There was a time not that long ago when everyone involved in a recording session assembled in a studio, the sound engineer sat in the control booth, and away they went. But not any more, apparently. The credits for Susan Boyle's first CD state "Mixed by Ren Swan. Recorded and mixed at Rokstone Studios, London". So far, so good, but they continue "Strings recorded at Air Studios, London", and a little further on "Choir recorded at Sphere Studios and Rokstone Studios". The danger of separate sessions is that the vocalist is oblivious to the sounds that will be added in at a later stage. The result, sadly, is plain to hear on this CD; a disconnect between the dynamics of Susan Boyle's voice and the so-called accompaniment, which has all too obviously been grafted on, and sounds unnatural. It's a master class in how not to do it. The fact that the CD has sold in bucketloads does not alter that fact. The acid test is whether it will still be played in say twenty years time. Somehow I doubt it.
That is not to denigrate Susan Boyle, for whom I have nothing but admiration, but I fear her career will be meteoric unless she can find a producer better able to showcase her talent.
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