5 Outstanding Albums Produced by Daniel Lanois

Some producers put a definitive stamp on the proceedings. Others make their impact by finding ways of bringing the absolute best out of their clients. Over the course of his magnificent career, Daniel Lanois has managed to do it via both approaches.

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We could make a list of brilliant albums produced by Lanois much longer if we wished. But we’ll focus on these five that might not have turned out anywhere near as great without his influence.

‘The Unforgettable Fire’ by U2

Lanois would join with Brian Eno to assist on several more U2 triumphs over the years, including The Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby, and All That You Can’t Leave Behind. We’re choosing The Unforgettable Fire to highlight for a couple of reasons. For one, it’s the first production credit for Lanois on a band known to the mainstream. And the work that he and Eno do here is subtle but impactful. Whereas U2 had previously been known for their anthemic qualities, they cultivate a sound here that’s more elusive and alluring. Those qualities would become synonymous with Lanois productions.

‘So’ by Peter Gabriel

Sometimes a good producer has to go toe-to-toe with an artist to get the best out of them. Lanois and Peter Gabriel battled throughout So over everything from the length of time it was taking to make the album to the use of cymbals. (Gabriel had banned them from previous albums, but Lanois convinced him otherwise on this record.) All the agita proved worth it. So brought Gabriel to the masses. The artist helped by writing songs that were traditionally structured and direct. Lanois’ impact came in the way he made the songs sound strange (in keeping with Gabriel’s brand) and accessible all at once.

‘Robbie Robertson’ by Robbie Robertson

Robbie Robertson balked at going all-in with a solo career in the wake of leaving The Band. Finding a collaborator in sync with what he wanted to do was a crucial step for him. Lanois stepped up to that role. The producer didn’t try to force Robertson into rehashing old glories, and instead met him where he was artistically at that point in his career. In so doing, he helped Robertson make a record that focused on his songwriting strengths while also staying in the here and now (at least as the here and now was in 1987). Robertson would sporadically record solo after that, but never with the focus and impact of that first album.

‘Wrecking Ball’ by Emmylou Harris

Few artists had earned as much reverence in their careers, circa the mid-90s, as Emmylou Harris. But her records had stagnated a bit, as she struggled to find a sound that didn’t make her seem like a relic of a different era. Lanois came aboard for Wrecking Ball and helped jump-start a career renaissance for her. He brought along Larry Mullen Jr. from U2 to give the material a pulsating, evocative backbeat. The cover material also skewed more to rock and Americana writers as opposed to traditional country and western. Wrecking Ball earned massive praise upon its release and deserved every bit of it.

‘Time Out Of Mind’ by Bob Dylan

This was the second time that Dylan collaborated with Lanois, after their first effort (Oh Mercy) had caused some squabbles between the two men. But Dylan recognized how that album had presented him in revitalized form. For Time Out Of Mind, Lanois endeavored to do just the opposite, making Dylan sound like a specter beamed in from another dimension full of pain and regret. Again, the two men battled. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that Dylan would begin self-producing his albums from that point. But the record also brought the legend back from one of the most fallow periods of his career.

Photo by Ward Robinson