Am I alone in this Britney / Production related conflict?

[femmefatoole]

Hi all,

This’ll be my first ever topic that I’ve created on BH, I have that presentation at work type feeling 

Please forgive me for it’s quality, I kinda just wanted to say I’ve done it so I can retreat into obscurity again!

So I’ve noticed when listening to a single / album track of Britney’s, I find myself wishing for the original, rough cut of the song. Like I’ll be YouTubeing the lead vocals, stems etc...

Whereas, listening to Britney’s unreleased music, I am forever seeking the remastered version of the song. I’ll either look up a fan made edit or attempt to find the HQest version available. 

And I just thought this was kind of funny, wishing for released quality versions of unreleased songs when there’s 9 records of immaculate music and in turn wanting a rougher, raw version of the immaculates. 
 
Does anybody here share my YouTubeing habits!?

...You can totally tell that I’m grasping at straws for a topic 

[MeAgainstTheMusic_]

I always find her songs to be really badly edited nowadays. After Circus her vocals became so chipmunk like and most of Glory and FF are badly edited. They edit her voice in a way that she sounds odd. I love for unfiltered versions of her songs because they sound much better.

I liked Tom’s Diner without the vocoder it sounded so much better

[femmefatoole]

It’s almost like they wish to disguise every human aspect of her voice, even in song. 

i completely agree with you. When you hear Womaniser without all of the layering it is like a completely different song. It’s the same with HIAM - the lead vocals only version truly shows a raw, personable yet astonishing side to her singing and it’s such a darn shame that the GP aren’t likely to ever hear it. 

[autumngoodbye91]

Yeah I know what you mean! For instance, I loved Swimming In The Stars, but I feel like I would have enjoyed it even more if it hadn't been so overproduced.

[femmefatoole]

21 minutes ago, Vulpix91 said:

Yeah I know what you mean! For instance, I loved Swimming In The Stars, but I feel like I would have enjoyed it even more if it hadn't been so overproduced.

Right??! Swimming in the Stars was such a beautiful entry, the lyrics are gorgeous and thanks to the stems we have a glimmer of how much more majestic it could have been had it have been finished by herself - it’s clear as day that the production has filled in the blanks! Still, gotta love it though 

[MeAgainstTheMusic_]

100% agree with SWTS. It’s such a nice song but they have used a weird phaser effect on her vocals and edited them so much that she sounds robotic

I love her tone on Everytime. It’s just the perfect song for her and it suits her vocal range. Her voice sounds so soft and clear.

I get her voice has changed since 2003 but I hate the production on her songs these days.

[femmefatoole]

1 hour ago, MeAgainstTheMusic_ said:

100% agree with SWTS. It’s such a nice song but they have used a weird phaser effect on her vocals and edited them so much that she sounds robotic

I love her tone on Everytime. It’s just the perfect song for her and it suits her vocal range. Her voice sounds so soft and clear.

I get her voice has changed since 2003 but I hate the production on her songs these days.

It reminds me of It Should Be Easy in that way - but imo it’s light years better 

I wholeheartedly agree with you, Everytime is lightening in a bottle, such a unique yet simple sounding song. Imagine an album full of Everytimes, that’s something I’m here for! 

Exactly. It’s different, it’s been 17 years, they should embrace the changes / quirks in her current vocals and run with it. 

[NewDisplayName]

I think the main reason is hunger.. you want to hear more of her : ))

there are some songs I can’t hear her vocals and want to mute instrumental.. like music is so loud that lead vocals becoming back ones.. hate that tbh.. first one was mannequin and the last sits 🤔

[JackSProductions]

Another shameless plug but if you want to hear different versions of Britney’s earlier songs (Crazy, Sometimes, BTMYH, DLMBTLTK etc) then check out some of my videos! They’re all the lead vocals without the BGV, so it’s just Britney on the track! 

 

[femmefatoole]

50 minutes ago, JackSProductions said:

Another shameless plug but if you want to hear different versions of Britney’s earlier songs (Crazy, Sometimes, BTMYH, DLMBTLTK etc) then check out some of my videos! They’re all the lead vocals without the BGV, so it’s just Britney on the track! 

 

Oh my god, thank you! Oops is my favourite Britney album so this is such a gift <3

I've just scanned through your channel and it is heaven 

 

[femmefatoole]

1 hour ago, NewDisplayName said:

I think the main reason is hunger.. you want to hear more of her : ))

there are some songs I can’t hear her vocals and want to mute instrumental.. like music is so loud that lead vocals becoming back ones.. hate that tbh.. first one was mannequin and the last sits 🤔

Definitely a hunger, I feel fed everytime I hear an ad-lib that was cloaked in a songs production - like Liar, the ad-libs are BURIED.

I totally agree with you on Mannequin, it’s the perfect example of an instrumental dwarfing her vocals - you’d think they’d release pre release like it’s as if they don’t listen through the final product?

[Hooked-On-Knee]

7 minutes ago, femmefatoole said:

Oh my god, thank you! Oops is my favourite Britney album so this is such a gift <3

 

Flawless musical taste.

@Blackout2006 seethe at the fact Oops!...I Did It Again is becoming more well-known as her best album.

[Justin Woodpond]

5 hours ago, MeAgainstTheMusic_ said:

I always find her songs to be really badly edited nowadays. After Circus her vocals became so chipmunk like and most of Glory and FF are badly edited. They edit her voice in a way that she sounds odd. I love for unfiltered versions of her songs because they sound much better.

