Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

A


Studio album by
Jethro Tull
Released 29 August 1980
Recorded 16 May – 6 June 1980
Studio Maison Rouge Studios, Fulham, London
Maison Rogue Mobile, Radnage
Genre Electronic rock progressive rock folk rock
Length 42:30
Label Chrysalis
Producer Ian Anderson,
Robin Black

A is the 13th studio album by British rock band Jethro Tull. It was released on 29 August 1980 in the UK and 1 September of the same year in the United States.

The album was initially written and recorded with the intention of being frontman Ian Anderson's debut solo album (hence the album's title, the master tapes were marked "A" for Anderson during recording), however the album was eventually released as a Jethro Tull album after pressure from Chrysalis Records. Anderson has since stated that he regrets allowing the album to be released under the Jethro Tull name.

Musically, the album was a departure from prior Tull works, adopting more of an electronic rock sound with heavy use of synthesizers, although still retaining the band's trademark folk influence and Anderson's flute playing. Lyrically, the album saw a similar departure from the fantasy and folklore themes of previous Tull work, instead emphasizing contemporary matters such as the Cold War. The album was the first Tull album released following a large lineup change which saw drummer Barrie "Barriemore" Barlow and keyboardists John Evan and Dee Palmer departing the band in 1980 while bassist John Glascock had died from heart complications the previous year. The album instead features Glascock's touring replacement Dave Pegg on bass in his first recorded appearance with the band, Mark Craney on drums and Eddie Jobson on keyboards (with Jobson credited as a "special guest").

Jethro Tull

• Ian Anderson – vocals, flute
• Martin Barre – guitar
• Dave Pegg – bass guitar, mandolin
• Mark Craney – drums

Additional personnel

• Eddie Jobson – keyboards, electric violin, synthesizer
• Robin Black – sound engineer
• John Shaw – photography
• Peter Wagg – art direction

1. "Crossfire" 3:55
2. "Fylingdale Flyer" 4:35
3. "Working John, Working Joe" 5:04
4. "Black Sunday" 6:35
5. "Protect and Survive" 3:36
6. "Batteries Not Included" 3:52
7. "Uniform" 3:34
8. "4.W.D. (Low Ratio)" 3:42
9. "The Pine Marten's Jig" (instrumental) 3:28
10. "And Further On"

A (A La Mode)


Disc One: Original Album and Associated Tracks
(Steven Wilson Stereo Remix)
1. “Crossfire”
2. “Fylingdale Flyer”
3. “Working John, Working Joe”
4. “Black Sunday”
5. “Protect And Survive”
6. “Batteries Not Included”
7. “Uniform”
8. “4.W.D. (Low Ratio)”
9. “The Pine Marten’s Jig”
10. “And Further On”
Associated Tracks
11. “Crossfire” (Extended Version)
12. “Working John, Working Joe” (Take 4)
13. “Cheerio” (Early Version)
14. “Coruisk”
15. “Slipstream Intro”

Disc Two: Live at the LA Sports Arena 1980 (Part 1)
(Steven Wilson Stereo Remix)
1. “Slipstream Intro”
2. “Black Sunday”
3. “Crossfire”
4. “Songs From The Wood”
5. “Hunting Girl”
6. “The Pine Marten’s Jig”
7. “Working John, Working Joe”
8. “Heavy Horses”
9. Band Instrumental Intro
10. “Skating Away On The Thin Ice Of The New Day”
11. “Instrumental” (including flute solo)

Disc Three: Live at the LA Sports Arena 1980 (Part 2)
(Steven Wilson Stereo Remix)
1. Trio Instrumental
2. Keyboard solo
3. “Batteries Not Included”
4. “Uniform” (including drum solo instrumental)
5. “Protect and Survive” (including violin solo)
6. “Bungle In The Jungle”
7. Guitar Solo/Bass solo intro to encore
8. “Aqualung”
9. “Locomotive Breath”/Instrumental/”Black Sunday” (reprise)

