Dynamics. Relative Loudness. Stereo.
Jared Bartlett mixed a brilliant soundscape for Young Lions. He and Todd worked together and formed the feel of the CD and the mixes were sent to Franklin Mastering at Oasis CD Manufacturing. It was there I was asked the question “Do you want it to sound like today’s music?” What that meant was, did I want it to be loud, all up front and without levels? I said no, but what were the alternatives? The answer was very cool: we can master it like music is meant to be heard, with dynamics and relative loudness.
So on Young Lions the sound is leveled, with soft and loud, descending and ascending riffs, background flourishes that can stay hidden upon first listening only revealing themselves upon repeated visits.
The sound is also IN stereo, with instruments and voices interlocking and separating within the speakers. I wanted the sound to be as close to the thrill of finally hearing real stereo and remembering its impact. For me it was twice. The first time I was at my Uncle Booty’s and he played a Tony Bennett RECORD on his turntable. When that sound came through those Pioneer speakers with the instruments clearly defined in the 2 channels and with Tony’s voice mixed in the center, well it was a moment. The second revelation was when I finally had a decent stereo of my own and I put on my newly purchased The Beatles’ White Album. The rush of the jet cascading from speaker to speaker as the opening riffs of Back In The USSR came from the backend until the song exploded from the speakers was amazing. Damn. My audiophile brain became fully formed.
Nothing dramatic as that happens here, but the sound on the CD is formed in that mold.
Young Lions ~ Stilson Greene 