Mr. Furious Records

Next Saturday, April 3, Mr. Furious Records will release The Golden Age’s self-titled album, Rob Hawkins’ follow-up to the incredible “Calla Lily” EP.  We hope you’ll enjoy it, and we’re honored to be a small part of it.

Mastering is tricky business; there are so many options, and such fine balances to weigh, that it’s never a straightforward proposition.  That being so, the final dynamics of the music I work with is always my top concern.  If the final master is too crushed, loud, and flat, or (on the other side of the spectrum) perceived as too soft relative to other music that listeners are likely to hear, nothing else I do is going to make up for it; it won’t be an enjoyable listen.

Toward that end, from the Production Advice blog:

Dynamic Range Day is March 20th, 2010

Join us in a day of protest against the CD “Loudness Wars” – more info below

• Show your support – check out the Facebook Event and RSVP to say you’ll “attend”
• It’s easy to take part – just SHOUT (type in all caps) ALL DAY, EVERYWHERE !
• And when people ask, tell them why you’re shouting
• Add a Dynamic Range Day Banner to your website or blog
• Use the Twitter hashtag #DYNAMICRANGEDAY

Read the full story here: Dynamic Range Day – The Idea

Latest News

• 05/03/10 Over 1200 guests confirmed to the Facebook already – and climbing
• 25/02/10 Dynamic Range Day Banners available for download
• 25/02/10 TurnMeUp.org adds a Dynamic Range Day banner to their front page…

What are the “Loudness Wars” ?

Music is getting louder, and sounding worse.

Engineers and artists are using modern technology to push the average level of recorded music up and up and up against the “brick wall” maximum level of the CD format.

This results in distortion, lack of punch and a flat, two-dimensional, lifeless sound …

This Wednesday, March 3, Mr. Furious Records and Brandon McKenzie will release Panda Face’s self-titled record.

Some of you know Brandon from Lincoln, NE indie band Strawberry Burns and his solo work as BLANE.  To my ears, if you dig BLANE (or MFR’s own Bike) you’ll enjoy Panda Face.

If you don’t know, give it a shot on Wednesday! -h

My ’80s-ish pop band, Five Star Crush, will perform in Kansas City at the Riot Room (formerly the Hurricane) in Westport on Monday night, March 8.  Hope to see you there! -h

As I finally got to answering the week’s email, I wrote the below to my friend J. who asked me what I thought of The Who at the Super Bowl last weekend.  I know it’s kind of late in interwebs time to weigh in, but I think I captured my sentiments pretty clearly. -h

The Who – meh… #1) I love The Who and Pete Townshend, especially. #2) Likewise with grunge, it bums me out that my generation and younger know them through the credits to the NCIS franchise. #3) I know these guys have bills, but I have to say the Super Bowl performance eroded their legacy. They looked very human; those old records have become something more. #4) That said, I enjoyed the halftime show. #5) The NFL has *got* to loosen up its post-Janet’s-boob prudishness, and find an act under 40 with some fresh material to play the halftime. You know what I’d love to see? Marching bands! Have a nationwide marching band contest for high school bands, have them submit videos or whatever, send scouts out to see the top 20 and pick one, and give them an all-expenses paid trip to the Super Bowl. Great PR, exciting, safe, cheap halftime show… seems like a win all around.