DVD One: Original Album and Associated Tracks
(Audio Only)
Contains Steven Wilson’s 2020 remix of the album and 5 associated tracks in DTS and Dolby AC 3, 5.1 surround, and stereo 96/24 LPCM. Flat transfers of the original LP master in 96/24 LPCM

DVD Two: Live At The LA Sports Arena November 1980
(Audio Only)
Contains Steven Wilson’s 2020 mix of the concert in DTS and Dolby AC 3, 5.1 surround and stereo 96/24 LPCM

DVD Three: Slipstream Video
(Video)
With audio tracks remixed by Steven Wilson in DTS and Dolby AC 3, 5.1 surround and stereo 96/24 LPCM
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yet again Jethro Tull step up to the plate offering the best value in the current music world environment.
I can't speak highly enough of Tull's focus on getting their fans the most previously unavailable music, with the bonus of giving us surround mixes, extra tracks, concerts, and just about anything they can get in these book set releases, and not giving us some ridiculous three figure price tag. There is as much, if not more value in these releases than virtually all these releases that want to charge around $150 ... and I salute Anderson, and whoever else is responsible for making these decisions, because it brought a great band, I had limited exposure to, in and among my favourite bands.

So far for 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, and Anderson, Ian - Homo Erraticus - TAAB 2 ....
There isn't really anything here that I wouldn't recommend to a fan. Personally I enjoy them all, and as I say, the value for money, in comparison to the other boxes on the market is chalk and cheese. King Crimson are probably the only band coming to mind immediately that even compete with the value for money we have here.

Available from Rhino $49.95 https://store.rhino.com/a-the-40th-anniversary-edition-3cd-3dvd.html
From Amazon for $41.75 https://www.amazon.com/Mode-40th-Anniversary-3CD-3DVD/dp/B08WS2W98V
Burning Shed for about 32 pounds A (A La Mode) [The 40th Anniversary Edition]
Discogs from about $45 https://www.discogs.com/Jethro-Tull-A-A-La-Mode-The-40th-Anniversary-Edition/release/18322651
Target for $42.49 Jethro Tull - A (A La Mode) (The 40th Anniversary Edition 3CD/3DVD)
Import cd's $29.80 Jethro Tull A (A La Mode) [The 40th Anniversary Edition](3CD)(3DVD) With DVD, Boxed Set, Anniversary Edition on ImportCDs
Deep discount $36 Jethro Tull A (A La Mode) [The 40th Anniversary Edition](3CD)(3DVD) on DeepDiscount
Ebay $39.55 Jethro Tull - A (A La Mode) [The 40th Anniversary Edition](3CD)(3DVD) [New CD] W 190295127497 | eBay
Elusive Disc $49.99 Jethro Tull A (A La Mode) The 40th Anniversary Edition 3CD & 3DVD

So Tull seem to be getting great distribution. They aren't afraid to press a few copies, and the fans win from every angle ...

5.1 mix Steven Wilson

This album is really new to me. I have never actually sat and listened to it, though I believe I have heard a few tracks a few years ago when the forum had some kind of chat about it ....
So without further ado lets roll right ahead .....

Crossdale
Ok, I hear instantly what bothers a lot of people about this album.
Here we have Anderson embracing the eighties as soon as it arrives. He is using the synths, and drum machines, and that chafes some folks.
Certainly this sounds very different to what came before, but Minstrel doesn't sound like Benefit either, so I'm not messed up about it . . I think some folks just never embracing the fact that music was moving forward....
Anyway.
We open with a nice keyboard flourish and move into a nice pulsing beat, and the vocals dropping straight into it.
We have electronic percussion that alternates sides.
Keys in the rears
The lead break slides from right side to left side and back.
Lots of nice little keyboard flourishes in the rears.
Barre is certainly not forgotten here though, he has dome really strong parts in this track.
A very good immersive mix, and it sounds excellent.

