Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

I've got only a very few new titles left to do on this thread and I think I'll start doling them out on a once a month schedule. I'll use this Sunday to play catchup:

Opeth - Heritage. I decided I had to have this even though Mark didn't like it much. It's a Steven Wilson mix, and I got for about $20 - paying more for shipping from Europe than the disc itself. It's the album Åkerfeldt did while Wilson was making Grace For Drowning, and afterwards they worked together on the Storm Corrosion album. It seems to be a transition album from their more metallic earlier albums and prog rock future albums The metal passages are interspersed with piano solos and acoustic guitar passages, often in the same song. Plus, no growly vocals. I like it, but not really sure how much yet. "Famine" / "The Lines In My Hand" and "Folklore" is a very nice run. It's pretty typical Wilson mix- discrete guitar, keyboards, and some vocals in the rear. As a member of the trilogy, I like it better than Grace For Drowning but not as much as Storm Corrosion. (2/3)

Stewart, Al - The Year of the Cat. I used to have this album as an LP, but I've scraping by with just a CD compilation since I went digital in the mid 80's. I also have The Last Days of the Century, which qualifies as an album I didn't know I had. I don't know if every song on here is great, but "On the Border" and the title track make this a classic album all by themselves. I have to agree with a lot of folks on QQ that the mix is a little bright, and is best appreciated with the volume turned down a bit. The surround itself is great though. It doesn't use the center channel much, but there's discrete keys, guitar, strings, and backing vocals in the rear speakers. (3/3)

Let me also take this occasion for another box set rant. Obviously, the main complaint is that they jack up the price by including a bunch of extra that you have to buy just so you can get the one disc you really want. But on top of that, I have three other peeves:

Shelf Space. After downsizing last year, I've got about two feet of shelf space for oversized boxes. Most of that is filled with stuff I've gotten in last two year, and I've got maybe six inches left. I'm an not getting anymore shelving, so I'm either going to have to stop buying boxes or throw old ones away. Or some of both. The Kraftwerk Catalog box will the first to go; the box is about two inches wide but houses a coffee table book and a bluray sized book that contains the actual discs. If I throw the box away, I can put the former on the oversize shelving and the bluray box on the bluray shelf - a save an in inch.. The book sets I'm fine with - just have to get rid of old DVDs.

Disc Protection. Box sets often do a very crappy job of housing the discs. The Year of the Cat is a pretty good example - the discs are slipped between two layers of paper, just begging to be scratched The DVD fell out when I opened it. Goats Head Soup is thoroughly ridiculous; one book sized piece of cardboard for each disc. I'm thinking I should rip the coffee table book out, put the discs in sleeves and throw the rest away. Since I generally only open them once to rip the disc to my hard drive, this doesn't bother as much as it would otherwise

Shipping. Typically costs twice as much. Gee I wish I could just download a file instead.

 

Songs from the Wood


Studio album by
Jethro Tull
Released 11 February 1977
Recorded 14 September – 16 November 1976
Studio Morgan Studios, London
Genre Folk rock, progressive folk, progressive rock, hard rock
Length 41:17
Label Chrysalis
Producer Ian Anderson

Songs from the Wood is the tenth studio album by British progressive rock band Jethro Tull, released February 1977. Inspired by English pagan folklore and countryside living, the album signalled a stylistic change for the band, performing in a wide-ranging folk rock style which combined traditional instruments and melodies with hard rock drums and electric guitars, rooted in the band's complex progressive rock style.[1] The album was the first Jethro Tull album to include David Palmer (now Dee Palmer) as an official member of the band, who after eight years of serving as the band's orchestral arranger had joined as a second keyboardist in early 1976.

The album is considered to be the first of a trio of folk rock albums released by the band at the end of the 1970s: Songs from the Wood, Heavy Horses (1978) and Stormwatch (1979).[2]

• Ian Anderson – lead vocals, flute, acoustic guitar, mandolin, cymbals, whistles; all instruments (on track 2).[20]
• Martin Barre – electric guitar, lute
• John Glascock – backing vocals, bass guitar
• John Evan – piano, organ, synthesizers
• David Palmer – piano, portative pipe organ, synthesizers
• Barriemore Barlow – drums, percussion, marimba, glockenspiel, bells, nakers, tabor

Additional personnel

• Robin Black – sound engineering
• Thing Moss and Trevor White – assistant engineers
• Keith Howard – wood-cutter
• Jay L. Lee – front cover painting
• Shirt Sleeve Studio – back cover

