Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

Larks’ Tongues In Aspic ... what a title, what a cover, what a start. For me, the title track merits the price of admission, opening with the fragile tuned percussion, then electric guitar roams around, untuned percussion trembles and then, three minutes in, the guitar gets loud over David Cross's strings. Woah, when that band crashes in it's certainly impressive ... as heavy a rock sound as you can find anywhere. A lone electric guitar pans left to right and we're in the improv section, with the bass incredibly busy and everyone on it. Ah, the mandatory unaccompanied violin solo with bird calls and hammered dulcimer, so much a part of stereotypical R’n’R. Then the distant electric guitar announces the song's coda which takes place in a hubbub of speech samples. This song still feels avant garde half a century later.

“Book of Saturday” is a nice ballad but that's not why you listen to King Crimson: here the interest is Cross's soloing and Fripp's reverse-delayed guitar, which offer a sort of counterpoint to the sweetness of the vocals. “Exiles” begins with an ambient soundscape (presumably manipulated tape) and only becomes a rather anthemic song a couple of minutes in. There's viola here (I think that's what also makes the cello sounds) and prominent classical guitar. Wetton audibly struggles with the vocals: there's really nowhere to hide in this mix. Mellotron makes an appearance. The song anticipates “The Night Watch”, which for me is the better song by some way, but this is still good.

“Easy Money” opens with the marching of what sound like wet mop-heads left and right. (You forget how odd this song is when you've only listened to later live versions for a while.) The little flourishes from percussion sound magical in surround and are often panned across the rears. Fripp takes a long improvised solo mid-song before the vocals re-enter to close things out.

“The Talking Drum” is a particularly free improvisation vehicle that begins with a wasp-like brassy drone and the titular drum itself, quiet & distant in the centre channel. The band develops a groove, still very distant. Cross rambles modally as the sound gradually coalesces and gets louder. Fripp comes in on guitar in the fifth minute. The bass becomes enormous with a wah-wah as the volume builds: this the same trick as the opening track of the album but this time on a rhythmical vamp but get ready because just as things get really chaotic we're going to hit:

“Larks’ Tongues In Aspic, Part Two”. Now, this is the propulsive KC I like best. After the dramatic start we go to a quieter build-up section with Cross's strings and the rhythm section before the industrial clatter of the main theme starts up again and we undergo the entire loop for a second time. Guitar and bass are briefly antiphonal then they double one another while Cross cuts loose on his solo. Build-up again (a technique that would be perfected on “Starless”) and then we hit the big finale before the album fades out on a note of calm and resolution.

I listen to a fair amount of KC but this album is still strange to hear at a single sitting: relentlessly experimental, with its “best bits” often being only small parts of the song that contain them. The surround mix is splendid, though, creating space between the instruments and textures that reminds the listener that, after all, this often huge music was made by a really quite small band of only five musicians.

 

Emerson Lake and Palmer - Tarkus

I dunno, it's great (I'm not sure if I've heard a Steven Wilson 5.1 mix which was less than great), but it's not blowing me away either. At least you get the complete album on the surround disc and it's not missing a couple of tracks like the Emerson Lake and Palmer DVD. My go-to disc in stereo for this title might still be the Mobile Fidelity one, but when I want to hear it in 5.1 this will be it.

 

I felt that way too. I'm a big fan of Wilson's 5.1 mixes in general and I like his choices here for spreading out the trio into the surround field (it's basically Lake in the center, Palmer in the fronts, and Emerson in the rears), but the overall performance seems to have somehow lost some intensity in comparison to the old stereo mix. It's cool hearing it happen all around you, but you just don't feel it. I think he deviated a bit too far from the original production on this one. Emerson's keys in particular seem kind of weak and recessed in the remix, missing that extra power and 'bite' that made the original so engaging.

 

Much to my major disappointment the Doobies has still not arrived, but this one arrived a couple of days ago

Santana.

Santana

Studio album by
Santana
Released August 30, 1969
Recorded May 1969
Studio Pacific Recording, San Mateo
Genre Latin rock, jazz fusion, psychedelic rock
Length 37:29
Label Columbia
Producer Santana, Brent Dangerfield

Santana is the debut studio album by American Latin rock band Santana. It was released on August 30, 1969. Over half of the album's length is composed of instrumental music, recorded by what was originally a purely free-form jam band. At the suggestion of manager Bill Graham, the band took to writing more conventional songs for more impact, but managed to retain the essence of improvisation in the music.

The album was destined to be a major release, given a boost by the band's performance at the Woodstock Festival earlier that August. The album's first single, "Jingo", was not very successful (only reaching #56); however, "Evil Ways", the second single taken from the album, was a U.S. Top 10 hit (reaching #9). The album peaked at #4 on the Billboard 200 pop album chart and #26 on the UK Albums Chart. It has been mixed and released in both stereo and quadraphonic. The album cover was made by Lee Conklin.

• 
  
  
  • Gregg Rolie – lead vocals, Hammond organ, piano
  • Carlos Santana – guitar, backing vocals
  • David Brown – bass guitar
  • Michael Shrieve – drums
  • Michael Carabello – congas, percussion
  • José "Chepito" Areas – timbales, congas, percussion
  • Marcus Malone – congas (uncredited)

Production

• 
  
  
  • Brent Dangerfield and Santana band – producers
  • David Brown – engineer
  • Lee Conklin – album cover art[10]
  • David Rubinson – producer (original first session January 27–29, 1969)

1. "Waiting" (instrumental) 4:03
2. "Evil Ways" Clarence "Sonny" Henry 3:54
3. "Shades of Time" Carlos Santana, Gregg Rolie 3:14
4. "Savor" (instrumental) 2:47
5. "Jingo" Babatunde Olatunji 4:21
6. "Persuasion" 2:33
7. "Treat" (instrumental) 4:43
8. "You Just Don't Care" 4:34
9. "Soul Sacrifice" (instrumental) Carlos Santana, Gregg Rolie, David Brown, Marcus Malone 6:37
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So far in the Santana collection we have done Abraxas - sidetrack - In late October Abraxas will be getting a release like this album we're looking at today. Doe anyone know if it will be likely to be better than the dvd-audio? - anyway, lets return to regular viewing. Santana and Buddy Miles Live, Lotus, Santana and Alice Coltrane Illuminations.
I get the impression that with the seeming success of the other Santana quad releases, that if the debut and Abraxas go well, we may well get to hear a few more over the coming years... but I guess we will see. Bear in mind these will include Caravanserai, Santana III, Welcome, Borboletta, Amigos and Festival, which would be very cool.
It seems highly unlikely, but I would love for Someone to 5.1 Inner Secrets, Marathon, Zebop, Shango, Havana Moon and Blues for Salvador, but anyway, that's just me and I am a bit goofy.

This is still available at Cd Japan for about $40 Santana Japanese Original SACD Quadraphonic Edition
It's on the discogs list, but not available yet
It's on Amazon for pre-order for about $69 https://www.amazon.com/Santana-Limi...ds=Santana+sacd&qid=1601144693&s=music&sr=1-1

So this debut album is very famous, and came out just after the band really caught some people's eye at Woodstock. It has often been referred to as the bands best album, and I probably like others more, but it certainly has a certain appeal in its loose and live style.
Greg Rollie who plays the keys and sings, went on to form Journey in 1975, with then also Santana member Neal Schon. Both of them are on the famous Caravanserai and Lotus albums.

Original Quad - Larry Keyes?
Mastering - Mitsuyasu Abe

Waiting
Percussion comes in front right, nice sounding bass centre, more percussion left rear, hats right rear.
Rhythm guitar comes in just right of front right.
Then the main guitar comes in right rear.
A doubled and occasionally harmonised guitar comes in left rear.
We get a percussion lead left rear.
This is really nicely mastered, for those playing along at home, my volume is set 21.
The sound is really very good
It is easy to forget how important Greg Rollie was to the bands original sound. His organ is across the front.
Nice immersive mix that works very well.

Evil Ways
Tom rolls from left, cowbell and percussion front left. Drums come is right rear, but are balanced by the percussion.
Rhythm gtr from right.
Two vocals either side towards the rears and nicely balanced. Another vocal front actually.
Rollie's organ is left side towards the rear.
He takes the first lead.
This is a very seventies quad mix, but it sounds excellent and has a very good immersive sound.
Carlos rolls out a lead break after an all channels percussion explosion. His lead moves from side to side giving us a bit of a psychedelic effect.

Shades Of Time/Savor
Gtr right rear with sends.
Organ front left side
Drums right rear.
Percussion front left.
Main vocal front left. Support lines come in giving it a sort of either side feel.
Lead gtr comes in front right.
Interestingly on this album the instruments don't necessarily remain completely static.
I rolled back a couple of times to check that something was were I had said it was... and it was, but moved.
Now the organ I'd front left and we have another percussion explosion.
Nice mix. Again unusual, but it works and certainly gives the channels a decent workout.
I seriously doubt anyone would be disappointed with the sound or dynamics.

Jingo
Percussion left side, and right front.
Drums right rear and left front.
Organ left side, and across middle.
The bass is good on here and has been centre.
Lead guitar comes in front.
Vocals come in up front.
Again we get the famed Santana percussion breakdown.
Carlos comes in up front again with his lead melody. Then the lead break is front right.... but I think there a little guitar bits added in other channels that subtly give the mix a warmer wider sound in certain spots.
Excellent.

