So... As a companion piece to the mastering discussion, how about some examples of stuff that is lost for you as a listener, as a result of limited dynamics in the final recording.
I'll start with:
Rush - "Vapor Trails"
Ermine - "Maps Of The Rise And Fall" & "The Murra"
Telfer - "Born This Morning"
This is never as simple as "blame the mastering" and is usually a joint effort between artist, recordist, and management/record company if there is one. The Rush example is a prefect one as that band has a history of being in control of every fine detail of their work, yet they look back at that record and say... Ooooops!