Perfect example of how record labels ruin music...

jaxwired
jaxwired Posts: 201
edited September 2010 in Music & Movies
Had to vent about this. I'm a music hound and I'm always looking for great new music. The other day I discovered "Lissie". She has two releases. The first release was an EP on an obscure label. Every song is rich and moving with amazing vocals and a very raw unprocessed production.

lissie-why-you-runnin-300x300.jpg

So then she get's noticed by Sony records under the Columbia label and they influence her to add a much more mainstream pop sound to her music. They take several of the amazing tracks from excellent EP, but they mostly use new tracks that are a significant departure away from the beautiful music on the EP. These new tracks also all have more of a slick production without the raw acoustic sound of the EP. Now, don't get me wrong, they are pretty good pop tunes, but this girl is an amazing talent on the EP was something breathtakingly good. The new songs on the Sony recording are just mainstream pop that we have no shortage of. Compare for yourself. Here's the two CDs on Amazon. The record labels ruin so many artists with their forumla music. It's really depressing.

Listen to these and post your thoughts:

Amazing:
http://www.amazon.com/Why-You-Runnin-Lissie/dp/B002Q4TKKE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1284287615&sr=1-3

Mainstream pop, listen to track 2:
http://www.amazon.com/Catching-Tiger-Lissie/dp/B003UCPE3S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1284287615&sr=1-1
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Comments

  • hearingimpared
    hearingimpared Posts: 21,136
    edited September 2010
    Wow she is very, very good. I see what you mean about the pop but they were good too and some really showcased her voice!

    Thanks for turning me on to her.
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  • jaxwired
    jaxwired Posts: 201
    edited September 2010
    hearingimpared wrote: »
    Wow she is very, very good. I see what you mean about the pop but they were good too and some really showcased her voice!

    Thanks for turning me on to her.

    Yes, I agree, some of the pop songs are very good and they do lean at least toward the more acoustic nature of her original EP, but I can't help but wonder what her full length second release would have been like if it were filled with more songs like the EP...
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  • quadzilla
    quadzilla Posts: 1,543
    edited September 2010
    The producers job is to create product (what you call music in your misguided naivety) that will sell as much as possible. That's why so much of pop is so formulaic. Most people don't want really new and different. They want, at most, very slightly different but still mostly the same as the last mass-market sensation. If you want good music, indie labels are about the only place you'll find it, and then only until the artist gets picked up by a major label. Otherwise, stick to jazz and classical which are aimed at slightly different markets, but still manage to suffer some of the same problems as pop.
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  • hoosier21
    hoosier21 Posts: 4,413
    edited September 2010
    Sony did the same thing to Shawn Mullins, the first record after he was signed was so over produced and "poppy" it realy didn't sound like his songs.
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  • Ern Dog
    Ern Dog Posts: 2,237
    edited September 2010
    I liked her music. Great voice. The drums on the new cd sound like they are being produced by a computer drum machine on some songs. I prefer the acoustic feel of the 1st cd.
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  • mrbigbluelight
    mrbigbluelight Posts: 9,836
    edited September 2010
    Excellent voice; I'd suggest Track 3, "In Sleep" on "Catching a Tiger" really captures what JAX is talking about.

    Yes, Sony has a "product" to sell, but ......

    ..... for gawd's sake, I felt a need to strap on some skates and go looking for the nearest Disco Roller Park.
    Sal Palooza
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  • hearingimpared
    hearingimpared Posts: 21,136
    edited September 2010
    mrbigbluelight wrote: »
    Excellent voice; I'd suggest Track 3, "In Sleep" on "Catching a Tiger" really captures what JAX is talking about.

    Yes, Sony has a "product" to sell, but ......

    ..... for gawd's sake, I felt a need to strap on some skates and go looking for the nearest Disco Roller Park.

    WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAH!!!! Good to have you back bro!
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  • decal
    decal Posts: 3,205
    edited September 2010
    jax....You can put some of the blame on the artist also.The gal probably needed money to live on so she compromised her sound to get a record deal.Just my opinion,nothing more.
    If you can't hear a difference, don't waste your money.
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  • Ern Dog
    Ern Dog Posts: 2,237
    edited September 2010
    decal wrote: »
    jax....You can put some of the blame on the artist also.The gal probably needed money to live on so she compromised her sound to get a record deal.Just my opinion,nothing more.

    I had the same thought too.
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