Persuasion
Guitar front left
Organ right rear.
Percussion front
Drums right rear.
Tambourine left rear, and hand claps right rear.
Lead guitar comes in front right.

Treat
A really nice bluesy piano across the front.
Again nice bass sound up front.
Drums up front.
Percussion right rear, and left rear.
Carlos front left.
After a perpetual build we get a break down
Back to bluesy piano, percussion left side, and right rear.

You Just Don't Care
Low guitar and bass up front.
Organ left rear.
Drums front.
Vocals up front.
Gtr comes in right rear and left side for the change.
Lead gtr up front.
Again a pretty nice mix, and it works. More gtr overdubs than I expected.

Soul Sacrifice
Percussion left rear
Hats move across the back.
Organ right rear. Gtr left front.
Drums seem to be spread and reverb on them.
Cymbals right rear with percussion also.
Again a wall of percussion around us.
It's really interesting the way the have mixed the drums here. It is like there are different pieces of the kit in different spots.
Another good mix with interesting immersion perspective.

This is one of those seventies quad mixes that is very interesting. It is nothing like a modern mix will be, and some folks are going to love it, and some are going to not really love it.
A modern mix tends to be centred, in the sense that the bass an drums hold down the front and centre, and spread to a certain degree. With this/these types of mixes the drums and percussion could be anywhere, and aren't the focus of the central listening position.
The organ and guitar are virtually always one side or the other, and as in this disc one forward and one rear... on occasion both forward or both rear. So there isn't any real settle into a mode type listening. Each track will have elements in different spots, and sometimes the elements will move location according to a particular part of a song.
So that would be the first thing to be aware of.
I like Santana but I haven't heard this album much before. It is an excellent album, and has a lot of fiery jamming, but I prefer the Caravanserai/Lotus era, and the late seventies early eighties eras ... yea I know I am an oddball.
The main thing, as with any of the Japanese sacd quad releases, is whether it is worth 50 or 60 bucks once you have p[aid for shipping etc. In this day and age, beggars can't be choosers, and I love hearing new surround mixes, so for the moment these prices are a little annoying, but I am in a position to pay for them, so I am... to be honest that seems to be the case for getting any type of surround mixes these days.
So if this isn't going to destroy your budget, and you like the somewhat odd seventies quad mixes, I reckon you will like this. The mastering and sound is really very excellent, so I assume it will please the more audiophile folk that come and play here .... now I just need to decide if I want to order the upcoming Abraxas quad ....

 

I'd say that the Abraxas quad is even more unusual than the self-titled album. It was one of the first quad titles issued by CBS back in 1972, and as such they went a bit overboard with the pan-potting to drive home that it's surround sound. The guitar and keyboard lines in "Black Magic Woman" rapidly swirl around the listener. Percussion parts are split wide to the corners. It's a bit gimmicky, but I enjoy it and can't wait to hear it in master-tape quality. The DTS-CD from the mid-90's sounded awful with literally no low-end and piercing highs.

 

Head Hunters


Studio album by
Herbie Hancock
Released October 26, 1973
Recorded September 1973
Studio Wally Heider Studios
Different Fur Trading Co.
San Francisco, California
Genre Jazz-funk jazz fusion
Length 41:52
Label Columbia
Producer Herbie Hancock David Rubinson

Head Hunters is the twelfth studio album by American pianist and composer Herbie Hancock, released October 26, 1973, on Columbia Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in the evening at Wally Heider Studios and Different Fur Trading Co. in San Francisco, California.

In 2003, the album was ranked number 498 in the book version of Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Head Hunters is a key release in Hancock's career and a defining moment in the genre of jazz. The Library of Congress added it to the National Recording Registry, which collects "culturally, historically or aesthetically important" sound recordings from the 20th century.

• Herbie Hancock – Fender Rhodes, clavinet, ARP Odyssey synthesizer, ARP Soloist
• Bennie Maupin – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, saxello, bass clarinet, alto flute
• Paul Jackson – bass guitar, guitar, marímbula
• Harvey Mason – drums
• Bill Summers – agogô, balafon, beer bottle, cabasa, congas, gankogui, hindewhu, log drum, shekere, surdo, tambourine

Production

• Herbie Hancock – producer
• David Rubinson – producer
• Fred Catero – engineer
• Jeremy Zatkin – engineer
• Dane Butcher – engineer
• John Vieira – engineer

1. "Chameleon" Hancock, Jackson, Mason, Maupin 15:41
2. "Watermelon Man" Hancock; arranged by Mason 6:29
3. "Sly" Hancock 10:15
4. "Vein Melter" Hancock 9:09

-----------------------------------------------
I also got a Japan Cd copy of this album in the mail this week.
So now there are two versions of this available, and I have both, but I am not sure I will get to do a back to back of them here. Time.... what a hassle.
We have done Sextant, and Headhunters hasn't won the vote yet, so lets see what we have here.

This version of Headhunters - released 2020
Available from Cd Japan for $33 Head Hunters (SA-CD Multi Hybrid Edition) [Cardboard Sleeve (mini LP)] Herbie Hancock SACD
On discogs from $43 Herbie Hancock - Head Hunters

Sound Designer [Quadraphonic Sound And Remix Supervision] – David Rubinson, Herbie Hancock
Mastered By – Koji Suzuki, Mark Wilder
Quad remix engineer Fred Gatero

A prior version -
We have releases of this in 1999, 2001, 2007, 2016 all sacd.
To browse the information I will put the link to discogs for you to look through for yourself Herbie Hancock - Head Hunters
I am assuming they are all different masterings of the same quad, but input as to what is what would be very appreciated.

The other copy I have is CS65123, which is the 1999 version. Available on discogs from $23 Herbie Hancock - Head Hunters
Mastered by Mark Wilder

Again, with this album, please be careful what sacd you get, as there are a lot of sacd releases of this, and not all of them are in surround.

Japanese sacd 2020
Chameleon
Man this is so damn funky. This groove is really very cool.
We open with either a synth bass or a heavily effected bass up front.
The drums come in up front.
Really nice sound. Really tight sounding kit
Clucky D6 riff comes in right rear
Wah keys D6 front left.
Horns come in in the rears either side beautiful separation.
This is really very balanced and sound great.
A sax comes out of the wall of horns front right.
We get some swirling synth noises, and then slide back into that groove.
An organ or synth rolls across the middle. I think original signal left side possibly fx send on the right, but it is a very cool effect, and then it does some really cool moving ... sounds really good. Zinging from side to side. Psychedelic baby.
Hancock, Rubinson and Gatero did a really good job here.
This sounds like a modern high class mix to me.
We get so much coolness here I want to almost recommend this straight away.
We get a breakdown and I notice we have a real bass up front definitely now.
The frequency response and dynamics are beautiful.
We get a string pad kind of thing float across the middle, and we get that followed by an electric piano lead type thing that is using the same either side thing as the synth earlier. It isn't a random side to side thing, it is just a really smooth feel thing.
Love it.
Percussion has joined in also fattening this badass groove up even more.
I believe the modern vernacular for this is Fire.
Give the drummer some dude.
We return to the opening phrase/arrangement and a sax comes in left rear.
The sound and mix here are excellent.
If you like instrumental funky semi-jazz stuff I reckon you'll love this
The sax slides from left rear to front and back... full points.

Watermelon Man
Flute type sound front left, another comes in front right, feeding right rear
Then left rear,
Some vocal calls, left front.
A slowing dirty groove comes in.
Percussive keys? Right rear.
The flute sounds fade out just leaving a dirty groove.
Electric piano right rear
Sax left rear.
Everything is really clear and sounds great.
The drums are great. A really nice full frequency bass guitar is walking along up front, with a really nice bounce.
I'm guessing the watermelon man is a cool dude. Shaker/tambourine left side.
We gets a series of dynamic swells, returning to the original groove base each time.
Then the flute sounds come back in.
Another winner.

Sly
Keys right rear.
Then keys front.
D6 front left.
This is more jazzy, but a hint of funk still there via the rhythm section.
Sax left side.
This is more of a sprawling fusion track, and we have some really nice sax playing here.
Percussion left rear.
Some more moving effects.
D6 is really clucking it up front left, but into the left side also
Electric piano takes a lead front right, but is definitely in the side also.
This is also very good, but the first two tracks are pretty awesome. This is a good mix, but slightly, only slightly less than the first two tracks.
The track itself is a more frantic jazz flavour, and is excellent, but the grooves in the first two tracks is just so cool.
So this is an excellent balanced mix also.
We slide into a variation on the opening section to close us out. Some great drumming.

Vein Melter
Slow kick starts us up.
Wah bass comes in.
Distorted keys keys left side.
Sax left rear signal send to right rear.
Electric piano across the front, but feeding into right side via effects. Nice sound again.
Synth strings across rears, and in front.
This is a more reflective type track, but still maintains a certain funkiness with some jazz overtones.
The arrangement is quite beautiful, and the immersion effect is excellent also.
The somewhat mellow military snare is ftont left. It is laid back and not in your face.
The electric piano has a nice reverb/delay and has a sudden blast of synth effect that slides across the room.
Somehow I kind of expect Barry White, or Isaac Hayes to suddenly start singing....
A slightly unusual, and what seems to me, quite original track.
Again the mix is really nice, and balanced, and the sound is really very good.
We end on a held chord and the kick sits alone on the fade.

