Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by mark winstanley, Jun 15, 2019.

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  1. Hymie the Robot

    Hymie the Robot Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    .
    AP didn't mix WYWH. His quad mix of DSOTM is great.

    Edit...after reading your post slower I realized that isn't what you meant.

    Both 5.1 mixes you are comparing are the same James Guthrie mix on different formats.

    I stand by my DSOTM comment that Alan Parsons quad mix is the best of the bunch...
     
  2. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    I know. I have it at home, bought it on ebay
     
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  3. Pauljw

    Pauljw Forum Resident

    Location:
    NY
    Thanks for your candid review. Maybe you can turn down the treble a little?
     
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  4. jeffreybh

    jeffreybh Gunter Gleiben Glauchen Globen

    Location:
    Texas
    Yes. If you love the song as you mention, It is that good and worth it IMHO. It is the only reason I bought Reverb/eration and was not disappointed.
     
  5. Pauljw

    Pauljw Forum Resident

    Location:
    NY
    So spending 100+ bucks for the DSOTM Immersion box is the only way to get the Alan Parsons quad mix? Or is there another way.

    Btw I have the Chicago Quadio box set. Luckily I paid 116.99 for it in November 2018. The mixes on all discs are superb. Its what "quad" should sound like.
     
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  6. Pauljw

    Pauljw Forum Resident

    Location:
    NY
    I have been thinking about it. Thanks for the message. Is there a realization of separation of all the layers of sound on Echoes making it sound much different from the stereo version?
     
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  7. jeffreybh

    jeffreybh Gunter Gleiben Glauchen Globen

    Location:
    Texas
    Yes it is pretty discrete so you will hear separation of all the layers of sounds that is very different opening up to a different experience than the stereo version. Everyone will have thier own opinion of course, but this one to me is night and day. The stereo is beautiful the quad is sublime.
     
  8. Pauljw

    Pauljw Forum Resident

    Location:
    NY
    Thanks for this. I have ordered Reverber/ation. I can't wait to listen to it on my surround system while enjoying a dram of The Glenlivet.
     
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  9. Pauljw

    Pauljw Forum Resident

    Location:
    NY
    I want to thank all the members for their contributions and introduce myself.

    My name is Paul and I am a born and raised New Yorker. I have about 1000+ CD's (I stopped counting a few years ago). I would say 70 - 75% are jazz and the rest rock. I know we have been discussing rock but I am sure there are many jazz fans amongst you guys.

    Its good to find a forum with good feedback.
     
  10. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    G'day Paul, welcome to the thread, and to the forum.
    We've covered a few jazz titles, back on the thread guide you'll find them.
    Please feel free to give any opinions you have on the titles we have already looked at.
     
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  11. Vaughan

    Vaughan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Essex, UK
    [​IMG]

    Mode Records have various DVD's available, but since I hadn't resurrected my Surround system until recently, I always steered toward their CD's.

    Now this music isn't for everyone (obviously), but if you're a fan this is a must have. Don't expect lots of bells and whistles and swirling about, this disc is one of the "surround you with the orchestra" type experiences. But for all that, it's wonderful. Parts of this performance are quite dense, so the Surround mix opens it up and allows you to take in all that is there.

    Not casual listening, but for those into modern classical this one can be had for relatively little money (I had a couple £ more than the CD costs).

    This is a DVD-V, so if you want to watch the performance you can do that too. It also includes 30 minutes of featurettes.
     
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  12. stereoptic

    stereoptic Anaglyphic GORT Staff

    Location:
    NY
    The Quad mix is funkier!
     
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  13. Pauljw

    Pauljw Forum Resident

    Location:
    NY
    Quad mix of Meddle?
     
  14. tlake6659

    tlake6659 Senior Member

    Location:
    NJ
    Just echoes was mixed in quad
     
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  15. Vaughan

    Vaughan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Essex, UK
    Welcome to my Nightmare (Alice Cooper) DVD-A 5.1

    Playing this for the first time tonight. A very nice, clean sounding disc. They don't go mad with the surround, but it does the job of opening things up.

