Deliberate Distortion

True, but no-one should expect modern pop music to sound musical on decent replay!

Get an MP3 player on earbuds and you might get closer. At that level you would have no idea how useless the music and recording really is ...

ATB from George

My dad said similar things about Led Zep and I'm sure his dad had similar views on Elvis etc etc. Its just different,  not necessarily worse

Royal Blood are a 2 piece who make music using various effects pedals etc., particularly on the bass . It's not chamber music, Its supposed to sound like it does .

My experience of Hi Fi systems is that they suck the guts out of certain types of music(mainly the type I like). It becomes not an emotional experience but a cerebral one.

Pop music has always been ephemeral and useless, from whatever generation ... the true classics emerge after the test of time ...

It takes a century for the public to discern what is truly worth preserving. I guess that the jury is still out on Orbsion and Pressley ...

Someone thought otherwise, as "Rage Against The Machine" was used to demo Statement recently!

The title puts me off.

Real life is not about machines ...

Ooo, I don't know, an original Gibson...

You won't get one at Argos, not even if you burn part of a chicken!

Francis bacon once said that before he had any fame with his paintings of distorted characters,he was always trying to explain to anyone that had an interest what his paintings meant. After fame he had to listen to others explaining to him what his paintings meant !

Oh come on, I don't know anyone under the age of 40 who listens regularly to music from over a century ago. You can't broad brush apply your views to a whole subject as though its a statement of fact can you? To each their own and live and let live. I respect the music from earlier generations but it would be pure arrogance for me to assume that future generations are not capable of great music too. 

Dear Huge,

Is not the music far more important than the instrument.

Bach on a Chinese student violin is rather more significant than the awful caterwauling of  Maroon Five for example ...

I can but it may not be a fact ...

I might also note that humanity is doomed ...

I've enjoyed this thread George and this post made me chuckle,  thank you

You see that the whole point is not to take it all too seriously/

Each of us loves [musically] what we love, and those who love something different to me will not have their love shaken by my my old-fashioned view!

ATB from George

From the musical perspective, you'll get no contest from me on that.  But try telling that to a guitar collector!

However, in my opinion, there are also musicians working with instruments and musical forms  that are neither orchestral nor traditional yet who are making good music.

P.S. the line about the original Gibson was more of a joke than a serious comment!

But not in the top 40 for sure!

ATB from George

+1 very true, and there are worse ways to spend one's time than to discuss it on here. 

George I recommend you listen to Confield by Autechre. Please recommend a classical (or otherwise) recording for me.

And be trenchant, but not personally rude!

I am on holiday from Friday so expect a short week's rest from me! I'll be back as Arnie said ...

Dobrenoc, 

And ATB from George

George, you're typing to quickly for me , being dyslexic,I need to review my post after seeing them formatted.

(actually, it's not a problem provided you don't mind my revisions!)

Start with Bach's Brandenburg Concertos. On amazon buy a second hand copy of the Linde Consort [HM Linde is the leader on EMi or Virgin] recording, which is absolutely the perfect introduction to the greatest music yet composed. Okay that was more or less three centuries ago, but even Beethoven would not argue with that premiss.

ATB from George

PS: for example the Second Concerto in F

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjA50xxcCRE

Hafler,

+1 on the Brandenburgs

Wonderfully approachable but also such depth and creativity behind the surface,  As you get used to the genre you can start to simultaneously hear both the overall effect and the ingenious basket weave that underpins it.  Truly beautiful music.

Although disparaged by some, Vivaldi's Four Seasons are lighter but also easily understood and also delightful (but used for too many adverts!).

The Four Seasons is pure master-work from Vivaldi ..

I recommend John Holloway, if anyone is interested in a challenging, but profound rendition.

ATB from George

I LOVE the bass effects they use - my question was why they thought it necessary to apply the distortion to the vocals.  Giving it a third/fourth listen it is more apparent on some tracks than others which leads me to conclude it is deliberate.

The reason I love my Naim system is that it faithfully relays the excitement and energy that some music has (much more so than my friend's Leema system for example that costs twice as much); the downside seems to be that poorly recorded music can "grate" (Royal Blood being a case in point).  It seems that you have noticed the same - which systems have you listened to and how do they compare? 

Bill

Ditto Anthrax, Discharge and the Dead Kennedys!

+1.