CD 1: Steven Wilson stereo remix of the album and associated recordings
1. "Songs From The Wood" 4:55
2. "Jack-In-The-Green" 2:31
3. "Cup Of Wonder" 4:34
4. "Hunting Girl" 5:10
5. "Ring Out, Solstice Bells" 3:48
6. "Velvet Green" 6:05
7. "The Whistler" 3:31
8. "Pibroch (Cap in Hand)" 8:35
9. "Fire at Midnight" 2:27
10. "Old Aces Die Hard (previously unreleased)" 8:41
11. "Working John, Working Joe (previously unreleased)" 5:11
12. "Magic Bells (Ring Out, Solstice Bells)" 3:25
13. "Songs From The Wood (unedited master)" 4:53
14. "Fire at Midnight (previously unreleased unedited master)" 2:35
15. "One Brown Mouse (early version)" 3:35
16. "Strip Cartoon" 3:19
17. "The Whistler (US Stereo Single Mix)" 3:32
CD 2: Live in Concert 1977
1. "Wond’ring Aloud" 2:33
2. "Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day" 4:04
3. "Jack-In-The-Green" 3:14
4. "Thick As A Brick" 13:15
5. "Songs From The Wood" 6:01
6. "Instrumental" 2:27
7. "Drum Solo Improvisation" 4:16
8. "To Cry You A Song" 2:33
9. "A New Day Yesterday" 2:54
10. "Flute Solo Improvisation interpolating – God Rest Ye Gentlemen/Bourée" 8:14
11. "Living in the Past/ A New Day Yesterday (reprise)" 2:32
CD 3: Live in Concert 1977
1. "Velvet Green" 6:26
2. "Hunting Girl" 5:39
3. "Too Old To Rock ‘n’ Roll: Too Young To Die" 4:16
4. "Minstrel in the Gallery" 5:39
5. "Cross-Eyed Mary" 3:45
6. "Aqualung" 8:32
7. "Instrumental Improvisation" 3:31
8. "Wind-Up" 4:54
9. "Back Door Angels / Guitar Improvisation /Wind Up (reprise)" 7:15
10. "Locomotive Breath" 5:47
11. "Land Of Hope And Glory / Improvisation / Back Door Angels (reprise)" 4:00
DVD 1: Steven Wilson 5.1 surround and stereo mixes and flat transfer of the original stereo and quadraphonic mixes of the album and selected associated recordings
1. "Songs From The Wood (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 4:55
2. "Jack-In-The-Green (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 2:32
3. "Cup Of Wonder (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 4:34
4. "Hunting Girl (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 5:10
5. "Ring Out, Solstice Bells (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 3:48
6. "Velvet Green (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 6:05
7. "The Whistler (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 3:32
8. "Pibroch (Cap in Hand) (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 8:36
9. "Fire at Midnight (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 2:28
10. "Old Aces Die Hard (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 8:41
11. "Working John, Working Joe (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 5:12
12. "Magic Bells (Ring Out, Solstice Bells) (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 3:25
13. "Songs From The Wood (unedited master) (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 4:53
14. "Fire at Midnight (unedited master) (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 2:36
15. "One Brown Mouse (early version) (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 3:35
16. "Strip Cartoon (Steven Wilson Remix in 96/24 PCM Stereo)" 3:19
17. "Songs From The Wood (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 4:55
18. "Jack-In-The-Green (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 2:32
19. "Cup Of Wonder (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 4:34
20. "Hunting Girl (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 5:10
21. "Ring Out, Solstice Bells (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 3:48
22. "Velvet Green (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 6:05
23. "The Whistler (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 3:32
24. "Pibroch (Cap in Hand) (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 8:36
25. "Fire at Midnight (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 2:28
26. "Old Aces Die Hard (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 8:41
27. "Working John, Working Joe (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 5:12
28. "Magic Bells (Ring Out, Solstice Bells) (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 3:25
29. "One Brown Mouse (early version) (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 3:34
30. "Strip Cartoon (Steven Wilson DD/DTS 5.1 Surround Remix)" 3:19
31. "Songs From The Wood (96/24 PCM Flat Transfer – Original Stereo Master)" 4:56
32. "Jack-In-The-Green (96/24 PCM Flat Transfer – Original Stereo Master)" 2:32
33. "Cup Of Wonder (96/24 PCM Flat Transfer – Original Stereo Master)" 4:34
34. "Hunting Girl (96/24 PCM Flat Transfer – Original Stereo Master)" 5:14
35. "Ring Out, Solstice Bells (96/24 PCM Flat Transfer – Original Stereo Master)" 3:50
36. "Velvet Green (96/24 PCM Flat Transfer – Original Stereo Master)" 6:05
37. "The Whistler (96/24 PCM Flat Transfer – Original Stereo Master)" 3:33
38. "Pibroch (Cap in Hand) (96/24 PCM Flat Transfer – Original Stereo Master)" 8:37
39. "Fire at Midnight (96/24 PCM Flat Transfer – Original Stereo Master)" 2:31
40. "Songs From The Wood (Flat Transfer of Original Quad Master-DTS/DD 4.0 Surround)" 4:56
41. "Jack-In-The-Green (Flat Transfer of Original Quad Master-DTS/DD 4.0 Surround)" 2:33
42. "Velvet Green (Flat Transfer of Original Quad Master-DTS/DD 4.0 Surround)" 6:08
43. "The Whistler (Flat Transfer of Original Quad Master-DTS/DD 4.0 Surround)" 3:34
DVD 2: Live at The Capital Centre, Landover, Maryland, 21 November 1977
1. "Wond’ring Aloud" 2:35
2. "Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day" 4:18
3. "Jack-In-The-Green" 3:31
4. "Thick As A Brick" 13:47
5. "Songs From The Wood" 6:04
6. "Instrumental/Drum Solo Improvisation" 6:44
7. "To Cry You A Song" 2:34
8. "A New Day Yesterday" 2:54
9. "Flute Solo Improvisation interpolating – God Rest Ye Gentlemen/Bourée" 8:15
10. "Living in the Past/ A New Day Yesterday (reprise)" 2:36
11. "Velvet Green" 6:26
12. "Hunting Girl" 5:49
13. "Too Old To Rock ‘n’ Roll: Too Young To Die" 4:23
14. "Minstrel in the Gallery" 5:42
15. "Cross-Eyed Mary" 3:45
16. "Aqualung" 9:56
17. "Instrumental Improvisation" 3:34
18. "Wind-Up" 4:54
19. "Back Door Angels / Guitar Improvisation /Wind Up (reprise)" 7:18
20. "Locomotive Breath" 6:20
21. "Land Of Hope And Glory / Improvisation / Back Door Angels (reprise)" 4:02
22. "Beethoven's Ninth (with original audio)" 3:20
23. "The Whistler (promo footage)(mono)" 3:37
----------------------------------------------------------------
So far we have looked at - Benefit - Aqualung - Thick As A Brick - A Passion Play/ Chateau d'Herouville - War Child - Minstrel In The Gallery - Too Old To Rock and Roll ... - Heavy Horses - Stormwatch - TAAB 2

As I have probably said the majority of these Tull albums were fairly new to me when these sets came out.
I did used to have this album on record at some point, but it was at a time I rarely spent time really listening to albums properly... so I'm not sure I ever really absorbed this album properly.
Since getting this set, I have really enjoyed this album.

The 40th Anniversary edition came out in 2017, and it appears to be only available second hand ....
Discogs from about $270 Jethro Tull – Songs From The Wood 40th Anniversary Edition (The Country Set) (2017, Remixed, CD)
Amazon UK about 400 pounds https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06XZWT72V?tag=sdepcw-21&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1
ebay has for for $600 Jethro Tull ‎Songs From The Wood 40th Anniversary Edition MINT SEALED | eBay

So sadly, as with most of these Tull sets (and an awful lot of others as well), you need to get on board or you'll be left behind... A sad reflection on the manipulations of the market. These sets have all been selling out, and pretty quickly, yet folks want to suggest nobody is buying them ... and they aren't being reprinted..... That is an amazing feat if ever there ****ing was one .....

5.1 mix Steven Wilson

Dts 96/24

Songs From The Wood
Acapella opening, somewhere between Gentle Giant and Steeleye Span.
Nicely spread through the speakers.
Electric guitar right rear
Acoustic left rear
Bass solid up front
drums across front
Synth left rear.
Main vocal isolated in centre
With the growing layers, and Wilson's ability to know how a layout should work, this is a pretty wonderful sounding mix to me.
Immersive, balanced and just a great song, that is mixed and mastered in such a way as to make it shine.

Jack In the Green
Acoustic string instruments front, left rear, and right rear.
Tambourine left rear.
Drums across front.
Nice mix, immersive balanced

Cup Of Wonder
Mandolin right rear
Electric guitar right rear, and left rear.
Electric piano left rear
Flute front
Drums front
Strings? Left rear.
Harmony voices roll from front to right rear, to left rear.
The is quite a complex arrangement and layered mix, and here it gets a lot of space to breath.
Progressive folk/rock... I don't care what anyone says lol

Hunting Girl keys left rear. Drum strikes left side.
Guitar swirls from left, around back to the right side.
All sorts going on here, and it sounds great.
Flute left side towards rear.
Electric guitar right rear and left rear and front.
Guitar left side, and flute front for instrumental break.
Great mix, immersive and balanced.