    I hadn't read about this disc prior to buying it, so when Devil's Food started with completely different lyrics I was like, "wtf?!?"

    I subsequently read they used some of the backing tracks from a TV performance (and in the case of DF, a whole new version), which explains a few jarring moments where you anticipate something, only to get something else. I guess you could go either way on this one. If you're a slave to the original vinyl, then stay away. Personally I'm kind of digging that it's different, though I won't lie, I want my Devil's Food back. :D

    Oh, and this album hasn't aged a day to my ears. 1975, damn!
     
  16. J_D__

    J_D__ Senior Member

    Location:
    Huntersville, NC
    The 5.1 mix ROCKS!
     
  17. Juggsnelson

    Juggsnelson Senior Member

    Location:
    Long Island
    The 5.1 mix really opens it up and it sounds great!!! No crazy trickery going on, just a more detailed version of this classic album.
     
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  18. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    Toulouse Street

    [​IMG]
    Studio album by
    The Doobie Brothers
    Released
    July 1, 1972
    Recorded 1972
    Studio Warner Bros. Studios, North Hollywood and Wally Heider Studios, San Francisco
    Genre Rock
    Length 35:33
    Label Warner Bros.
    Producer Ted Templeman

    Toulouse Street is the second studio album by American rock band The Doobie Brothers. The album was released on July 1, 1972, by Warner Bros. Records. It was their first album with new bassist Tiran Porter and second drummer Michael Hossack to augment existing drummer John Hartman, so it meant that they now had their trademark twin-drummer sound. Toulouse Street is the name of a street in the French Quarter of New Orleans. The cover and inside centerfold photos were taken at a former brothel on Toulouse Street.

    Additional personnel:
    • Bill Paynepiano on "Rockin' Down the Highway" and "Don't Start Me to Talkin'", organ on "Cotton Mouth" and "Jesus Is Just Alright"
    • Dave Shogren – bass and acoustic guitar on "Toulouse Street", backing vocals on "White Sun"
    • Jerry Jumonvilletenor saxophone on "Cotton Mouth" and "Don't Start Me to Talkin'"
    • Jon Robert Smithtenor saxophone on "Cotton Mouth" and "Don't Start Me to Talkin'"
    • Joe Lane Davis – baritone saxophone on "Cotton Mouth" and "Don't Start Me to Talkin'"
    • Sherman Marshall Cyr – trumpet on "Cotton Mouth" and "Don't Start Me to Talkin'"
    • Ted Templeman – additional percussion
    • uncreditedflute on "Toulouse Street"
    Production
    • Producer: Ted Templeman
    • Associate Producers on Tracks 4, 8 & 10: Stephen Barncard and Marty Cohn
    • Engineer: Stephen Barncard, Marty Cohn, Donn Landee
    • Production Coordination: Benita Brazier
    • Design: Barbara Casado, John Casado
    • Remastering: Lee Herschberg
    • Photography: Jill Maggid, Michael Maggid
    • Art Direction: Ed Thrasher
    • Horn Arrangements on Tracks 5 & 6 : Jerry Jumonville
    1. "Listen to the Music" Tom Johnston / vocals - Tom Johnston, Pat Simmons 4:44
    2. "Rockin' Down the Highway" Johnston / vocals - Johnston 3:18
    3. "Mamaloi" Patrick Simmons / vocals - Johnston 2:28
    4. "Toulouse Street" Simmons / vocals - Simmons 3:20
    5. "Cotton Mouth" James Seals, Darrell Crofts / vocals - Johnston 3:44
    6. "Don't Start Me to Talkin'" Sonny Boy Williamson / vocals Johnston 2:41
    7. "Jesus Is Just Alright" Arthur Reid Reynolds / vocals - Simmons 4:33
    8. "White Sun" Johnston / vocals - Johnston 2:28
    9. "Disciple" Johnston / vocals - Johnston 6:42
    10. "Snake Man" Johnston / vocals - Johnston 1:35
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    Ok then, just before I went on vacation we looked at What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits, from this excellent set, and today I'm going to have a listen to the first album of the four in the Quadio box. All the links for where to buy this set are in the link for the previous review, so I'm not going to bother going through them all again.
    We have also done the 5.1 mix of The Captain And Me

    It's hard to track down info on who did the Quad mixes on these albums, but it seems like it was Don Landee. If someone knows for sure who did the mixes, please let us know.

