Recorded By Steve Albini

Celebrating Steve Albini, 22nd July 1962 to 7th May 2024.

I was hours behind everyone with the unwelcome news, only chancing upon it because I checked my phone just before I put my head down for the night. There was no doubt waking up this morning that I'd focus today's post on the merest hint of Steve's genius. He didn't like to be labelled as a producer, frequently credited as 'recorded by' but he was obviously so, so much more, which is clear from the transformative effect his presence in the studio has had on the hundreds of artists he has worked with. 

 

There are already many thousands of words out there paying tribute to his hugely important and influential career, his kindness and generosity, side-by-side with a no-bullshit attitude and a lifetime dedicated to music and being authentic, an overused term but you'll know what I mean when applied to Steve Albini.

 

Steve was only 61. Gone far too soon.

 

The limited time I've had to pull this selection together (I'm already at risk of being late for work but priorities, right?) means that there's so much more that I could say yet can't include in today's post. However, pop over to The Vinyl Villain as JC pulled a late shift last night to hold the presses and post an incredible Imaginary Compilation Album with superlative sleeve notes. I'm expecting more tributes to follow in this corner of the blogosphere, given how much Steve Albini has populated our respective record collections these past four decades.

At first, I was tempted to exclude all of the more obvious choices of artists, and whilst I managed to drop Nirvana, in all conscience I couldn't ignore The Wedding Present, PJ Harvey or Pixies, whose Surfer Rosa was the first time I'd heard an album recorded by Steve Albini.

I've also tried to include some more unusual song selections and possibly one or two artists that you may not have realised Steve worked with, such as Nina Nastasia and Anni Rossi. 

Cosmia by Joanna Newsom is a bit of a cheat: Steve 'just' recorded the vocals and harp, the other constituent parts worked on by Van Dyke Parks, Jim O'Rourke and Joanna; however, it sits beautifully between Low and Songs: Ohia and couldn't be left out.

 

The selection ends, as it probably should, with a song from PJ Harvey's 1993 album Rid Of Me. Man-Size was - and remains - a hugely important song, but the decision to include two versions on the album was a bold one. I've opted for Man-Size Sextet here as it demonstrated a different side to Polly's and Steve's work that I'd been familiar with up to that point.

 

Rest (and record) in power, Steve, you've left us with so much to treasure.

 

1) We Are The Snare: Spare Snare (2018)

2) Santa Ana Winds: The Wedding Present (2008)

3) Everything You Say Will Destroy You: The Auteurs (1996)

4) Bang On: The Breeders (2008)

5) Where Is My Mind?: Pixies (1988)

6) Quick, Before It Melts: Cinerama (2002)

7) Weight Of Water: Low (1999)

8) Cosmia: Joanna Newsom (2006)

9) Farewell Transmission: Songs: Ohia (2003)

10) Fuckingsong: Jarvis Cocker (2009)

11) Our Day Trip: Nina Nastasia (2006)

12) Leave Me Alone So I Can Rock Again: The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion (1999)

13) Ecology: Anni Rossi (2009)

14) Man-Size Sextet: PJ Harvey (1993)

1988: Surfer Rosa: 5

1993: Rid Of Me: 14

1996: After Murder Park: 3

1999: Acme-Plus: 12 

1999: Secret Name: 7

2002: Quick, Before It Melts EP: 6 

2003: The Magnolia Electric Co: 9 

2006: On Leaving: 11

2006: Ys: 8

2008: El Rey: 2

2008: Mountain Battles: 4

2009: Further Complications: 10

2009: Rockwell: 13

2018: 'Sounds' Recorded By Steve Albini: 1

Recorded By Steve Albini (50:52) (KF) (Mega)