1999 version.
The mix sounds very similar
It is a different mastering I believe, but I haven't adjusted my levels and volume isn't any different.
This version does have some subtle sub assist. The other didn't trigger the sub, but it did have nice frequency response.
This seems like the same mix, and a slightly different master.
It does have a different sound predominantly the sub.
It is really hard to tell what differences are. They exist but are fairly minimal

Ok... so this is a very hard one to break down, as in between the two mixes.
I only listened to the first track on the 1999 pressing, because I was interrupted
To some degree the new Japan copy is probably a little more clear, and perhaps more defined. The 1999 copy has a little bit of sub, and it is effective, but the low frequencies on the new copy, are not in anyway, to my ears, short of the mark. Both seemed to deliver nice bottom ends, but the 1999 has just a hint of sub.
I think the mixes are ever so slightly different, but the basic framework of the mixes is the same, based on those first two tracks.

Look, I find it hard to find fault either of these based on the first track. They are slightly different, but I enjoyed both.

What I can say is, I really enjoyed the mix and the sound is great. I can highly recommend this album in either of the two discs I listened to.... I like the presentation in the 7" pack of 2020.

Hopefully one of our resident experts can come to the party and give a more defined version of what is going on with these two, and if anyone has any of the other versions, please also give us a heads up.
From what I read this is renowned as a well recorded and produced album, and that is probably part of the equation. Let me just say, if you like surround, and a funk that likes to display some jazz, this is an excellent buy.
Sorry I can't be more specific..... I'd lean towards the new 2020 version I think.

 

Cheers mate... I may have to check out the new copy. I didn't mind the older disc, but it isn't state of the art sounding, as you say.

 

The McCartney Years


Video by
Paul McCartney
Released 12 November 2007
Recorded 1970-2005
Genre Rock, pop
Label MPL
Rhino (U.S.)
Warner Music Entertainment (outside U.S)

The McCartney Years is a three-DVD set featuring music videos, live performances and other rare footage from Paul McCartney's solo career and Wings. The set spans the years 1970 to 2005. It was released by Warner Music in the UK on 12 November 2007, and by Rhino Entertainment in the United States the following day.[1]

The first two discs comprise promotional films, from "Maybe I'm Amazed" (1970) to "Fine Line" (2005). Additional features include a documentary about his recent album Chaos and Creation in the Backyard (Creating Chaos at Abbey Road), a film about the Band on the Run album and a feature-length audio commentary from McCartney himself.

The third disc includes seven songs from the 1976 Wings concert Rockshow, four songs from McCartney's 1991 appearance on MTV Unplugged, and eleven performances from his 2004 set at Glastonbury Festival. The live footage is also complemented by an optional commentary by McCartney.

Other features includes his appearance at Live Aid in 1985, the Super Bowl XXXIX Halftime Show and interviews with Melvyn Bragg and Michael Parkinson.

All videos have been digitally remastered, and the videos that were originally shot with an aspect ratio of 1.33 : 1 have been blown up to 1.78 : 1.[citation needed] This creates an odd effect for the videos, which now seem cinematic.[original research?] The videos included as extras are presented in their original form.[citation needed] Also, some videos shot on interlaced PAL sources have been badly deinterlaced,[original research?] such as the videos for "With a Little Luck", "Coming Up", "Waterfalls" and the Glastonbury 2004 set, resulting in jagged edges on the image. This does not affect the similarly shot "Goodnight Tonight" or "Baby's Request".

Disc 1

1. 
   
   • "Tug of War"
   • "Say Say Say"
   • "Silly Love Songs"
   • "Band on the Run"
   • "Maybe I'm Amazed"
   • "Heart of the Country"
   • "Mamunia"
   • "With a Little Luck"
   • "Goodnight Tonight"
   • "Waterfalls"
   • "My Love"
   • "C Moon"
   • "Baby's Request"
   • "Hi, Hi, Hi"
   • "Ebony and Ivory"
   • "Take It Away"
   • "Mull of Kintyre"
   • "Helen Wheels"
   • "I've Had Enough"
   • "Coming Up"
   • "Wonderful Christmastime"

Extras

• 
  
  • "Eleanor's Dream" ("Eleanor Rigby")
  • "Band on the Run" (Version two)

Includes cover's photo shoot, as well as samples of "Mrs. Vandebilt" and "Bluebird".

• 
  
  • Junior's Farm
  • "London Town"
  • "Mull of Kintyre" (Elstree studios)

Also listed on YouTube as "The Misty Version", this is one of the song's many videos.
Disc 2

1. 
   
   • "Pipes of Peace"
   • "My Brave Face"
   • "Beautiful Night"
   • "Fine Line"
   • "No More Lonely Nights"
   • "This One"
   • "Little Willow"
   • "Pretty Little Head"
   • "Birthday" (live)
   • "Hope of Deliverance"
   • "Once Upon a Long Ago"
   • "All My Trials"
   • "Brown Eyed Handsome Man"
   • "Press"
   • "No Other Baby"
   • "Off the Ground"
   • "Biker Like an Icon"
   • "Spies Like Us"
   • "Put It There"
   • "Figure of Eight"
   • "C'Mon People"

Extras

• 
  
  • Excerpts from Parkinson
  • "So Bad"
  • "Creating Chaos at Abbey Road"

Disc 3
Rockshow

1. 
   
   • "Venus and Mars"
   • "Rock Show"
   • "Jet"
   • "Maybe I'm Amazed"
   • "Lady Madonna"
   • "Listen to What the Man Said"
   • "Bluebird"

MTV Unplugged

1. 
   
   • "I Lost My Little Girl"
   • "Every Night"
   • "And I Love Her"
   • "That Would Be Something"

Glastonbury

1. 
   
   • "Jet"
   • "Flaming Pie"
   • "Let Me Roll It"
   • "Blackbird"
   • "Band on the Run"
   • "Back in the U.S.S.R."
   • "Live and Let Die"
   • "Hey Jude"
   • "Yesterday"
   • "Helter Skelter"
   • "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"

Extras

• 
  
  • Live Aid performance

1. 
   
   • "Let It Be"

• 
  
  • Super Bowl XXXIX Halftime Performance

1. 
   
   • "Drive My Car"
   • "Get Back"
   • "Live and Let Die"
   • "Hey Jude"

------------------------------------------------
There isn't really much to say about McCartney. An ex-Beatle, and one of the most successful solo artists of all time.
When I saw this had all these songs in 5.1, I grabbed it. Up there we get things explained about the video and its shortcomings, but that isn't what I got it for, and although there may well be some poor transfers, that isn't really too unusual, particularly for anything shot on videotape.

I have had this for years now, and I have watched it a few times, but it has been a long long time. For whatever reason whenever I am thinking about listening to music, I rarely reach for a video collection. I guess I would generally go for a concert if I was thinking of watching something from a music perspective.
Thankfully with the idea of this thread, it is a good chance to revisit this and see exactly what we have, from a 5.1 audio perspective here. It is particularly interesting to me that McCartney only has two pretty poorly done 5.1 albums, when the Beatles seem to be getting most of their stuff done in 5.1. McCartney has been releasing these super expensive super deluxe boxes, but none of them have 5.1 mixes of the albums ... which based on all the surrounding information is strange, but anyhow.....

This is a great collection of songs, and in some ways it probably one of the better McCartney collections for someone to try, if they weren't familiar with his work ....Is anybody unfamiliar with McCartney?

So anyway this is a long long set, so I probably need to get started. I am not sure that I am going to go through it all, but we'll see where we end up. I would think from a 5.1 kind of appraisal, we should have a fairly clear picture from the first disc.... but lets see where we end up.

Well surprisingly this is still available new on Amazon .... surely if we can keep a video compilation from the early 2000's in print, we can keep some of these 5.1 albums in print .... smh .... anyway

Amazon $49.95 https://www.amazon.com/McCartney-Years-Paul/dp/B000VRJ37I
Discogs from $19.77 Paul McCartney - The McCartney Years

5.1 mix Paul Hicks

The audio tracks on here are pcm stereo, DTS 5.1 , Dolby Digital 2.0

So lets have at it.

The disc one menu has a cool little song called "Blackpool"? ... a cool little addition.

Tug of War
Ok
The main vocal is in the centre channel.
The opening acoustic is in stereo up front.
Cellos? Right rear. Strings across the middle towards the rears.
Pushing pulling bvox all around.
A touch of sub assist.
When it kicks in
Electric guitar right rear.
Another guitar left rear.
It seems to have been mixed properly, and to a degree the vocal being a direct centre channel shows it was mixed properly.
There is definitely a surround mix.... it has a slightly, but not completely everything from everywhere sound... the mix seems to be discrete though.

Say say say.
Gtr right side.
Tom's in both rears.
Again box centre channel.
The synth slide goes across the back.
Bvox rears.
Horns all round.
Guitars either side.

Silly love songs
The opening here is really nice.
Percussive hit right rear. Low thud front.
High percussive sound left rear. Scraping sound left rear, but across the back.
Really nice sounding bass up front with sub assist.
Horns rears. Strings rears.
Piano left side.
Drums are all up front.
Linda's bvox across middle.
This is really quite an enjoyable sounding mix.
Sax left side.
Percussion right rear.

Band on the run
The guitar intro is whole.
The guitar is right rear, slightly across the back, but mainly right.
The back and forth synth riff, front left with a bit of a send to the right side.
Gtr right side single note synth left side.
Again nice sounding bass with sub assist.
1st change has a guitar either side rears.
Synth melody across the middle.
Another supplementary gtr up front.
Horns rears. Acoustics either side towards rears.
The drum kit has some width.
Lead guitar riff right rear.
Slide gtr right side.

