Dave Fridman - one-trick pony?

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

I mean, All his stuff sounds the same...doesn't it? Is this a bad thing? I'm in two minds, as my record collection becomes ever more homogenised at his behest...

― Charlie (Charlie), Tuesday, 17 September 2002 22:31 (twenty-three years ago)

Homogenised in what way? I don't really see that much similarity in production between the Flaming Lips, Mogwai and Gemma Hayes.

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Tuesday, 17 September 2002 22:38 (twenty-three years ago)

My inspiration for this thread is the new Delgados album which, while being absolutely ace and by far their best work, is almost smothered by Fridman's trademark overload-everything-especially-the-drums aesthetic. Is he perhaps in danger of becoming the Neptunes of spacepop?

― Charlie (Charlie), Tuesday, 17 September 2002 22:41 (twenty-three years ago)

He's definitely got a signature style (and yes, I do hear similarities in the Flaming Lips/Mercury Rev/Mogwai/Delgados stuff he's produced). Is this a bad thing though? Producers with their own distinct style are so rare, that I tend to be rather fond of producer-auteurs, and there usually aren't too many of them operating at any given time anyway. Constructing a personal "sound" is quite an accomplishment - whither Albini, Spector, Prince Paul, or the Bomb Squad without a certain one-track mind dedication to their particular sound?

― Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 17 September 2002 22:48 (twenty-three years ago)

Nigel Godrich to thread...

― Charlie (Charlie), Tuesday, 17 September 2002 22:50 (twenty-three years ago)

blech. I got no time for Sir Nigel. The Beck and Pavement albums he produced sounded like your standard super-clean rock n roll production except with annoying computer blips and bloops throughout. LAME.

― Shakey Mo Collier, Tuesday, 17 September 2002 22:52 (twenty-three years ago)

He's definitely got some signature sounds (doesn't everyone?), but all his stuff definitely does not sound the same. There's the lush, widescreen latter-day Rev stuff. There's the chaotic early Rev and Lips stuff. There's the more laid-back, raw and intimate stuff with Gemma Hayes and Sparklehorse. There's the thumping, squelchy new album by the Flaming Lips. Not exactly the work of a one-trick pony.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Tuesday, 17 September 2002 23:34 (twenty-three years ago)

Oooh, I haven't listened to "The Great Eastern" in ages, thanks for reminding me of its existence. Love that one. I think those Big Songs demanded an epic production. Fridmann earned his corn, yet again.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Tuesday, 17 September 2002 23:40 (twenty-three years ago)

One day I'll start up a 'why I don't like the Delgados' thread, just to see how many people cry.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 18 September 2002 00:11 (twenty-three years ago)

Go on, do it!

― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Wednesday, 18 September 2002 00:18 (twenty-three years ago)

One day I'll start a 'Why I don't like Carlos Delgado' thread.

― James Blount (James Blount), Wednesday, 18 September 2002 00:21 (twenty-three years ago)

why the anti-cycling polemic? Oh, and William Orbit/Martin Hannett to thread...

― Charlie (Charlie), Wednesday, 18 September 2002 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

"Is he perhaps in danger of becoming the Neptunes of spacepop?"

why, you say it like its a bad thing.. but, no, unfortunately. he doesnt seem that interesting a producer. now, Neptunes producing Gemma Hayes/Mogwai/Flaming Lips.. THAT would be interesting.

― Wyndham Earl, Wednesday, 18 September 2002 01:07 (twenty-three years ago)

One day I'll start a 'Why I don't like Carlos Delgado' thread.

Oh hell I'll start that now. 19 million a year and he's hitting two sixty something. And that's after a hot September. That salary sure could've gotten us a nice pitching staff...

Josh Phelps, though, hoo boy..

― mark p (Mark P), Wednesday, 18 September 2002 01:10 (twenty-three years ago)

Neptunes producing Gemma Hayes/Mogwai/Flaming Lips.. THAT would be interesting.

Fuck yeah! And yes, I did make the original Fridman/Neptunes comment to illustrate my thoughts on the Neptunes, to whit: they're one trick ponies too! Oooh, crisp snare! ooh, shallow bass thud! Ooooh, no other instruments! Yes, it's a signatire sound and is thus instantly recognisable, but c'mon, move on a little?

― Charlie (Charlie), Wednesday, 18 September 2002 03:04 (twenty-three years ago)

i wouldnt have said that Neptunes were as one trick as, say, Timbaland or Rodney Jerkins are these days. Dave Fridman surely has more in common with these, especially considering the shallow pallette of artists these producers use.

― Wyndham Earl, Wednesday, 18 September 2002 03:22 (twenty-three years ago)

touche.

― Charlie (Charlie), Wednesday, 18 September 2002 04:25 (twenty-three years ago)

Fridman's stuff all sounds similar enough to me yes, there's that cheap sounding offtune whirring in the background so often, it's all over rock action, mercury rev, gemma hayes, wherever.

― Ronan (Ronan), Wednesday, 18 September 2002 12:15 (twenty-three years ago)

I remeber when Carlos was the golden boy. Who'd he replace Fred Mcgriff or something? Been to one Jays game since the strike, or is Carlos traded too?

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Wednesday, 18 September 2002 12:24 (twenty-three years ago)

Nah, he's still with the Jayz and hardly the biggest bum they got (check the outfield).

― James Blount (James Blount), Wednesday, 18 September 2002 13:09 (twenty-three years ago)

three weeks pass...

I was actually thinking of starting a thread on this as I walked to work today, but thankfully someone else kindly pointed us here from the new Delgados thread. I was thinking of it because I have the new Delgados on my iPod and was thinking that I like it a whole lot, but it really is more than a bit reminiscent of the Flaming Lips, which I don't remember from The Great Eastern so much. I'm reserving judgement on the album until I get a few more listens under my belt though, because admittedly sometimes this feeling of sonic deja vu goes away with a bit more familiarity.

― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 13:43 (twenty-three years ago)

Dave Fridmann = The Neptunes
Steve Albini = Timbaland

of alt.rock. This is a very serious point.

― david h (david h), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 14:17 (twenty-three years ago)

This is perhaps not a stylistic analogism but a reputational/aesthetic one. Where aesthetic = how they are perceived by us, not how their producing is aesthetically consistent.

― david h (david h), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 14:19 (twenty-three years ago)

I was going to compare Fridmann to Rupert Hine, but that'll work, too.

― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 15:01 (twenty-three years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.