why are some cd's so bright sounding

My guess it that it was ruined in the mastering (when it's transferred from the mixed studio master to a CD master). They often run through graphic equalizers and compressors and all sorts to get "the sound they want". The sound they want is a good sound on a boom box, car stereo and mini system .. because that's what most people own. I expect in the US the car stereo is the primary listening source.
Unfortunately hifi buffs are a small percentage of total listeners and don't get a say in the sound quality.

Crappy master/poor QC at plant.
I won't buy pop/rock anymore unless it's from Japan.

KP

Cd is just like vinyl used to be. Poor recordings are commonplace but when you get a good production, it can be very very good. I agree with all the posts above. Killerpiglet, you have a point. I have a Japanese pressing of EBTG[great stuff]

Bigwave, why don't you contact the artists, recording engineers, producers and mastering engineers and ask them. They might surprise you and actually tell you how and why the records sounds exactly like they wanted them to sound.

I believe the problem lies in the "Studio Monitors" that a lot of recording studios use to master music. Honky horns, with no top end response, and very little accurate bass. So, they mix & equalize so it sounds good to them in the studio. Play it back on a decent hi-fi and, presto! - ear-bleed stuff with lumpy bass. I recently had a talented session musician friend of mine over to hear the new song he had just recorded in a New York recording studio. Offered a very rare opportunity, I asked him if my system played back the song as he heard it in the studio, true to the artist's goal. He said, "Nope. I can heard all of the production mistakes on your system. We couldn't hear those in the studio. " I offered my home as a master listening place for his next recording, before the final mixdown. Sweet.

Swelled head & all, I remain...
Ed