What are your favorite recordings that, because the songs are so good, it actually takes you (being in the profession of music) a few listens to notice the actual lower quality of the recording? Rather, what songs are so good that if somehow magically granted better audio quality, wouldn't improve the song any more than it already is, in your opinion.
For me, I'd say first and foremost, all of Allen Toussaint's productions from the 50's to the late 60's... Irma Thomas, Betty Harris, the Meters, and Lee Dorsey to name a few... The quality of those recordings fluctuates greatly from song to song, some sounding as if the tape heads were dirty during mastering or something... I always listen to them though without much thought of their fidelity, I love the songs soo much, I get completely lost in them... Only when I occasionally pop on the cans and listen can I hear their "****tyness".
I really love the sound of early rocksteady records, like Alton Ellis and Slim Smith.
Guided By Voices always stand out in my mind when I think lofi.
On the first Die Kruzen 7" - Cows and Beer - the more lofi versions of the LP songs from that record sound way more intense.
Also, early Sebadoh like "III" Liz Phair "Exile on Guyville" and everything by the band Further (not the Grateful Dead related project, but the California band that featured members of Beachwood Sparks and the Tyde)...all amazing stuff.
just about all the 70's punk bands. from all over. it pretty much happened all over all at the same time.
the electric eels from Ohio. the dead boys. black randy and the metrosquad.
some early suicide. man there's a ton.
Lighning Hopkins-Lonesome Dog Blues is friggin unbelievable. I got the cd version at woolworths fifteen years ago when they were going out of buisness, and haven't been able to find it since. Wu Tang Clan-36 Chambers album is lo fi and awesome as well.
Big Lizard in My Backyard by the Dead Milkmen. The fact that it sounds like it was recorded in someone's basement on a crappy 8 track (and probably was) is part of its charm.
Psychocandy by the Jesus & Mary Chain is another album that probably wouldn't be improved by increased fidelity.
Pretty bad recording technically, but musically a total winner.
Obviously they went for the "group take".
Seeing as it still stands as one of the most popular albums of all time, they were on the right track.
Going way back, anything by Glen Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Les Brown, Fats Waller, Art Tatum etc.
For the young people, that was when musicians actually could play live instead of "fixing it in the mix".
Four words: Blue Cheer's Vincebus EruptumAnother quite lo fi delight -- and overall a more satisfying band -- from about the same era was the best swamp rock band of the Bronx produced, the Blues Magoos. Their '66 album Psychedelic Lollipop captured that musically pivotal moment as folk and blues rock bands tipped precipitously into the swirling depths of psychedlia.* The Blues Magoo's iconic mid-song freak-outs were perfect soundtracks for 60s film montages of chaos, hippies, war, and wrenching cultural upheaval. But where they really shone were the surprisingly sophisticated musical hooks married to raw, bluesy vocals and rough but very pop-conscious ensemble back up vocals.
all studio 1 and treasure isle recordings made in the 60's and early 70's. Both were rather primitive studio's, started with an acetate writer as recorder, and moved on to 3 track and later to 8track. But they've recorded full and large rocksteady and ska bigbands with it in one take.
Anything by Sam & Dave.
Iron & Wine 'Woman King'.
yep. there was a soundonsound article a few year ago where he explained the recording process...soundblaster live, cheap mic that came with a pc and cool edit pro.
YouTube - Misfits - Bullet E.P. 7"
Been listening to VU lately, and man was that stuff ever awful sounding... those guys must be the first "intentionally" lo-fi band out there... hipsters.
suicide commando at times gets really really gritty. i like it.
There are far more awful recordings than velvet underground....I think warhol was just cheap and they were all on speed so they didn't really care as long as the songs were recorded.
Yes I've heard way worse, from before and after... It's just funny to think if they had done it intentionally, it would be unsurprising. VU, being one of the most important counter-culture bands of all time, hipsters today wouldn't have strayed too far from the way of their forefathers, and there intended audio degradation.
Most of the Pixie's albums to me didn't sound that great, but I've grown nostalgic about how they sound.