Nirvana - In Utero (interesting Mix)

[exoslime]

Hey,

i just listened to Nirvanas In Utero Album for the first time in ages again, on headphones, and i noticed that the mix is really "different" comparing to standard commercial productions in rock, alternative...
Its seems like "3d" to me and the instruments are not left or right only, but somewhere in between, and up and down,.. very strange. and also the whole sound is not in front of me, but it feels like inside my head.
i wonder if they have some binaural thingy going on there..its really interesting, i thought id share my experience with you.
if anybody of you got this album at home, listen to it and tell me what you think about it.

Steve Albini produced and mixed that album, i´m gonna checkout more of his productions analyticaly now

cheers
chris

 

[Charles J]

'In Utero' is up there in my top 2 favorite sounding productions/music, along with NIN's 'The Fragile'.

I've heard the raw tracks for a couple of the songs and basically all you've got is an insane sounding room w/lots of room mics of which, the drums basically make the album sound the way it does. If I remember correctly there are two stereo room sets for the drums along w/the usual stereo pair of OH's plus the close mics.

Muting both sets of room mics makes the mix fall flat on it's face. Pop 'em in and BAM, In Utero. This is all w/just faders up, as well. Fantastic.

Everything is recorded SUPERBLY, to tape, through an analog console, etc.

Doesn't get much better than this, for me.

 

[NickL]

If I remember correctly Albini disliked the final result. His original mixes were scrapped for being "too raw" and they ended up going with something more commercial, hence the interesting hybrid on the record.

OT, but my friend is dating one of Albini's bandmates. Not really sure if that amounts to anything but it's interesting. I've been invited to his studio a few times but haven't been able to get over there

 

[muckypup1]

I like the way this album sounds. I prefer Bleach but I know what you mean about how it sounds with headphones, it sounds pretty weird but still cool.

 

[TheWinterSnow]

That's just Nirvana for you, as anal as kurt was about the sound it paid off, it never helped that all their producers helped kurt with capturing the raw essence of nirvana, they seemed to get this vibe of the band in person and did everything they could to capture the sound as if you were standing in the live room.

I think it would be amazing to hear pop and rock mixes with that type of talent and production

 

[TRA]

That pretty much describes a Steve Albini recording. Even though they didn't keep his mixes the songs still scream Steve Albini. Lots of mics, good sounding rooms, and an attempt at making instruments sound like they do in the room. (Unlike metal recordings which attempt to make the instruments sound as far from their natural state as possible).

I like the raw sound of his records...

 

[Pot]

check albini´s work with HIGH ON FIRE the sound is really very organic and roomy ...check blessed black wings for instance

in utero has that distintive sound to it and i think it´s great

 

[digitaldeath]

Gotta say that I love the production on this album too. It really is the drums that does it for me! Francis Farmer and Milk It being the tracks that do it for me!

 

[exoslime]

cheers and thanks for all your reply

'In Utero' is up there in my top 2
I've heard the raw tracks for a couple of the songs and basically all you've got is an insane sounding room w/lots of room mics of which, the drums basically make the album sound the way it does. If I remember correctly there are two stereo room sets for the drums along w/the usual stereo pair of OH's plus the close mics.

Muting both sets of room mics makes the mix fall flat on it's face. Pop 'em in and BAM, In Utero. This is all w/just faders up, as well. Fantastic.

Everything is recorded SUPERBLY, to tape, through an analog console, etc.

Doesn't get much better than this, for me.

check albini´s work with HIGH ON FIRE the sound is really very organic and roomy ...check blessed black wings for instance

thanks, i will check that out

ciao
chris

 

[John_C]

can't say i like the kick on in utero, but that snare is godly

 

[korpse pop]

In Utero + Blessed Black Wings FTW! I wish more albums had this kind of production nowadays

 

[Seizure.]

+1000!

 

[jangoux]

This is why I posted that thread regarding 90s production a few weeks ago. This album sounds like a BAND, when i listen to it, i feel i am inside the room they're playing.

SigmundFreud33, where did you get the raw tracks for this album?

 

[James Murphy]

check Albini's work on Dysrhythmia's "Pretest".

coincidentally, i just recently picked up In Utero in the used bin at my local FYE for about $6.

 

[TheWinterSnow]

This is why I posted that thread regarding 90s production a few weeks ago. This album sounds like a BAND, when i listen to it, i feel i am inside the room they're playing.

SigmundFreud33, where did you get the raw tracks for this album?

There's nothing better than cranking the sounds in your car and feeling like the band is playing right there. Was actaully spinning Nevermind in my car today, that album never gets old imo

I really need In Utero, but there are other 90's music that I need as well, since it seems the production of those days were about being a band and not the over-polished turd that has began this century.

 

[colonel kurtz]

it seems the production of those days were about being a band and not the over-polished turd that has began this century

not to get all OT and start some sort of flame war here, but i can almost guarantee that the only reason music wasn't as over-the-top polished and over-produced previous to the late 90s was because the means to do so didn't exist - at least not on the level it does now, or without having a massive budget

 

[TheWinterSnow]

not to get all OT and start some sort of flame war here, but i can almost guarantee that the only reason music wasn't as over-the-top polished and over-produced previous to the late 90s was because the means to do so didn't exist - at least not on the level it does now, or without having a massive budget

its not even that, it also seemed like the music of the day had more substance and had more though during the writing process, aslo the overall production was setup in a way that made you feel the emotion of the music. Today most of it sounds fake and plastic on an emotional level, just as fake as silicon tits.

 

[Harry Hughes]

I would consider the first Rage Against The Machine album to be an extremely high quality production and it was released in 1992. I think there are a lot of modern productions that still aren't as good as that sonically.
It does help Andy Wallace mixed it though

 

[Nuno Filipe]

Andy Wallace also mix Nevermind album. He is one of the greatest producers ever.

 

[slashvanyoung]

The amount of jaw-dropping quality records Andy has under his belt, especially through the nineties, is just unreal. He is the greatest IMHO. Ever.