Flying Dale Flyer
Keys on the left side, effect send to the right side.
Really nice folkish, layered vocal up front
The tom fills get a really nice mix in the surround field.
Guitar right rear.
I really like the way the drums are mixed in this track, and it is a kind if feature drum track, so it works well.
This is an excellent track, and up with the Tull we have heard up to this point.
I really like this mix too. It is immersive, but it also has a few nice variations to the standard mix mentality, that work really well.
We get a really cool instrumental section to lead us out, and it emphasises how cool this mix is.

Working John Working Joe
The opening is very cool.
It's going to take me a while to get through this morning, I keep having to restart the songs, to catch up.
We have acoustic guitar and mandolin filling the zone over Anderson's opening vocal.
Then we get the electrics kick in.
Again, the drum mix here is excellent. Wilson seems to be using the wrap around drum mix that I leaned to in 2005 when I was trying my hand at 5.1 mixing.
Electric guitar is right side towards the rear.
We get synth and guitar working together really well, and the soundfield is nicely filled.
Guitar section that alternates sides.
This is another top notch song, and the mix is very very good.

Black Sunday
Percussive sound builds up front left.
A really nice layering of dancing keyboards, a little bit of movement, and an accented swell of sound opens this up with a great atmosphere.
Then we move into a really dramatic sounding music theme.
Excellent intro.
There is a lot going on in this track.
Guitar right side towards rear.
Piano left rear.
This is a great track, and the frenetic arrangement works beautifully in the surround feel.
Again a really nice drum mix.
We enter an atmospheric section.
Keys all round, and very effective as the lyrics reflect.
Then we transition again via the keyboard left rear, and we get a series of accented section that roll into a straight pulsing groove and a lead break.
The flute in the rears and violin? up front play a really nice unison section, and the main section of the track returns.
A really excellent track and a really good immersive mix

Protect and Survive'
Violin left rear, flute right rear, stabbing guitars right side, give us an excellent intro.
The mix again really accentuates how well written this is.
We get synth stands across the back.
This album has do much going on.
Musically and lyrically, fully digesting this is going to take a while.
Great track and equally great mix.

Batteries Not Included
We get synth slides bounce either side in the rears.
Then the synth settles on the left rear and the guitar comes in the right side.
Again great layering.
I suppose this may be too eighties for some, but certainly not for me.
Another excellent track, and it shows clearly to me that Anderson's muse had certainly not left him, he just kept progressing.
We get a child speaking to the left.
Really nice ending with spiky synth sliding between rears.
I'm still finding this to be solid musically and mix-wise.

Uniform
I'm still waiting for these dud tracks I hear people talk about.
Again the instrumentation, the arrangement, and the mix are excellent.
We have a quite frantic pace here with excellent flute and violin contributions.
Great accenting from the guitar.
The mix again is used in such a way as to highlight how well this is put together, and the drums just rock.
Great track, great mix.

4WD
We get a drum groove fade in.
Flute left side, guitar right side.
Piano left rear.
This track has a really cool bouncing groove.
We get the guitar just cut loose and fill the room.
Then we get a really nice change up in the feel for accenting purposes, then we drop back into that groove.
We move into the solo drum groove and fade out.
Another great song, another great mix.

The Pine Marten's Jig
We have a couple of flutes, the violin.
Mandolin...
This is almost traditional sounding, somewhat Irish folk music with a twist.
Then it moves into something a bit different.
The synth takes a savage sounding lead.
Then the violin flutters around the room.
Then we get the flute leading the way ...
Personally I really like this. The mixture of textures, and the morphing of styles and genres is really appealing to me.
For me, another great track, and another great mix.

And Further On
We open with a more mellow atmospheric feel here.
Keys all around.
A dramatic piano strikes between the left side and front.
A sort of hesitant instrumentation moves into a more focused and unified approach.
I don't know why, but the way this is done here, sort of reminds me of Mike Oldfield.
Again we get some great mixing, and it really gives this track some power.
This is a magnificent closer.

This is the first time I have heard this album, and although, as I say above, I think I heard a couple of tracks at some point somewhere, this is definitely the first time I have really heard anything from it. So please take that into consideration, as to my opinions here.

