression fracture.
Played on ICON board going to dual ADAM S3A nearfields paired on an AB with Genelec 8020a's (pair) with some inwall mount big ol' JBL's (the model I've forgotten).
I am wondering if it was mixed in a short room, or on headphones. He does have the 'tin ear' syndrome, hoping that works it's way out in an album or two.
Sadly, I think I'd rather listen to the stipped down demo's from '06 or '07 whenever that was than the built up track. Rawer, yes, but also cleaner. Not so ponderous.
That all rambled out, Dan's camp does have the better production. Tighter, cleaner, more professional. But their songs don't grab me. Justin's are more listenable, just badly done. In the end I think I'll be spinning Justin's disk more than Dan's.
I didn't know he and Sue broke up. Wowza. The stuff I've missed.
So, now on to important things. Like Greg Lake's bum.
In other news, please tell me I'm winning the lottery tomorrow. I only need $800.
They also have a nice looking 88 for $900.
Babe, I'm leavin', must be on my way...
What am I doing? Got some video of Todd playing around on some strange percussion today. Thinking of sharing it. No one would believe me if I told them exactly what he was playing to get those sounds. That's a muso for ya. No samples, no loops, just creativity. Love it.
Go here and sign the petition to keep this monster in prison. Read the story and decide for yourself. It was a sad day for the Cleveland music scene.
Finally listened to the Hot Leg (Justin Hawkins) stuff I've had lying around. It's sloppy. The songs themselves are good, but he's not experienced in the studio. The reverb and tracking choices are the most blatantly obvious. He's tried to saturate tape while recording, works good with RTB running to 15ips 2", but doesn't work through an ICON board running PT 7.4. Two different beasties. I don't care what Digidesign sells you, it never sounds the same as a 8128. Sounds like Justin absorbed a lot of what he learned but was unable to apply it to his own home setup. It sounds clunky. Peaked in spots. You can't push digital. It clips instead of distorting. Layering track upon track of vocal isn't as easy as it sounds, and it rarely gives the sound you want, and I think he's looking for a) a maximizer/soft limiter with a knee and b) an exciter. EQ. His boost isn't at 11-12k, I can hear it. It's higher, especially when he punches it. At least he knows not to use a 57 or 58 on his voice, he's using a 67 (that's what it sounds like anyroad.) I would really love to hear him on a Manley or a Bock, but... Guitars are overdone, at least he didn't melt the recording head. The whole thing is too hot, there's actually not much dynamically going on. 'I've Met Jesus' is a mess, as is 'Cocktails'. But the songs are good, he's not lost that edge to his writing, even if he does do the Robert Plant thing of nicking little bits here and there. I'd love for him to get a producer who knows how to handle him. It's annoying me that I can't track down exactly who the producer is. My guess is it's a self-effort.
The listening setup I used (for comparison):
Tracks are 192kb/s mp3 rips of unknown origin, this could be a factor but it sounds like clean rip with minimal compression fracture.
Played on ICON board going to dual ADAM S3A nearfields paired on an AB with Genelec 8020a's (pair) with some inwall mount big ol' JBL's (the model I've forgotten).
I am wondering if it was mixed in a short room, or on headphones. He does have the 'tin ear' syndrome, hoping that works it's way out in an album or two.
Sadly, I think I'd rather listen to the stipped down demo's from '06 or '07 whenever that was than the built up track. Rawer, yes, but also cleaner. Not so ponderous.
That all rambled out, Dan's camp does have the better production. Tighter, cleaner, more professional. But their songs don't grab me. Justin's are more listenable, just badly done. In the end I think I'll be spinning Justin's disk more than Dan's.
I didn't know he and Sue broke up. Wowza. The stuff I've missed.
So, now on to important things. Like Greg Lake's bum.
In other news, please tell me I'm winning the lottery tomorrow. I only need $800.
They also have a nice looking 88 for $900.
Babe, I'm leavin', must be on my way...
What am I doing? Got some video of Todd playing around on some strange percussion today. Thinking of sharing it. No one would believe me if I told them exactly what he was playing to get those sounds. That's a muso for ya. No samples, no loops, just creativity. Love it.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-03-10 06:11 pm (UTC)I only found out about that very recently aswell! Noone spills anything nowadays, I have to spend all my goddamn time stalking everyone if I want to stay up to date!
no subject
Date: 2009-03-10 07:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-10 10:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-10 10:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-10 11:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-03-11 06:03 am (UTC)Anyhoo, to add to the comments: Wow, I didn't know that Jus & Sue broke up either!
no subject
Date: 2009-03-12 08:32 pm (UTC)