Ring Out Solstice Bells
Piano front
Synths and handclaps in the rear.
Bvox rears
Reverse reverb sanding in a clap swells in rears.
Like a hybrid folk - Christmas song, but not in a bad way.
Again a really nice mix.
Sleigh bells roll across the back. A joyous, fun track that sounds great.

Velvet Green
Keys left rear.
Guitar front, left rear and right rear
Flute left rear.
Tuned percussion right rear.
Another great song.
Mandolin left rear
Recorder? front right.
I love this album, such a unique creature.
Really nice changing textures, rhythms and instrumentation.
Again excellent immersive, balanced mix, with enough going on to please the fussiest 5.1 fan.

The Whistler
Bells right rear
Percussion left rear.
Guitars all round
Main vocal isolated in centre, but also in other channels creating a sort of middle of the room sound.
Guitar right rear.
Synth left rear.
Flutes/whistles in rear.
Tuned percussion left side...
Again a great song and arrangement.
The mix again shows the subtleties without disconnecting the sections from each other.
Great immersive mix

Pibroch
Electric guitar, effected.
Kind of working on the right side, but sort of from everywhere.
A full on opening statement, that reduces to a story song, with a slightly unusual rhythmic construct.
Floating between folk, hard rock and a sort of folk blues ballad.
Really effective.
A breakdown section the middle.
Tuned percussion left rear... and the build up comes on too quickly for me to get there, and then it changes again.
Half or more instrumental, this track is really very effective in its writing and instrumentation, and the mix is top class.
Immersive, balanced and entertaining.

Fire At Midnight
Keys all round. A wandering gentle start and then we enter the folk bounce the album excels in
Flute front
Acoustic across rears
Lead gtr front.
Dancing layers of music
Another excellent immersive mix

Old Aces Die Hard, Working John Working Joe, Magic Bells, One Brown Mouse, Strip Cartoon are all included as associated tracks with good 5.1 mixes

I suppose some people are just not very into folk(ish) music, and certainly each to their own, but I find the idea that Jethro Tull ceased to be any good after Thick As A Brick to be quite ludicrous. I also feel that the idea that they ceased to be progressive after Passion Play to be quite ridiculous too.
This is certainly a different album to those two mention there, but it is certainly not standing still. Warchild, Minstrel, Songs Heavy Horses and Stormwatch are all excellent albums, and all five show some inclination towards progressive-isms. The writing is excellent and the playing and mixing equally so. I am really looking forward to A ... hopefully in the next week ... but we'll see.

This is an excellent album, and like most Tull albums, essential for any half or full Tull fan. Wilson has done another wonderful job with the mix, and this ends up being the full package again.
The only thing that is going to make it hard at this stage is the price you will need to shell out for one of these babies ... If you love this album $200 may well just be worth it.
With a concert, and all the other extra bits and pieces, it may still end up being worth it for you ... just for the mix ... it still certainly may be, but budget and inclination are a bigger factor. If you do get this, you may well be disappointed with the price, but it's hard to see that you'll be disappointed with the product.

 

I can't disagree with any of that ... I'm personally not interested in downloading... I guess I am too old school

The whole market is an incestuous mess at the moment. Consumers are being bent over and dry humped for all they are worth, and it is really very .... annoying
Looking at the thread about is the market deliberately trying to end physical product ... I have to think yes. Records are stupidly expensive. Cd's are getting the short end of the stick. All these sets that come about, seem to be selling out very quickly and there are no replacements in a lot of instances, yet we continually hear this BS that people aren't buying physical product.
I'm a jaded cynical old barstool, and frankly the whole mess pisses me off.
The box set issue is just another factor... it seems everyone is releasing a box set and that is fine and dandy, but the motivation seems to be to try and get an income before streaming shuts that down and artists become old hat and we just get .... ahhhh forget it lol.... I will just rant on about stuff, someone will say old man yelling at cloud... I'll get more pissy and down she goes from there ....

so instead, here is an interlude brought to you by the Kinks
God save the music world

 

Here is a link to the album on youtube if you want a quick listen .. or anyone else for that matter

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=super+furry+animals+rings+around+the+world

 

I was really looking forward to this one--and it's not a dud by any means--but the excessive brightness really put a damper on it for me. "On The Border" in particular just grates my ears at higher volumes. I also found the 5.1 mix to be somewhat inconsistent, with very little happening in the rear channels on the first two songs. "Flying Sorcery", "Broadway Hotel", and the title track had the most effective surround mixes.

As far as box sets go, I thought the presentation on this one was better than most--smaller packaging, no vinyl, around $50 retail as opposed to over $100, etc (I'm in total agreement with you that Goats Head Soup is one of the worst-executed SDEs ever). It'll be interesting to see if Esoteric ends up doing a single Blu-Ray edition in a year or so, like with Chris Squire's Fish Out Of Water. I'd double-dip only if they remaster the 5.1 mix.

 

I forgot to mention that - I had to turn the volume down to enjoy it.

 

Got the new Liquid Tension Experiment album in surround. It's decent but they could have done a lot more with the mix unfortunately. This type of music calls for a crazy mix and unfortunately it's not that.

 

Still waiting for my copy. I assume next week sometime

 

I thought I’d ask this question here.

has anyone tried Tidals streaming surround music?

Is there a lot of content?
How does it sound?

 

I'm not really a streamer, so I have no idea. Sorry mate

 

Good info here...

 

I did. My LG TV allows me to stream surround content to my AVR. This has been a recent upgrade of the TV firmware. Previously, surround content was only available via Apple TV 4k or Fire Stick.
There are a number of tracks in dolby atmos, but much fewer complete albums. It seems they have taken the playlist approach, to give a taster of what dolby atmos can sound across genres. In some cases, the mixes are genuinely discrete and aggressive, in some other cases, they are more 'immersive', but not aggressive. There's an Italian album I love (La Voce Del Padrone), which was a huge hit in Italy for several months in 1981, and the Atmos mix is only available via Tidal, no physical release.

