Steve Albini Absolutely Butchered 'Rid of Me'
 

I've thought this for years and even posted about it here, but Elvis Costello sums it up quite beautifully...

I remember seeing PJ on The Tonight Show. She stood there with just a guitar and did “Rid of Me.” It was like seeing Howlin’ Wolf on Shindig! So great. And then I got the record [Rid of Me], and it was nowhere near as good, but it didn’t matter. For me, the record sounds like shit. That guy [Steve Albini] doesn’t know anything about production. He might be the second-worst producer of a great record after Jimmy Iovine, who totally fucked up [Bruce Springsteen’s] Darkness on the Edge of Town. It sounds like Bruce is in a fucking shoe box full of tissue paper.

https://pitchfork.com/features/5-10-...c-of-his-life/

When I want to listen to 'Rid of Me'-era PJH, I reach for '4-Track Demos' every single time.

Never really thought about it but I guess I can see this.
I don’t personally reach for 4-track demos over Rid of Me, but maybe I’ll start.

Agreed that rid of me sounds rough. I actually NEVER listen to it I'm that turned off by it. Give me down by the water any day.

100% disagree that he doesn't know anything about production though. First two Pixies albums and In Utero sound incredible no matter how you look at it.

Fuck Elvis Costello.

Rid of Me is a fucking MASTERPIECE.

he should concentrate on his wife's fake jazz career.

The fact is still rises to that level despite Steve Albini choking ALL of the dynamics out of it is amazing. PJ Harvey is an absolute genius. 4 Track Demos crushes Rid of Me.

Go listen to the 4 Track Demos version of 'Yuri-G'. Turn it WAY up. You're welcome.

Elvis Costello still hasn’t found a producer who can make his songs listenable.

Brutal