Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

The Best of Aretha Franklin


Compilation album by
Aretha Franklin
Released 1973
Recorded 1967–1971
Genre R&B, soul
Label Atlantic
Producer Tom Dowd

The Best of Aretha Franklin is a 1973 compilation by Aretha Franklin. It contains alternate takes and is one of only a few quadraphonic releases. It was reissued on DVD-Audio by Rhino Handmade in August 2010.[1] It is not to be confused with a 1984 compilation of the same name.

1. "Respect" - 2:24
2. "Baby, I Love You" - 2:46
3. "Chain of Fools" - 4:22
   • an alternate version exclusive to this compilation
4. "Rock Steady" - 4:19
   • contains an alternate introduction exclusive to this compilation
5. "Spanish Harlem" - 3:40
6. "Don't Play That Song" - 2:48
7. "Dr. Feelgood" - 3:18
8. "Day Dreaming" - 3:49
9. "I Say A Little Prayer" - 3:22
10. "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" - 2:43
11. "Call Me" - 3:24
12. "Bridge over Troubled Water" - 5:30

---------------------------------------------------------
Aretha isn't called the Queen of Soul for no reason, this lady has a fantastic voice, and her delivery has always been second to none.
I bought this on a recommendation early on in this thread, and I did manage to sneak a listen, but as we have been going for nearly a year now, I don't really remember it very well ... and it was a listen with friends over and a few drinks flowing, so this is essentially a fresh listen for me.

Aretha started of in the early fifties singing gospel songs with her Father as a manager. Sadly her mother had passed away just before this happened.
J.V.B released her first single in 1956, "Never Grow Old", backed with "You Grow Closer". "Precious Lord pt1" backed with "Precious Lord pt2" followed in 1959.
After turning 18 Aretha confided in her father that she wanted to follow in the footsteps of Sam Cooke (and frankly, who wouldn't) and record some pop music. With her Father accepting this, they moved to New York and recorded a couple of demos, and Aretha was picked up by Columbia. Just prior to the signing with Columbia, Sam Cooke himself tried to persuade her Father to go with RCA, Cooke's label, but they ended up signing with Columbia. Berry Gordy also wanted to Sign Aretha and her sister to his relatively new Tamla label, but Aretha's Father thought they were too new and too small, and with all this taking place, Aretha's first single, Today I SIng The Blues, came out on Columbia in September 1960.
In 1966 Aretha's Columbia contract expired and she decided to move on to Atlantic Records. She went down to Muscle Shoals to record, but there were some issues and a fight broke out between her manager/husband Ted White, Studio owner Rick Hall and a horn player.
Although she was getting good chart positions and really building on her roots, she really took off when she and Jerry Wexler struck up a great rapport, and some of her peak recordings come out of this period - Chain Of Fools, Say A Little Prayer, Think ....

So today we are going to have a listen to The Best of Aretha Franklin dvd ... it is actually a dvd video with a dts audio track, but in several places it is referred to as a dvd-audio ... such was the format confusion that destroyed it before it even managed to get off the ground.

Remix [Re-mixed for Quadradisc] – Tom Dowd
Mastered By – Robert Vosgien

Unfortunately this is now an out of print item, but can still be picked up for those who are keen
There are three copies on discogs starting at $50 Aretha Franklin - The Best Of Aretha Franklin
an there are three copies on Amazon starting at $69 https://www.amazon.com/Best-Aretha-Franklin-Quadraphonic-Mix/dp/B0040IKHV0
there is one copy on ebay for $80 best of aretha franklin quad | eBay

As always in this instance I am picking the dts over the dolby

Respect
Tambourine left rear. Drums right side.
Horns either side.
Guitar front right.
Piano from left side to front.
Vocal and bvox front.
Sax lead front.
Nice balance with everything clear.
This mix works well.

Baby, I Love You
Drums right side, electric piano left side.
Vocal and guitar front.
Bvox left rear.
Horns in the sides.

Chain Of Fools
Vocals and guitar front.
The vocals do have a reverb send going to the rears.
Drums right side.
Rhythm gtr right side.
Handclaps rears.
Listening more closely than I have heard this before, it has a real swamp rock feel.
Bvox in the sides.

Rock Steady
Organ right side.
Horns in rears.
Rhythm guitar left side.
Drums middle over the room with some nice fills into the sides.
This is a great song that I am nor overly familiar with.
This is also the most think/dense mix so far.
It is easy to forget what an amazing voice this lady had.
So far this is the highlight of the disc
Extremely immersive, great funk/soul arrangement and delivery.
Very effective slow down of the song at the end

Spanish Harlem
Drums and percussion across rears.
Rhythm gtr right rear.
Bass and vocals up front.
Organ left side.
Lead acoustic gtr up front.
Piano left rear.
This is a very layered track, and there is all sorts of stuff all over the place. Another really nice mix. It has that seventies thing going on, but it works very very well.
Another great song that is reasonably new to me also.