This is a really great album. there is nothing on here that sounds weak, underdeveloped, or even not Tullish, to my ears.
I get the impression this is just one of those albums that seventies folks refused to embrace because it has some eighties sounds on it. Frankly I think they suit the style of the album. Except for the two electronic percussion sounds in the first track, I'm not even particularly convinced that the album sounds dated really.
This is a very very good Wilson mix, and he seems to have again managed to put a Tull album in a great light by effectively using the channels and the sounds to create an interesting and immersive experience. Personally I love this. I know it's sacrilege, but I would personally reach for this before Aqualung... yea, I know, I am probably the only person in the world that would

Look, I don't know how familiar anyone here is with this album, but unless you absolutely loathe everything eighties, and I know many do, this is a fantastic album.
To me it has one foot in either decade, because we aren't just totally immersed in synth and drum machines. This to me has a really nice balanced sound, and the newer stuff, is blending, not clashing with the older stuff.
The songs are really well written, and when I hear albums like this, it seriously makes me wonder why so frequently Tull are said to not be progressive. Even here on this 1980 album, I hear progressive elements ... there are a lot of quite technical arrangements and changes, we have some mild jazz influence, I hear mild Gentle Giant influence I believe. There is a whole lot going on in this album.... and I think it stands tall as another great Tull album .... but again, I don't have any bias against the eighties, it's when I grew up, and as much as I love fifties, sixties and seventies music, I think the eighties has a stack of great music, and new sounds don't scare me at all. The things that I find a little pooy about the eighties, don't appear on this album, to my ear.
I think this is very worth a listen, if you don't ultimately hate everything about the eighties. I think it is another essential album for any Tull fan.

 

Jethro Tull - A La Mode. OK, this isn't really an album, it's a book set with 3 CDs and 3 DVDs. I don't need the CDs, and maybe I should complain about them driving up the price. But I got the whole thing for $30 plus shipping, so I won't. Not only that, all of the 3 DVDs are quite valuable to the point that it's not quite right to call the second and third discs "bonus material". You could make a case for any of them being the most valuable. So let's go through them one at a time:

A. I don't believe I had ever heard this album before buying the set. Since I'm not a big fan of the previous album (Broadsword and the Beast) or most the stuff that comes afterward (Crest of a Knave being the main exception) I didn't expect to like it much. But I do. The fact that Eddie Jobson in on the personnel list along with a really good drummer has something to do with it, plus the English Folk theme has been dialed back a bit to make it the most proggy album since A Passion Play. The Wilson surround mix is excellent as usual - discrete keys, flute, guitar, violin, backing vocals in the rear, Anderson vocals in the center channel. "Batteries Not Included" is my favorite surround mix, but they are all good. (2/3)

Live at the LA Sports Arena. The second disc is live concert that has also been remixed in surround by Steven Wilson that features the A personnel lineup, and it has it has most of the songs from A. Some of the live versions are definitely better, especially "The Pine Marten's Jig". There are also several instrumental pieces, a pletheora of title tracks from other albums, and a two-song Aqualung finale from a better-than-average JT lineup. The surround mix is very good for a live performance,, but not nearly as good as the first disc. (2/2)

Slipstream. This is a video production that I have reviewed on the video thread. Seven of the 11 tracks are from the LA concert with the same mix as near as I can tell. Then there are also 4 music videos that have much better surround than the concert tracks. One of these is "Fylingdale Flyer", and it may have the same mix as on the first disc. However, the other three are unique to this disc. The version of "Too Old to Rock 'n' Roll" with Jobson is my favorite of these. This disc has the best song list, but it is much shorter than the audio-only live disc. (3/2).

Which one of these three is the best? I don't know, but getting all three of them together for the same price that paid for LTE3 is really good deal.

 

Slipstream is a really goofy batch of videos. The mix is good.
We have those early music video effects, but we have a solid performance from the band.
I kind of wish there had been a unedited full version of the concert also, but Slipstream works in it's own goofy way.

