The what-recordings-are-inspiring-you-right-now-&-why thread.

frobisher

One of the most important things you can do as someone involved in recording music is to be listening to lots of music. I know, I know, stating the bleedin' obvious. So I thought a thread where we can share what recordings are inspiring us at the moment and what it is we think other audio-boardsies should check it in them.
Try where ever possible at all to post a link to somehwere the tunes can be heard instantly like myspcae or youtube.

Obviously new stuff will always be important in staying abreast of how the big wide world of production is developing but it can be any style, any era, any reason. Now go.....

frobisher

Okay then, because you ask so nicely I'll go first.

Right now I'm loving Wintersleep for a variety of reasons. I was actually put onto them by someone mentioning them on another recording forum. But what I will say is check out those modern rock drums. Juicy and tough and perfect for their sound. I love em! I'm actually listening to their album called Wintersleep which isn't on their myspace but it'll give you a starting point.
http://www.myspace.com/wintersleep

mike65

Sadly I can report no inspiration for/by anything right now (I need a nice new plug-in to get me going again!).

Mike.

PaulBrewer

Here's a Free plugin for you!!

http://www.solid-state-logic.com/resources/lmc1plugin.html

DangleDevil

If any of you like Bjork then these might inspire you.
Best live versions of both these songs IMO. I can't get enough of them day or night. I really relate to her music so much and it always helps me when i'm stressed

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPVpUav2cUQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUNDkiRkrtk&feature=related

And this one is my all time favourite from my favourite lady whos my ultimate inspiration.... i think it screams creativity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wkkuaTvIso

PaulBrewer

In my experience a lot of Music Pros don't actually listen to music outside of a professional scenario, so music changes unbeknownst to them - and all of a sudden it's something that one doesn't relate to. (and you wonder why no one else is sporting a mullett like yours!) and no one is saying 'Groovy' and 'Daddy-O' anymore...

I always find that odd. However it is understandable.

When I were a boy (?) ... I used to listen to radio all the time and lots of new music as the radio formats weren't as tight as they are now.
I used to listen to Fanning and a bit of John Peel (was it on Long Wave?) as well as Larry!

Now I don't turn on the radio ever..... but I do listen to radio online at BBC 6Music. http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/

There I find a big range of DJs who know their Shizit .... some of whom were in bands, like Tom Robinson and Marc Riley and Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden - and a wide range of modern rock music and discussion.... including loads of sessions from anyone from 'Led Zep' to 'Those Dancing Days' (who da feck are they?... but they were on today!) Obviously I don't like ALL I hear but I know it's going to be of some interest.

It was there I first heard the Artic Monkeys,

and Siouxsie Sioux's new album (she of the Banshees and Creatures)
http://www.myspace.com/siouxsiemantaray

and my current favourite Reverend and The Makers.
http://www.myspace.com/reverendmusic

Both great sounding records.

Now I can hear a band on 6Music, nip over to iTunes buy the album, search 'em out on MySpace and find out what I need in no time - before the song I'm listening to has finished-

With regard to Ireland I'm looking forward to the Irish DAB getting up to speed and sometimes like to watch Channel 6 TV (or whatever it's called) late night music video show to see what the young pups do be at!!

There's never been a better time to listen to music - If you don't hear what you like you ain't looking.

cornbb

I'm gonna take a composing-producer approach to this rather than a recording-producer... if you know what I mean.

I've been listening to Tom Jenkinson (a.k.a. Squarepusher) quite a lot these days. One album in particular, Hard Normal Daddy, is a mishmash of jazz, drum'n'bass and IDM. The remarkable thing about it is that its very difficult to differentiate between many of the acoustic/recorded elements of the mix and the sequenced/synthesised/sampled elements.

Combining acoustic/electronic parts in a single mix isn't a new thing but Squarepusher is a highly talented drummer/fretless bass player as well as an electronic "producer"/programmer so this album is an example of how its been pulled off almost seamlessly. It got me thinking a lot

PaulBrewer wrote:

There's never been a better time to listen to music - If you don't hear what you like you ain't looking.

