Does anyone else find all of the flaming lips albums mix just awful? I dig the music itself, but the levels are super high and don't seem to vary much for a lot of the songs. I love Yoshimi, but the bass/keyboard effect on some of the songs sounds like it is clipping (but I don't think it is actually clipping, it is just the sound intentionally).

I can't understand why they do this to the music? Sound like teh suck on even cheap ibuds.

Bleh. Are the 5.1 surround sound versions of the cd's any better?

It's there on purpose.

The 5.1 versions sound basically the same but are AMAZING to listen to in surround. Yoshimi 5.1 is incredible.

It's on purpose. I've talked to them about it

Though they did zaireeka so they could increase dynamics per instrument.

But in general, they like big splatty drums, etc.

There was a period where the lips were easy to meet . But really, I promise, you're better off not knowing most of them. The lips on the other hand are all awesome guys. I miss ronald tho.

I haven't heard that particular album but I have plenty where they do all they can to make it sound crappy. A lot of tracks I hear I've wondered whether my phones were failing because they add so much of the shit we spend thousands trying to eliminate.

Shit, a good portion of music has crackly crap added to sound like a scratched old record etc. It's largely intentional but also annoying as it adds nothing to the tracks but constantly has me worried my old vintage 'stats are buzzing or arcing.

Pricks.

mixing everything until it's clipping is David Friedman's trade mark. Every album I've heard that he's produced is mixed that way. Just listen to Sleater Kinney's The Woods. That's his most egregious offender

dammit. i love the lips, but the albums do sound awful, in not a good low-fi kinda way.

I would argue that In A Priest Driven Ambulance sounds awful, in a GREAT low-fi kinda way.

Best I heard them was live at T In The Park where they were promoted to the main stage after Jack White broke his guitar finger in a car accident. It was a glorious performance in every way, totally feel good stuff and was joint highlight of that whole day along with touching Michael Stipe.

Havent heard the DVD-A of Yoshimi, but as the DVD-A versions I've heard of CDs I already own don't sound drastically different im sceptical. Theres a difference between a superior mixing or mastering and the same one that isnt actually clipped out.