 

There seem to be a lot of quality SACD/multichannel Beethoven symphony cycles available. After mulling it over - and listening to two-channel, non-SACD versions on Spotify - I decided to try to assemble my own cycle . . . with no overlaps and maintaining a decent price point. I assumed the task would be futile and fruitless (or, as an intentionally malapropic kid I knew in high school used to say, "frutile"). But I managed to do it for $77 (shipping and tax included):

 

Minor correction: Broadsword (1982) came after A (1980). The previous album was Stormwatch (1979). I found A to be a considerable improvement over Stormwatch, in terms of both the music itself and the 5.1 mix.

"Sweet Dream" in 5.1 is exclusive to the new Slipstream DVD (Wilson actually mentions in the liner notes that he purposely chose not to remix this track in surround for the Stand Up set), but "Fylingdale Flyer" and "Dun Ringill" match the studio 5.1 versions.

 

Great do-it-yourself idea! I own the Tacet symphony cycle on blu-ray and I really enjoy it. I recollect using a deepdiscount 15% off coupon and getting it for under $70. Here's an overview: HRAudio.net - Beethoven: 9 Symphonies - Rajski

 

Yes, I meant Stormwatch. I wasn't looking forward to more book sets all that much after that one, but now I am.

Since it seems to have Jobson in it, I'm thinking the "Too Old" on Slipstream must be a new recording.

 

Great price. Tacet usually is pretty pricey. I’ll have to listen to them all and decide if I want a complete set of one.

I similarly compiled a complete collection of Haydn quartets (mostly Kodaly and Tatrai).

 

I just got the King Crimson starless box set
Does anyone else find the hi-res material
(Amsterdam, Pittsburgh and Mainz)
uncomfortably trebly compared to Red & USA?
I’m questioning my sanity as I assumed all these 40th anniversary issues were produced by the same team

The Red DVD-A sounds absolutely gorgeous
I only meant to put it on to check briefly check my system wasnt the problem and here i am 20 minutes later grooving to one more red nightmare

 

I've commented before that use of the upmix on surround receivers maybe “sinful” if one has any pretensions to being an audiophile but it's also immensely satisfying. For critical listening I tend to use headphones with no upmix but I actually leave the upmix turned on most of the time and I've definitely heard algorithmic surround sound that is “better” (on some level) than a bad professional surround mix from the multitracks.

My slight concern is that as surround becomes more available through streaming upmixing will become so good that all surround mixes will be automated with no professional surround mixing at all. @Plan9 was saying some years ago that the tools available for partially-automated upmixing were already pretty advanced.

 

Three of a Perfect Pair


Studio album by
King Crimson
Released 27 March 1984
Recorded May – November 1983
Studio Arny's Shack, Poole, Dorset Marcus, London Bearsville, Bearsville, New York
Genre Progressive rock new wave post-punk industrial[1]
Length 41:15
Label E.G. Warner Bros.
Producer King Crimson

Three of a Perfect Pair is the tenth studio album by English band King Crimson, released in March 1984 by record label E.G.. It is the final studio album to feature the quartet of Robert Fripp, Adrian Belew, Tony Levin and Bill Bruford.

• Adrian Belew – fretted and fretless guitars, lead vocals
• Robert Fripp – guitar, frippertronics
• Tony Levin – bass guitar, chapman stick, synthesizer, backing vocals
• Bill Bruford – acoustic and electric drums

Additional personnel

• Brad Davis – engineer
• Tony Arnold (Arny's Shack) – co-engineer on "Industry" and "Dig Me"
• Nick James, Ray Niznik, Peter Hefter – assistant engineers
• Tex Read – social services
• Peter Willis (Trevall Mill Studio) – cover symbol design basis
• Timothy Eames – cover art

Three Of A Perfect Pair
Model Man
Sleepless
Man With An Open Heart
Nuages (That Which Passes, Passes Like Clouds)
Industry
Dig Me
No Warning
Larks' Tongues In Aspic Part III
-------------------------------------------------------
This is one of those King Crimson albums that seems to be sometimes overlooked. A lot of the seventies fans of the band, really didn't like where Fripp went with the band in the eighties, but Fripp was going to go on the journey he wanted to, no matter what anyone particularly thought. He packed it up in the seventies because he felt the world was changing drastically and he was fed up with the music industry.

