Hey all. I've been lurking on the site for a year or two now and finally got around to registering. I've found the information here to be pretty useful and over time it's become my favorite place to do research whenever I feel like I need some new gear for my very modest home project studio.

I only recently read the favorite reference cds article on the main site and figured I'd give my 2 cents. I was glad to see Elliott Smith's Either/Or on there since it's not only one of my favorite sounding records but one of my favorite records to listen to, period. I'm also crazy about Jeff Buckley's Grace. One of my favorites that isn't on the list is the 1994 album Hex by Bark Psychosis. To me this album has the perfect amount of 'space.' Does anyone else listen to it?

The original reference cd article is about 6 years old, so I'm also wondering if there have been any significant additions in the last several years.

*edit: Look at that, I made a typo in the title of my first post. Shame!
[it happens. no charge on the fix. --Bear]

I listen selectively but omnivorously, so whatever's tickling my fancy at the moment. Sparklehorse's "It's a Wonderful Life" has resurfaced in my attention, and it's an interesting sounding album because it sounds lo-fi but the necessary musical detail can be quite apparent and clear.

For "space" the amount that is appropriate can seem to be a sliding scale, from bone dry to immersion. For immersion, I like the last two Talk Talk LP's, "The Spirit of Eden" and "Laughing Stock," for a reference. The rough part there is that it's mostly just great gear picking up natural ambiance in a great room, so it's more aspirational for me than repeatable.

Bear

My current list would probably read:

Dixie Chicks -- "Home"
Cold Play -- "A Rush Of Blood To The Head"


For a modern sounding, digital production, one of my faves of the last few years is Aly and AJ "Into The Rush." I probably would not put it on a list but if you are looking for modern, digital (in all the good ways possible) and maybe even young, then whoever tracked, mixed, mastered and produced it nailed it.