Maybe I'm amazed
Piano front left.
Bass again really nice.
Lead guitar front.
Other gtr right side.
Ahhh's in the side.
Percussive tacet gtr rears.
Drums front right and into the right side.
Organ rears.
Lead gtr front
Arpeggio guitar right rear.
Interesting mix, effective.

Heart of the country.
Percussion rears.
Lead acoustic guitar right side.
Another gtr front left.
Again nice bass with sub.

Mamunia
Acoustic gtr left rear. Acoustic melody gtr just left of left front.
Percussion front right.
Again nice sounding bass with sub assist up front.
Bvox middle of the roomish, with some accents in the right rear.
Synth left rear feeding to tight.
Wobbly synth right rear with some movement.

With a little luck.
Electric piano front.
Synth left rear. Organ right rear.
Again nice bass with sub.
Wind blows across the rears.
Bvox start front left and right, and then come in the sides as well.
Nice mix

Goodnight tonight
Percussion nice effect either side in the rears.
Tuned sticks front.
Again nice bass.
Bvox across middle.
Organ front.
Synth zap left rear, and whooshes to right rear.
Gtr front left, and right rear. Effective.
Cymbal left side.
The delay section has some really nice effects in the surround field.
The instrumental section is very cool.
"I gotta go home" rears.
Good mix, and quite interesting mix.

Waterfalls
Electric piano across front.
Synths in the rears.
Always liked this song, and it is a fairly sparse track, but it works on surround with the way it is done.
Bird noises rears.

My love
Strings across rears.
Drums and bass uo front.
Bvox sort of fronts and rears.
Lead guitar right front feed to right rear.
Cymbals in rears.
Keys front.
Nice mix

C-moon
Piano right rear.
Shaker left side.
Oooo's left rear.
Xylophone front right.
Bvox rears.
Trumpet right rear, with feed to left rear.
Paul really did smoke a lot of weed lol
Goofy little song, pretty effective mix. Actually it is good, and entertaining.

Baby's request
Gtr right rear.
Piano left side.
Lovely bass sound up front.
Synth horn across the middle.
Bvox rears.
Nice mix

Hi hi hi
Slide front right.
Rhythm guitar right rear.
Incidental guitar left rear.
Bass and drums up front.
Bvox rears.
Organ right rear swell, then across the back.

Ebony and ivory.
Synths all round.
Had claps rears.
Bvox acoustic gtr left side.
This is a good mix. Lots of synths, and they are all over the field.
Percussive sounds all round the place. Layered vocal all over the place.
Works well.

Take it away
Tom's in side, very effective opening.
Again nice bass up front.
Horns and bvox rears.
I think there are a couple of drums tracks here. Left side, and also front.
Horns right rear mainly.
Again a good interesting mix.

Mull of Kintyre
Acoustic left side. Also left rear. Also right right rear.
Again nice bass.
Bvox rears.
Swell left side.
Bagpipes rears.
Bvox all round

Helen wheels
Lead gtrs either side rears.
Synth swell in the right rear, with a bit of a lean to the left, nice.
Bvox rears.
Lead gtr left side.
Cymbals on the sides.

I've had enough.
Gtrs either side.
Bass and drums.
Simple but very effective.

Coming up
Gtrs either side.
Unusual wing instrument left rear.
Synth across the back.
This is really a pretty good mix.
A lot of unusual elements in this song, and they are spread around us, in a nice balanced way.

Wonderful Christmas Time.
Synth front
Synth rears.
Sleigh bells rears.
Another synth left side.
Very sparse, but very effective.
Guitar comes in left side.

Ok I'm going to leave it there this morning.....
Some thoughts.
Firstly, Paul, Linda and Denny, revisiting this, this morning, were probably my favourite goofy stoners from the seventies. It's reflected in the videos and the music and the general happy-go-lucky way they went about just about everything.
Secondly, with the overwhelmingly over the top worship the Beatles and McCartney get, particularly on this forum, it is easy to forget how many really good songs McCartney wrote. Certainly there is some goofy stuff, but that goofiness is either going to make his style endearing or annoying to you. For me it is endearing. There isn't anything here that I dislike on the first disc, and some of the stuff I really love. The guy was/is a great songwriter, and a fun, goofy musician who likes to follow his own path, and do whatever, at any given time.
Initially when I started listening to the disc, I had a bit of an "oh no, it's one of those pretend 5.1 mixes.... but it isn't.... I think Tug Of War has some elements central, or not quite completely discrete, but when I listened closer there were certainly discrete elements. As the disc went on, it became clear that this has been properly mixed to 5.1.
For the most part the mixes are very good, and generally interesting, but not state of the art. I enjoyed the listen I had this morning, and I feel that anyone that likes McCartney, and Wings, is going to enjoy this.

There is quite a remarkable amount of material on here ... and for the record when the last video finished, it went straight into the extras and the Eleanors's Dream section started. Paul spoke about the song, and looking to the future and such and then the, I assume, new version from some other project started playing.

I would assume this is an essential purchase for any McCartney fan. I think the surround mixes are satisfying, and I think it is good value really.
Not really sure what else to say. I am happy I have it, and I am happy that it is still available.
My problem with it, I suppose, is I am generally someone that listens to albums and not compiles. I rarely get the feeling I want to watch videos, and I wasn't really watching the videos this morning, but whenever I opened my eyes there was a nice memory on the screen from my youth .... So really this is something that I do really like, and I think it is pretty comprehensive and well done, but not something I am going to watch/listen to frequently, and that's a shame, because as I say, it is really pretty good. I wish he had released his albums in 5.1. (separately from those boxes ).

 

Mark, for Head Hunters, I have the Analogue Productions SACD from 2016. CAPJ 084 SA, Columbia ‎– CAPJ 084 SA is the listing from Discogs.

It's also in Quad, and based on your write-up above, I can't really discern much difference. Obviously, we're limited by not having both in the same room.

But I'll just add that it's a super enjoyable album to listen to, and you know what pairs up nicely with it? Jeff Beck's Blow By Blow. It's just a guess, but I'm betting J. Beck was influenced by Head Hunters.

 

At War with the Mystics



Studio album by the Flaming Lips
Released April 3, 2006
Recorded June 2004 – January 2006
Studio Tarbox Road Studios, Cassadaga, New York
Genre Psychedelic rock, dream pop, neo-psychedelia, space rock
Length 54:53
Label Warner Bros.
Producer The Flaming Lips, Dave Fridmann, Scott Booker

At War with the Mystics is the eleventh studio album by American rock band the Flaming Lips, released on April 3, 2006 by Warner Bros. Records. The album is more guitar-driven and features more politically themed lyrics than the band's previous two albums The Soft Bulletin (1999) and Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots (2002). At War with the Mystics won a 2006 Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical, and was also nominated for Best Alternative Album.

Personnel
Wayne Coyne – vocals, guitars, keyboards, mixing, production
Steven Drozd – guitars, bass, keyboards, drums, vocals, mixing, production
Michael Ivins – bass, keyboards, backing vocals, mixing, production, additional engineering
Kliph Scurlock – drums, percussion

Track listing
No. Title Length
1. "The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song (With All Your Power)" 4:51
2. "Free Radicals (A Hallucination of the Christmas Skeleton Pleading with a Suicide Bomber)" 3:39
3. "The Sound of Failure / It's Dark... Is It Always This Dark??" 7:18
4. "My Cosmic Autumn Rebellion (The Inner Life as Blazing Shield of Defiance and Optimism as Celestial Spear of Action)" 4:48
5. "Vein of Stars" 4:15
6. "The Wizard Turns On... The Giant Silver Flashlight And Puts On His Werewolf Moccasins" 3:41
7. "It Overtakes Me / The Stars Are So Big... I Am So Small... Do I Stand a Chance?" 6:50
8. "Mr. Ambulance Driver" 4:21
9. "Haven't Got a Clue" 3:23
10. "The W.A.N.D. (The Will Always Negates Defeat)" 3:44
11. "Pompeii am Götterdämmerung" 4:22
12. "Goin' On" 3:39
_______

The surround mix is on a two disc cd/DVD. The DVD has both DVD-A and DVD-V sections; the 5.1 format is PCM. It’s out of print, but used copies are not expensive. Discogs.

5.1 mix by Dave Fridmann

"The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song (With All Your Power)"
This has much more of s soundstage than Yoshimi ever did – bass, drums, and vocals mostly in front, with synth and guitar in the rears. The surround show comes near the end with circulating vocals and synth.

"Free Radicals”
Starts with circulating synth, then guitar in rear with chanting vocals and percussion in front.

"The Sound of Failure"
Pretty complicated mix with drums mainly rear left. Mellotron in surround, guitar on right. Vocals still mostly in front – left and right. Backing vocals in rear. Bass drum in surround which is very cool. A guitar heavy passage that is almost entirely in the rear. Song finishes with slow synth passage with lots of movement in surround.

"My Cosmic Autumn Rebellion”
Synthetic surroundscape, vocals come in front after about 45 seconds. Guitar and drums come in the third minute – mostly in front, but with a little drum reverb in the rear.

"Vein of Stars"
Left and right synth – more to the rear on the left and the front on the right. Vocals in center and rear. Acoustic guitar rear left, keyboards on right, electric guitar in front.