In 74 he essentially stated that he was retiring, but in late 76 he played on Peter Gabriel's debut solo album. He also toured with Gabriel, but stayed off stage and operated under the pseudonym Dusty Rhodes.
In 78 he produced and played on Gabriel's second solo album. He also went to do some work with Bowie and Eno, and collaborated with Daryl Hall on Sacred Songs.
During this time he was recording some solo material, which ended up coming out in 1979 as the album Exposure .... and we can only hope that at some point Exposure gets a 5.1, wonderful album.

Fripp went on to work with Blondie, Talking Heads and again with Bowie on the Scary Monsters album.

In 1981 he created a new version of King Crimson for the eighties, and in my opinion it was an outstanding success.

We have looked at these Crimson albums so far - 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.

So that brings us to Three Of A Perfect Pair ...

Available at discogs from about $20 https://www.discogs.com/King-Crimson-Three-Of-A-Perfect-Pair/release/9355163
Import Cd's for about $19 King Crimson Three Of A Perfect Pair With DVD, Anniversary Edition on ImportCDs
Amazon for about $26 https://www.amazon.com/Three-Perfect-Pair-King-Crimson/dp/B01HD7P1CO
Acoustic Sounds for about $30 King Crimson-Three Of A Perfect Pair-DVD Audio CD|Acoustic Sounds

5.1 mix Steven Wilson and Robert Fripp
Mastered by Simon Heyworth, Robert Fripp , assisted by David Singleton and Andy Miles

So this is still readily available, and affordable, and that's always a nice thing.

Three Of A Perfect Pair
Belew's vocals in the centre
Drums middle of the room but towards rears.
Backing vocals right rear.
Some cool guitar and sfx movement, and switch ups.
A really very cool song, melodic, a bit funky, excellent mix.

Model Man
This has an interesting set up with the drums kind of set up in the rears, and the kick left and snare right, which gives it a kind of loping walk feel. It's very cool.
We have guitars set up in various spots.
These are quite different mixes, and I reckon they work well.
Although the tracks in side one are more accessible, I think they still retain a quirky Crimson edge.
Another good and interesting mix.

Sleepless
We get a fairly famous bassline here.... for Aussies at least, it was used as the intro music for Rage, a midnight to dawn music show.
We have percussion all round.
Atmospheric guitars left.
The quirky clucking guitar lined right towards rear.
Another really nice mix, that comes to a bit of a mixing crescendo towards the end.

Man With An Open Heart
We have guitars creating nice sliding textures around us.
The drums again get a good mix.
This track has a sort of oriental feel or infusion.
Another nice mix

Nuages
Percussion sounds and bass up front.
Pad sounds around the field.
Lead guitar front left.
The pads, whether Frippertronics or keys, I don't know, but it creates a really interesting atmosphere, and engaging surround field.

Industry
A pulsating intro, with a staccato feel.
Again we get pads swelling in the field.
Also synthetic sounding guitar swells from a couple of different spots.
We move from a minimalist semi-industrial, semi-ambient feel and into a more direct kind of ominous industrial sound. With kind of logically disjointed drums, and tone layers.
Some nice effects, some movement, and probably the most engaging mix so far.
I think thecsurtpind mix makes real sense on this track.
Really nice work.

Dig Me
A swirl of synthetic sound.
The we have somewhat erratic drums/percussion, and layered snippets of guitar sounds and riffs over it.
We get a chorus of sorts, where everything smooths out.
Belew is giving us one of his lyrical minestrone things, that leads back to the chorus.
We move into an interesting instrumental break... it is all about the rhythmic elements here, and the mix works very well.

