Yes, the "2013 Albini mix". Different from the 2013 remaster, which is the regular album. Seems like there's A LOT of confusion between the two.
Then I've completely lost your point. The 2013 remaster is the original Albini mix apart from HSB and AA.
Which you just admitted that Dumb was different on the Albini mix. This is becoming ridiculous. Disinformation abounds.
Usually a lurker, but since I used to be a big Nirvana fan and am somewhat knowledgeable on the subject, I thought I'd chime in. The chronology of events as I recall: 1. Label hears rough mixes from the sessions and freak out. They want the band to start over with a different producer. The band refuses. 2. They finish the record, and playing it back in studio, band and producer think it sounds great. But when the band listened to their personal copies of the tapes they all agreed it sounded "off." 3. The band talked to Steve about it, he said he couldn't do a better job, and gave them his blessing to let someone else mix/master it. 4. Scott Litt is brought in, but instead of remixing the entire album, they just recorded some additional tracks for Heart Shaped Box and All Apologies and remixed those, while mastering the rest of the album in a way that brought out the bass and vocals more. In Kurt's words at the time "and now it's perfect." Though I'm pretty sure Albini still blames the label for planting doubt in their mind. In fact, when Kurt heard it he told Albini "If our record sounds like this, I'll be happy."
I give in, you clearly are getting confused between a remix and a remaster. Efus nailed it in post 4, nothing more to say.
I postulated that he may have been speaking in veiled terms, as the production of In Utero, DID ruin it, or more truthfully, compromised it. And Albini was not the one responsible for doing it, so it made no sense for him to blame him for it. I have a hard time believing he said "and now it's perfect", as it suffers from some of the same issues that Nevermind did, which he hated.
It seems like you're purposefully trying to confuse the two. I pointed out the contradictions in what you're saying and you bail out of the conversation. You're literally talking in circles.
Has anyone here listened to this comparison on you tube? It doesn't seem exactly fair, in that the Albini mix is presented in lower volume, at least to my ears. It tilts the scale towards the Litt mixes which immediately seem more open. But then that could just be that this video was not assembled well, and I'm not hearing the better integration of sound of the Albini mix you are discussing here. Any comment on this? I've always loved this record - I think it's a masterpiece. I had zero awareness of the mix controversy.
To me that adequately shows the difference between the two: the Scott Litt version is obnoxious in a very 90s way. The original mix sits back and lets you come to it, almost like some older recordings of the 70s. I'd recommend hearing the entire album in the Albini mix. Personally, it just clicked with me in a way it never had. And there's where questioning the official stories we've been told come in. Do we really think that Cobain wanted to "Alternativize" it? Particularly, with the Albini quote that I quoted above that industry "parasites" were interfering and trying to dictate to the boys what to do. Theories aside though, is there anyone who doesn't like the Albini mix choices as compared to the changes that were made? Even now, when I hear Heart Shaped Box, I get that same, "well I sort of like it, but I sort of don't" reaction.
Listening to a full version of Albini's All Apologies, now I hear the dramatic dynamic range difference, where the verses sit back in volume compared to the chorus sections. Not knowing anything about the background, I could see how the label could be upset simply about lack of uniform loudness. Looks like I need to make a purchase Edit: All Apologies always reminded me a little of The Beatles' It's All Too Much. Interesting that Albini mix has similar dynamics patterns as well.
I don't recall Cobain ever saying so, but lots of folks think PJ's vocals are much too low in the mix, and I have to agree. I feel like I read Thurston Moore making such a comment once...
Big Albini fan here. Shellac, Big Black anf his great productions like Slint. I bought the In Utero 3CD, both vinyls reditions (the 2013 mix included). So thank you for having post the youtube comparison. BUT I will be this time the devil's advocate. I see what the label and the band were reaching for. You can also hear it in REM "Losing My Religion". The effect on the voices are clever and put real life in it. I hear the subtle sparkling that the LP versions were lacking behind this compression. I hear the same in some of the late Cure 80's tracks between the singles and the original version (Close To Me, Just Like Heaven - Bob Clearmountain and this awful proceeded sound but better-, Love Song to name a few). Those were great times when the sound of the single meant something and went somehow further than the album version IMHO. A kind of (brick)wall of sound. I can't get into Pennyroyal Tea Litt mix though for the moment maybe because of what I am accustomed to.
Yeah, I wish they had done CD 1 of the DE by adding in the two replaced Albini mixes (Heart Shaped Box and All Apologies) to make it easier to hear the complete Albini mixed album.
Frankly, every version of this LP is great. Love the Albini German LP, the remix and the Litt version on 45 DMM. Nothing can change the fact that this is one of the rawest, boldest top 40 records ever released. This is truly the album where punk broke in the USA.
I find Albini's recording/engineering/production style to be highly overrated. It's just production line - he doesn't work with artists he just records people in the exact same way each time, and most people don't like the complete lack of bass guitar in his mixes including Nirvana it seems. And I find it funny that he tries to make a big deal that he isn't "the producer", but throws a hissy fit if someone else is brought in to mix. He seems to fall flat a bit when it comes to the mixing stage.
I have that. Based on my comparison between the original CD and this reissue, there was quite a bit of mastering difference on the remaining Albini mixes as well. The CD has a noticably narrowed stereo throughout, and possibly some additional analog compression added as well. The quiet parts on the Albini tape used for the reissue are super quiet (similar to his approach on PJ Harvey's Rid Of Me).
He changed his mind a lot. As much as he "hated" Nevermind, he later said Pennyroyal Tea "should have sounded more like Nevermind." And, in fact, it was remixed for single release.
Slightly off topic but just wanted to mention the 20th anniversary 2x45 includes some darn fine sounding slabs of vinyl.
In my case, providence seemed to favor the 45rpm of the Albini mix: I had the 20th anniversary 2Xlp vinyl, but one night the disc inexplicably slipped from my hands and put a deep gash across "Dumb" on the second side. So when I got the 2Xlp of the Albini mix, all was made well again..
Just to clarify: the 2003 UK and Canadian record reissues, both have the 320 code stamped in the trail-off and both seem to have entirely the Albini mix. Matrix / Runout (Runout Side A - Stamped): A33 9124 536 S1 320 Matrix / Runout (Runout Side B - Stamped): A33 9124 536 S2 320 Then, in 2008, the Back to Black series pressed a further edition having the same code: Matrix / Runout (Side A runout, stamped, variant 1 & 2): www.gzvinyl.com- 9124536- A A33 9124 536 S1 320 79076E1/A Matrix / Runout (Side B runout, stamped, variant 1): A33 9124 536 S2 320 79076E2/A 9124536- B Matrix / Runout (Side B runout, stamped, variant 2): A33 9124 536 S2 320 79076E2/A1 9124536- B