    Mastered by Craig Anderson.

    The roots of The Doobie Brothers comes from a failed attempt to have a Moby Grape reunion. Drummer John Hartman met with Skip Spence, and Spence introduced Hartman to Tom Johnston. In 1970 they teamed up with Pat Simmons and Dave Shogren. The band adopted their name while playing around San Jose.
    The bands demo's with dual guitar leads and three part harmonies grabbed the ear of Ted Templeman and eventually earned them a contract with Warner Brothers.
    Interestingly the debut album leaned a little more acoustic and country, and didn't do as well as everyone had hoped, but their second album Toulouse Street brought about their breakthrough with the singles Listen To The Music, and Jesus Is Just Alright. It also contains the live staple Rockin Down The Highway.

    Anyway, it was a big week and I'm a little too tired to be coherent, so lets just get into the album.

    Listen to The Music
    We open with gtr front right.
    Nice sounding bass front and centre.
    Drums front, and left rear.
    I think it is guitar right rear playing the tension chord, but it could be mandolin.
    In the chorus we get banjo right rear.
    Also a tambourine in the rears.
    Acoustic guitar left rear.
    A really nice, sort of swirl comes in with the flanger effect that leads us into the bridge.
    Lead guitar left side.
    This is a really solid mix. Again the thing that strikes me is how much it sounds like a good modern mix, not an early seventies quad mix.
    Excellent balance really nice immersion.

    Rockin Down The Highway
    Gtr right rear opens us up, then the bass, again sounding really nice up front.
    Piano left rear.
    In the chorus there's a piano up front.
    Gtr left side. Lead guitar right side.
    Then a really nice effect of lead gtr either side.
    The rhythm gtr in the right rear may be a little loud here, but on the whole another good mix.

    Mamaloi
    Count in and gtr front left.
    Drums right rear.
    Hand claps left rear.
    Bvox cover about 180 degrees
    Much more like a seventies quad mix, and still very good.

    Toulouse Street
    Acoustic right rear.
    Acoustic gtr left side towards rears.
    Flute front left.
    This is one of those pretty, Doobies country/folk type tracks, and it sounds very effective, and later in the track we get some really effective effects sends from the main vocal to the rears. Then some bvox there also.
    Really nice mix.

    Cotton Mouth
    Percussion sort of bounces around us ... right side, left side then around the front.
    Drums front, slightly left of centre.
    Percussion right side.
    Rhythm gtr left rear.
    Bass front.
    Horns from right front to right rear.
    Bvox rears.
    Lead gtr up front.
    Again we have a more modern era sounding mix.
    Very good.

    Don't Start Me Talkin
    Gtrs either side rears
    Piano left side
    Horns right side
    Lead gtr ftont.
    Bass and drums front.
    Another nice mix, and well balanced.

    Jesus Is Just Alright
    Drums and percussion start front left.
    Then we get another drum track front right.
    The do do do do doo's sound sort of ghostly at the start. With a sort of 240 degree kind of spread.
    Gtrs either side rears.
    Bass and rhythm section up front.
    Very effective mix.
    Organ right side.
    "He's my friend" section vocal in the middle of the room.
    Lead guitar up front.
    The transition back works really well also.
    Another excellent mix, that again, could pass for a more modern mix.

    White Sun
    Acoustic guitars feel like they are everywhere, and blend really well.
    Main vocal up front. Bvox all round.
    Really effective.
    Lead gtr left side.
    Really effective mix. Excellent.

    Disciple
    Gtr right rear.
    Bass just left of front left.
    Drums front.
    Lead gtr left side.
    This is a pretty decent surround mix. The channels are being used, but the song and mix are among the lesser on the album.
    When the instrumental section comes in, the mix thickens up, and is more appealing, as is the song. So although I was almost going to turn on this one, it wins me over.