Don't Play That Song
Piano left side.
Drums rears.
Strings either side.
Fantastic vocal up front.
Horn up front.
Bvox up front.
Another nice mix.
Even though some of the placement may sound a little odd, this sound very balanced. It is nicely immersive and Aretha never sounded so good.

Dr. Feelgood
Piano left side slightly to front, organ left side slightly to the rear.
Drums right side.
Horns in the sides.
This is a great blues, and Aretha is commanding with the vocal up front.
Some of the tones on the organ seem to pop in at a few different field points.
Another nice balanced mix.

Day Dreaming
Electric piano has a bit of a swirl. Based left side
Drums rears.
Acoustic rhythm gtr front.
Elec rhythm gtrs either side rears.
Aretha middle of the room?
Flute front left.
Very cool song, has a bit of a George Bensin feel.
Very immersive, and slightly unusual. It seems like they did some swirly effects here. Really cool mix.

I Say A Little Prayer
Drums rear. Piano left side, slightly to the front.
Vocals across the front.
Great song. Effective mix. This is all about Aretha's vocal. Bvox cover a bit of area.
The reverb carries the powerful vocals through the whole soundfield.

(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman
Piano front left.
Drums rears.
Strings all round.
Bvox rears.
Marvelous song. Very effective mix.
Full, immersive. Great stuff.

Call Me
Keys and strings left side.
Drums right side. Bvox all round.
Some strings in right side also.
Slightly left sided, but not distractingly so.
This is a straight up soul song.
With that sort of adlibbed vocal thing.
Good.

Bridge Over Troubled Water
Bvox all around.
Drums right rears.
Bass front left.
Keys across the middle.
The song starts of as almost a jam, unrecognisable from the song we know.
Then we get Aretha come in on the second verse.
This is a slowish, groove/funk/soul version of the song. Organ right side.
The vocal is remarkable, I am not sure about the arrangement though...
The mix is balanced and effective.

I think this is pretty much an essential release for the Aretha fan that likes surround. Of course the decision would need to be a financial one as well now. It cost me about fifty bucks and I am not disappointed with it.
I am not altogether sure how much Atlantic soul, and other soul music is available in a surround format either, so that kind of makes essential as a representation of one of the great genres ....
It is a sad and sorry thing that so many of these albums are out of print, but thankfully for us diehards there is still opportunity to pick them up.
If there is anything else available in this genre please give us a post and let us know what we are missing.
I think this is very worth having... as I say, it is merely the pricing that will make many baulk at getting it.

 

When I was looking to replace my sacd's from Aus. Some of the sacd sets were just too expensive for me at the time. I agree that the sacd's sound better, but I am happy with the dts discs.

 

That is my Holy Grail Xtc 5.1 release ... I keep hoping for news that they found the multis ... I guess we just hold out and hope on that one.

 

Quartet is my favourite also. For me Lament wasn't particularly a drop off, just a little different. I wasn't interested in anything they did after Lament, except the reunion concert dvd, which was excellent.

 

I revisited the Violator SACD this past week and agree it's one of the best sounding if not the best sounding in the surround series. I played the Songs of Faith and Devotion SACD in recent months and was less impressed with the sound quality and mix despite it being at around the same level as Violator in terms of quality of music.

It's a shame they didn't do surround mixes of the superb b-sides like XTC did.

 

Reptile


Studio album by
Eric Clapton
Released 13 March 2001
Recorded The Town House and Olympic Studios, London; Ocean Way Recording, Los Angeles; Right Track Recording, New York City.
Genre Rock, blues
Length 63:56
Label Reprise
Producer Eric Clapton · Simon Climie

Reptile is the fourteenth solo studio album by Eric Clapton. The album was produced by Eric Clapton with Simon Climie and is Clapton's first album to include keyboard work by Billy Preston and background vocals by the Impressions. The album reached the Top 10 in 20 countries, topping the national album charts in three of them. In total, the album sold more than 2.5 million copies and gained several certification awards around the globe. To help promote album sales, music network VH1 streamed the album in full on TV.[1]

Clapton presented the album on his Reptile World Tour in 2001.

