Best Ever Albums

Re: Artists who are better live than in the studio

Anonymous — Mon, 19 Mar 2018 17:53:05 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 03/19/2018 21:53

sethmadsen wrote:

Michael1981 wrote:

On a related note: how do people feel about live recordings that have been 'touched up'?

I was listening to hear to a recent Beach Boys one. I thought it was great. Then I read there were several studio overdubs. Felt like I'd been lied to :(

Is it wrong I laughed at that?

Idk... at some level I agree with this completely (for example I sometimes get bothered by "live" music put over a band playing and the music and video aren't from the same performance) and at another level I think studio work is just as much of an art as playing an instrument (especially in the days of the Beach Boys).

(on another note, I had a type of Beach Bots and thought it a kick ass band name 🤣 ).

🤣 The Beach Bots must be the Robot version of the Beach Boys in future. Did you ever see the Robot Simon and Garfunkel thing on Futurama? So good. I was going to post it before but forgot.

Link

I hear you on the auteur in the studio.

That comment about a live Beach Boys performance though was nothing to do with studio wizardry though. I think they auto-tuned some vocals that were off in the live show then put them back in the mix. Oh well, I suppose I enjoyed it enough anyway 😐

Re: Artists who are better live than in the studio

RoundTheBend — Sun, 18 Mar 2018 22:45:24 GMT

Author: RoundTheBend

Posted: 03/19/2018 02:45

Michael1981 wrote:

Re: Artists who are better live than in the studio

Anonymous — Sat, 17 Mar 2018 05:52:58 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 03/17/2018 09:52

On a related note: how do people feel about live recordings that have been 'touched up'?

I was listening to hear to a recent Beach Boys one. I thought it was great. Then I read there were several studio overdubs. Felt like I'd been lied to 🙁

Re: Artists who are better live than in the studio

Anonymous — Sat, 17 Mar 2018 05:48:57 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 03/17/2018 09:48

PurpleHazel wrote:

Quite different than the sentiments expressed in the Studio Quality vs Live Performance thread!

Bands whose best work relied on the benefits of studio technology tend to be better in the studio: Beatles, Beach Boys, 70s Pink Floyd, Steely Dan etc.

Hehe I was all fired up from listening to kicking television when I wrote that! Not sure what Seth's excuse is though 🤣

In principle though I kind of agree with myself. Live music is more organic and I think the rawness, power and spontaneity enhances pretty much every genre.

I know there will be exceptions: bands so precise and nuanced they need recorded versions (Felt,the Magnetic Fields) and studio auteurs (Prefab Sprout, Trevor Horn's stuff) among them.

In general though I think the best thing in the studio is to capture a live feel a la Rick Rubin. I like this thread as I think great live recordings are, in general, underrated 😄

Re: Artists who are better live than in the studio

PurpleHazel — Sat, 17 Mar 2018 04:49:56 GMT

Author: PurpleHazel

Posted: 03/17/2018 08:49

The Mahavishnu Orchestra was better live. Unfortunately the only official live album, Between Nothingness and Eternity, is unsatisfying, but I have several bootleg shows. As groundbreaking as Inner Mounting Flame was, the band was constrained by the time limitations of the LP format. In their live sets at the time, the tunes were twice as long -- The live versions of "Noonward Race" were as long as 20 minutes, featuring an blistering guitar-drums duet with McLaughlin and drummer Billy Cobham. Supposedly McLaughlin wanted Columbia to release a 1972 Cleveland show that I have, but they refused.

Overall I think Cannonball Adderley's live albums are better than his studio ones, especially after 1962. Somethin' Else, a studio album, is generally considered his best, but Mercy, Mercy, Mercy!: Live at The Club is often ranked second. (Though it was actually recorded live in the studio, there was an audience and libations were served, so I say it counts.) Jazz Workshop Revisited, which has the original version of "Jive Samba," and Live In San Francisco are two of his better records. He's got a lot of live albums, probably not a coincidence.

Sonny Rollins took two hiatuses from his music career; from when he returned from the second one in 1972 till he retired, he put out 23 albums and practically all of the studio ones range from mediocre to bad. Practically all of the best records were live. Though the quality of his concerts were unpredictable, when he was on, his playing was as good as it ever was. I saw him 5 times, and 3 out of the 5, he was incredible, two of the shows playing encores till he wore the audience out.

Re: Artists who are better live than in the studio

PurpleHazel — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 19:41:47 GMT

Author: PurpleHazel

Posted: 03/16/2018 23:41

Michael1981 wrote:

Every band is better live than in the studio hehe

sethmadsen wrote:

Well, any band worth their salt, but yes, this is true.

Re: Artists who are better live than in the studio

AAL2014 — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 18:30:08 GMT

Author: AAL2014

Posted: 03/16/2018 22:30

[quote="911Turbo"]

AAL2014 wrote:

I'm starting to realize Live At Leeds is the best and most exciting thing The Who did in terms of major releases ever. Now that my Who's Next hard on is gone, albeit a great album and important, just not the Who gold standard. Live At Leeds is purely them in their prime hitting hard. I love that shit.
quote]

The Who- Live at Leeds is undeniably a 10/10. I love it as well.

I know you are a big big fan of Tool. Because of that, I believe, you might find Quadrophenia more enjoyable.
For me, on quadrophenia, the band reaches a whole different level of energy and musicianship (that doesn't sound like the 1960's Who music), it may be more matched to Tool. Not in Roger Daltreys vocals but in Townsends guitar licks and Moons drum playing. The leash is removed.
Just over thinking/guessing. I'm not 100% sure.
Just a opinion/suggestion

Quadrophenia is certainly a great album. I suppose you're right that it could be related to Tool in a way. One of the many albums that directly led to Tool's music being possible. It's probably my favorite Who studio album.

