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Post by MrWaistcoat on Sept 11, 2019 13:50:55 GMT
Lots of talk in different threads about vocals, backing vocals and drums, so may as well have its own thread...
Overall the sound is good, Francis has compromised. He's made an album using the latest technology he wants but has made it sound guitary and like there's a band in there playing it
I think the drumming is good, so what I say next isn't Leon's fault. The album begins and ends with the quietest songs, and on these songs the drums are fine
Unfortunately I think Leon is lower in the mix on all the other songs. You can hear the drums increased in the mix on the rolls and fills during CMSS. The drums sound fantastic in parts of the title track when they are turned up
A real shame. My last indoor lite gig was NEC 13,and Leon was so low in the mix it put me off going again. Really hope this can be sorted if there is to be another rock album. As things stand the overall drum sound is too quiet, more pop than rock
I know there'll be criticism here of vocals so I'll be positive. Francis sounds good. When the vocal harmony starts early on in "I see you're in some trouble" , it sounds fantastic. Turns out I like Ritchies voice
Vocally I don't miss Rick here as they are not his songs so I don't expect to hear him. The exception for me is Better Take Care, the bit where Ritchie or Rhino come in made me think "that should be Rick's bit"
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Post by paradiseflats on Sept 11, 2019 15:24:08 GMT
I think I’d describe it as alright.
The backing vocals are frequently poor.
Francis sounds like he has for a long time.
I would say it sounds better than most Status Quo albums after 1982.
But that’s damn it with faint praise as they’ve mostly been poor sounding.
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Post by I Ain't Complaining on Sept 11, 2019 15:34:02 GMT
Lots of talk in different threads about vocals, backing vocals and drums, so may as well have its own thread... Overall the sound is good, Francis has compromised. He's made an album using the latest technology he wants but has made it sound guitary and like there's a band in there playing it I think the drumming is good, so what I say next isn't Leon's fault. The album begins and ends with the quietest songs, and on these songs the drums are fine Unfortunately I think Leon is lower in the mix on all the other songs. You can hear the drums increased in the mix on the rolls and fills during CMSS. The drums sound fantastic in parts of the title track when they are turned up A real shame. My last indoor lite gig was NEC 13,and Leon was so low in the mix it put me off going again. Really hope this can be sorted if there is to be another rock album. As things stand the overall drum sound is too quiet, more pop than rock I know there'll be criticism here of vocals so I'll be positive. Francis sounds good. When the vocal harmony starts early on in "I see you're in some trouble" , it sounds fantastic. Turns out I like Ritchies voice Vocally I don't miss Rick here as they are not his songs so I don't expect to hear him. The exception for me is Better Take Care, the bit where Ritchie or Rhino come in made me think "that should be Rick's bit" I think the 2 other solo voices in BTC are Andrew first and Rhino towards the end.....I agree about Rick in this one. |
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Post by MrWaistcoat on Sept 11, 2019 16:19:03 GMT
I think I’d describe it as alright. The backing vocals are frequently poor. Francis sounds like he has for a long time. I would say it sounds better than most Status Quo albums after 1982. But that’s damn it with faint praise as they’ve mostly been poor sounding. Yes the sounds been such a frustration for so long Been listening to German tribute band Railroad. On both albums the sound is amazing, and presumably they managed with a shoestring budget |
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edd
New Rocker Rollin'
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Post by edd on Sept 11, 2019 17:18:50 GMT
I think sound is excellent. Punchy, not to compressed. Backing vocals sound really good in my opinion. An excellent production.
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Post by blagult on Sept 11, 2019 18:19:09 GMT
I think it’s difficult for them as we all lived with those analogue mixes of the 70’s.
As soon as everything went digital Quo suffered a bit I think. Where bands like Dire Straits got a huge lift from it.
Sometimes I think Quo tried to embrace it and get a bit too clever. Especially late 80’s imo although I do
Like the AC album.
