I also enjoy the American Recordings. To cart blance say you would not trust them to do a good job is jumping to conclusions. I enjoyed the Jayhawks "Rainy Day Music" album on first listen but haven't heard it in a while. I don't remember thinking it was sonicly outstanding but also don't rember ant glaring errors. I will listen to it again however. Which songs did you notice the distortion on?
vocal distortion on Jayhawk's Rainy Day Music
I have recently listened to two different copies of Rainy Day Music and both have vocal distortion. I have heard of this problem at other sites on the web so I don't believe it is in pressing. I believe the producers/engineers (Rick Rubin?) have turned up the levels on the vocal tracks to the point of distortion. While I enjoy the music on this release I just can't bear to listen to it. On some of the threads I've seen reviewers claim to like the distortion, stating that it brings back a sixties sound for them. I find it inexcusable to record something this obnoxious. By the way, this is not the first American Recordings release to have this vocal distortion. A number of years ago I purchased an American Recordings release of a Red Devils live cd that had the very same distortion. I am now wary of all American Recordings. I have yet to see American Recordings or Lost Highway Records resond to the many complaints on this issue.