Re: Artists who are better live than in the studio

911Turbo — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 12:19:15 GMT

Author: 911Turbo

Posted: 03/16/2018 16:19

[quote="AAL2014"]I'm starting to realize Live At Leeds is the best and most exciting thing The Who did in terms of major releases ever. Now that my Who's Next hard on is gone, albeit a great album and important, just not the Who gold standard. Live At Leeds is purely them in their prime hitting hard. I love that shit.
quote]

The Who- Live at Leeds is undeniably a 10/10. I love it as well.

I know you are a big big fan of Tool. Because of that, I believe, you might find Quadrophenia more enjoyable.
For me, on quadrophenia, the band reaches a whole different level of energy and musicianship (that doesn't sound like the 1960's Who music), it may be more matched to Tool. Not in Roger Daltreys vocals but in Townsends guitar licks and Moons drum playing. The leash is removed.
Just over thinking/guessing. I'm not 100% sure.
Just a opinion/suggestion

Re: Artists who are better live than in the studio

Anonymous — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 10:30:49 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 03/16/2018 14:30

Another band whose live album is their best is Wilco. Kicking television is great and they just get more emotion into the songs than the studio albums. It's one of the best rock albums of all time imho.

Re: Artists who are better live than in the studio

911Turbo — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 10:17:01 GMT

Author: 911Turbo

Posted: 03/16/2018 14:17

I don't watch sports live or on TV (except car racing F1, Lemans) or any TV.
I spent my entertainment dollars going to live shows.

Here are a few bands, that left an long lasting impression that I have seen and their associated album they were touring. All in all, they were spectacular for different reasons. But it should be stated that going to see a pink Floyd concert is unlike any rock concert. It is a extravaganza. That is, it takes weeks to set up the venue with equipment and staging , etc... Normally they play a city for 1 week. They don't just roll into town and set up in 2-4 hours. Therefore the shows are approximately 4 hours long with a 15 minute break in between.

Pink Floyd- Division Bell
Pink Floyd- Momentary Lapse of Reason
Roger Waters- The Wall
Roger Waters - Us and Them
U2- Joshua Tree
Molly Hatchet- Flirting with Disaster
Iron Maiden-Final Frontier
The Who - Reunion Tour
J. Geils -You're Gettin' Even While I'm Gettin' Odd
John Bonham-performing Led Zeppelin

For me, these live shows captured the energy and enthusiasm of rock and roll.
They left me with a sense of "I want more".

Re: Artists who are better live than in the studio

Bi11LL26Y — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 09:43:29 GMT

Author: Bi11LL26Y

Posted: 03/16/2018 13:43

Pre-2000s Green Day, as well as 2012 Green Day. Overall just a great live band.

Re: Artists who are better live than in the studio

RoundTheBend — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 22:25:26 GMT

Author: RoundTheBend

Posted: 03/16/2018 02:25

Michael1981 wrote:

Every band is better live than in the studio hehe

Well, any band worth their salt, but yes, this is true.

Re: Artists who are better live than in the studio

RoundTheBend — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 22:24:49 GMT

Author: RoundTheBend

Posted: 03/16/2018 02:24

Daydreamer wrote:

Talking Heads. Stop Making Sense is just so much better than any of their studio work.

I agree.

Re: Artists who are better live than in the studio

AwaitingAndrew — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 18:29:23 GMT

Author: AwaitingAndrew

Posted: 03/15/2018 22:29

Trans-Siberian Orchestra puts on quite a live show. Many of the songs on their studio albums, namely those with vocals, fall flat in comparison to what they can do live.

Re: Artists who are better live than in the studio

Anonymous — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 13:32:16 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 03/15/2018 17:32

Every band is better live than in the studio hehe

Re: Artists who are better live than in the studio

Anonymous — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 10:44:37 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 03/15/2018 14:44

I prefer the 64 and 66 Dylan Bootlegs to any of his albums. I need to try the one from the 70s next.

Re: Artists who are better live than in the studio

Anonymous — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 10:42:30 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 03/15/2018 14:42

Daydreamer wrote:

Talking Heads. Stop Making Sense is just so much better than any of their studio work.

Probably my fav of theirs as well. Good reminder.

Re: Artists who are better live than in the studio

Johnnyo — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 08:42:49 GMT

Author: Johnnyo

Posted: 03/15/2018 12:42

Two which instantly spring to mind are Whisky Myers and Pearl Jam. Love their albums but their music really comes to life when heard live.

Re: Artists who are better live than in the studio

Daydreamer — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 08:29:36 GMT

Author: Daydreamer

Posted: 03/15/2018 12:29

Talking Heads. Stop Making Sense is just so much better than any of their studio work.

Re: Artists who are better live than in the studio

RoundTheBend — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 23:06:41 GMT

Author: RoundTheBend

Posted: 03/15/2018 03:06

Space-Dementia wrote:

I used to love Muse, now I don't really listen to them at all pretty much, especially their latest two albums, which are just not good at all. However, I saw them live on each of those tours and they pretty much blew me away. While they can't really get it right in the studio lately, they have a lot of energy live, and they always go over-the-top, which might not be very impressive from an artistic standpoint, but it's fun as hell to watch and be a part of.
Another band that comes to mind is Pile. I saw them open for Converge a few months ago and I had never heard of them and they put me in a trance. They were so tight and they set such a specific mood of like "depressed energy" I guess, because the lights were dark red the whole time but the music varied from slow Slint-style spidery guitar stuff to really heavy climaxes. I checked them out immediately when I got home, and, although I absolutely love what they've released, it doesn't even approach the quality of their live stuff. Every time I listen to their studio stuff, I just imagine how good they're gonna be the next time I see them live.

Their laser show=mind blown.