I've been using RedSea to download surround content from Tidal, so that I can add it to my Kodi and listen to it while offline. Here's the software link
Dniel97/RedSea
You also need to install Python and add python and redsea to the system environmental variables (on Windows). Then it's rather easy, the software will simulate an Android TV, you log in and then run the following command line:
/python redsea.py id XXXXX (this is the album id which you can find from tidal by sharing the album)

 

Jethro Tull - Songs From the Wood. I didn't have much use for the Electric Folk period when they came out, but after getting interested in bands like Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span, and the Strawbs about 25 years later, they are much more attuned to my current musical tastes. I like this one better than Too Old, but it's not quite up there with Minstrel or Heavy Horses. "Whistler" is the standout track. That puts it in the bottom third of the Tull catalog for me. The Wilson mix is very good as usually, and pretty prototypical of his Tull mixes; bass, drums, lead vocals always in front, but always something going on in the rears as well too. There are also quad mixes for four of the songs , which are more adventurous. However, they seem to have Anderson vocals in surround, which never seems to work well for me. The "Whistler" quad is really nice though. (1/3)

Yello - Point. I had never heard of these guys before picking up Live in Berlin, which has a nice surround mix for a live concert. This album also sounds like it has some Kraftwerk roots, but seems to borrow from New Order a bit too (and probably lots of other acts I've heard of). The last track (aside from the bonus tracks) "Siren Singing" has a female vocalist, and it sure sounds like it could be Lana Del Ray song. In any case, it's a very fun album with lots of electronic techno wizardry that rivals The Future Bites. The Atmos mix makes it even better, also not unlike The Future Bites, with heavy use of the ceiling speakers. However, there is no plain 5.1 mix (there is hires stereo though), so I don't know how it will play on a normal system. The purchase price was quite reasonable (about $30), but the fact that I had to order it from Europe turned it into a $50 purchase. (2/4)

 

Phantom Power

Studio album by
Super Furry Animals
Released 21 July 2003
Recorded 2002 at AV Happenings AKA The Sauna, Cardiff, Rockfield Studios, Monmouth, Monnow Valley Studios, Monmouth and Wings for Jesus, Tiger Bay
Genre Indie rock
Length 54:32
Label Epic
Producer Super Furry Animals

Phantom Power is the sixth album by Welsh indie rock band Super Furry Animals, released on 21 July 2003 by Epic Records in the United Kingdom. The record was originally conceived as a ten-song concept album using D-A-D-D-A-D guitar tuning, but the band chose to abandon this idea during recording as they didn't want to constrain themselves.[1] The group did attempt to create a "more coherent" album than their past efforts by choosing songs which worked well together.[2] Phantom Power was recorded at the band's own studio, AV Happenings, in Cardiff with the Super Furries producing and engineering themselves for the first time.[1] The album features a range of musical styles, from country rock to techno, although many of the tracks are based around the acoustic guitar.[3][4][5] According to chief songwriter and vocalist Gruff Rhys, the album's lyrics deal with "broken relationships and war".[6]

The album, like their previous record Rings Around the World, was simultaneously released on CD, vinyl and DVD. The DVD featured a surround sound mix of the album along with animations, commentary by Mario Caldato Jr. (who mixed the record) and remixes. The majority of these remixes were re-released as the album Phantom Phorce in 2004. Phantom Power was well received, with many critics suggesting it was the best album of the band's career.[7][8]

• Gruff Rhys – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards, harmonica, backing vocals
• Huw Bunford – lead guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Sex, War & Robots"
• Guto Pryce – bass guitar
• Cian Ciaran – keyboards, guitar, backing vocals
• Dafydd Ieuan – drums, backing vocals

Additional musicians

• Jonathan 'Catfish' Thomas – pedal steel guitar on tracks 4, 13
• Kris Jenkins – percussion on tracks 1, 5, 6, 7, 9, 13, 14
• Rachel Thomas – backing vocals on tracks 3, 4
• Gary Alsebrook – trumpet on tracks 6, 7
• Savio Pacini – trombone on tracks 6, 7
• Rico Rodriguez – trombone on track 13
• Eddie Thornton – trumpet on track 13
• Ray Carless – saxophone on track 13
• Marcus Holdway – cello on tracks 4, 7, 13, 14
• Sally Herbert – violin on tracks 4, 7, 14
• Brian G. Wright – violin on tracks 4, 7, 14
• Gill Morley – violin on tracks 4, 7, 14
• Ellen Blair – violin on tracks 4, 7, 14
• Pete Fowler – Kaoss flanges on track 14
• Neil McFarland – Kaoss flanges on track 14

Remixers (DVD)

• Weevil
• Mario Caldato Jr.
• Killa Kela
• Wauvenfold
• Four Tet
• Massimo
• Boom Bip
• bravecaptain
• Zan Lyons
• Minotaur Shock
• High Llamas
• Llwybr Llaethog
• Bench
• Sir Doufous Styles
• Force Unknown
• Freiband

Production

• Super Furry Animals – production, mixing, engineering, surround sound mix
• Mario Caldato Jr. – mixing
• Jeff Knowler – mixing assistant
• Gorwel Owen – engineering (Rockfield Studios)
• Jason Harris – engineering assistant (Rockfield Studios)
• Tim Lewis – engineering assistant (Rockfield Studios)
• Tony Doogan – engineering (Monnow Valley Studios)
• Sir Doufous Styles – engineering assistant (Monnow Valley Studios and AV Happenings AKA The Sauna), engineering (Wings for Jesus)
• Stuart Hawkes – mastering

Design

• Pete Fowler – illustration
• [email protected] – design

1. "Hello Sunshine" 3:35
2. "Liberty Belle" 2:58
3. "Golden Retriever" 2:25
4. "Sex, War & Robots" 3:49
5. "The Piccolo Snare" 6:08
6. "Venus & Serena" 3:24
7. "Father Father #1" (Instrumental) 1:54
8. "Bleed Forever" 3:39
9. "Out of Control" 2:43
10. "Cityscape Skybaby" 4:34
11. "Father Father #2" (Instrumental) 1:30
12. "Valet Parking" 4:35
13. "The Undefeated" 4:07
14. "Slow Life" 6:59
15. "Hello Sunshine (Freiband Remix)" 10:31
16. "Hello Sunshine (Weevil Remix)" 4:42
17. "Liberty Belle (Mario's Remix)" 2:59
18. "Golden Retriever (Killa Kella Remix)" 2:33
19. "Sex, War & Robots (Wauvenfold Remix)" 3:23
20. "The Piccolo Snare (Fourtet Remix)" 7:08
21. "Venus & Serena (Massimo Remix)" 2:57
22. "Father Father (Boom Bip Remix)" 4:54
23. "Bleed Forever (Brave Captain Remix)" 6:12
24. "Out of Control (Zan Lyons Remix)" 4:56
25. "Cityscape Skybaby (Minotaur Shock)" 5:55
26. "Valet Parking (Force Unknown Remix)" 5:06
27. "Valet Parking (Sean O'Hagan Remix)" 5:06
28. "The Undefeated (Llwybr Llaethog Remix)" 3:43
29. "Slow Life (Bench Remix)" 5:29
30. "Sir Doufus Styles (Elec. Logoland Duih)" 5:06
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
We did Rings Around The World last week, and this is the follow up album by the band. I picked this up secondhand, after being reminded how much I enjoyed Rings Around The World.

So I essentially know nothing about this album.

Mixed By – Mario Caldato Jr., Super Furry Animals ( I assume this includes the 5.1
Mastered By – Stuart Hawkes

NTSC version on discogs from about $6 https://www.discogs.com/Super-Furry-Animals-Phantom-Power/release/2802049
Aus copy, probably Pal from about $6 https://www.discogs.com/Super-Furry-Animals-Phantom-Power/release/3850037
UK version Pal from about $4 https://www.discogs.com/Super-Furry-Animals-Phantom-Power/release/1061996
Amazon has it secondhand from about $18 https://www.amazon.com/Super-Furry-Animals-Phantom-Power/dp/B00009W8ND

So lets not mess around, and just jump into it.