• Eric Clapton – guitar, vocals (2-13, 15)
• Doyle Bramhall II – guitar (2-9, 11-15)
• Andy Fairweather Low – guitar (2-9, 11-15)
• Paul Carrack – keyboards (1), Hammond organ (10), Wurlitzer electric piano (10)
• Billy Preston – Hammond organ (2, 5, 13), acoustic piano (6, 9), harmonica (14)
• Tim Carmon – Hammond organ (3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 11), acoustic piano (5, 13), synthesizer (12, 14), organ (15)
• Joe Sample – Wurlitzer electric piano (3, 6), Fender Rhodes (4), electric piano (8, 11, 14), acoustic piano (11, 14, 15)
• Pino Palladino – bass guitar (1, 10)
• Nathan East – bass guitar (2-9, 11-15)
• Steve Gadd – drums
• Paul Waller – drum programming (1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13)
• Paulinho da Costa – percussion (1, 3-9, 11, 13, 14, 15)
• Nick Ingman – string arrangements (6, 11, 12, 14)
• The Impressions – backing vocals (2-5, 7-13)

Production

• Eric Clapton – producer, album sleeve concept, liner notes
• Simon Climie – producer, ProTools
• Alan Douglas – engineer
• Adam Brown – additional engineering, additional ProTools
• Pete Karam – additional engineering
• Paul Walton – additional ProTools
• Tom Sweeney – assistant engineering
• Matt Fields – assistant engineering
• Mick Guzauski – mixing
• Bob Ludwig – mastering at Gateway Mastering (Portland, Maine).
• Lee Dickson – guitar technician
• Paul Miggens – lettering
• Catherine Roylance – design
• Jack English – photography
• Bushbranch – management

1. "Reptile" Eric Clapton 3:26
2. "Got You on My Mind" Joe Thomas · Howard Briggs 4:30
3. "Travelin' Light" J. J. Cale 4:17
4. "Believe in Life" Eric Clapton 5:05
5. "Come Back Baby" Ray Charles 3:55
6. "Broken Down" Simon Climie · Dennis Morgan 5:25
7. "Find Myself" Eric Clapton 5:15
8. "I Ain't Gonna Stand for It" Stevie Wonder 4:49
9. "I Want a Little Girl" Murray Mencher · Billy Moll 2:58
10. "Second Nature" Eric Clapton · Simon Climie · Dennis Morgan 4:48
11. "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" James Taylor 4:47
12. "Modern Girl" Eric Clapton 4:49
13. "Superman Inside" Eric Clapton · Doyle Bramhall II · Susannah Melvoin 5:07
14. "Son & Sylvia" Eric Clapton 4:43
Total length: 63:56
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So far for Mr Clapton we have looked at the Give Me Strength 74/75 recordings bookset and Back Home. We also did Layla, Derek and the Dominos
Today we will have a listen to Reptile. I have had this Dvd-audio for months now, but haven't had a chance to listen to it yet. So it is about time. I have no idea what to expect, because Eric can mix it up a fair bit, within the zone he is comfortable writing and recording.

I ran through a rough history of Eric on the Back Home and Give Me Strength posts, and as I don't really have much to add, and know nothing about this album really ... I guess we should just move it along.

Available
On discogs from about $20 Eric Clapton - Reptile
On Amazon from about $15 https://www.amazon.com/Reptile-Eric-Clapton/dp/B00005B5L3
On ebay from about $15 and some sealed copies for slightly more Eric Clapton reptile dvd audio | eBay


5.1 mix Mick Guzauski
Mastered by Bob Ludwig

Reptile
This a sort of Latin inspired instrumental.
Percussion either side.
Lead guitar up front.
Acoustic guitar left side towards rear.
This is a cool breezy track with a king of George Benson feel to it.
Organ front left.
Nice, balanced.

Got You On My Mind
We move into a blues.
Billy Preston's on organ left side.
For the best balance in the mix, you need to be well forward. The puts the dobro on the right side. Otherwise it sounds up front, but actually isn't.
Cymbals in the rears.
Once I got myself positioned correctly it sounded great.

Travellin' Light
Rhythm gtr right side.
Ride cymbal right side.
Rhythm guitar left side.
Organ just left of left front.
Some really nice slide from EC
Really good sound.
Balanced mix.

Believe In Life
Percussion sides.
Gtr right side
A mellow moderate tempo ballad with a slight funk to it.
Organ left side.
The mix is a blending sort of mix. The vocals and lead guitar are mixed to stand out, everything else is mixed to create a bed for the song to lay on.
Bvox sides.
When sat forward, this is a nice immersive mixed with a smooth balance

Come Back Baby
A torch song blues here.
Organ across the middle. Gtr right side.
Bvox all round.
Cymbals rears.
Eric puts in an excellent vocal and the lead guitar is excellent.
Again we have a really nice balanced mix.