Yes, I wholeheartedly agree. From a professional point of view its surely important for a producer/recording engineer to listen to the music they love and take note of how its made, especially if they want to put a good distinctive and personal stamp onto the mix. I love listening to music and mentally picking apart the tracks, signal chains, automation etc.

PaulBrewer

cornbb wrote: »

.... and mentally picking apart the tracks, signal chains, automation etc.

nah, man.... that's sick shizit! There's X rated sites for that kinda deviancy!

By the way, my friend's Husband went to school with ole Squarepusher! and he's a ridic Bass Player!

cornbb

PaulBrewer wrote: »

nah, man.... that's sick shizit! There's X rated sites for that kinda deviancy!

Its a purely dirty shameful fantasy of course I know a lot of guys who could tell you what mics, preamps, converters etc were used in a recording but thats all black magic to me!

frobisher

In light of the other thread asking if you listen to music I thought I'd dig this up so if you are listening to good tunes it'd be great to hear exactly what they are.

I just istened again to Trust by Low. I've 2 words to describe it; Oh My F***king God. I just love this album so much, the dark and delicate tones really, really do it for me.

http://www.amazon.com/Trust-Low/dp/B00006JJ48

jtsuited

frobisher wrote: »

In light of the other thread asking if you listen to music I thought I'd dig this up so if you are listening to good tunes it'd be great to hear exactly what they are.

I just istened again to Trust by Low. I've 2 words to describe it; Oh My F***king God. I just love this album so much, the dark and delicate tones really, really do it for me.

http://www.amazon.com/Trust-Low/dp/B00006JJ48

Things we lost in the fire is a quality album by Low. Great band.

Squarepusher's most recent album bored me to tears. I'm looking forward to hearing what aphex twin will bring out in the next year or so.

Right now, I like Trentemoller's last resort album, just to listen to his incredible use of delays and reverbs. More accessible than a lot of minimal/ambient/techno for the newbie listener.

Gui Boratto's chromophobia album is absolutely brilliant (as is all of his stuff), and is still the album i give to people who say they don't like minimal/techno.

I'm going through a little bit of an obsession with a german label called Audiomatique (sub label of poker flat). Robert Babicz, Trentemoller, Gui Boratto, and a few others are on it. Lovely minimal melodic stuff.

PaulBrewer

Michael Aguilera and Christine Buble.

jtsuited

PaulBrewer wrote: »

Michael Aguilera and Christine Buble.

oh yeah them too!

Soundman

PaulBrewer wrote: »

Michael Aguilera and Christine Buble.

You sure you haven't got those names the wrong way around Paul? Nothing to be ashamed of...

PaulBrewer

Soundman wrote: »

You sure you haven't got those names the wrong way around Paul? Nothing to be ashamed of...

Yes sorry -

Sean Og Aguilera and Christine Buble.

af_thefragile

NIN. Almost everything by them.
But more specifically for my album its The Downward Spiral and All that Could Have Been.
Just love the way Trent incorporates darkness and emotion in his music. Its something i can relate the closest to and is the biggest inspiration for the album i'm currently working on cuz its dark, heavy, industrial and emotional too.

Thrice. Their new Alchemy Index album Espeically the Water, Air and Earth disks.
Love the rather simplistic compostition of electronic and acoustic instuments to create some of the most breath taking and mesmerising music!!
Its soft, digestable and yet still extremely emotional and mesmerising. Dustin Kensure IS the best lyricist currently out there and so is his singing extremely sweet.

Moodwheelmood
Not many people know bout this. Its the synth player in NIN, Alessandro Cortini's solo project. Its very electronic, very catchy, just good music.

Aphex Twin.
Speak about complexity and electronic experimentalization. Especially the glitchy beats.

Radio Head's In Rainbows/Thom Yorke's solo project.
Getting a little mainstream here. But then i like their acoustic aspect to songs.