I agree that the drums should be a few decibels higher in the mix here but then you probably wouldn’t here the lead vocals as they are down in the mix a bit. All on purpose to
Bring the Guitars high up to give the album that Rock / Band feel I think.
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equo
Rocker Rollin'
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Post by equo on Sept 11, 2019 18:41:35 GMT
I think the drums sound very "mono". Too much in the middle. Don't know why, not the case on other Quo albums produced by Rossi. I'd like a bit more use of cymbals throughout a song. Give's a more stereo sound and fills the overall sound combined with the guitars. Guitars sound good. Rossi's vocals are very good for a man of 70 years old. The problem is the backing vocals. Rhino should not be singing at all, his voice is awful, Richie has a not very exciting voice, certainly not a lead singer and Andy just doesn't match with Rossi. Rick's voice did well with Rossi's. I miss that interaction.
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Post by frozenhero on Sept 17, 2019 22:23:41 GMT
I like the sound. It benefits from being turned up, the way CD was originally invented with its dynamic range. Whereas you can't listen to most stuff Quo have put out in the new century without turning it down quite a fair bit, and then realizing how it's all on the same level (Francis explicitly commented on this in a radio interview).
I do agree that the snare drum has not enough presence. Not sure that it's too quiet (when my mother heard it she remarked that it was quite loud), just the way it was miked or mixed makes it sound a bit damp. Sort of like back in the 80s, I dunno? Minor quibble though and I like the production touches here and there like the vocoder in LL (surely down to Francis' ELO love) or those effects in Get Out of My Head, not to mention the theremin! They don't overshadow the band playing together, which is the core of the sound, they merely enhance it.
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Post by fretbuzzzzz on Sept 19, 2019 13:36:35 GMT
I like the sound. It benefits from being turned up, the way CD was originally invented with its dynamic range. Whereas you can't listen to most stuff Quo have put out in the new century without turning it down quite a fair bit, and then realizing how it's all on the same level (Francis explicitly commented on this in a radio interview). I do agree that the snare drum has not enough presence. Not sure that it's too quiet (when my mother heard it she remarked that it was quite loud), just the way it was miked or mixed makes it sound a bit damp. Sort of like back in the 80s, I dunno? Minor quibble though and I like the production touches here and there like the vocoder in LL (surely down to Francis' ELO love) or those effects in Get Out of My Head, not to mention the theremin! They don't overshadow the band playing together, which is the core of the sound, they merely enhance it. Read your post with interest, as I found the same thing about volume. Initially there seemed something different about the drums in particular. Possibly frequencies coming into play. The snare on some of Backbone sounds more thump than a bright resonant sound. I had avoided listening to any tracks on my phone early on, as thought they would probably sound awful and put me off. Prefer to listen to the CD in the car, home stereo or the TV system. Yesterday I had been sitting in the car waiting for my daughter to come out of her drum class and decided to play a few tracks through the medium of my phone! Well that solved the snare drum mystery in a sense!... the snare stood out in the mix strangely and a bit more snap than thump, other sounds were less audible. Change your phone I hear you cry!! Leon played superbly at Hyde park and knows his way around his kit and uses all of it to great effect. Curiously with Backbone there is feeling that he had been more restrained. The guitars are doing all the work. When I think of Quo records of old, such as On The Level, JC was especially fond of his cymbals and hi hat. Quite busy on various tracks/albums. With Backbone, the drums seem more restrained in a way and about keeping a steady beat and sometimes just a crash cymbal every bar or two. Strange really, I am fairly sure I'd heard that Rossi had been on Matt's case with QPQ and asking him to "let go". I think my Sony stereo has an equaliser of sorts so may give that a tweak. |
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ant
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Post by ant on Sept 19, 2019 16:11:56 GMT
I think the album sounds very good. I only saw the post-Rick li ne-up once and doubt I'll go again, but the guitars sounded electronic and awful. On this album, tho' they sound much more organic.
I've always liked Francis' production - for me he is head and shoulders away the best pproducer for Quo - always was (let's be honest, he'll have done most of the production back in the 70s heyday).