Broken Down
Organ left side.
Acoustic rhythm left side.
This is a sort of soul ballad.
Electric rhythm guitar right side.
Piano just right of front right.
Strings in the rears.
Bvox all round.
Another nice balanced mix

Find Myself
This has a sort of thirties jazz blues kind of feel.
Piano right side.
Rhythm guitar left side.
Slide gtr right side.
Again sat forward we get a nice balanced immersive mix

I AIn't Gonna Stand For It
Slide right side
Acoustic left side.
Piano right side.
Bvox all round.

I Want A Little Girl
Slow piano blues.
Piano right rear. Organ left rear.
Cool track, nice mix

Second Nature
Dobro front left. Tremolo guitar right rear.
Percussion left side.
Rhythm guitar left side.
Organ left side.

Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight
Guitar right side.
Bvox sides/rears
Strings sides/rears.
A slowish soul inversion of the James Taylor track.
Nice version. Nice balanced mix.

Modern Girl
Bouncy kind of acoustic folk track, with an almost semi-jazz chord pattern..
Guitars either side.
Strings left side.

Superman Inside
Blues rock.
Organ left side.
Piano right side.
Slide guitar left side.
Slide guitar right side.

Son And Sylvia
Acoustic gtr front left, string rears.
Lead gtr centre.
This is an instrumental ballad.

Firstly, this is an enjoyable album. There are a variety of styles and they come at us from the generally mellow, song oriented Clapton that arrived after he got clean and sober. I personally enjoy this Clapton a lot.
This album, like Back Home, has Eric in fine voice ... There was a thread about most improved singers a little while ago, and Clapton should have come to mind, because his ability to emote rather than just sing a song has come along in leaps and bounds since the seventies.
The mix of this is good, it isn't amazing, but it is good.
When we first started this thread I spoke about needing to sit forward and back in terms of being in the best place for the mix you are listening to. One needs to remember that a mix is going to be relative to the position the mixer was sitting in when they mixed it. With this mix, it is much more effective when sat forward. Someone listening to this who was not sat forward may well say that it is mainly up front, but that is an illusion somewhat, as you are just sat in the wrong spot for the optimal listening position. This is a good mix. It is not Bjork, or Dukes of Stratosphear, but it is balanced and immersive.
Another thing to take into consideration is production style. The production style here isn't about instruments popping out. It is about a smooth mellow vibe/groove where there is a tendency to blend rather than stand out.
I think anyone that enjoys Eric Clapton solo would enjoy this. The Miracles provide some nice smooth backing vocals. Billy Preston provides some nice smooth piano, organ and harmonica. Steve Gadd is on the trap set ... Andy Fairweather Low and Doyle Bramhall II provide guitars.... this is a nice album, and I enjoyed it.

 

Also don't forget to run through any of the albums we have done, if you feel drawn to

Reference to the albums

Aerosmith - Toys In The Attic
Alice Cooper - Welcome To My Nightmare
Alan Parsons Project - Tales Of Mystery and Imagination
Alan Parsons Project - Eye In The Sky
Alan Parsons Project - Ammonia Avenue
Alison Krauss and Union Station - New Favourite
Allman Brothers Band - Live At Fillmore East
Allman Brother Band - Eat a Peach
Anathema - We're Here Because We're Here thanks @riskylogic
Anathema - Weather Systems thanks @riskylogic
Anderson, Ian - Homo Erraticus
Anderson, Ian - TAAB 2
Argent - In Deep thanks @riskylogic
Ayreon - The Source thanks @riskylogic

Band - Music From Big Pink ... I did this twice ... must occasionally sleep lol
Barclay James Harvest - GoneTo Earth
Bass Communion - Loss thanks @riskylogic
The Beatles - The Beatles (White Album)
The Beatles - Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band
The Beatles - Abbey Road
Be Bop Deluxe - Futurama
Be Bop Deluxe - Sunburst Finish
Beck, Jeff - Blow By Blow
Beck, Jeff - Wired
Beethoven - 3rd Symphony Eroica
Beethoven - 5th Concerto (Emporer) - Barenboim/Rubenstein
Bjork - Vespertine
Bjork - Medulla
Blackfield - IV thanks @riskylogic
Blackfield - V thanks @riskylogic
Black Sabbath - Paranoid
Blood Sweat and Tears - Blood Sweat And Tears
Blue Oyster Cult - Secret Treaties
Blue Oyster Cult - Agents Of Fortune
Bowie, David - The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars
Bowie, David - Young Americans
Bowie, David - Station To Station
Bowie, David - Stage
Browne, Jackson - Running On Empty
Bruce- Jack - Shadows In The Air thanks @riskylogic
Bruford - Feels Good To Me thanks @riskylogic