Puscifier.
Not many people know bout this either. Its Tool's vocalist, Maynard James Keenan's solo project. Its again the darkness, the heavyness, Maynard's singing and the overall sound of it.


Yup, right now most of my musical inspirations are coming from these bands/artists.
Though about 70% of it is NIN.
Cuz well, what i'm working on is quite a dark, industrial, electronic, experimental project. And The Downward Spiral is pretty close to the theme of my project too... Its mostly their production, lyrics and sorta composition of instruments.

frobisher

Woah, pretty diverse mix of stuff here! I'll be checking out some of the artists, even the ones that would fall off my normal musical radar.

Keep em coming! :pac::pac::pac: Pacman wants new music! :pac::pac::pac:

ogy

Sean Og is my name!:)

all the stars

This is very inspiring for me anyway -

www.myspace.com/soundsofsolari

I really think the way the music is done is really interesting and new. Haven't heard much like some of it to be honest - each track is diferant in its own way -

studiorat

Right now I'm loving Silversun Pickups

Kissing Families-Silversun Pickups

fitz

I love what NIN are doing at the moment. Not even just the recordings that Trent is churning out, but his approach, attitude, the lot. Really exciting.

Other inspiring records of the last while:

St. Vincent - Marry Me
The production and sheer originality of her sound is just brilliant. Paris is Burning is a song I'll never get tired of.

Lisa Loeb and 9 Stories - Tails
Have always loved this album, but it's one that I keep coming back to. It's got a timelessness to it.

Tom Yorke - Eraser
Glitchy heaven.

Incubus - Morning View
Rediscovered recently and it just straight out rocks. Fantastic guitar sounds.

trackmixstudio

I am loving Porcupine Tree at the moment because the arrangements and production, by Steve Wilson, are great.
Another current favourite is Chevelle mixed by Andy Wallace. The bass sound on their stuff is unbelievable. Search youtube for "the clincher" to see what I mean.
I have gone off NIN a bit lately. Used to love them, but he seems to be writing "songs" these days rather than pushing the boundaries like he did on the downward spiral and the fragile IMO. Funny because now he has the freedom to do what he wants, he seems to be taking less risks. A bit ironic if you ask me.

frobisher

fitz wrote: »

Lisa Loeb and 9 Stories - Tails
Have always loved this album, but it's one that I keep coming back to. It's got a timelessness to it.

I love this album!!

PaulBrewer

I like the Ting Tings album and L.E.S. Artistes by Santogold and there's some monster bang off that Raconteurs album!

unclebill98

I'll go out on a limb here....

Rufus Wainwright for vox/bvox production. He just seems to nail them in his recordings.

Simple amazing.

empirix

Aphex twin
Squarepusher
Venetian snares
The Tuss
Bronski Beat (I know i know!!)
Kraftwerk
Robyn (I know i know)
Various friends of myspace stuff

I've gone totally electronic and havent much time for anything else anymore, bar some floyd and Jimi.

Oh yeah I aint gay neither!!:pac:

PaulBrewer

unclebill98 wrote: »

I'll go out on a limb here....

Rufus Wainwright for vox/bvox production. He just seems to nail them in his recordings.

Simple amazing.

Any man who can take on Hallelujah and win is alright by me ... feather boa n all!

unclebill98

PaulBrewer wrote: »

Any man who can take on Hallelujah and win is alright by me ... feather boa n all!

Thats it. Seen him live with 8 of his band singing Angus Dei, nothing but a Violin and a Bowed Double bass..... It was simple amazing!

jtsuited

bit of a rufus wainright fan alright.

althought that whole judy garland episode was a bit weird.

ogy

Any man who can take on Hallelujah and win is alright by me ... feather boa n all!

are yeh mad? nothing will ever top jeff buckleys version

PaulBrewer

ogy wrote: »

are yeh mad? nothing will ever top jeff buckleys version

Well obviously I'm mad , I'm here ain't I ? You've heard Rufus' version?