    Snake Man
    Guitars either side across the back.
    Just a short edit of a song.
    Very effective in its presentation though.

    I think this album and mix reinforces the idea that this set is one to get a hold of, while it is still available. We know that many of these kinds of sets just suddenly disappear and become super expensive on the second hand market. I believe it is currently still very available and affordable, and I basically think that if you like the Doobies and surround sound, then this is pretty much an essential addition to the collection.
    It is the first time I have heard this album, as anyone following the thread would know, prior to this set, The Captain and Me, the Doobies 4cd box and a couple of dvd's are the only things I owned prior. Now I am really hoping that Takin It To the Streets and Minute By Minute get 5.1 mixes
     
  19. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    I'm still a bit tired, so I'm not sure I will be doing any more today lol I guess I am just an old fart these days ...
    Anyway. Next week the Tears For Fears set, Seeds Of Love will be on the agenda, so for now, we'll leave the votes, and look at these new releases as they come out.
     
  20. riskylogic

    riskylogic Forum Resident

    Transitus

    [​IMG]

    Studio album by Ayreon
    Released 25 September 2020
    Genre Progressive metal, progressive rock
    Length 80:47
    Label Music Theories Recordings, Mascot Label Group
    Producer Arjen Anthony Lucassen


    Transitus is the tenth studio album by the Dutch progressive rock/metal band Ayreon. It was released on September 25, 2020. The album is accompanied by a 25 page comic book, not included with CD or vinyl, and illustrated by Felix Vega. The album's plot is one of the few not connected to the main Ayreon storyline; instead, it presents a sci-fi/gothic horror story partially set in the 19th century.

    Personnel
    Vocalists
    Tom Baker (actor for Doctor Who) – The Storyteller
    Tommy Karevik (Kamelot, Seventh Wonder) – Daniel
    Cammie Gilbert (Oceans of Slumber) – Abby
    Johanne James (Kyrbgrinder, drummer for Threshold) – Abraham
    Simone Simons (Epica) – The Angel of Death
    Marcela Bovio (ex-Stream of Passion) – Fury, Servant, Villager
    Caroline Westendorp (ex-The Charm the Fury) – Fury, Servant, Villager
    Paul Manzi (ex-Arena) – Henry
    Michael Mills (Toehider) – The Statue
    Dee Snider (Twisted Sister) – Father
    Amanda Sommerville (Trillium, HDK) – Lavinia
    Dianne van Giersbergen (Ex Libris) – Soprano
    Dan J. Pierson, Jan Willem Ketelaers, Lisette van den Berg, Marjan Welman, Will Shaw, Wilmer Waarbroek – Villagers
    Hellscore – Choir (directed by Noa Gruman)

    Instrumentalists
    Arjen Lucassen – Guitars, Bass, Keyboards, Glockenspiel, Dulcimer, Toy Piano
    Joost van den Broek – Hammond Organ, Piano, Fender Rhodes
    Juan van Emmerloot – Drums
    Ben Mathot – Violin
    Jeroen Goossens – Flutes, Woodwinds
    Jurriaan Westerveld – Cello
    Alex Thyssen – French Horn
    Thomas Cochrane – Trumpet, Trombone
    Patty Gurdy – Hurdy Gurdy
    Joe Satriani – Guitar Solo on "Get Out! Now!"
    Marty Friedman – Guitar Solo on "Message From Beyond”