"The Wizard Turns On"
Start with another very cool synth passage in surround. Drums and keyboards start in at 45 seconds. Guitar in front at the third minute. Mostly instrumental - brief guttural vocal near end. Ends with just synth is surround. Awesome surround track.

"It Overtakes Me"
Bass line in surround. Percussion left rear, clapping right rear, vocals in front, A little guitar on the right, synth on the left. The mix then gets very busy, can’t track it. Vocals all over. Three minutes in slows down to a surroundscape with some choral vocals in the rear. Then vocals with lyrics in front. In the fifth minute that gives way to left and right acoustic guitars. After a minute of that, the songs ends with a synth surroundscape.

"Mr. Ambulance Driver"
Ambulance in surround with some more synth thrown in for good measure. Then guitar left, keyboards front, mellotron right. Then vocals in front, then drums in front, and bass in surround again.

"Haven't Got a Clue"
Meandering synth and backing vocals in surround, lead vocals in front. Another very busy mix, and this is first time I’m inclined to call it an audio collage.

"The W.A.N.D. "
Starts with a little percussion in front and guitar rear left. Lead vocals in front, synth and backing vocals all over again. No sound stage to speak of here either.

"Pompeii am Götterdämmerung"
Percussion in front then keyboards in front and back. Bass in surround. Vocals in front. The pace picks up and the song is sounding very Floydish. Guitar front left to finish it off

"Goin' On"
Lead vocals front center, keyboards front right. Drums in surround, backing vocals rear, guitar on left, organ right. Mellotron in rear. Ends with synth surroundscape, which seems like the right way to finish the album.
_________

This is one of the first 5.1s I ever got and I like it much better than Yoshimi. The songs are more accessible and the surround mix is very adventurous; usually without losing all semblance of a sound stage. The stretch of songs from “The Sound of Failure” to “The Wizard Turns On” all have some pretty fantastic surround. I guess I won’t call this album a surround classic, but’s close. (2/3)

 

Love


Soundtrack album / Remix album by
the Beatles
Released 20 November 2006
Recorded 1963–1969
Studio EMI, Trident, Olympic and Apple studios, London,
EMI Studios, Bombay and Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles; mixed 2004–2006 at Abbey Road Studios
Genre Rock
Length 78:38 (CD)
80:28 (DVD-Audio)
86:41 (iTunes)
Label Apple/Capitol/Parlophone
Producer George Martin, Giles Martin
Compiler George Martin

Love is a soundtrack remix album of music recorded by the Beatles, released in November 2006. It features music compiled and remixed as a mashup for the Cirque du Soleil show of the same name. The album was produced by George Martin and his son Giles Martin, who said, "What people will be hearing on the album is a new experience, a way of re-living the whole Beatles musical lifespan in a very condensed period."[1]

The album was also George Martin's final album as a producer before his death in 2016.

George Martin and his son Giles began work on Love after obtaining permission from Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison (the latter two representing the estates of John Lennon and George Harrison, respectively).[1] The idea for using the Beatles' music in a Cirque du Soleil production had originally come from Harrison, who died in November 2001,[16][17] through his friendship with the company's founder, Guy Laliberté.[15]

Speaking to Mojo editor Jim Irvin in December 2006, Giles Martin said that he first created a demo combining "Within You Without You" with "Tomorrow Never Knows", which he then nervously presented to McCartney and Starr for their approval. In Martin's recollection, "they loved it", with McCartney saying: "This is what we should be doing, more of this."[18]

In discussing the project, Giles Martin noted that elements were used from recordings in the Beatles catalogue, "the original four tracks, eight tracks and two tracks and used this palette of sounds and music to create a soundbed".[1] Because he was concerned that they might not get the green light to proceed with Love, he began by making digital back-ups of the original multi-track recordings, just to get started on the project. He also said that he and his father mixed more music than was eventually released, including "She's Leaving Home" and a version of "Girl" that he was particularly fond of, which was eventually released in 2011 as a bonus track on the album on iTunes.[19]

McCartney and Starr both responded very positively to the completed album. McCartney said that it "puts The Beatles back together again, because suddenly there's John and George with me and Ringo". Starr commended the Martins for their work, adding that Love was "really powerful for me and I even heard things I'd forgotten we'd recorded".[20][21]

Love was first played publicly on Virgin Radio's The Geoff Show. DJ Geoff Lloyd, the show's host, chose to play the entire work uninterrupted, to allow younger fans to experience an album premiere.[22]

Love placed at number 3 in the UK Albums Chart during its first week of release, trailing Westlife's The Love Album and Oasis' Stop the Clocks compilation.[23] It was also successful in the United States, debuting at number 4 on the Billboard 200, where it was certified Platinum in late 2006.[24] At the 50th Grammy Awards on 10 February 2008, the album won Grammys in two categories – Best Compilation Soundtrack Album and Best Surround Sound Album.

Love contains elements from 130 individual commercially released and demo recordings of the Beatles,[25] and is a complex remix and polymix of multiple songs known as a mashup.[26] While a complete list has not been disclosed, highlights of how the elements were mixed have been noted by the press.

• "Because" – An interview in Entertainment Weekly revealed that the opening track includes the bird sounds used in the World Wildlife Fund version of "Across the Universe", as well as "Free as a Bird" .[27] In addition, a new recording of a wood pigeon was implemented "to make it more British", according to George Martin.[27]
• "Get Back" – As reported, the track uses the opening guitar chord from "A Hard Day's Night", the drum and guitar solos from "The End", percussion from "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)", and the orchestral swell from "A Day in the Life".[28][29]
• "Glass Onion" – The track contains McCartney's falsetto "Oh, no" and "Hello, hello" both from "Hello, Goodbye", guitar from "Things We Said Today", violin from "All You Need Is Love", brass from "Magical Mystery Tour" and "Penny Lane" and sound effects from "Only a Northern Song".[30]
• "I Want to Hold Your Hand" – In an interview, George and Giles Martin stated that elements from both the studio recording and the Hollywood Bowl live performance were used in the 5.1 surround sound mix.[27]
• "Drive My Car/The Word/What You're Doing" – The medley features the guitar solo from "Taxman" and the horn section from "Savoy Truffle".[3][31][32] According to an interview with George and Giles Martin, they also remixed keyboards from "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and backing vocals from "Helter Skelter" into the track.[33]
• "Gnik Nus" – The track contains the vocal arrangement of "Sun King" played in reverse[31] and accompanied by tambura drone.[34]
• "Something" (with "Blue Jay Way" transition) – The track contains vocal elements from "Nowhere Man".[26]
• "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!/I Want You (She's So Heavy)/Helter Skelter" – The track contains the whole of "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!", the guitars from "I Want You (She's So Heavy)", and heavily delayed vocals from "Helter Skelter". This track also includes horse sounds from "Good Morning, Good Morning", harmonium and other elements from "Cry Baby Cry" and laughter from "Piggies".[35]
• "Strawberry Fields Forever" – This version builds from an acoustic demo[36] to incorporate sections of take 1 of the song (including harmony vocals that were cut from the edit of take 1 issued on the 1996 Anthology 2 compilation) and take 26.[37] At the end of the track, it includes the orchestral section from "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", the piano solo from "In My Life", the brass included in "Penny Lane", the cello and harpsichord from "Piggies", and the coda of "Hello, Goodbye".[31] According to author John Winn, part of "I'm Only Sleeping" also appears in the closing mashup.[38]
• "Within You Without You/Tomorrow Never Knows" – This track combines the vocals and the dilruba from "Within You Without You" with the bass and drums from "Tomorrow Never Knows".[29]
• "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" – This track contains the drum roll from "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!", the clavioline from "Baby, You're a Rich Man", horns, guitars, bass and drums from "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", and sound effects from "Tomorrow Never Knows".[39]
• "Octopus's Garden" – This track contains the string arrangement from "Good Night", sound effects and vocal elements from "Yellow Submarine", and elements from "Lovely Rita", "Helter Skelter" and "Sun King".[29][31]
• "Lady Madonna" – The song includes the percussion intro from "Why Don't We Do It in the Road?", the piano from "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da", the guitar riff from "Hey Bulldog", Billy Preston's organ solo from "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" and Eric Clapton's guitar solo from "While My Guitar Gently Weeps".[40][41]
• "Here Comes the Sun" (with "The Inner Light" transition) – As mentioned by Giles Martin, the track includes tabla from "Within You Without You", backing vocals from "Oh! Darling" and a bass line from "I Want You (She's So Heavy)".[42]
• "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" – A BBC article reported that George Martin chose to use an early version of the recording for the album and wrote a new orchestral backing for the track, which according to Martin's section in the Love liner notes is his final Beatles string arrangement; the demo version used is found on Anthology 3. This was also stated in the fifth chapter of The Beatles 'LOVE' Podcast.[36][43]
• "All You Need Is Love" – This track is mostly unchanged until the fade out, which contains vocals from "Baby, You're a Rich Man", "Rain" and "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and the guitar riff from "Ticket to Ride", as well as elements of "Let It Be". The track ends with orchestration from "Good Night" and the sign off from The Beatles Third Christmas Record.[30]

The DVD-Audio and iTunes releases contain longer versions of "Revolution" and "Back in the U.S.S.R.", increasing the total running time by about two minutes. All tracks written by Lennon–McCartney, except where noted.

