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Patricia Barber not cool?

185.37.86.20
Posted on October 18, 2014 at 07:06:23
Kems
Audiophile

Posts: 61
Location: Soenderjylland
Joined: April 21, 2005
 Hi,

I bought the recently released reissue of Patricia Barber's Modern Cool, a record I really looked forward to, as it is my favourite of all PB's releases. My disappointment was then great when I found that her voice in passages clearly is overly sibilant. No other distortion or so.

Am I the only one who experiences this? Does anyone have a copy and NOT experience this?

I returned my copy and was told by the dealer that the whole pressing run was ruined - but they are still selling it. I contacted another dealer, which has labeled the pressing as being perfect, but they called me being more critic than others. I own almost 3.000 LPs and buy 40-50 new ones (not used, new) every year, and this is the first one I have returned - ever. I accept various pressing errors, more than some other buyers do (I think), so I have a difficulty with being accused of being pedantic. This is also the only record I have heard this problem from, I believe my Lyra Kleos is correctly set up.

The dealers don't seem to care, and claim that no one else has complained. However, I found it odd that my copy, coming in that plastic-bag with zip-opening at the top, already had been opened - this looked like a previously listened-to and perhaps returned copy.

So... Am I the only one, do others experience this, or perhaps more important have a copy and DON'T experience it?

BR
Kim

 

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RE: Patricia Barber not cool?, posted on October 18, 2014 at 09:44:25
David M.
Audiophile

Posts: 150
Location: Big D Texas
Joined: October 9, 2002
 Not sure if we have the same re-release but mine is defective on one of the four sides. Other 3 seem OK. I did not open it for months after receipt. Should have sent it back...

 

RE: Patricia Barber not cool?, posted on October 18, 2014 at 09:47:33
Mick Wolfe
Audiophile

Posts: 3364
Location: AZ
Joined: October 10, 1999
Contributor
  Since: September 4, 2000
 Being that her vinyl routinely goes for around $50, you have a perfect right to be fussy. FWIW, I have several of her CD's and they sound just fine. The vinyl may indeed sound better, if you can eventually get a decent pressing that is. $50 ( unless it's a double album) is a bit of a push for me.

 

RE: Patricia Barber not cool?, posted on October 18, 2014 at 10:19:12
Kems
Audiophile

Posts: 61
Location: Soenderjylland
Joined: April 21, 2005
 What triggered me to the possibility of a fault in the pressing was the thread at Steve Hoffman's... Link should be enclosed.

But I must admit that I cannot remember if I played side 2 - must be getting old. The disappointment might have been too big. What I am judging from is definately side 1, being rattled in my listening chair by that voice. But I think I also started on side 2, but quickly gave up.

Is the faulty side on your copy by any chance side 1?

My bad that I didn't play the whole album, but my thoughts never went to that the other sides might be ok. Nevertheless, it should still be without such a gross error, a high value recording like that should not be released on to the customer base (if my assumption is correct that all copies have this error).

 

RE: just as a reference..., posted on October 18, 2014 at 11:07:33
user510
 I have "Modern Cool" and also "Companion" on CD. The only reason I bring this up is to mention that there is quite a lot of sibilance present on both of these albums. I suspect this to be a natural effect of her breathy singing style and also to do with proximity of microphone to the performers mouth during these performances.

Perhaps if you had the CD as a comparison you'd be able to tell if the Lp exhibits excessive sibilance or is just normal to the performer.

-Steve

 

RE: just as a reference..., posted on October 18, 2014 at 11:38:13
Kems
Audiophile

Posts: 61
Location: Soenderjylland
Joined: April 21, 2005
 I have experienced that PB's voice is rather "enounciated", but not like I experienced on the MC vinyl reissue version. As I wrote it made me rattle in my chair, it is not normal sibilance - she was more than spitting at me, she was attacking me.

I have the CD version, and don't recall anything like this from it. But, I must admit, for years now my system has been vinyl only, so I cannot compare directly at the moment. However, sibilance like this, I would remember, sibilance is actually too kind a description.

 

RE: Patricia Barber not cool?, posted on October 18, 2014 at 12:23:43
middleground
 Pedantic?

 

RE: just as a reference..., posted on October 18, 2014 at 12:26:47
middleground
 No not pedantic, really not.

Man you even like vinyl's warts.

Maybe you are simply paranoid?

 

RE: just as a reference..., posted on October 18, 2014 at 12:34:32
Kems
Audiophile

Posts: 61
Location: Soenderjylland
Joined: April 21, 2005
 Maybe I am being paranoid, yes :-)

What troubles me is that I have never heard this from a record before, ergo my reasoning that it is a faulty pressing. However, one dealer confirms me, but keeps on selling it, while the other denies it being faulty. That is ok, but as they both claim no one has complained, I am now trying to find anyone who may confirm that their pressing is without fault.

Maybe no one has complained because they just accept things as they are? That's usually how I roll, but in this case it, for the first time, just went over the top for me, the last straw kind of thing.

And, to the end, I am actually trying to find out whether I am wrong or not. That means a big deal to me, because if I am, I will have to do something about it.