    Track listing
    No. Title Length
    1. "Fatum Horrificum" 10:23
    I. "Graveyard"
    II. "1884"
    III. "Daniel And Abby"
    IV. "Fatum"
    V. "Why?!"
    VI. "Guilty")
    2. "Daniel's Descent Into Transitus" 2:40
    3. "Listen to My Story" 4:03
    4. "Two Worlds Now One" 4:06
    5. "Talk of the Town" 5:21
    6. "Old Friend" 1:41
    7. "Dumb Piece of Rock" 4:13
    8. "Get Out! Now!" 5:03
    9. "Seven Days, Seven Nights" 1:27
    10. "Condemned Without a Trial" 3:50
    11. "Daniel's Funeral" 4:58
    12. "Hopelessly Slipping Away" 4:28
    13. "This Human Equation" 4:19
    14. "Henry's Plot" 2:19
    15. "Message from Beyond" 5:21
    16. "Daniel's Vision" 1:45
    17. "She is Innocent" 2:09
    18. "Lavinia's Confession" 1:53
    19. "Inferno" 2:17
    20. "Your Story is Over!" 2:42
    21. "Abby in Transitus" 3:02
    22. "The Great Beyond" 2:49
    _______

    Unfortunately, the only way to get the DVD with the surround mix is to buy it as part of a 4 CD + DVD set. I swore I wouldn’t bite but the price got down under $40 so I relented. Hey, it is a double album and it comes with a comic book. Still, a lot to pay for a new release. But, it’s on back order at Importcds now, and Amazon wants $55 for it.

    5.1 mix by Arjen Lucassen
    Like other Ayreon albums, this is a prog metal opera. However, unlike the others, this one comes with a comic book libretto. Otherwise, I would probably not know what it was supposed to be about. Not that it really makes much difference, but here’s a brief summary:

    Daniel and Abby are star-crossed lovers. Daniel was a member of a wealthy family, but he is banished for falling in love with one of the servants Abby. After spending the night together, Daniel dies in a fire, and Abby is blamed. Daniel goes before the angels at the Pearly Gates, which in this story goes by the name of Transitus. They both end up in heaven while some other evil people go to hell.

    This is a long album with 27 tracks, so I am going to bug out like the last time I reviewed Ayreon and not do all the tracks. However, I will do more than last time.

    1. "Fatum Horrificum" 10:23
    I. "Graveyard".
    Sound effects (wind) and synth in front, some treated vocals and synth percussion in the rear. Horns in front.

    II. "1884"
    Baker narration in the center channel, keyboards in surround. Horns in rear. Vocals in front, violin in rear.

    III. "Daniel And Abby"
    Guitar, drums, bass all in front, plus flute in surround. Piano replaces flute in surround.

    IV. "Fatum"
    Synth in front, male vocals in surround, female vocals in front. Drums right, kyboards left.

    V. "Why?!"
    Eerie vocals in front, keyboard bass in surround, horns in front.

    VI. "Guilty")
    Drums bass and guitar in front, keyboards in rear. Then we get a Daniel (Karevik) and Abby ( Gilbert) duet in front. Backing vocals in surround. Swirling synth at the end.

    "Daniel's Descent Into Transitus"
    More narration in center channel, synth in surround. Guitar, bass, drums, Daniel vocals in front, violin in surround.

    _____
    OK enough of the track-by-track review. I think I’ve already figured out that this has quite decent but not great surround. I will now focus my efforts on tracks with especially notable surround.
    _____

    "Talk of the Town"
    I like this track because it has a nice bass line, but it also has a duet with female vocals in front and male vocals in the rear.

    "Dumb Piece of Rock"
    Acoustic guitar in left rear plus discrete vocals in both rear speakers.

    "Get Out! Now!"
    This is one of the best tracks on the album and it also may be the best surround track. Starts with narration in center channel, the front heavy prog metal and with keyboards holding down the rear. Males lead comes in front with female backing vocals in rear. Then male vocals in the rear followed by the Satriani guitar solo – it’s the high point of the album in stereo anyway, but in surround it never stays too long in any one speaker. Pretty awesome.

    "Condemned Without a Trial"
    Very cool vocal repartee between male vocalists in the rear speakers followed by the same with female vocalists in the front. Sounds like you are in the middle of argument.

    "Hopelessly Slipping Away"
    Perhaps this has been happening all along, but this track definitely features other instruments in the center channel. Like most of the other tracks there are backing vocals in the rear speakers.

    "This Human Equation"
    Separate vocalists in left and right rear speakers again.