Caravan - In The Land Of Grey And Pink thanks @riskylogic
Charles, Ray - Ray Sings, Basie Swings
Clapton, Eric - Give Me Strength The 74/75 Recordings
Clapton, Eric - Reptile
Clapton, Eric - Back Home
Cobham, Billy - Spectrum
Cobham, Billy - Spectrum (Quad) thanks @-dave--wave-
Coltrane, Alice/Santana, Carlos - Illuminations

Davis, Miles - Sketches Of Spain
Davis, Miles - In A Silent Way
Davis, Miles - Bitches Brew
Davis, Miles - Live Evil
Davis, Miles - Tutu
Deep Purple - Machine Head
Deep Purple - Stormbringer
Dekker, Desmond - Anthology thanks @riskylogic
Depeche Mode - Some Great Reward
Depeche Mode - Violator
Depeche Mode - Delta Machine
Derek and the Dominos - Layla and other assorted love songs
Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms
Doobie Brothers - The Captain And Me
Doors - LA Woman
Doors - Best Of thanks @riskylogic
Drake, Nick - A Treasury
Dream Theater - Distance Over Time
Dukes Of Stratosphear - Psurroundabout Ride
Dylan, Bob - Blonde On Blonde
Dylan, Bob - Slow Train Coming

Eagles - Hotel California
ELO - debut album
Emerson Lake And Palmer - Tarkus
Emerson Lake And Palmer - Brain Salad Surgery

Fagen, Donald - The Nightfly
Fahl, Mary - From The Dark Side Of The Moon thanks @riskylogic
Ferry, Bryan - Boys and Girls
Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
Fleetwood Mac - Fleetwood Mac (1975)
Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
Foreigner - Foreigner
Franklin, Aretha - best of

Gabriel, Peter - Up
Gallagher, Rory - Big Guns (Best Of)
Gaye, Marvin - Lets Get It On
Genesis - Overview of all thanks @MikeF63
Genesis - Foxtrot
Genesis - Selling England By The Pound
Genesis - The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway
Genesis - And Then There Were Three
Gentle Giant - Three Piece Suite
Gentle Giant - The Power and The Glory
Gentle Giant - Interview
Gilmour, Dave - On An Island
Grateful Dead - Workingman's Dead
Guns And Roses - Appetite For Destruction

Hackett, Steve - Voyage Of The Acolyte thanks @riskylogic
Hackett, Steve - At The Edge Of Light
Hancock, Herbie - Sextant
Hendrix, Jimi - Electric Ladyland

Inxs - Kick
Iron Maiden - Dance Of Death

Jeff Beck Group - Rough And Ready
Jethro Tull - Thick As A Brick
Jethro Tull - A Passion Play/ Chateau d'Herouville
Jethro Tull - Minstrel In The Gallery
Jethro Tull - Stormwatch
Jethro Tull - TAAB 2 thanks @riskylogic
Joel, Billy - The Stranger
John, Elton - Elton John
John, Elton - Madman Across The Water

Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band - The Traveller
King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King 40th and 50th
King Crimson - Red
King Crimson - Beat
King Crimson - Thrak
King Crimson - The Power To Believe
Knopfler, Mark - Sailing To Philadelphia
Knopfler, Mark - Shangri La
Kooper, Al (with Bloomfield and Stills) Super Sessions
Kraftwerk - 3d Catalogue - Man Machine

Lennon, John - Imagine, Ultimate Edition
Living Colour - Collideoscope
Love And Rockets - Seventh Dream Of Teenage Heaven thanks @riskylogic
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Southern Surroundings

Mahavishnu Orchestra - Birds Of Fire
Manheim Steamroller - Fresh Aire 8 thanks @riskylogic
Marillion - Script For A Jester's Tear
Marillion - Afraid Of Sunlight
Monk, Thelonius - Supreme Jazz
Moody Blues - Days Of Future Passed
Moody Blues - A Question Of Balance
Moody Blues - Seventh Sojourn
Morrison, Van - Moondance
Mussorgsky, Modeste - Carlo Ponti - Pictures At An Exhibition+
Mozart - 40th Symphony
Mozart - Rene Jacobs - Le Nozze Di Figaro (The Marriage Of Figaro)

Nektar - Journey To The Centre of The Eye Thanks @riskylogic
Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds - Dig Lazarus Dig
Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral
No Man - Schoolyard Ghosts Thanks @riskylogic

Oldfield, Mike - Ommadawn
Oldfield, Mike - Five Miles Out
Oldfield, Mike - Crises thanks @Sordel 's overview
Oldfield, Mike - Return To Ommadawn thanks @riskylogic
Opeth - Deliverance / Damnation thanks @riskylogic
Opeth - Pale Communion
Opeth - In Cauda Venenum