I liked Tom’s Diner without the vocoder it sounded so much better

“liked Tom’s Diner without the vocoder it sounded so much better”

Totally agree!

It’s hard to find the full “smoother” and “cleaner” version of the song.

There is this snippet on YouTube. Sounds a lot better than the actual released version.

 

[femmefatoole]

6 minutes ago, Hooked-On-Knee said:

Flawless musical taste.

@Blackout2006 seethe at the fact Oops!...I Did It Again is becoming more well-known as her best album.

It’s a work of art! I believe it to be her most consistent album, the mood is seamless throughout. 

I also think it’s the only album of here where I am satisfied with the single choices... well I’d probably add CMYLM.
 

And she just looks supernaturally gorgeous that era! I mean, DLMBTLTK 

[femmefatoole]

9 minutes ago, Justin Woodpond said:

“liked Tom’s Diner without the vocoder it sounded so much better”

Totally agree!

It’s hard to find the full “smoother” and “cleaner” version of the song.

There is this snippet on YouTube. Sounds a lot better than the actual released version.

 

O_O 

I haven’t heard this snippet before, I adore!

She has such a vulnerability and charm to her voice even now, without all the effects! 

[JackSProductions]

51 minutes ago, femmefatoole said:

Oh my god, thank you! Oops is my favourite Britney album so this is such a gift <3

I've just scanned through your channel and it is heaven 

 

Awww bless you!! I’m so fascinated by all her songs and the production that used to go into her old songs was just incredible. And her adlibs in Sometimes are sooo beautiful

 

[Blackout2006]

9 hours ago, Hooked-On-Knee said:

Flawless musical taste.

@Blackout2006 seethe at the fact Oops!...I Did It Again is becoming more well-known as her best album.

I dont see that coming bby  

[femmefatoole]

11 hours ago, JackSProductions said:

Awww bless you!! I’m so fascinated by all her songs and the production that used to go into her old songs was just incredible. And her adlibs in Sometimes are sooo beautiful

 

Wow! It just brings an entirely different feel to the song when you isolate her vocals in such a way.

The production really was something else back in the day, they managed to blend the alternate layers of her singing without blotting out her sound. 

You fascination and passion for past production definitely resonates in your edits - Absolutely amazing job!

I love what you’ve done with Everytime, I was just listening! 

[britneyluv]

23 hours ago, femmefatoole said:

Hi all,

This’ll be my first ever topic that I’ve created on BH, I have that presentation at work type feeling 

Please forgive me for it’s quality, I kinda just wanted to say I’ve done it so I can retreat into obscurity again!

So I’ve noticed when listening to a single / album track of Britney’s, I find myself wishing for the original, rough cut of the song. Like I’ll be YouTubeing the lead vocals, stems etc...

Whereas, listening to Britney’s unreleased music, I am forever seeking the remastered version of the song. I’ll either look up a fan made edit or attempt to find the HQest version available. 

And I just thought this was kind of funny, wishing for released quality versions of unreleased songs when there’s 9 records of immaculate music and in turn wanting a rougher, raw version of the immaculates. 
 
Does anybody here share my YouTubeing habits!?

...You can totally tell that I’m grasping at straws for a topic 

Welcome! I actually completely agree with you and never thought about it before, but it could just be about us always wanting moarrrrr 

I think it's also because there's so much mystery surrounding the official versions of the songs she's released and whether the original version gets lost in translation with the mish-mash of producers her team hires only to then want final say in the finished product. Alien comes to mind, and the vocal glitch still annoys me to this day since it had so much potential and there's no reason an official version of the song should have that kind of mistake.

When it comes to the unreleased material though, it's way easier to find a LQ version so it's way more rewarding to hear a HQ version where you can really appreciate the song. 

For a first topic, you created a good one that will surely lead to a lot of interesting discussion, so please don't fade back into obscurity! 

[femmefatoole]

11 minutes ago, britneyluv said:

Welcome! I actually completely agree with you and never thought about it before, but it could just be about us always wanting moarrrrr 

I think it's also because there's so much mystery surrounding the official versions of the songs she's released and whether the original version gets lost in translation with the mish-mash of producers her team hires only to then want final say in the finished product. Alien comes to mind, and the vocal glitch still annoys me to this day since it had so much potential and there's no reason an official version of the song should have that kind of mistake.

When it comes to the unreleased material though, it's way easier to find a LQ version so it's way more rewarding to hear a HQ version where you can really appreciate the song. 

For a first topic, you created a good one that will surely lead to a lot of interesting discussion, so please don't fade back into obscurity! 

Thank you kindly for such a warm welcome!!! That is such a nice reply. I’ve kept up with BH / Exhale since Femme Fatale so I see a lot of thought provoking posts and I was just nervous that I was repeating what probably many have posted! So thank you for the reassurance it means a lot 

 

I think you are exactly right on both of those points - it’s indefinitely all about the mystery behind her polished music, like you said there is such a vast team that tinker with the end product that you think like, was it even meant to sound like this, it kind of breaks my heart to think Britney has laid down a vocal which she’s proud of and excited about only to be deflated when she hears the finished product because it’s unrecognisable - I obviously don’t think thats as much the case back in the day but nowadays especially femme fatale onwards I think that is the case.
 

I read somewhere that FF was meant to be an album full of Unusual You’s - that was clearly scrapped haha. I do love FF though