    "Message from Beyond"
    Much of the song is completely up front, so the passages in the rear are quite noticeable – guitar, vocals, and synth in the rear.

    "Inferno"
    Nice chorus in surround.

    "The Great Beyond"
    For some reason starts with the narration from the rear speakers instead of the center like it has on the rest of the album. Guitar bass and drums in front, violin in rear, vocals both front and rear. Chorus to finish. My second favorite surround track.
    _________

    It took several listens for this to grow on me - I listened to it twice in stereo in order to get warmed up for the surround. I guess I rate it somewhere in the middle of the Ayreon album pack. It’s not as metallic as most other Ayreon albums, which I slightly prefer. But it’s still not up there with my two favorites – Disc 1 of The Universal Migrator and The Source. Even though the rears are used somewhat sparingly, I definitely prefer the album in surround. The mix is definitely better, with more discrete elements, than the 5.1 for The Source. (2/3)
     
  21. Juggsnelson

    Juggsnelson Senior Member

    Location:
    Long Island
    Great review! Mine is sitting next to my setup waiting for me to immerse myself in it.
     
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  22. J_Surround

    J_Surround Forum Resident

    Location:
    Washingon, D.C.
    Interesting results. On my copy, the bass guitar is centered between the rear channels. If you were to shut off the rears, it would be completely inaudible.
     
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  23. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    Interesting. I can't explain that. When I walked around to check some stuff, I heard the bass in the rears, but when I sat back down in the zone, it sounded like it was up front ..... ???
     
  24. riskylogic

    riskylogic Forum Resident

    Doobie Brothers, The - The Captain and Me. This is the first Doobie Brothers album I ever had. I had Vices and one or two others on LP, but the only one I replaced with a CD was this one. I also have a Doobie compilation on CD, but this is still the only one I usually ever play, cuz Cap & Me is the best of. I know Mark hasn't reviewed the quad for this yet, but he's done the 5.1 so I figure the lid is off - plus it would be just plain silly for me to say anything about the other two without doing this one first. The general scheme is lead vocals front center, drums and bass front left, lead guitar front right, 2nd guitar rear left, keyboards rear right, backing vocals and additional percussion in rear. There are exceptions and addition to that general scheme; really nice strings left rear on "Dark Eyed Cajun Woman", drums are in back on "Without You", lead vocals and drums left rear on "Evil Woman". It's all great; my second favorite (after Argent - In Deep ) 70's quad. (3/4)

    Doobie Brothers, The - Toulouse Street. OK, I never had the LP, but at some point I did decide I needed the CD. I don't know this one like the back of my hand, but I am familiar with more than just the three hit songs. The quad mix is much less consistent. There's two guitars coming from different speakers, but which two seems to vary with every song. The main consistency is lead vocals in front, background vocals in the rear - but even there "Jesus" has lead in the rear.. Drums are usually front center instead of front left. I think the bass on the first two songs is in all four speakers. It's sounds a little more in front to me, but that may be because my two subwoofers are in front - and they are coming on with the quad recording. OTOH, I can can the higher frequencies from the bass in the rear - so this may be a bass management issue. But, on "Mamaloi" bass is just rear left. (2/3)

    Doobie Brothers, What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits. This album was a pretty big disappointment to me when it came out. Maybe it was the horns instead of guitars on the first song, are maybe it was because the hit songs aren't rockers. I think it's been forty years since I last heard this album. There is some good stuff on here; "Pursuit on 53rd St" and "Down In the Track" are my favorite songs, and neither is on my compilation so I'm glad to have the album back on the shelf again. The surround mix is all over the place again, but that's not bad. The surround mix for "Black Water" is the high point - nice strings and vocals all over. Drums in the rears with extra percussion in front on "Road Angel" works really well, and I love the lead guitar in the rear on "Down In the Track" too. I like this better than I remember, probably because I have more patience for the slow songs. (2/3)
     
  25. Audiowannabee

    Audiowannabee Forum Resident

    Location:
    Florida
    Looks like i really need to pickup that Argent...u like it that much??? A 4 on ur scale ???
     
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