Hello Sunshine
We open with a mellow mildly psychedelic intro.
On this disc, we have the vocals isolated in the centre... at least for this track.
We move into a somewhat mellow, country flavoured track.
We have guitars either side in the rears.
Drums, bass and other guitars up front.
Cymbals in the rears.
Some minor swell and swirl, but a nice, straight forward immersive mix.

Liberty Bell
Similar instrument positioning here.
Some nice synthetic birdlike sounds move between the rears.
This track has a sort of moderate pop/rock feel, with a hint of sixties.
Nice mix, balanced, immersive mix.

Golden Retriever
A nice pulsing rock style track.
Opening with an acoustic and the beat kicks in with some power.
Bvox in rears, with some keys.
A more up front mix until the end, and we get a slightly trippy psychedelic flavour come in into the mix.
Not bad, enjoyable, and immersive enough.

Sex, War and Robots
This kind of sounds like Pink Floyd, Meddle era, meets country.
Piano left.
Steel guitar in front of front.
Strings in rears.
Bvox rears
Vibrato guitar right rear.
Some nice use of the space.
A nice slightly melancholy, reflective type track.
Immersive and enjoyable.

The Piccolo Snare
Keys and bass up front
Vocal centre with effects feeds.
Bvox rears.
Effects guitars either side rears.
Again on the more mellow reflective side of things.
Feedback type sounds do some swooping across the rears.
Nice harmonised guitar effect in front, and either side rears.
Percussion shaker slides across the back.
Very nice immersive mix.
Bell tones like aza music box flow f th on the front... somecrecord crackle front right.
Strings and guitars with a sort of ambient-ish feel.
Some feedback guitar swoops, and we move into a sort of percussive fade out, with a synthetic type of drone-ish sound.
Very cool.

Venus And Serena
We open with a transistor radio kind of sound, percussion right front, vocals in front stereo speakers.
We slide smoothly into full fidelity with vocals centre channel.
Bvox in the rears, and really effective.
Gtr right rear.
We move into that lowfi sound to end with a horn.
Nice mix, slightly less immersive, but enjoyable.

Father Father #1
We have a somewhat ambient atmosphere with horn swells in the rears, and other swelling instruments blended too nicely to really discern.
Nice acoustic guitar up front.
Really nice short instrumental, nice mix.

Bleed Forever
Piano sort of midgley of room, slightly to the right.
Guitar just left of front left.
Guitar left rear.
Effect slides from front left to right rear.
Steel guitar with effects sends .
Cymbals in rears...
Sfx swooping.
Nice song and mix.

Out Of Control
Single riff rhythm uo front.
Feedback guitars rears.
Some punchy guitars and drums come in ip front.
Synth? left rear.
Crunch guitar right front.
Guitar right right.
Somewhat punchy rock/psychedelic swell at the end.
Nice mix.

Cityscape Skybaby
Sfx open up. Samples or synths.
Various sounds all round.
We move into a synth sound.
Various instruments I can't quite name around us.
A slowish track, relying on melody. With slight psychedelic tendencies.
Piano front right.
Synth left rear.
Guitar right rear and front.
Bvox rears.
Some mild/subtle swooshing and sweeping.
Nice mix.

Father Father #2
Instrumental with acoustic up front strings across back.
Dreamlike sounding.
With various interesting bits and pieces.

For the record the video here is like a cartoon style room. Wallpapered walls, that over the course of the album change patterns.
A shelf with a model train track, that very occasionally has something on it.
A music box? on the shelf that during the last track had a figure come out of it rotating.
Nothing earth shattering from a video perspective, but if you're just listening to the album without writing this or doing something else, will be mildly entertaining

Valet Parking
Car tax up front.
Drums/percussion front and rears.
Guitar middle of room towards left side.
Bvox rears.
Some guitar sounds sliding back and forth across the field .
Nice mix.

The Undefeated
Sfx all round.
The a kind of Latino ferl with horns and sfx all round.
Slightly unusual percussive sounds all round.
All kinds of interesting sounds. Some synthetic steel drums.
Another nice mix.

Slow Life
We open with sampled effects and a drum machine.
Hats left side.
Synth snare right side.
Synth bass up front.
Synth sounding instruments pop up in various spots around us.
A guitar and harmonica come in, and a real drum kit comes in and the song proper starts.
Then we move back into a kind of techno break.
Eq'd and manipulated regular track comes back in, with lots of swirling and sliding, and some flanging effects from good measure.
Interesting track that fades out to strings all round. Nice immersive mix.

That's my first listen to this album, and it is a pretty interesting journey. A little less alt rock in some ways, but still with its own quirks.
It is probably a slightly easier listen, being a little less abrasive, and a little more, but not too conventional.
The surround mix is good, and it does the things you would want it to do. I think Rings Around The World is slightly more adventurous, but both are satisfying listens in their own ways.
I think this will be a grower... It's a lot more pleasant than I expected, but as the album progresses it gets slightly further away from normal, if that makes sense.
Enjoyable, and for six bucks, probably worth trying out if it sounds appealing to you.

Here is a link to youtube for the tracklist to have a listen to the album https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=super+furry+animanls+phantom+power

 

Classical/Jazz reference guide

Anonymous - Wolcum Yule

Antonson and Plagge - Furatus


Bach - 6 Brandenburg Concertos

Beethoven - 3rd Symphony Eroica - 5th Concerto (Emporer) Barenboim/Rubenstein

Bloom, Jane Ira - Early Americans

Boston Symphony Orchestra/Steinberg - Holst/Planets and Strauss Also Sprach Zarathustra


Capella Romana - Lost Voices Of Hagia Sophia/Another perspective

Caput Ensemble - Atonement: The Music of Páll Ragnar Pálsson

Cobham, Billy - Spectrum - Spectrum (Quad)


Davis, Miles - Kind Of Blue - Sketches Of Spain - In A Silent Way - Bitches Brew - Live Evil - Tutu


Herbie Hancock - Headhunters - Sextant

Hiromi (Uehara) - Spiral

Holiday, Billie - Lady In Satin


Iceland Symph. Orch. - Recurrence


Kleiberg - Mass For Modern Man


Mahavishnu Orchestra - Birds Of Fire

Manheim Steamroller - Fresh Aire 8 - Christmas Celebration

Mahler - 8th Symphony

Monk, Thelonius - Supreme Jazz

Mussorgsky, Modeste - Carlo Ponti - Pictures At An Exhibition+

Mozart - 40th Symphony - Rene Jacobs Le Nozze Di Figaro (The Marriage Of Figaro) - Violin Concertos 3,4,5 (2L) - Wind Concertos


