production wise

[sweatboard]

what are your favorite albums.

1.  AT DAWN - A pure masterpiece.  This record was recorded on a farm by an amazingly creative force.  Jim used some old recording equipment, that while he may have wished he had better at the time, produced a very authentic and orignal record.  You can tell that Jim spent so much time with his recording equipment and recording spaces that he knew them like the back of his hand.  He was able to get the absolute best out of what he was working with (some people have all the resources they could ever wish and still get lousy results).  You can tell he put so much time and creativity into it.  There are so many tiny intricate subtleties in the production(I might get into discussing them some day).  The stars aligned on this one.  A record like this will never ever be reacorded again, and if it is it will only be because someone is trying to hard and that's not going to sound right.  As good as the songwritting and emotional playing is on this record the production almost pushes to be a bigger force on it's own, in the end the only one that wins out is the listener.  A truly perfect album in every way.  

2. Z - This is a the bands first true studio record, while it sounds like it was recorded in a really nice studio there is nothing artificial or cheesy sounding about it.  It's got it's own unique sound that permiates through 10 entirely diffrent kinds of songs.  The production is what melts this album together  by taking 10 unique tracks and making them feel like they all belong in the same place.  I guess for an analogy I would say the production seems to provide a sort of atmosphere and the tracks create the landscape within it.  There is something really elegant about the production on the record.  If At Dawn makes me feel like drinking some luke warm beers under a stary sky waiting for the sun to come up, Z makes me feel like sipping a martini under the warm glow of a blue light hitting a disco ball......................and then dance my fucking ass off!!!

3. The Tennessee Fire - The first effort at recording an entire record on the farm.  Someday I would like to go track by track and disect the production on each song from the TN Fire and At Dawn.  TN Fire is almost a parallel opposite of Z.  Where Z seemed to create an atmosphere for the songs to breathe in, The TN Fire seems to take each track and create a specific enviroment that is most condusive for that particular song.  In this way it seems like each song is it's own little perfectly crafted arts and crafts project.  The TN Fire is special to listen to because you get to see what statigies Jim uses with each track and it's like a giant record full of tiny little jewels.  

It Still Moves - This is an all out REVERB ASSAULT ON THE SENSES.  Which is one thing that makes this record so fucking awesome.  While still at the farm I believe Jim managed to afford some new recording equipment.  The record sounds like it was made in a studio, but it wasn't.  The band rocks so hard on this album and it comes through really strong because of the clarity of the recording.  I think it was a very wise choice not to include One Big Holliday on an earlier record because I think the burning guitars wouldn't have fit or have been done justice on the earlier recordings.  Some may disagree with me but I absolutly love the way the guitars are recorded they sound very strong to me and also very beutiful when need be.  The blazzing guitars teamed with a very beutiful and powerful voice sailing through blissfull chambers of reverb make this an extreamly enjoyable record to play at dangerously high volumes.      

[rob]

Definitely At Dawn.........it sounds shallow to say, but the reverb really adds SO much to the songs. A couple TTF songs without it remind me of Blind Melon.  :P Great thread!

[Easy Morning Rebel]

Until now I would say that 'At Dawn' is my favorite, but in the latest time I have started to liking 'The Tennessee Fire' more and more. Now I can't choose only one album any longer. So, I have to say that it's a tie between 'At Dawn' and 'The Tennessee Fire'. Both are my favorites! ;D

[Clarkwork]

1. At Dawn, to me this album does the best job in capturing the MMJ sound.

2. It Still Moves,  a very close second.  

3. Z,  I'll miss the farm sound, but still like the studio sound that came with this album.

4. Tennessee Fire.  A great album,  but I am not a big fan of the production of this album, it's a little too rough for my taste, but the great songs still shine through.

[realdeal]

1. At Dawn - an epic
2. TTF- good ol' lo-fi recording
3. It Still Moves - a little to skynard, but enjoyable
4. Z- a few ok songs but rather dissapointed

[dragonboy]

At Dawn, Z, ISM & TF  :)

[EC]

I kind of feel like each record wouldn't sound like it does if it didn't sound like it does, and so I don't really have an opinion, if that makes sense.  

Does that make sense?  Each album is what it is because it's what it is.  

hm, I'm still not quite getting it.

Let me think more about how to express this...

[dragonboy]

I kind of feel like each record wouldn't sound like it does if it didn't sound like it does, and so I don't really have an opinion, if that makes sense.  

I understand fully.
TF wouldn't be the TF if it had been made last year & produced by John Leckie.

[Dee.]

I just thought about this really quick and came up with the same order as Clarkwork.

At Dawn, It Still Moves , Z , Tennessee Fire

[wellfleet]

EC is bang-on... if you'd change even the tiniest thing in the production process, the entire sound would be affected. personally, i wouldn't wish to revisit any of the albums' mixing. the exist in their own time-space continuum... i know this sounds like i'm dropping a pound of acid but i'm really not...
even though Z is clearly "finished" and "produced", i still think it sounds very organic and not forced. obviously the sound effects had to be tweaked into existence but somehow they manage to sound as if they were achieved naturally...
i do like the silo sound, it's very warm, like chicken-reverb soup for the rocker's soul.

[dr.guggenheim]

each album that the jacket has put out has been my favorite.  what i mean to say is that z was my new favorite mmj record when it came out....for a while.  then their entire catalogue was my favorite again. believe it or not, i'm being completely subjective (well, as subjective as humanly possible)  it is just amazing to me to watch a band grow/evolve/morph (insert any number of mutating verbs) into this beast of musicality.  i started listening to them in 1999 around the same time that i really got into the beach boys and i've always thought of jim and brian wilson as kindred spirits...for that matter, i've often thought of skip spence and syd barrett in terms of sound/production as well.  my only concern is that with all that genius swelling in his brain, that he may end up like those other 3, either lying in his bed-refusing to leave, chopping down a hotel door with an axe or living at home with his mother with no memory of even being in one of the best bands ever to grace this god-forsaken rock.   maybe i'm being a bit dramatic...

[BH]

They are all tied for first.  I know that's weak but it's like picking your favorite child.  It can't be done.

ISM was my first born and so he has some special memories for me.

At Dawn.  I love the way she makes me feel when I hold her tight.

Z.  She's special. A real artist that one.

Tennesee Fire.  He's really got a way with the ladies.

Ch 2 Early Recordings.   I love spending time with that crazy little devil, but I can't keep him out of trouble and off the booze.

If I'm going to be trapped on a deserted island and I can only bring one CD then.......


I will compress them down to mp3 and put them all on one CD.

[SiOuxTribe]

At Dawn, Z, It Still moves, TN Fire

let us not forget all the EP's and such.  I fucking love Come Closer.

[loper]

TTF,  AT, ISM.  All sound like real, live playing. All instruments sound coarse and manhandled. The recording location is tangible.

Z ? .  Clean, synthetic, could be recorded anywhere (well anywhere there is sophisticated equipment that is).