ten from the brothers gibb, 2

This may sound completely sacrilegious, but I’ve gradually come to the conclusion that Phil Spector was massively overrated as a producer.  His records sound terrible.  The Wall of Sound turns out to be a muddy mess.  There’s too much echo, yet the records also sound muffled.  The instruments hit the listener like an undifferentiated, cloudy mass.  I mention this because I’ve noticed that a lot of Bee Gees records and singles have a kind of canned sound that feels like an attempt to replicate Phil Spector’s claustrophobic, compressed vibe.  It seems like they didn’t really update themselves technologically until well into the 70s.  …Alone Again from 2 Years On is a great song that has me thinking now that the real connection is not between the Bee Gees and Beatles but rather between the Bee Gees and the Beach Boys.  The lusciously creamy harmonies make my heart flutter.  And yet, the song doesn’t quite enter into the realm of the sublime because it’s so hard to connect with something that’s so distant sounding.  About half way through the song, you can just barely hear a George Harrison-like guitar guiding the melody along.  It’s the kind of thing that’s right up my alley, and I try with all my might to sift that guitar out. But the recording just makes it impossible.   It’s still a lovely tune, but it also feels like a missed opportunity to do something truly great…