Pat Metheny Group - Imaginary Day


Sampler - More Power and Ideas

Schola Cantorum - Audiens

Shankar & Gingger - One In A Million

Stemmeklang - Tomba Sonora

Stockhausen - Stimmung


Thomas, Michael Tilson - Orff, Beethoven, Gershwin - Carmina Burana, An American In Paris, Rhapsody In Blue + more

Tchaikovsky - The Nutcracker Neeme Jarvi

Tomita - Firebird

TrondheimSolistene - Lux


Uranienborg Vokalensemble - Himmelborgen


Weather Report - Tale Spinnin'

 

Reference to the albums

Adams, Bryan - Reckless (disc would not play, template)

Aerosmith - Toys In The Attic

Alice Cooper - Billion Dollar Babies - Welcome To My Nightmare

Alan Parsons Project - Tales Of Mystery and Imagination - Eye In The Sky - Ammonia Avenue

Alison Krauss and Union Station - New Favourite

Allman Brothers Band - Idlewild South - Live At Fillmore East - Eat a Peach

Anastasio. Trey - Trey Anastasio

Anathema - We're Here Because We're Here - Weather Systems - Distant Satellites - The Optimist

Anderson, Ian - Homo Erraticus - TAAB 2

Argent - In Deep

Ayreon - The Source - Transitus


Bachman Turner Overdrive - I and II

Band - Music From Big Pink ... I did this twice

Banks, Tony - A Curious Feeling

Barclay James Harvest - Once Again - GoneTo Earth

Bass Communion - Loss - Temporal

Beach Boys - Pet Sounds - Sunflower - Surf's Up

The Beatles - The Beatles (White Album) - Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band - Abbey Road - Love

Be Bop Deluxe - Futurama - Sunburst Finish

Beck, Jeff (group) - Rough and Ready - Orange - Blow By Blow - Wired

Benson, George - Body Talk

Birdsong At Morning - A Slight Departure - Signs And Wonders

Bjork - Vespertine - Medulla - Volta

Blackfield - IV - V

Black Sabbath - Paranoid

Blood Sweat and Tears - Blood Sweat And Tears - Mirror Image/New City

Blue Oyster Cult - Secret Treaties - Agents Of Fortune

Bowie, David - The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars - Young Americans - Station To Station - Stage - Heathen

Bowness, Tim - Lost In the Ghost Light

Jackson Browne - Running On Empty

Bruce, Jack - Shadows In The Air

Bruford - Feels Good To Me - One Of A Kind

Buddy Miles Express - Booger Bear


Caravan - In The Land Of Grey And Pink

Charles, Ray - Ray Sings, Basie Swings

Chicago - III - VI

Church - Forget Yourself

Clapton, Eric - Give Me Strength The 74/75 Recordings - Slowhand - Reptile - Back Home

Cobham, Billy - Spectrum - Spectrum (Quad) thanks @-dave--wave-

Coltrane, Alice/Santana, Carlos - Illuminations

Crosby, David - If Only I Could Remember My Name

Crowded House - Crowded House


Deep Purple - Concerto for Group And Orchestra - Machine Head - Stormbringer

Dekker, Desmond - Anthology

Depeche Mode - Some Great Reward - Black Celebration - Violator - Delta Machine

Derek and the Dominos - Layla and other assorted love songs

Derringer, Rick - All American Boy and Spring Fever

Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms

Djabe (with Steve Hackett) - The Magic Stag - Back To Sardinia

Donovan - Fairytale

Doobie Brothers - Toulouse Street - The Captain And Me - 5.1 to Quad compare - What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits

Doors - Strange Days - Waiting For The Sun - The Soft Parade - Morrison Hotel - LA Woman - Best Of

Drake, Nick - A Treasury

Dream Theater - Systematic Chaos - Distance Over Time

Dubliners - Definitive Transatlantic Collection

Dukes Of Stratosphear - Psurroundabout Ride

Dylan, Bob - Another Side Of - Blonde On Blonde - Slow Train Coming


Eagles - Hotel California

Earth Wind And Fire - Way Of The World/Spirit

ELO - debut album

Emerson Lake And Palmer - Tarkus - Brain Salad Surgery


Fagen, Donald - The Nightfly

Fahl, Mary - From The Dark Side Of The Moon

Ferry, Bryan - Boys and Girls

Flaming Lips - At War With The Mystics - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots

Fleetwood Mac - Fleetwood Mac (1975) - Rumours - Tusk - Mirage - Say You Will

Foreigner - Foreigner

Foundations - Very Best Of

Franklin, Aretha - best of


Gabriel, Peter - Up

Gallagher, Rory - Big Guns (Best Of)

Garfunkel, Art - Breakaway

Gaye, Marvin - Lets Get It On

Genesis - Overview of all - Nursery Cryme - Foxtrot - Selling England By The Pound - The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway - And Then There Were Three - Duke - Abacab

Gentle Giant - Three Piece Suite - Octopus - The Power and The Glory - Free Hand - Interview

Gilmour, Dave - On An Island

Grateful Dead - Workingman's Dead

Guns And Roses - Appetite For Destruction


Hackett, Steve - Voyage Of The Acolyte - Broken Skies, Outspread Wings - At The Edge Of Light

Herbie Hancock - Headhunters - Sextant

Hendrix, Jimi - Electric Ladyland


Inxs - Kick

Iron Maiden - Dance Of Death


Jakszyk, Jakko - Secrets and Lies

Jarre, Jean Michel - Oxygene

Jethro Tull - Benefit - Aqualung - Thick As A Brick - A Passion Play/ Chateau d'Herouville - War Child - Minstrel In The Gallery - Too Old To Rock and Roll ... - Songs From the Wood - Heavy Horses - Stormwatch - TAAB 2

Joel, Billy - Streetlife Serenade - The Stranger - 52nd Street

John, Elton - Elton John - Tumbleweed Connection - Madman Across The Water - Honky Chateau - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Johnson, Eric - Ah Via Musicom


Kansas - The Absence Of Presence

Katatonia - Dethroned and Uncrowned - Fall Of Hearts 1 - FOH2

Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band - The Traveller

King, Carole - Tapestry

King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King 40th and 50th - Islands - Lark's Tongues In Aspic - Red - Beat - Thrak - (re)Construkction Of Light - The Power To Believe

Knopfler, Mark - Sailing To Philadelphia - Shangri La

Kooper, Al (with Bloomfield and Stills) - Super Sessions

Kraftwork - 3d catalog - Autobahn - Man Machine


Led Zeppelin - Song Remains The Same

Lennon, John - Imagine, Ultimate Edition

Living Colour - Collideoscope

Love And Rockets - Seventh Dream Of Teenage Heaven

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Southern Surroundings


Mahavishnu Orchestra - Birds Of Fire

Marillion - Script For A Jester's Tear - Misplaced Childhood - Brave - Afraid Of Sunlight

Marley, Bob - Legend

Mastelotto & Reuter - Face

McCartney, Paul - The McCartney Years

Meatloaf - Bat Out Of Hell

Metheny, Pat - Orchestrion Project

Mike Keneally and Beer For Dolphins - Sluggo!