Pat Metheny Group - Imaginary Day
Pineapple Thief - Dissolution
Pink Floyd - Atom Heart Mother
Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd - A Momentary Lapse Of Reason
Pink Floyd - The Division Bell
Pixies - Doolittle thanks @Galactus2
Porcupine Tree - Stupid Dream
Porcupine Tree - In Absentia (deluxe version 1) - Update on fixed copy
Porcupine Tree - Deadwing thanks @riskylogic

Queen - A Night At The Opera

REM - Green
REM - Monster
REM - Around The Sun thanks @riskylogic
Renaissance - Turn Of The Cards thanks @riskylogic
Rich, Charlie Behind Closed Doors
Riverside - Love, Fear And The Time Machine thanks @riskylogic
Riverside - Wasteland
Roxy Music - Avalon
Rundgren, Todd - Liars - Thanks @riskylogic
Rush - Fly By Night
Rush - 2112
Rush - A Farewell To Kings (Wilson version)
Rush - Hemispheres
Rush - Moving Pictures
Rush - Signals

Santana - Abraxas
Santana - Lotus
Shankar & Gingger - One In A Million thanks @riskylogic
Sly And The Family Stone - Greatest Hits
Soord, Bruce - All This Will Be Yours
Squire, Chris - Fish Out Of Water
Steve Miller Band - Fly Like An Eagle

Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker - Neeme Jarvi
Talking Heads - Fear Of Music
Talking Heads - Remain In Light
Talking Heads - Speaking in Tongues
Tangerine Dream - Phaedra
Tears For Fears - Songs From The Big Chair
Temple Of The Dog - Temple Of The Dog
Thomas, Michael Tilson - Orff, Beethoven, Gershwin - Carmina Burana, An American In Paris, Rhapsody In Blue + more
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers - Damn The Torpedoes
Townsend, Pete/Lane, Ronnie - Rough Mix
T Rex - Electric Warrior

Uk - Night After Night
Uriah Heep - Gold From The Byron Era

Velvet Underground - Re-Loaded

Wakeman, Rick - Six Wives Of Henry The Eighth
Waters, Roger - Amused to Death
Wayne, Jeff - War Of The Worlds
Weather Report - Tale Spinnin'
Who - Tommy
Who - Quadrophenia
Wilson, Steven - The Raven That Refused To Sing
Wilson, Steven - Hand. Cannot. Erase.
Wilson, Steven - To The Bone
Wings - Band On The Run
Wishbone Ash - Bare Bones thanks @riskylogic

XTC - Drums And Wires
XTC - The Black Sea
XTC - Oranges and Lemons

Yes - The Yes Album
Yes - Close To The Edge
Yes - Tale Of Topographic Oceans
Young, Neil - Harvest

Zappa - Quaudiophiliac

If the mood takes you, please feel free to give us your summary of any of these albums that we have done. For our purposes here, please try and give us information about the mix, in as much or as little detail as takes your fancy.
If you feel so inclined, review the album, and the mastering or anything else about the album that you feel drawn to.
Cheers,
Mark

 

Ok some stuff for next week

The Best Of Bread (quad)

 

Foreigner IV

 

Elvis 30 #1 hits

 

Queen The Game

 

Nine Inch Nails - With Teeth

 

The Offspring - Greatest Hits

 

Mussorgsky - Pictures at an Exhibition

 

Elton John - Honky Chateau

 

Billie Holiday - Lady In Satin

 

Vince Gill - High Lonesome Sound

 

I've got Steve's SACD and the Perception Box DVD-As, as far as surround is concerned. The mixes are different, obviously, and I consider each to be good-not-great, taking a number of factors into account. But it's important enough for me to have the Doors in surround to take what I can get. I do genuinely enjoy these releases; they're not bad by any measure. The sonics on the SACD are particularly good (though I suspect Steve did little or nothing more than a straight transfer on the surround mix).

Though I'm content with these, if Steven Wilson does a surround remix, I'll gladly buy these titles all over again.

Interestingly, I did an informal comparison of the stereo layer to the only DCC I own, S/T. For whatever reason, the DCC has more weight and impact. Not night and day, but not hard to discern. Struck me as odd; maybe the Best Of's master and the S/T's master are different sources(?). If I'd never heard the DCC, I'd be most happy with the SACD (stereo).

If the DSD/DSF format is actually causing this difference, it would be just another complaining point from me about this cumbersome format, which isn't worth its extra trouble and expense.

If you're a Doors collector, just get this (and the current 5.1 album releases). If you seek only the best surround-mix experience, proceed with caution.

 

I absolutely agree with the 5.1 Doors mixes. I enjoy them, but they have their limitations.
I kind of assume that they didn't have a lot of tracks to play with.
I certainly agree that if someone in the upper level of surround mixing did some new versions I would probably get them. The Doors were an important band for me when I was a young fella, and I will always love those albums.