Leon must be so releived to be able to originate some drum tracks for Quo after all these years, and he takes the opportunity playing very well.
Whille you can hear that this is the bastard son of QPQ it also has some new and innovative stuff for Quo.
It's a decent album - I like it. Wasn't sure I would say that.
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Post by quovadis on Sept 19, 2019 17:56:25 GMT
Not a bad album backbone very few rockers bar 3 but not bad more rockin songs on qpq but as today's quo are it's pretty gud 7/10
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Post by Victor on Sept 19, 2019 18:58:00 GMT
I think Francis did a very good job with the production of this album. Except the drums, they could have been a bit more upfront, but in some songs they sound pretty ok. Guitars are well produced in my opinion, not too much compression and, for me a very important thing, the vocals are more in balance with the guitars again ços the voices are more in the background and I am really glad about that 'cos for me that was one of the essential parts of the seventies and early eighties albums ! Also think Francis' voice sounds very good and I think Richie can grow to become a good second lead vocalist but especially can grow in the harmonies with Francis, he's sounding very good in I see you're in some trouble ! Also like his voice in Get out of my head, I think his voice fits in with the current Quo
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Post by MrWaistcoat on Sept 19, 2019 21:08:50 GMT
Rossi's vocals are very good for a man of 70 years old. The problem is the backing vocals. Rhino should not be singing at all, his voice is awful, Richie has a not very exciting voice, certainly not a lead singer and Andy just doesn't match with Rossi. Rick's voice did well with Rossi's. I miss that interaction. Mate, have you listened to I think you're in some trouble? When the vocal harmony kicks in it totally sounds like Rick is there too. It also sounds great imo, which certainly isn't the reaction from myself I expected Lead vocals are a matter of opinion (I like rhino's revenge and rhino suits the songs he writes),I also like Richie, but for vocal harmonies I think the album proves Quo can still deliver. You are not alone not liking the backing vocals (the reason I started the thread). Thankfully they don't bother me 👍 |
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equo
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Post by equo on Sept 19, 2019 22:23:34 GMT
Rossi's vocals are very good for a man of 70 years old. The problem is the backing vocals. Rhino should not be singing at all, his voice is awful, Richie has a not very exciting voice, certainly not a lead singer and Andy just doesn't match with Rossi. Rick's voice did well with Rossi's. I miss that interaction. Mate, have you listened to I think you're in some trouble? When the vocal harmony kicks in it totally sounds like Rick is there too. It also sounds great imo, which certainly isn't the reaction from myself I expected Lead vocals are a matter of opinion (I like rhino's revenge and rhino suits the songs he writes),I also like Richie, but for vocal harmonies I think the album proves Quo can still deliver. You are not alone not liking the backing vocals (the reason I started the thread). Thankfully they don't bother me 👍 Exactly my point, when it sounds like rossi/parfitt singing it's ok. I agree, lead vocals are a matter of opinion but when you listen to the Hyde Park gig and hear Rhino sing Rain or Again and Again, it just isn't good enough. When he's singing his own songs it might be better, but he's just not a good enough singer to my opinion. (mind you, I have nothing against Rhino, or Malone, I think they are decent songwriters). The combination of Rossi/Bown voices is also not my favourite, but on several of Andy's own songs on Unfinished Business, I like his voice better. On Backbone it's not bothering me too much, but makes it all sound just a little less enjoyable... |
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viza
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Post by viza on Sept 20, 2019 6:20:18 GMT
I've always liked Francis' production - for me he is head and shoulders away the best pproducer for Quo - always was (let's be honest, he'll have done most of the production back in the 70s heyday). If you listen to Alan in interviews Francis was slightly novice in the studio and started to develop first when they started to hire external producers. Alan on the other hand had a home studio in the early 70's and was more practiced in how to work in the studio. I know you should not believe everything said from either side of this but I haven't heard someone who has denied this yet. |
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