Nickel Creek's

[Joseph Hanna]

Yes, the material is first and foremost, otherwise why record it? And yes, it is possible to obtain acceptable recordings using budget gear. However, it is also very helpful and informative to understand and LEARN the difference between low-end and hi-end and to learn the craft.

I agree with all of your post including my sometimes out of control crusades.

You should know however, and as I've said before, I am a self proclaimed gear junky. I make my living mixing audio in an extremely competitive environment and in doing so I LOVE talking gear. Indeed it's fun.

But there is a huge difference between a great conversation about gear and a 100 post discussion of "which soundcard is best". This is how black holes are created in space...they turn on themselves.

I'll try to curb my fanaticism

 

[fraserhutch]

But there is a huge difference between a great conversation about gear and a 100 post discussion of "which soundcard is best". This is how black holes are created in space...they turn on themselves.

I do agree with you about this. And the endless bess <insert hardware unit here> for < $1.50....

I totally agree with you that in most cases arguing that unit A is better than unit B is pointless. There is a lot to be said about diuscussing relative merits, tho.

 

[dwillis45]

Sorry, but it's not very difficult to imagine some of these acts being put together by focus groups or something. About 10-12 years ago they were trying to market this music as "Americana". Now it's crossover country or something.

That's the sad thing about country music. There was a time when you knew a country singer just by looking at them. Now they take them down to the Gap (and I'm not talking about Deep Gap), outfit them with the latest Desperate Houswife look, throw in a few piercings, and polish things off with a slick video. Now, I'm not sure that this applies to Nickel Creek. On the surface, they have more of the David Rawlings plain black suit sans tie look. But who knows what evil lurks in the heart of the Nashville!

 

[Joseph Hanna]

But who knows what evil lurks in the heart of the Nashville!

Clear Channel owns and controls Nashville and every PD in the country. They have single handedly turned Nashville into a cookie cutter production center and part of that formula is the "pretty" boys and girls look. It's a business model and weather or not it's financially successful remains to be seen.

Before settling here in Los Angeles I had the endearing experience of living and working in Nashville. I love that town and considered my time there as one of my most creative and comfortable times in my life. Make no mistake there are some of the worlds MOST talanted folk there. If ever the opportunity arose to work there again I'd leave a sonic boom in the wake of me beatin feet back east.

If you look closely however you'll notice a handful of artists who have choosen labels that are not in some manner controlled by Clear Channel. Nickel Creek is NOT country but they are one of the alt labeled acts. Take a quick listen who knows you may like it and if not at least you tried.

 

[fraserhutch]

PD?


what is that? (I just know it'll dawn on me as soon as I press submit....)

 

[Joseph Hanna]

Program Director!

 

[GoldFalcon]

I gotta say I haven't stopped listening to this album for two days. Nickel Creek's label ought to just stop at "acoustic" after this album. "When in Rome" and "Helena" can't be described anything but acoustic rock'n'roll. THis is a further departure from their previous album which was itself a departure from anything that could be honestly labled country.

These guys are true believers that have been playing together since they were ten years old, and they are masterful musicians.

I'll admit that they are high on my list of artists I love and I happen to like "Americana" or "Alt Folk" or "Alt Country" or whatever the hell they are calling it these days. But this album is more Ryan Adams than Allison Kraus or Gillian Welch. One reviewer compared it to Rilo Kiley, which is massively unfair to both bands (Rilo Kiley don't try to be the musicians Thile and the Watkins kids are), but does give you some idea as to the vibe.

And as an aside does anyone else find themselves strangely but undeniably attracted to Sara Watkins? Something about the eyes...

 

[kylen]

new CD "Why Should the Fire Die?" is out.

To my ear the playing and engineering is masterful on virtually every level. A moving audio experience.

Any thoughts?

Thanks for the cool reference!!! I'm digging it...Produced, Engineered, Mixed, Mastered all by Eric Valentine...interesting concept, eh? It's a very nice balance for the instruments. What happened to the vocals, how could you Eric