I keep an evolving list of CDs that I check my mixes against. Here are my current favorites:
Emmylou Harris -- "Wrecking Ball"
The Flaming Lips -- "Soft Bulletin"
Sparklehorse -- "It's a Wonderful Life"
Tom Petty -- "Wildflowers"
Jeff Buckley -- "Grace"
Norah Jones -- "Come Away With Me"
Joan Osborne -- "Relish"
Jellyfish -- "Spilt Milk"
Gillian Welch -- "Revival"
Radiohead -- "The Bends"
Tonic -- "The Lemon Parade"
Splender -- "Halfway Down The Sky"
Willie Nelson -- "Teatro"
Foo Fighters -- "Colour & the Shape"
And, I like just about any of the early Julie London stuff -- especially with Barney Kessel on guitar.
For sheer inspiration and not just sound (although I love the sound on these):
The Who -- "Who's Next"
Led Zeppelin -- "I," "II," and "Physical Graffiti"
The Rolling Stones -- "Exile on Main Street"
Steve Earle -- "El Corazon" and "Transcendental Blues"
Elliott Smith -- "Figure 8" and "Either Or"
The Band -- "Music From Big Pink" and "The Band"
By Steve Langer, added October 12, 2002
Here are some CDs that I like to catch a vibe and a reference from time to time:
Tom Petty -- "Wildflowers"
Neil Young -- "Freedom"
Natalie Imbruglia -- "Left of the Middle"
The Beatles -- "Abbey Road"
Madonna -- "Like a Prayer"
Prince -- "Sign O' the Times"
Steve Earle -- "El Corazon"
Lucinda Williams -- "Car Wheels on a Gravel Road"
The Band -- "Music From Big Pink"
Willie Nelson -- "Red Headed Stranger"
The Rolling Stones -- "Some Girls"
Neil Young -- "Tonight's the Night"
The Natalie Imbruglia CD kind of shows you how slick something can be and still be artistically worthwhile. Neil Young's "Tonight's the Night" shows you how something can be so awfully done in so many ways but be an artistic and commercial achievement. Same thing can be said of "Music From Big Pink." "Wildflowers" is one of those CDs recorded and mixed perfectly. It's probably the best on the list for a top to bottom comparison of your mix on your monitors. I think of the Steve Earle CD as one by a great songwriter and performer. I consider the production and mixing to be something reasonable to aspire to when referencing my work.
Editor's Note: Submit your own list of reference CDs.
