What's your favourite "dry sounding" album production?

[Bubba po]

Fashions in the use of reverb in music production have come and gone, but how many albums sound completely dry, yet utterly kick-ass?

My nomination is Entertainment! by British new wave group, the Gang of Four.

 

[grimtraveller]

You know, I'm not sure I'd ever honestly be able to tell. I don't really look out for reverb when I'm listening to music. Sometimes it's obvious. But only if I'm looking out for it.

 

[Bubba po]

I know what you mean, but having lived through the excesses of the 80's its unusual to hear instruments, particularly drums, without even any room sound, don't you think?

 

[Greg_L]

Ramones - Road to Ruin.

My favorite sounding Ramones album. Tight, dry, punchy, awesome.

 

[Bubba po]

I suppose some Thin Lizzy stuff has to be up there. The seventies were quite dry, reverb wise.

 

[moresound]

Blonde on Blonde.

 

[gecko zzed]

Emiliana Torrini

 

[Bubba po]

Emiliana Torrini

*googles*

Ok, I'll look at that.

 

[Massive Master]

Most of the Chesky stuff -- No EQ, no compression, no effects, no missing any of it.

 

[MaxdB]

what about look sharp van Joe Jackson? just enough reverb and compresssion and very 'in your face' in my opinion

 

[aaronmcoleman]

Road to Ruin

Blonde on Blonde



Yes!!! I knew there was a reason I got advice from this board and not others! I love those albums. Another one I really like that is a lot more obscure is anything by "say anything". The guitars are super dry Orange Amps and sound really nice.


I love the sound of 70's albums, everything was so easy to hear and distinct and clear. Great sounds, and great players. I really like almost anything by Steely Dan, and they seem pretty dry to me (I'll have to give another listen now that I think about it).

 

[Bubba po]

Just remembered this. Neil's guitar amp could be right in front of you - you can almost feel the heat of the valves on your face.

 

[stevieb]

America (self-titled album.)

Listen to it (or just find the list of songs) and you will see why.

 

[rayc]

Television's Marquee Moon ('77) has almost no compression on the drums and sounds pretty dry & is one of the greatest lead guitar albums ever produced - along with quite a few others I have to admit (several of them being by Ol' Shakey).
Road to Ruin is superb as is BonB.
Entertainment is grand but I don't think they'd appreciate the New Wave tag - they were a bit more than that - though when they went funk tey were a bit less too.
I prefer the Factory sampler versions of Armalite Rifle, Love is like Anthrax etc.

 

[fat_fleet]

trout mask replica
more songs about buildings and food
modern dance and dub housing

 

[bouldersoundguy]

Just because you don't hear reverb doesn't mean there isn't any and it isn't an essential element to the sound. I frequently use reverbs that you can't tell are there until you take them away.

And this isn't even remotely a mastering topic.

 

[Bubba po]

this isn't even remotely a mastering topic.

Well, I'm sorry about that. Perhaps a moderator will move it for us?

 

[Greg_L]

Just because you don't hear reverb doesn't mean there isn't any and it isn't an essential element to the sound. I frequently use reverbs that you can't tell are there until you take them away..

Me too, and 9 times out of 10, I think that's the best way to use reverb.

 

[rayc]

MOdern Dance might be but Dub Housing - I can hear it & it sounds GREAT!

 

[soundchaser59]

Me too, and 9 times out of 10, I think that's the best way to use reverb.

Absolutely. I think a lot of classic rock stuff made in the 70's sounds really dry, 60's stuff had too much obvious verb on it, 70's they cut way back. The early Chicago, Steely Dan, Blue Oyster stuff, Doobies, etc..... most of it sounds really dry at first, almost in your face it's so dry, but I bet it's like Greg says, you would notice the verb if it were suddenly taken out.