Moody Blues - Days Of Future Passed - In Search Of The Lost Chord - A Question Of Balance - Seventh Sojourn

Morrison, Van - Moondance

Motorhead - Overkill - Ace Of Spades

Mott The Hoople - Mott The Hoople

 

Nektar - Journey To The Centre of The Eye

Newman, Randy - Little Criminals

Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds - From Her to Eternity - The First Born Is Dead - The Good Son - Henry's Dream - No More Shall We Part - Abattoir Blues/Lyre Of Orpheus - Dig Lazarus Dig

Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral - With Teeth

No Man - Schoolyard Ghosts - Together We're Stranger

Numan, Gary - Anthology


Oldfield, Mike - Tubular Bells - Ommadawn - Five Miles Out - Crises - overview - Return To Ommadawn

Opeth - Ghost Reveries - Deliverance / Damnation - Heritage - Pale Communion - Sorcerous - In Cauda Venenum


Pat Metheny Group - Imaginary Day

Pineapple Thief - Dissolution - Your Wilderness and 8 Years Later - Versions Of The Truth

Pink Floyd - Atom Heart Mother - Meddle - Dark Side Of The Moon - Wish You Were Here - A Momentary Lapse Of Reason - The Division Bell - Endless River

Pixies - Doolittle

Poco - Seven/Cantamos

The Police - Every Breath You Take the dvd

Porcupine Tree - Stupid Dream - Lightbulb Sun - In Absentia (deluxe version 1) - Update on fixed copy - Deadwing - Fear Of A Blank Planet - The Incident

Presley, Elvis - 30 #1 hits

Pure Prairie League - Two Lane Highway/If The Shoe Fits


Queen - A Night At The Opera - The Game

Queensryche - Tribe


REM - Document - Green - Out Of Time - Automatic For The People - Monster - Around The Sun

Renaissance - Turn Of The Cards

Return to Forever - Musicmagic

Rich, Charlie - Behind Closed Doors

Riverside - Love, Fear And The Time Machine - Wasteland

Rolling Stones - Goat's Head Soup

Roxy Music - Roxy Music - Avalon

Rundgren, Todd - Liars

Rush - Fly By Night - 2112 - A Farewell To Kings (Wilson version) - Hemispheres - Moving Pictures - Signals - Snakes And Arrows

Sakamoto, Ryuichi - Async

Santana - Santana - Abraxas dts - Abraxas cdjapan - Live with Buddy Miles - Lotus

Simple Minds - Sparkle In The Rain

Sly And The Family Stone - Greatest Hits

Soord, Bruce - All This Will Be Yours

Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger - Superunknown

Squackett - A Life In A Day

Squire, Chris - Fish Out Of Water

Steve Miller Band - Fly Like An Eagle

Stewart, Al - Year Of The Cat

Sting - Nothing Like The Sun

Storm Corrosion - Storm Corrosion (Wilson and Åkerfeldt)

Super Furry Animals - Rings Around The World - Phantom Power

Sylvian , David - Manafon


Talking Heads - More Songs About Buildings and Food - Fear Of Music - Remain In Light - Speaking in Tongues - Little Creatures -True Stories - Naked

Tangerine Dream - Phaedra - Ricochet

Taylor, James - JT

Tea Party - Illuminations

Tears For Fears - Songs From The Big Chair - Seeds Of Love

Temple Of The Dog - Temple Of The Dog

Tesseract - Polaris

Thompson, Richard - Rumour And Sigh

Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers - Damn The Torpedoes

Toto - IV

Townsend, Devin - Empath

Townshend, Pete/Lane, Ronnie - Rough Mix

Transatlantic - Kaleidoscope - The Absolute Universe

Travis And Fripp - Follow

T Rex - Electric Warrior


Uk - Night After Night

Ultravox - Vienna

Uriah Heep - Gold From The Byron Era - Best Of vol II


Velvet Underground - Re-Loaded


Wakeman, Rick - Six Wives Of Henry The Eighth

Waters, Roger - Amused to Death

Wayne, Jeff - War Of The Worlds

Who - Tommy - Quadrophenia

Wilson, Steven - Insurgentes - Grace For Drowning - The Raven That Refused To Sing - Hand. Cannot. Erase. - 4 1/2 - To The Bone - The Future Bites

Wings - Band On The Run - Venus And Mars

Wishbone Ash - Bare Bones


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


Yello - Point

Yes - The Yes Album - Fragile - Close To The Edge - Tale Of Topographic Oceans - Relayer

Young, Neil - Harvest - Greendale


Zappa - Quaudiophiliac - Halloween

 

I was playing this when your review came up!!
I just got this too after getting previous album based on your review last week which I thought was excellent. I love this too but it’s maybe not as adventurous a surround mix. I’ve also got the sacd “ Love Kicks” to listen to.
Thanks to your thread and reviews I’ve been made aware of music I never knew was available in surround!
You are responsible for most of my disposable income spending!!

peace and love✌Dave

 

Journey to the Centre of the Earth


Live album by
Rick Wakeman
Released 3 May 1974
Recorded 18 January 1974
Venue Royal Festival Hall, London
Genre Progressive rock, symphonic rock
Length 40:07
Label A&M
Producer Rick Wakeman

Journey to the Centre of the Earth is the third album by English keyboardist Rick Wakeman, released on 3 May 1974 by A&M Records. It is a live recording of the second of his two concerts at the Royal Festival Hall on 18 January 1974, the premiere of his 40-minute orchestral rock piece based on Jules Verne's 1864 science fiction novel of the same name. It tells the story of Professor Lidinbrook, his nephew Axel, and their guide Hans, who follow a passage to the Earth's centre originally discovered by Arne Saknussemm, an Icelandic alchemist. Wakeman performs with the London Symphony Orchestra, the English Chamber Choir, and a group of hand-picked musicians for his rock band, which later became the English Rock Ensemble. Actor David Hemmings narrates the story.

Journey to the Centre of the Earth was overall well received by music critics. It reached No. 1 on the UK Albums Chart, the first album from A&M to do so, and peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 in the United States. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America in October 1974 for selling 500,000 copies. The album earned Wakeman a nomination for an Ivor Novello Award and a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance. In 1999, Wakeman released a sequel album Return to the Centre of the Earth. After the original score was presumed lost, Wakeman was reunited with it in 2009 and re-recorded the album three years later with 18 minutes of music previously cut due to time constraints.