1. "Because" – 2:44
2. "Get Back" – 2:05
3. "Glass Onion" – 1:20
4. "Eleanor Rigby" (with "Julia" transition) – 3:05
5. "I Am the Walrus" – 4:28
6. "I Want to Hold Your Hand" – 1:22
7. "Drive My Car/The Word/What You're Doing" – 1:54
8. "Gnik Nus" – 0:55
9. "Something" (with "Blue Jay Way" transition) (George Harrison) – 3:29
10. "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!/I Want You (She's So Heavy)/Helter Skelter" – 3:22
11. "Help!" – 2:18
12. "Blackbird/Yesterday" – 2:31
13. "Strawberry Fields Forever" – 4:31
14. "Within You Without You/Tomorrow Never Knows" (Harrison/Lennon–McCartney) – 3:07
15. "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" – 4:10
16. "Octopus's Garden" (Richard Starkey) – 3:18
17. "Lady Madonna" – 2:56
18. "Here Comes the Sun" (with "The Inner Light" transition) (Harrison) – 4:18
19. "Come Together/Dear Prudence" (with "Cry Baby Cry" transition) – 4:45
20. "Revolution" – 2:14 (CD version) / 3:23 (DVD and iTunes version)
21. "Back in the U.S.S.R." – 1:53 (CD version) / 2:34 (DVD and iTunes version)
22. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" (Harrison) – 3:46
23. "A Day in the Life" – 5:08
24. "Hey Jude" – 3:58
25. "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)" – 1:22
26. "All You Need Is Love" – 3:39

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To some degree this is/was a quite controversial release for many. The idea of anyone touching anything the Beatles ever did, or even looking in its general direction is seen by many old school Beatle fans as some kind of blasphemous atrocity, and all involved should be murdered slowly on public television ... lol I am a little less dogmatic about the whole thing. I have all the albums and know what the original stereo and mono releases sound like, and they aren't going anywhere, so I really don't see the big deal.
In reality Love introduced a whole new generation to the band, via the popularity of Cirque Du Soleil, and this being a widely available rearrangement of the Beatles catalog. I personally know younger people that heard this and developed a love for the band, because this didn't sound as old and out of touch as the original recordings, from their perspective...

For those unfamiliar with this, it is not like Stars On 45! It is actually quite artistically and tastefully done .... it just needs the seasoned Beatles listener to go in aware of what this is, and what it isn't.

My perspective was slightly different. I was used to the originals and I really wasn't sure what to make of this "mash up".... I wasn't offended on any level, as I say, I had all the albums, and my initial reason for getting this was to have some Beatles in surround, because at that stage it seemed incredibly unlikely that we would ever get anything.... how times change.

To some degree I have softened to this release over the years and seen it for what it is, an aside, a soundtrack, something a little different, something that when listened to in context is a nice variation and a well presented collection of Beatles music, in an unusual format/style. It is very well done. Taking a lead break from one song and putting it in another merging bits and pieces here and there to create something different. It is a nice alternative,

To a degree when I first got it, I knew nothing about the show or Cirque Du Soleil ... I just saw all those Beatles songs in 5.1 and thought " I have to have this" and really my initial disappointment was because I wasn't expecting what I got... I had sort of assumed that they were all full songs and merged in some kind of Pink Floyd album sequencing way, but of course that isn't the case.

This is a very different project and if you approach it as not really having anything to do with the Beatles songs as you knew them, it is very enjoyable. It helps a lot that we now have actual Beatles albums coming out in 5.1, because it doesn't feel like we have been given the short shrift, with this as a substitute for that, but now it is something that can sit alongside that, and exist in its own perspective...
I hope all that makes sense. I kind of assume most of you know all about this anyway .....

Still available new cd/dvd-audio
Amazon about $19 https://www.amazon.com/Love-CD-Audio-DVD-Beatles/dp/B000JJS8TM
Music Direct about $25 The Beatles - Love (CD + DVD-AUDIO) | Shop Music Direct
Elusive Disc $25 The Beatles Love (Special Edition) Multi-CH DVD-A & CD
Ebay about $21 LOVE [Bonus DVD] by The Beatles (CD, Nov-2006, 2 Discs) for sale online | eBay
Disocgs from about $4 The Beatles - Love

Produced by George and Giles Martin
Remix engineer Paul Hicks
Assisted By Chris Bolster, Mirek Stiles and Sam Okell
Protools Programming and Sequencing Giles Martin
assisted by Paul Hicks
Technical assistant Richard Barris
Mastered by Tim Young

So we have the same Paul Hicks here as on the McCartney set, which is interesting, and it seems like the 5.1 mix was somewhat of a community effort, and when one looks at how much mixing and mashing goes on on this album, that isn't really surprising.

Anyway, it is a long while since I have listened to this.... Initially when I bought it, I liked the 5.1 mix, but just wasn't really happy with what was on it, and I actually ended up selling it. I re-bought it a couple of years ago, and enjoyed it for what it was, not what it wasn't.

Anyway, lets have a listen.

Because
This is an acapella mix of the track, it sounds really nice, and it ends with the Pepper crescendo.
The vocals are in a 180 degree field, it sounds very good, and is a really nice variation to the original.

Get Back
The paper crescendo continues and the hard days night opening chord comes in at the start of this and get back comes in.
The Pepper crescendo ends before the vocal starts.
This is the kind of thing we get all through this. It is a melding of different sections of different songs, overlayed and mixed together, with different bits of different songs smoothly and really, quite logically and cleverly put together.
Orchestra in the back. Rhythm gtr right side. Lead guitar left side.
Strings come back in in the rear.
Cymbals on the rears.
Keys across the front.
Nice bass and drums up front, with nice sub assist

Glass Onion
We move uncut into this.
Effects all around us.
Penny lane bits left side.
All sorts if stuff going on.
A snippet of the song really with a sound effects fade, that leads directly into

Eleanor Rigby/Julia
Nice reverse reverb effect on vox.
Two different strings parts either side elongated instrumental opening.
Man, bring on Revolver.
Excellent mix
Bvox sides
Reverse reverb effect on the ahhh's lead into the guitar from Julia, sirens slide across us, and

I am The Walrus
Keys front, strings in the sides and rears.
Again a really nice immersive mix.
Cello on the right side.
Cymbals rears.
Sound effects slides across the rear left to right.
Some psychedelic swirl in the english garden.
Percussion rears.
This song is pretty much complete.
Really well done. The crescendo is really excellent and too much going on in it to share really.
Sfx all round, white sound, turns into crowd

I Wanna Hold Your Hand
Snare left and front. Screaming in rears.
This is a full and interesting sound, but hard to define

Drive My Car/The Word/What You're Doing
Guitar comes in over the screams.
Piano right side.
Taxman lead break?
Ahhh's left side, what your doing comes in after lead break, with elements of drive my car involved. The word and drive merge together.
Really immersive and well done

Gnik Nus (Sun King)
A sitar floats from the last track to here, and we get the Sun king vocals in reverse.
This essentially is s lead on to

Something/Blue Jay Way
We open with a beautiful, ethereal start to the song with just George and the strings.
The drums come in with the first fill.
Strings either side rears.
Guitar either side.
Percussion rears.
Again very immersive, and very different, and very good.
This is the complete song for the most part.
An organ holds a note as we slide into something else with a distant nowhere man vocal and a surrounding of sfx.

Being For The Benefit Of Mr Kite/I Want You (She's So Heavy)/Helter Skelter
Straight on Mr Kite.
Organ in the rears.
The sound is really very good.
Nice somewhat psychedelic instrumental section all around us.
My kite tops the bill and we slide into the I want you outro.
This is all quite beautifully immersive, with the McCartney helter skelter vocal colliding with the emerging of the I want you outro and the Mr Kite sfx
We get a dead stop and the sound of ai . Straight into

Help
Acoustic rhythm right rear.
Another rhythm guitar left side.
Sounds pretty good.
Interesting mix, and sounds good. Makes it seem like the earlier albums are a posdibility.
The whole song, with a proper finish.

Blackbird/Yesterday
The guitar section from Blackbird leads directly into yesterday.
Guitar right side. Strings left side.
Nicely immersive.

Strawberry Fields Forever
We get a John count in, and an acoustic version of Strawberry Fields. A slide guitar comes in.
Bvox in rears.
A variation of the original slowly comes in.
Sitar comes in across the back
Horns in the side.
Strings up front.
This is actually really well done.
Very immersive and the demo moves into a variation of the well known version is really well done we get sgt Pepper bit, penny lane bit, piggies bit, the morph and merge in this works really well and we get a Hello goodbye outro.
I get the impression John would have liked this.