 

I loved the Genesis 1970 - 1975 SACD box so much I got the 1976 - 1982 one. Started with A Trick of the Tail today, and it's another great mix. The mastering has been criticized as being a tad bright but that doesn't bother me. It's a great album for one thing, and the accompanying DVD has videos, interviews, and even a filmed concert! I still say these 5.1 mixes of the '70s Genesis catalog sound better than the CDs.

 

Depeche Mode - Violator. It seems to be that Depeche Mode got better with each and every album up to and including Violator. That means it's my favorite. Lots of fantastic songs, and almost all of them have at least something going for them. However, it does seem like there is always a song or two that I don't like on every Depeche Mode album, and they had to throw in "Clean" at the end to make sure that rule wasn't violated. The surround mix is pretty awesome too - lots of synth parts and background vocals coming from the back, and in addition it just sounds great. I just have the DTS version, and after listening to it on my new system for the first time, it does sound just a little thin perhaps. If I were going to upgrade one of my seven DM surround titles, this would be it (3/3).

XTC - Drums and Wires. I'm from the generation that thinks XTC peaked with Black Sea and English Settlement. Since it was also recorded back when XTC were a slightly punky new wave band and we apparently aren't getting ES in surround, this one will have to do. I do like it much better than many of the later albums in the XTC catalog. The surround mix is excellent; drums and bass are in front per the SW usual, but lead vocals are not always found in the center - they even move to the back sometimes. Lots of guitar and background vocals in the rears too. Love the "Helicopter " ending (2/3).

 

Waiting for the Sun


Studio album by
the Doors
Released July 3, 1968
Recorded January–May 1968
Studio TTG, Hollywood, California
Genre Psychedelic rock acid rock
Length 33:10
Label Elektra
Producer Paul A. Rothchild

Waiting for the Sun is the third studio album by the American rock band the Doors. Recorded at TTG Studios in Los Angeles, the album's 11 tracks were recorded between February and May 1968 and the album was released by Elektra Records on July 3, 1968. It became the band's only number one album (topping the charts for four weeks) and included their second US number one single, "Hello, I Love You" (for two weeks starting August 3, 1968). The first single released off the album was "The Unknown Soldier," which peaked at number 39 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also became the band's first hit album in the UK, where it peaked at number 16.

Many of the tracks were created in the studio. The production of the album by Paul A. Rothchild led to multiple takes and at one point drummer John Densmore walked out of a session frustrated at Morrison's behavior. Although the Doors had made several attempts at recording their theatrical composition "Celebration of the Lizard" and intended the piece to occupy the second side of the album, this was later shelved. However, a recording of the "Not to Touch the Earth" segment was included and the full lyrics to "Celebration of the Lizard" were printed inside the album's gatefold sleeve. The song "Waiting for the Sun" was also recorded during the sessions for the album but was left off and later appeared on the album Morrison Hotel in 1970. The cover of the album was photographed by Paul Ferrara in Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles.

To coincide with the 50th anniversary of the album's release in 2018, a 1-LP/2-CD deluxe version of the album was released by Rhino Records. This was overseen by long-time Doors sound engineer Bruce Botnick.

• Jim Morrison – vocals
• Ray Manzarek – keyboards
• Robby Krieger – guitar
• John Densmore – drums

Additional musicians

• Douglas Lubahn – occasional bass, electric bass on "Spanish Caravan"
• Kerry Magness – bass guitar on "The Unknown Soldier"
• Leroy Vinnegar – acoustic bass on "Spanish Caravan"

Technical

• Paul A. Rothchild – production
• Bruce Botnick – engineering
• William S. Harvey – art direction and design
• Paul Ferrara – front cover photograph
• Guy Webster – back cover photography

1. "Hello, I Love You" 2:14
2. "Love Street" 2:53
3. "Not to Touch the Earth" 3:56
4. "Summer's Almost Gone" 3:22
5. "Wintertime Love" 1:54
6. "The Unknown Soldier" 3:22
7. "Spanish Caravan" 3:03
8. "My Wild Love" 3:01
9. "We Could Be So Good Together" 2:26
10. "Yes, the River Knows" 2:36
11. "Five to One" 4:26
---------------------------------------------------------------
Well, inspired by @gd0 to have a blast from the past, I felt the need to revisit one of my Doors albums.
In the eighties I had a little Doors problem. I was pretty much obsessed by them to be honest ... I mean to the point that when I heard about the Doors movie, I was a little annoyed I wasn't playing Jim lol... anyway.
I don't often pull out the Doors album because I really saturated myself in Doors throughout the eighties, but on the occasions that I do put the Doors on, I am never disappointed in the music. Great original sounding music.

