Teenage Fanclub. WTF

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

A few years ago I vowed I'd never buy another Teenage Fanclub album because of the dreadful recording quality of Grand Prix. I relented and just bought Songs From Norther Britain. WTF this recording is as bad if not worse? Is it just me? Or maybe my system is crap (although most stuff sounds good on it). I always like TF when I hear them on the radio but I really can't bear to listen what I can only described as an annoying racket on my system. Is it just me?

[Macca]

The only TFC I have is Bandwagonesque on vinyl. It is not the greatest recording evr but it is perfectly listenable. Grand Prix came after their success with that album so I would guess it had more money thrown at it so in theory it should be a higher quality recording.

[The Black Adder]

I have all the albums, been a fan for since early 90's. I found that Man Made was a better recording and Shadows was also a better recording but I thought Shadows was a bit pants to be honest musically.

I found that with recordings especially from the mid 90's in general that they were not very well produced at all.. Brit pop seemed had a 'sound' - Oasis, Blur, TF, Spiritualized all had a very muddled sound, a bit compressed and flat sounding. Bandwagonesque was an ok production, so was Thirteen but has it's moments.

Oasis - Definitely maybe was an utterly awful production. Great album, very confident debut but let down on production.

Pulp seemed to get away from it slightly, Different Class was bearable but I found His n Hers was a much better production even though it was the previous album.

Some say that a lot of studios went fully digital in the 90's which made for a bad mastering but I can't clarify. Maybe the producers had too many E's n too much Wizz!

Maybe buy a premium system from the mid 90's... might sound ok on that lol...

[The Grand Wazoo]

I have all the albums, been a fan for since early 90's. I found that Man Made was a better recording and Shadows was also a better recording but I thought Shadows was a bit pants to be honest musically.

Snap!
None of them are exactly stellar recordings, but the songs are worth the pain!

[synsei]

Gotta agree concerning Definitely Maybe, a truly awful production. I have the MD release which is even worse. No bass to speak of and the whole thing is a jangly mess :eyebrows:

[The Black Adder]

Yeah, great times, great records but alas, production was made for the radio and car stereos with the windows down and doing 90.

[The Black Adder]

No bass to speak of and the whole thing is a jangly mess :eyebrows:

Spot on...

PJ Harvey had good production though as well as The Roses. Both recorded on and mastered down to tape too... The more I think about it the more I think that the transition was too early to digital. I remember being in Red Tape in Sheffield and them lot were starting to go digital because tape was olde hat... apparently.

Or just crap producers, too many cooks, too many ego's

[Macca]

Definately Maybe is a much misunderstood production. They actually had three attempts at it, the first two were too clean and clinical. They went to a different studio and had a third go at it. It was attempt to capture the rawness and scale of their live sound. I understand peoples comments. I have the original double vinyl release and it has never impressed me until I swapped decks to the Technics. Now it sounds mind-blowingly good, a controlled wall of sound and deep bass (although very little mid bass, which may explain things, I think). Don't get me wrong - I was as surprised as anyone.

[The Black Adder]

Hmm, my sister has it on vinyl, never played it mind as she doesn't have a turntable. She got it as she was a big fan of theirs. Might give it a spin. I've only heard it on CD to be honest.

[PLINIUS]

A few years ago I vowed I'd never buy another Teenage Fanclub album because of the dreadful recording quality of Grand Prix. I relented and just bought Songs From Norther Britain. WTF this recording is as bad if not worse? Is it just me? Or maybe my system is crap (although most stuff sounds good on it). I always like TF when I hear them on the radio but I really can't bear to listen what I can only described as an annoying racket on my system. Is it just me?
If you go to Youtube & type in Thomas Lund- The Loudness Wars, you will descover the likely reason for your dissapointment( it's not your system):)

[Canetoad]

I thought they sounded like shite live too, which means the recording is pretty accurate. :lol:

[MartinT]

I agree that Man Made sounds the best of them.

[The Black Adder]

Some dealers take the piss though don't they...

£112 for Songs from Northern Britain.. ? What a muppet.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/130497754632?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht_500wt_1201

[isuckedmandelsonslemons]

My copy was about three quid. And I was robbed.

[The Black Adder]

My copy was about three quid. And I was robbed.

lol.. I bought mine for £12.99 in HMV back in the day so it's paid for itself.