Within You Without You/Tomorrow Never Knows
Sitar comes in with tomorrow never knows vocal effects.
Main vocal comes in, then we move into within you vocal, and the two tracks merge together pretty seamlessly.
Some nice sub.
There is stuff going on everywhere and this is really terribly immersive.
The Tomorrow never knows drums come in and this is just surreal.
We get a collage of effects surrounding us nicely. Keys either side. Lucy is starting up

Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
Lucy takes over.
John front right. Guitar right side.
Floor tom right rear.
Keys left side.
Horns left side.
Pretty much the whole song, with some alterations. Very good mix, and very immersive.
We have a collage of sfx and the lucy keys, the tomorrow never knows weird vox effects.
A string section comes in

Octopus's Garden
The string section to Goodnight, with yellow Submarine effects comes in and Ringo is singing Octopuses garden, the after the verse, the original version if the song starts.
Guitars either side sfx all over the place.
We have layers of all sorts all around us.
Flying? Fade out

Lady Madonna
Percussion all round then we move into the vocal horn section.
Sax left side.
Then the opening piano comes in on the right side.
Percussion in the rears.
Then the guitar comes in on the left.
Then the horns come in also, and suddenly we have the full song, then we get a riff that isn't clicking with me, and a lead break over the mouth horn section.
Sax on the left side, some sound effects

Here Comes The Sun/The Inner Light
Percussion from inner light, over it sun sun sun ... sitar floats on the background.
The original zhere comes the sun guitar over the percussion, then the song proper starts.
Strings in rears.
Gtr left side.
Very immersive, very cleverly manipulated.
Organ on the right.
The build up is very effective with the synth? Fattening it up.
Keys left side.
We move smoothly into an outro

Come Together/Dear Prudence/Cry Baby Cry
Come together comes in as original very smoothly from previous track.
The Abbey road mix is better, but this is effective.
Guitars either side, keys up front.
The mix builds up in the outro with
That is probably the first transition that isn't very smooth

Revolution
Distorted guitar front left.
Guitar left side and right side.
Claps rears.
Keys up front.
Lead guitar rear.
Pretty much the full single
Drum beat comes in sfx and

Back In The USSR
Plane flies across and we're back in the USSR.
Gtrs either side.
Single note lead in the rear.
Another good mix.

While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Acoustic guitars open us up.
One front, one left side. George's vocal up front. Cello right side.
String in sides and rears.
Very effective and immersive, and a really nice variation.
Alternate verse.
Completely different but very good.
John speaks and we get some studio banter and tinkling

A Day In The life
Acoustic guitar and piano
Gtr left side, and right side.
Piano up front.
Again this starts out as a demo.
Ringo comes in left front.
Strings slowly come in. Very different, but good. All around us.
Hats left. Piano front right. Breathing right rear.
Vocal in the rear left. Orchestra builds.
Back to John.
Different mix but we move into the famous crescendo or a variation of it.
Nice punch of sub on the last chord.
Long fade

Hey Jude
Paul's vocal come in.
Piano left side and front.
Bvox rears.
Tambourine just left of front.
Drums left front
Tambourine left rear.
Gtr right side.
A little left sided on the mix because if the percussion but still good.
Then the orchestra come in on the right and balances it.
Then we go percussion and acapella, the bass comes in.
Then we get the orchestra back.
Interesting and different... sort of mimicking a live version.

Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Reprise
Horns from hey Jude still going and Pepper drums start up.
Guitars either side.
Fairly straight rendering of thus track after the beginning.

All You Need Is Love
Horns in rears.
Keys on the left side.
Claps right side.
Bvox right rear but reaching further.
Quite a different mix, but it works.
Strings come in in the rears
Piano front right.
Another collage of sounds, and not just the regular collage.
Then we get a goodnight reprise and the guys talking saying goodnight.

This is a very interesting and adventurous project in every way. There is so much going on, it is very hard to try and translate that while listening to it. I tried, and some of that may be a little smeared as a result.
What I can say, is that is certainly a surround sound mix, and it is very involved on so many levels.
We have pieces of songs merging in and out and coming in from different angles.
We have alternate mixes and demo's put in for even more effect.
There is stuff I couldn't quite pick what it was, and really the hardcore Beatles fan should love this just from the name that tune element involved here.
I understand the horror of some Beatles fans to some degree, because this is really very very different, but it is generally really really well done.
There were a couple of small bits that I didn't think quite worked, but on the whole this is excellent, and it really creates a very different picture of the Beatles.
I imagine some folks that don't really love the Beatles actually may like this, purely because it is so interesting.
Listening again now, I can see that part of my disappointment initially was the fact that so many versions are so very different, and I just wanted some Beatles stuff in surround. Having been able to sit back and let it rest for a while, and particularly having now actually got some Beatles albums in 5.1, this has a completely different perspective for me. I enjoy this as a psychotic gumbo of Beatles sounds and songs, put in a blender and reintroduced in very different ways, all swarming together and apart with very interesting results.
This is not one for the purists. If you think the only Beatles music is the mono mixes and everything else was merely a commercial necessity, then this isn't for you, but I assume you wouldn't be on this thread anyway ...
But if you like the idea of reinterpreted Beatles music using all the multitracks you can get your hands on and blending them into what is essentially a very immersive, often very psychedelic reimagining of Beatles music, then this is probably for you.
I reckon it's very good. It certainly wouldn't replace the original versions of the songs for me, but it is a very nice addition, or change of perspective or whatever.

 

I really enjoy this disc...one of my first surround purchases

Its a FUN disc great surround n only cost me $7 what a bargain

But definitely not for a Beatles fanatic who is only interested in "original " album tracks...im not a Beatles fanatic so I love LOVE

 

The Police ‎– Every Breath You Take The DVD
Label: A&M Records ‎– 069 493 640-9, Chronicles ‎– 069 493 640-9
Format: DVD, DVD-Video, Multichannel, NTSC, Compilation, Stereo
Country: US
Released: 18 Mar 2003
Genre: Rock
Style: Pop Rock



Music Videos
1 Roxanne
2 Can't Stand Losing You
3 Message In A Bottle
4 Walking On The Moon
5 So Lonely
6 Don't Stand So Close To Me
7 De Do Do Do De Da Da Da
8 Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
9 Invisible Sun
10 Spirits In The Material World
11 Every Breath You Take
12 Wrapped Around Your Finger
13 Synchronicity II
14 Don't Stand So Close To Me '86
Bonus Material
Old Grey Whistle Test
15 Can't Stand Losing You
16 Next To You
Police In Montserrat
17 Demolition Man
18 One World (Not Three)
19 Spirits In The Material World
20 Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
-
21 Studies In Synchronicity
----------------------------------

I have always liked the Police. Although many say they were a singles band, and yes they certainly had a lot of successful singles, to me they were an album band through and through. One of my biggest disappointments is that there are none of the bands mega-selling albums available in 5.1 .... at this stage at least.
Outlandos D'amour 1 million US sales (1984)
Regatta De Blanc 1 million US sales (2002)
Zenyatta Mondatta 2 million US sales (2001)
Ghost In The Machine 3 million US sales (2001)
Synchronicity 8 million US sales (2001)
That's a pretty successful album career in my world, and I enjoy the albums, and each album has its own sound and feel..... but anyway. They are just the US figures, and the band was extremely popular the world over.
In the UK four of their five albums were number one albums and the debut went to number 6 ... The Singles collection went to number one, and then later Best of Sting and the Police also Went to number one.
The five studio albums spent a combined total of 276 weeks in the UK top 40 between 79 and 84. The band enjoyed number one albums in the US, UK, Australia, Canada, France, Italy, The Netherlands and New Zealand.
Also back in the day, all their albums were on the best albums of all time lists of the day and through the eighties.... These days not so much, but that is the world of fashion ... I mean music ... Anyway the point being, these guys made great albums, that were recognised as great albums, before the bands legacy had a similar kickback effect from Sting's quirks, as U2 get from Bono's quirks... The industry and media are a strange lethal combination.

So anyway. I sincerely hope one day we get these albums in 5.1, and when we do, yes I will be buying them.

The is a video hits type compilation with some nice little extra features.

Still available
Amazon about $20 https://www.amazon.com/Police-Every-Breath-You-Take/dp/B00008LDZ0
Discogs from about $4 The Police - Every Breath You Take The DVD

Audio engineering John Baker
tracks 1,2,3,4,6,8,10,11,12 5.1 mix by David Tickle, engineer Martin Pradler
tracks 5,7,9,13,14 - 5.1 surround prepared by Bob Ludwig using T.C. electronic unwrap
Mastered by Bob Ludwig

So essentially, it looks like 9 tracks are mixed properly for 5.1 and 5 tracks are digitally engineered 5.1
and it is a bizarre mix of tracks that were digitally engineered for 5.1
So Lonely
De Do Do Do
Invisible Sun
Synchronicity II
Don't Stand So Close To Me '86
So four tracks from four different albums and the stand alone remix.... I wonder if they have some serious archive problems, for there to be such a weird mix of things missing.... anyway.

The 5.1 is Dts or DD

Roxanne
Guitar front left, bass front right drums across the front. Vocals in the stereo field.
Backing vocals in the rears.
The Police generally had fairly sparse arrangements, so that's hardly surprising.
If I was mixing this for 5.1 though I would spread Copeland's kit out more.
Good sound though.

Can't Stand Losing You
Guitar front left and right rear for verses and in right and left rear for choruses.
Bass centre and sounding very good.
Nice sub on kick.
Nice surround effects on the airy instrumental break.
Bvox rears.
Nice sound and mix

Message In a Bottle
Starts all up front. Sub on kick
Bass sounding nice and solid.
We get some guitars in rears. Stab rhythm on right and lead on left.
Nothing super exciting, but pretty solid.

Walking On The Moon
Bass left, guitar right.
Held guitar chords with delay right side.
Delays on the snare come in the rears.
Bass now centre.
Hats left side.
Guitar now mainly right rear, with delay spread.
Not a bad mix. Quite interesting
Synth chord left side

So Lonely*
Bass and kick solid on centre with nice sub assist.
Guitar across the middle.
During lead break rhythm guitar up front, lead across middle towards rears.
As good as if not better than the proper mixes.