I have the Doors - Perception box, it was a necessary purchase as soon as I saw it existed.
Box set
Available on Amazon for your first born ... sorry for either about $300 or $450 https://www.amazon.com/Perception-Doors/dp/B000NJM4JS/ref=tmm_acd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Much more reasonable on discogs for about $80 The Doors - Perception

Waiting For The Sun sacd multichannel
from the Doors online store for about $30 Waiting For The Sun [SACD]
on discogs for about $30 The Doors - Waiting For The Sun

Waiting For The Sun cd/dvd-audio
On discogs for about $30 The Doors - Waiting For The Sun

I believe they all the same mix, but if you are aware of any differences please let us know.

5.1 mix, mastering and production Bruce Botnick

So lets get into this before the Mrs gets up.

Hello I Love You
Organ left side. Gtr right side.
Jim centre speaker.
The little pause has the effect of sliding from the right to the left and back.
Very cool. Better than I remembered to be honest. Plus we get some extra whooping at the end.

Love Street
Piano left side.
Doubled vocal in bridge in the rears.
Piano lead across the rears.
Guitar up front with the drums.
Whistling right rear. Not previously on here, or mixed higher.

Not To touch The Earth
Bass front left. Synth sounds from the organ in the sides.
Guitar riff from chorus in rears.
This is very effective for this track.
The balance in these mixes is good.
These mixes are a lot better than my memory told me.
Organ frenzy left side. Guitar lead bits right side.
Botnick did a good job of this.
We end with a studio comment

Summers Almost Gone
Guitar on the right side, slightly towards the front.
Piano left side.
Another keyboard right rear.
The instrumental break is really cool with the pianos playing against each other either side rears.
Nice mix.

Wintertime Love
Guitar right side. Organ left side.
Harpsichord? Both sides
Again the keys play off against each other in the instrumental break either side.

Unknown Soldier
Keys left side. Guitar right side.
Marching - left rear around to right rear.
Then we get essentially the same mix for the end of the song which is a type of reprise of the beginning.
A collage of sound effects build up over the music from all angles. Possibly slightly loud.

Spanish Caravan
Spanish guitar up front. Robbie was very underappreciated as a guitarist.
Keys left side impersonating guitar.
Distorted guitar upfront. Keys also, with sfx all round.
Nice balance here and the effect is very ghostly.
Nicely effective.
I don't like the delay effect they added, but it has minimal interference.

My Wild Love
Vocal up front.
Moaning, claps and stamping all around.
I have heard many criticise this track, but I always loved it.
Balanced and effective.

We Could Be So Good Together
This is a groovy song baby.
Layers slowly reveal themselves here, really nicely.
Organ left side.
The lead break has about three guitars around us.
A nice mix and well balanced.

Yes The River Knows
Piano rears. Guitar front right.
Nice bass upftont.
This is such a cool song.
The chord progression seems to be straight out of some form of jazz, or something.
This works really well.
Jim commands the vocals through the centre speaker all the way through

Five To One
A long time favourite track. My eighties theme songs, and I nearly didn't get out alive....
Guitar just right of right front. Keys just left of front left.
I'm amazed nobody ever did a hard rock version of this song.
Chant bvox in rears.
End lead guitar in the centre of the room, leaning towards the back.
An amazingly aggressive Morrison vocal really sells this song for me.
Great song.
A nice bit of studio outtake added on the end.

Well I really enjoyed that. Certainly this isn't extreme Wilson mixing 101, but it is very effective, and for me being ridiculously overfamiliar with the albums, the variations are actually a really cool thing.
For the most part the mixes are nicely balanced and we get some very interesting surround effects. I guess to a degree a little more simple than stuff from post 1980 48 track recording studios ... as compared to ... what were they using here? 4tracks/8tracks ... anyway, it is more impressive than many, but obviously within its limitations.
Thirty bucks says this is very much worth getting for the Doors fan, and if the box set on Discogs is complete and in good condition it is certainly worth eighty bucks to a Doors fan.
Thanks for tweaking my Doors gene @gd0 and @riskylogic

 

I know they copped a lot of criticism, but I love those Genesis boxes

 

Maybe drop off is the wrong term, but lets put it this way the moment I heard Dancing With Tears In My Eyes I knew then that they were going for commercial hit singles, and I much preferred the George Martin produced We Came To Dance, and Reap The Wild Wind, Serenade, that album in many ways is not commercial at all, but Lament shifted to chart topping type music.
Some would say Vienna was hugely commercial, but I see that song as a big epic classic like BO Rhap.
But I played Quartet to death, over and over and I never got tired of the singles because they were not played to death on the radio.

 

She must be sleeping in today.