 

If that's the case, then, posted on October 18, 2014 at 14:08:22
Dingojazz
Audiophile

Posts: 1045
Location: Sonoran Desert
Joined: January 3, 2005
 it's also true of my otherwise wonderful-sounding JJ Cale original releases on Shelter; e.g. Troubadour and Naturally... I understand that miking is a factor as well as proximity in these recordings. I'm learning to take it in context...and enjoy the music. -But then these records also only cost 5 bucks..

Cheers,

K.

 

RE: If that's the case, then, posted on October 18, 2014 at 14:47:22
Kems
Audiophile

Posts: 61
Location: Soenderjylland
Joined: April 21, 2005
 For me this is not a case of how the recording was done - it is simply so obviously at fault. Like I said, I was listening quite peacefully, when one (of the many) passage was so bad that I jumped in my chair :-) I have Diana Krall albums where her sibilance is quite obvious, but I have no problems with that.

Knowing the CD version, albeit being long since I listened to it, this does not show this sibilance, which probably is also the wrong word for it, as it was way beyond it. It is really difficult to describe in in written words, and many will think that I am just overly pedantic.

I also reckoned that it must be about enjoying the music, and it surely takes a lot before faults annoy me so much that I cannot focus on the music... But as mentioned, this is the first ever record that I have returned. And I haven't just been bying vinyl records for a couple of years - I have been bying them since 1981, with a short deroute to CD, and I have never encountered such "sibilance" before, going through pop, rock, jazz, classic, and variations of these - only no-gos are reggae and metal.

 

I Always , posted on October 18, 2014 at 15:42:39
Awe-d-o-file
Dealer

Posts: 21037
Location: 50 miles west of DC
Joined: January 10, 2004
 had a problem with the excess reverb on her voice on Cafe Blue. Too bad, very nice music, musicians and a nice recording otherwise.


ET
ET

"If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking till you do suck seed" - Curly Howard 1936

 

Two copies. Both disappointing., posted on October 18, 2014 at 17:41:44
jusbe
Audiophile

Posts: 5950
Location: North Island
Joined: April 4, 2000
 I have registered my disappointment with the local store where I bought them - Southbound Records in Auckland, just yesterday. I don't think the pressing is that good, frankly, and I have three other of their recent Barber pressings.

I think the dealers have varying relationships with distributors and labels. Southbound claim to have a good relationship with Premonition. That remains to be seen.


Big J

"... only a very few individuals understand as yet that personal salvation is a contradiction in terms."


 

RE: Patricia Barber not cool?, posted on October 18, 2014 at 22:02:17
RGA
Reviewer

Posts: 15177
Location: Hong Kong
Joined: August 8, 2001
 I had a poor direct to disc master of someone not long back (I want to say Lucinda Williams or Allison Krauss but I can't remember) and it sounded pretty dreadful on LP.

If LP is going to make a strong comeback they really have to ensure that the LPs are coming out sounding superb. Rubbish production runs of high noise or sibilance, inner groove distortion will not attract and keep "newbies" to LP especially not supposed "audiophile" recording artists.

Patricia Bartber who is basically an "audiophile darling" is the kind of artist where when a release comes out on any format it should be "the best of the best" in terms of recording and pressing quality. At least you caught it in time to return it.

 

Do you own this disc?, posted on October 19, 2014 at 00:41:24
jusbe
Audiophile

Posts: 5950
Location: North Island
Joined: April 4, 2000
 And can confirm how it sounds?


Big J

"... only a very few individuals understand as yet that personal salvation is a contradiction in terms."


 

Not only that., posted on October 19, 2014 at 00:42:52
jusbe
Audiophile

Posts: 5950
Location: North Island
Joined: April 4, 2000
 The spindle holes on my copies are too big. Makes it hard to even centre the lp.


Big J

"... only a very few individuals understand as yet that personal salvation is a contradiction in terms."


 

RE: Patricia Barber not cool?, posted on October 19, 2014 at 04:10:53
Kems
Audiophile

Posts: 61
Location: Soenderjylland
Joined: April 21, 2005
 I agree. As mentioned I can accept certain minor faults, but the Modern Cool was faulty all the way through, making it impossible to enjoy the music, while waiting for the next hit in the face. I would be very much surprised if this error is a result of the mastering, if so the engineer shoud be, well, shot.

And at the effort going into this record, with the resulting price, should really provide the consumer with a good product. It makes you wonder why they have these problems nowadays, where records from before the CD launch were never covered with errors and ticks and pops...

 

RE: Patricia Barber not cool?, posted on October 19, 2014 at 14:16:14
Kindablue
Audiophile

Posts: 1072
Joined: August 7, 2003
 I have recordings of PB when she first started, and they are so nice. Her early recordings blew me away and still do. Sad to hear that now she is putting out well bad recordings if that is true from what I am hearing from people. I cant believe it becuase its not just her music her style but those recordings I got when she first hit the air man not a person I turned her on to didnt go crazy for her music and her attention to detail.
Not being nasty but come on what is up with this? Nuff said.

 

I have the CD, posted on October 20, 2014 at 01:37:08
Des
Audiophile

Posts: 2110
Location: Great Barrier Reef
Joined: August 3, 2000
Contributor
  Since: August 2, 2000
 And yes no Sibilance to spruik about-- thanks for the heads up--I'll avoid the LP

Des

 

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