Don't Stand So Close To Me
They should have more mix option here, but the synth starts up front.
Again this isn't bad but could and should have been better

De Do Do Do De Da Da Da*
Same story here ....

Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
Hats left rear.
Piano right side.
Gtr left side.
Steel drums left side.
This is a much better piece of work.
Another keyboard left rear.
Kick left side.
With more to work with they have used the channels, but in a weird way. The kick is left side, snare front and cymbal right side. This should have been brilliant. Instead ot is ok and a bit weird.

Invisible Sun*
Bass synth front, chord synth left rear and across back.
Gtr right rear.
Cymbals rears.
Doesn't sound bad, but it does sound generated rather than mixed.

Spirits In The Material World
Synths all round.
Great bassline on this.
Another ok mix essentially.

Every Breath You Take
Guitars in the rears.
Solid bass and drums up front.
Synth across middle.
The change, guitar right rear, melody synth left rear.
Continuous piano chord left side, other piano right side.
This is a much better, more clear mix idea.

Wrapped Around Your Finger
Drums get a nice wide spread here, with the accent tom on the right side. Hats left side.
Hi pitched synth rears.
Sitar-like sound rears.
Synth strings rears.
Delay guitar left rear across soundfield.
Probably the best mix here so far.

Synchronicity II*
Synth sounds either side rears.
Guitars across middle.

Don't Stand So Close To Me '86*
Guitars tight side.
Synth front, another synth left side.
Arpeggio guitar rears.
This sounds pretty decent.

The two old grey whistle test tracks are a nice stereo live document.

Montserrat is a documentary type thing.
It starts as a goofy guy introducing folks to what montserrat is all about in a moderately amusing manner.
7 minutes of tourist guide waffle and then Sting speaks for a second and then Deomlition man shot in the studio video.
Andy shows us some of his effects and such.
The goofy guy plays some pretty good piano and Andy rolls some blues slide guitar.
One world in studio video.
Once the introduction silliness is done it ends up being pretty good.

Look this may well be a dvd that will interest someone who likes the videos, and is interested in the Montserrat doco, but this isn't really one to get for the surround mixes.
It's pretty good, but not something I am going to watch much. I like the Police videos, they are pretty goofy themselves and I do love the music, but the 5.1 here, for me at least is perfunctory, and aside from a few fairly decent spots, isn't really going to satisfy the surround fan.

 

I may get another one in today, but while I am thinking about it ...

Next Sunday I am not going to be on here, and perhaps the Sunday after.

Perhaps someone would like to do a run through of Beck's Sea Change or Guero?
I'm sure @riskylogic has something up his sleeve.

Anyway I will see you in a Sunday or two, and hopefully by then my damn Doobies will have arrived!

 

I did put Peter Gabriel Play on the list last week, as I had forgotten that Risky had done it on his video thread.

Here is his Review Of Play- The Videos

I really like this disc, and aside from some minor ageing issues that video can have, find the quality level to be top notch.
The surround mixes are excellent, and in some instances, Games Without Frontiers for example, completely different.
I reckon a Peter Gabriel fan would love this, and I think most folks would be very satisfied with the videos and the surround mix.

 

Does your copy have a burst of diginoise on the DTS track?
I think it was on mean to me but its so long ago...

i may have already asked and forgotten about it
So apologies in advance

 

Re: Police

they used what they could from the DTS CD 5.1 mixes

De Do Do Do De Da Da multitrack is missing
The DTS cd used an alternate take

invisible Sun , the existing 5.1 mix couldn’t be used because the video mix is unique and has Sting singing the refrain from wouldn’t it be lovely at the end

for the remaining tracks it was pure laziness,
so lonely, synchronicity II and don’t stand ‘86 weren’t previously mixed for inclusion on the dts cds

so great to hear Roxanne without the pitch issue at the start and can’t stand losing without the bad patch from a needledrop!

 

I think this was my first sourround disc and is probably still my favorite. As you note you just have to go in knowing your getting something different. Essentially a new work of art not the original songs in surround. I think what was created is an awesome homage to the Beatles and their legacy. The surround mix is superb and enveloping without being gimmicky. This is an introductory gateway drug to the original songs for new generations. I got to see the live show in Vegas and it also was outstanding! I highly recommend going if one has the opportunity!

 

I have the Police Every Breath you Take multichannel SACD. Is the DVD the same mix? If not which is better? Do I need the DVD also?

 

Good info here...

 

I did not see an answer to that question, in that post.....it is mostly about the SACD, not the DVD

I did find this:

2000 = DTS CD (12 tracks),
2003 = SACD (14 tracks; adds Don't Stand So Close To Me '86 & Message In A Bottle New Classic Rock Mix),
2003 = DVD (DTS) (14 tracks; same as SACD + OGWT + Montserrat)

 

I’m going the play the crabby old purist concerning Love. Although they did a really good job on the mix, I f’n hate it. It is what it is- a Vegas show. I listened to it a couple of times and it just made me want the entire catalog in surround and pissed me off when the one song would fade into another.

There, now you kids get off my lawn!!!

 

I don't think the surround on the dvd is worth worrying about personally

 

Sadly yes.

 

The Beatles' Love remain one of the best ways to demo a surround system ... if you're selling one (or selling one to yourself). This is one of the most whizz-bang surround mixes out there but it's been out a while and has it lost its state-of-the-art impact?

The curtain-raiser is the a capella “Because” leading into the “lots of samples” introduction to “Get Back”. I won't be noting all the many times that Giles Martin floats in something from another Beatles track, but for those of us who don't mind our Fab Four scrambled, it's a lot of fun. Importantly, the core instrumental track of “Get Back” sounds solid and weighty and the segue into “Glass Onion” is very satisfying. I like that they didn't stick to the most famous songs for this album.

The strings from “Eleanor Rigby” always sound great in isolation and the vocals are glued to the centre channel (unlike the stereo mix where they jump-pan in a glitchy fashion). This is one of the songs, I think, that had multi-channel fans slavering for a full remix of the catalogue. The guitar arpeggio from “Julia” pans left to right, taking its own good time about it. Now it's “I Am The Walrus”, whose psychedelic excesses are, of course, perfect for this project. Brass rear left, violins left, cellos rear right: the details of the arrangement are much easier to make out in surround.

Screaming fans send us back in time for “I Want To Hold Your Hand” with a very convincing live sound. The drums are front right: unusual today to hear them treated like that, but it works. Now “Drive My Car/The Word/What You’re Doing” (anyone remember “Stars on 45”?): it's a Beatles dance party!

“Gnik Nus” gives us more of those harmony vocals, sounding satisfyingly alien here and resetting the ear. “Something” sounds great, of course, with the vocal intimately centred in an enormous wraparound string arrangement. The album can sometimes sound quite reverential when dealing with a song as storied as this. The transition that follows is a bit of dog's dinner, unfortunately.

It was a bold decision to crush “Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite”, “I Want You (She's So Heavy)” and “Helter Skelter” into less than three and a half minutes; the latter two get short shrift of course, though the bass guitar sounds great in “Mr. Kite”. A bit disappointing.

Back to the early material again with “Help!”, which gets a very clean performance. “Blackbird/Yesterday” is, I suppose, an obvious pairing but we get frustratingly little of the former. “Strawberry Field Forever” is another collage ... despite not being a purist I do find it has too many other songs floated into it. The drums are almost annoyingly prominent.

Time to light up for “Within You Without You” and “Tomorrow Never Knows”: these two work well together and this is a bit of a highlight thanks to the way that the “TNK” rhythm track synergises with “WYWY”. Nice panning effects as “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” arrives: one for the electronic music fans maybe? Hmm, this is a lot of Beatles and quite a fatiguing listen; I can see why I don't listen to Love complete very often. The string orchestra from “Goodnight” segues into isolated vocals from “Octopus's Garden” ... it's a relief when the song proper starts although the panned effects here don't add a lot other than reminding the listener that this is a soundtrack to be accompanied with visuals.

“Lady Madonna” gets quite a cool percussive opening before the proper start kicks in and then we get “Hey Bulldog” for a while, which is always welcome. I'm not sure that the “With You Without You” reprise helps “Here Comes The Sun” much but we get that song fairly clean. “Come Together” always sounds great and it does here, with bass groove having impressive depth and the drums in the right front well separated. Another good advert for The Beatles' catalogue getting a full remix, but I may not live that long. “Revolution” is as odious as ever with its fuzz guitars: if you like the song I can't see why you wouldn't also like this version, but it's just not my bag, Man.

After “Back In The USSR” we get a version of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” with a fresh George Martin string arrangement that, to my taste, is better than the White Album version, but obviously I'm way out on a limb saying that. Ah, “A Day In The Life” ... the orchestra is mixed in the left rear, which is an interesting choice, but I'm not saying that it doesn't work, and the pianos are aptly everywhere at the end.

Encores now I guess: “Hey Jude” is to me rather overplayed so I can almost see an argument for this abbreviated edit. I imagine that it went well at the original show and the breakdown is fun. “Sgt. Pepper’s” reprise means it's time to get your coats on for the journey home, but remember: “All You Need Is Love”.

Rather like the White Album (on which it leans surprisingly heavily) Love is asks what can be done before it asks what should be done. That's its strength but also ultimately its weakness because seventy minutes of relentlessly attention-seeking multichannel is too much: I felt exhausted half an hour before the end. The results is an album with some very fine stretches that I'll be relieved to put back in its sleeve until the next time I want some surround fireworks.