• Rick Wakeman – 3 Mellotrons, 2 Minimoog synthesisers, grand piano, Hammond organ, Rhodes electric piano, RMI electric piano, Hohner clavinet, Honky-tonk piano[13]
• Gary Pickford-Hopkins – vocals
• Ashley Holt – vocals
• Mike Egan – electric guitar
• Roger Newell – bass guitar
• Barney James – drums
• David Hemmings – narration
• David Measham – conductor
• London Symphony Orchestra
• English Chamber Choir

Production

• Danny Beckerman – arrangements
• Will Malone – arrangements
• Pete Flanagan – engineer
• Keith Grant – production engineer
• Lou Reizner – production co-ordination
• Paul Tregurtha – engineer
• Michael Doud – original art direction
• Michael Wade – original design
• Chris Foster – photographer
• Paul Wakefield – photographer
• Peter Waldman – photographer
• Nigel Messett – photographer
• Ken Randall – photographer

Original Album
CD-1 The Journey / Recollection 20:54
CD-2 The Battle / The Forest 19:02
Bonus Track
CD-3 The Pearl and Dean Unfinished Symphony 4:50
DVD-A Quad Version
DVD-1 The Journey 11:37
DVD-2 Recollection 9:27
DVD-3 The Battle 8:42
DVD-4 The Forest 10:31
DVD-A Mobile Fidelity Version
DVD-5 The Journey 11:37
DVD-6 Recollection 9:27
DVD-7 The Battle 8:42
DVD-8 The Forest 10:31
----------------------------------------------------------
We already look at The Six Wives Of Henry The Eighth

I don't know about anywhere else, but in my little corner of the world this was a pretty big album. It charted at number 2 on the Aussie charts and was seen as a very interesting idea that was carried off pretty well.

I know there have been discussions about the methodology of how the Wakeman quads were done, and under that link for the Six Wives there are probably some folks telling us about it.
I'm not altogether sure the same issues were had with this disc, but I am just going ton take it at face value and roll from there, I am sure our panel of experts will fill in the blanks, and/or correct any ignorance from me.

I always liked some Jules Verne stuff as a pup, and I did enjoy the movie as a pup, though like many things revisiting it as an adult wasn't quite the same. I haven't listened to this in a couple of years, so I am at a loss for any kind of introductory thingo.... so.....

Available at
discogs from about $15 https://www.discogs.com/Rick-Wakeman-Journey-To-The-Centre-Of-The-Earth/release/8675267
Japn pressing from $96 https://www.discogs.com/Rick-Wakeman-Journey-To-The-Centre-Of-The-Earth/release/9363772

Super Deluxe set, with two extra cd's of concerts of the album in Boston and Buenos Aires from $20 https://www.discogs.com/Rick-Wakeman-Journey-To-The-Centre-Of-The-Earth/release/8851392

Original Quad mix details

• Engineer [Quad Mastering] – Darrell Johnson
• Engineer [Quad Remix] – Bart Chiate, Marv Bornstein
• Engineer [Quad] – Bart Chiate

Mastered By – Andrew Walter

I understand some folks love MoFi stuff, and I assume the stereo mix/mastering on here, being the mofi, is likely very good. If anyone has it, please let folks know if that is worth getting, as I am unlikely to listen to it, at least today.
Cheers

The quad reads as MLP 5.1, but so far no centre.

The Journey
Being live we open with audience applause.
The orchestra is all around and sounds pretty good to my ears, and for a 74 live recording, I'd probably say very good.
We have a synth left rear.
We have a rousing overture kind of start, and then move into a sort of Moody Blues type opening song.
A synth lead comes in, starts up front and then slides to the left rear, and comes from the front and left rear.
Strings in rears.
Choral section more up from.
Narration up front.
We have a pretty good balance on here, and for the most part we have nice immersion.
Narration comes in from left front.
Bass and drums come in on left side and then seem to be ftont left.
Vibrato effected synth comes in up front, with feeds to rears.
Orchestra enters all round.
Synth sound across the back.
Horns up front.
Synths in rears.

Recollection
We move straight in here with the narrator.
An ambient orchestral backing on a held tone.
We get a bluray of orchestra and synth that seems to slide from the left side to the right.
Then we move into a funky kind of seventies rock section.
Drums and bass up front.
Keys and guitar left side. Feeds to the right.
D6? up front.
Choir across the middle kind of filling the room, then seeming to be in the front as keys are in the side.
We have another song.
In several sections we seem a little left side heavy, but then we get some balance again.
We move into a fairly dramatic section and the orchestra here works really well with different sections in different spots strings left rear.
Horns left side (call)
Horns right side (response)

The Battle
Wind sounds and narration up front.
D6? comes in up front, and seems to spread to the sides.
Drums come in the left front.
Wind instruments right rear.
Synth across the back.
Unison vocals up front.
Keys on the right side, sort of falling to the front.
Choir right side.
Strings left rear.
Choir front, left and right.
The synth does a bit of whooshing around.
Keys from left side to front.
Narrator comes back in
We burst back into the band.
Guitar and bass up front
Drums left front.
Synth has that roaming kind of modulating sound.
Choir both side.
Strings in rears.
Narrator again.

The Forest
We roll straight in here again with an electric piano front
Vocal rears.
Choir rears.
Drums left front.
Narrator left front.
We move into a sort of funky rock style track, and it fades.
Then we get the Hall of the Mountain King with choir middle if room.
Orchestra right side synth left side.

This is ok... I think possibly being a live recording from 1974, it has certain limitations, and being the kind of thing it is also gives it certain limitations.
For the most part the mix is ok, but there are sections that are a little left side heavy. It sort of doesn't quite sound right sometimes, and sometimes it sounds pretty good.
During several sections the immersion is good, and some of the synth leads have some nice movement effects, or perhaps the modulation style used gives it that feel, but they are quite entertaining.
Not one that sets the world on fire, but perhaps worth it for the Wakeman enthusiast.

 

If you get around to listening to the Love Kicks sacd, please give us a rundown. I don't have it.

Do I need to apologise to a significant other about my terrible influence?

 

Thanks for the review! I picked this one up but haven't played it yet because I'm planning a system upgrade and am considering adding Atmos speakers. Anyone play this on a 5.1 system yet?

 

Yes, I have played it on my 5.1-system. I thought it sounded excellent but was a bit tame on the surround. Then it strike me that I always listen to my analogue 5.1-inputs on my amp and for getting the correct downmix I need to listen via HDMI in. Once I corrected this the surround was not tame at all, rather the opposite. The sonics and the mix on this one is really top notch. Regarding the musical content, I like it but need to be in the right mood to fully appreciate it.

 

Great to hear! I'll have to check it out then. I was pleasantly surprised with how good 2016's Toy was so I'm looking forward to this one.

They've got a long history of revisiting their past work so I hope they do some surround mixes of their prior albums.

 

Thank you for having recalled me how good this band was.
I had the three first ones but this one is a very good listen very Brian Wilsonesque.
Si I ordered another one : Phantom Power dvd for dirt cheap too.
This Sunday morning thread is a very good one !

 

To be clear, does this SACD come with a DSD 2.0 layer? From the description at CDJapan, it sounds like it has a 5.1 DSD layer, but the only 2.0 version is the Redbook layer.