Tchad Blake appreciation thread

[digster]

The only up tempo song that suffers a bit is Grievance to me. It needs more aggression in the guitars. But it's still not that far off the mark.

[---]

I just find glossy, overproduced, and fussy production to be incredibly offputting. Insignificance and Grievance suffer a bit, but I'll take Blake's kind of "flawed" production over what's been featured on the last two albums - and MYM - every time.

[VinylGuy]

The only up tempo song that suffers a bit is Grievance to me. It needs more aggression in the guitars. But it's still not that far off the mark.

Yes. Grievance should have been more heavy, not only in the guitars but also on the drums. The letterman version proves that.

Other than that and some minor issues ( breakerfall needs more space for example) Binaural is of my favorites.

[digster]

I think it's really only in the verses that I feel the lack of it. The 'champagne breakfast' sections feel pretty vicious on the record.

It's a minor quibble in comparison, though.

[its_not_1974]

I was going to agree about the bit of thin sound and Grievance suffering, but it's on right now and it is amazing.

Something about the vocal's on the album to seem a bit thin, muddled, or tamed. Not in the deliberate Riot Act fashion, but like they're buried a bit? That bothers me every so often, because Vedder's voice was beautiful during this era.

[VinylGuy]

I was going to agree about the bit of thin sound and Grievance suffering, but it's on right now and it is amazing.

Something about the vocal's on the album to seem a bit thin, muddled, or tamed. Not in the deliberate Riot Act fashion, but like they're buried a bit? That bothers me every so often, because Vedder's voice was beautiful during this era.

yeah, he sounds muted on some songs...exactly. At the time i thought he sounded kinda like in some songs in No Code.

[digster]

I don't know if it's muted as much as it definitely sounds like he's fighting with the music more in the vocals rather than having the vocal and the melody way out on top. I think it's more of a mixing thing than him not screaming or singing with force. Which I like; I don't like vocals that far out in front of the music, personally.

[VinylGuy]

With No Code it was a huge change; at first with Binaural i thought it was mixing error.

I love it now. Actually i think Binaural is perfect even with its imperfections.

[its_not_1974]

I love it now. Actually i think Binaural is perfect even with its imperfections.

[stonefury]

have the pre-BOB mixing versions of Binaural songs ever surfaced?

Nothing As It Seems, Of the Girl, Rival, Sleight of Hand, Soon Forget and Parting Ways on Binaural are all still the original mixes.

The Blake mix of Insignificance is available on the NAIS single too.

Those are nice sounding songs

Yep.

Breakerfall is the one I would like to hear in orig mix. The one on the album sounds like ass. Mike is playing guitar in the bathroom.

I thought he had his Crohn's under control by 2000.

[EJ]

have the pre-BOB mixing versions of Binaural songs ever surfaced?

Nothing As It Seems, Of the Girl, Rival, Sleight of Hand, Soon Forget and Parting Ways on Binaural are all still the original mixes.

The Blake mix of Insignificance is available on the NAIS single too.

Those are nice sounding songs

Yep.

Breakerfall is the one I would like to hear in orig mix. The one on the album sounds like ass. Mike is playing guitar in the bathroom.

I thought he had his Crohn's under control by 2000.

well played

[WtOB?]

My recording engineer friend told me that Tchad Blake worked on some record where the band went out to some waterfall and recorded out there while Tchad strapped a Binaural mic thing on his head and just walked around the place. No idea what he told me it was called.

[WtOB?]

My recording engineer friend told me that Tchad Blake worked on some record where the band went out to some waterfall and recorded out there while Tchad strapped a Binaural mic thing on his head and just walked around the place. No idea what he told me it was called.

It was this one:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/From_the_C ... n_Mountain

[Waverider]

"Regarding Blake, Gossard said, 'He was just there for us the whole time, wanting us to create different moods.'"

I like how " while tied to a chair" was left out.

[Kevin Davis]

I just find glossy, overproduced, and fussy production to be incredibly offputting

Agreed, nothing worse than overproduced production.

[OmegaprimeVKM]

I love the production on Binaural. It allows for the band to be pushed away from easier songs and makes the tracks individual.

I've listened to this record more times than any other that I own.

[Wendy Carlos's Twin]

have the pre-BOB mixing versions of Binaural songs ever surfaced?

Nothing As It Seems, Of the Girl, Rival, Sleight of Hand, Soon Forget and Parting Ways on Binaural are all still the original mixes.

The Blake mix of Insignificance is available on the NAIS single too.

In The Moonlight and Fatal are also original Blake mixes.

Sad and Hitchhiker are available on that promo bootleg in Blake mixes as well.

[Strat]

Grievance sounding "thin" or whatever is bollocks. The song is interesting and aggressive in itself that it doesnt need the usual PJ production treatment. LOUD GUITARS! It is far more interesting the way it was produced than most pj rock songs. The song is fantastic and its not hidden by pushed to the limit production. Ill take Binaural over most everything else in the PJ catalogue if for nothing else than it is unique.

[EJ]

have the pre-BOB mixing versions of Binaural songs ever surfaced?

Nothing As It Seems, Of the Girl, Rival, Sleight of Hand, Soon Forget and Parting Ways on Binaural are all still the original mixes.

The Blake mix of Insignificance is available on the NAIS single too.

In The Moonlight and Fatal are also original Blake mixes.

Sad and Hitchhiker are available on that promo bootleg in Blake mixes as well.

I love the versions on that promo. In The Moonlight also sounds like a different take than what's on Lost Dogs. Is that true?

[MemoFromTurner]

Insignificance is my favorite track on the album. The song is strong enough to withstand the aural butchery BOB inflicted on it or my ears are bad. Both are distinct possibilities.