No Warning
We open like a sort of horror movie soundtrack.
Percussion placed in various spots.
Swelling guitars in various spots.
A sound poem, with a nice mix.

Larks Tongues In Aspic part III
We open with a busy Fripp riff of dancing guitar, with some movement.
Then move into a steady beat, with guitars giving us rhythmic stabs and the drums getting full field mixing, with some very cool rhythms and fills.
We get a really nice harmonised dual guitar break, and then move into a very cool daunting section, that eases up then returns.
Various guitars left, right, and a nice surround field.
Again this works very well.

This is an interesting album. It is an album of two sides. A fairly accessible, that focuses on songs, and then a more broad kind of side of sound effects and textures.
I get the impression that some folks will like one side and some folks will like the other, and for various reasons.
Although this may not be quite as successful in some ways as Discipline and Beat, I think it is an important part of the trilogy.
At the end of the day, I think if you like King Crimson, these anniversary releases are all pretty much essential.

 

For the record. I am going to ease back a little on the thread. We've been going for two years, just about, and I am busy with several things at the moment, and it is feeling more like a chore, than a joy.
That isn't to say I'm not going to do anymore stuff, I am just going to be a little less consistent.
I'm going to chill for a bit, and just put something up when the mood takes me, rather than feel obligated to jump on in every Sunday.

 

It's been a good run, thanks for all the hours you put into this thread.
It's a great resource and reference, and should stay active as new product is released and other folks chime in on old and new favorites.

Have a good summer as we emerge from lockdown.

 

Now this is how you write a review post

Even setting up where and how much to snag a copy ;-?

Well played

 

Definitely... I'm not abandoning it. I just need to be a little less regimented for a bit ... you never know I may be back on here next week. I just need to not have to for a bit

 

If any Crim era benefitted from these remixes, it's the 80s. For many of us who were so invested in the Larks' era, the 80s version abruptly seemed tinny and lightweight in comparison (suffering from 80s-itis if you will ; I got over it after seeing them live in 81). Wilson's remixes righted all the wrongs; Tony Levin was finally reinstated in the band .

In any event, the remixes have been a dream come true for this fan. I never imagined they would ever become popular enough to justify a remix/surround reissue program, never mind one that's been done so spectacularly well.

Now get back on the road, dammit!

 

Mark I have to be honest here. I check surrounded on Sundays always when looking to purchase a new surround disc. Your reviews are the most detailed. As a matter of fact one of your latest, Liquid Tension Experiment 3 was spot on. I prefer tracks 5 through 8 over 1 through 4 and the interview is fantastic as well.

Enjoy your time off.

 

I had an email today that 2L has opened an online shop. Free shipping on orders over 100 euros. No cheaper than Amazon, certainly, but an opportunity to support the label directly and they have multiple formats of digital file as well.

 

Does anyone here have the Porcupine Tree DVD-AUDIO 2 disc set titled Stupid Dreams released in 2008? If so how would you rate the 5:1 on the DVD-A?

 

Can I get everyone here to list their top 5 surround discs? 5:1 and Quad.

Not your favorite groups/songs but which 5 have the most distinct separation using fronts, center, and rears to give you the most immersive surround experience.

Mine are

1.Queen A Night at the Opera DVD-A 5:1

2. Chicago complete 10 disc bluray quad box

3. Santana Abraxas quad

4. Miles Davis Bitches Brew quad

5. Miles Davis Live Evil Quad.

 

I don't have that title, but I have all the Porcupine Tree surround discs and they all have great 5.1 mixes.

 

Review page 82, not in a position to link at the moment. Page 175 there is a complete thread guide.
Stupid dream was initially released around 1999/2000. It was rereleased after the band started getting some traction around 2006.
I'm not sure which version you're referring to, but I'm pretty certain there is only one mix.

It is an excellent album, and a very good mix

 

Durn..... top 5... page 175 there are a couple of hundred or so....

Night at the Opera is great
King crimson
Tull
....
I reckon at least half of them are very good or better

 

We've talked about doing lists as part of a separate thread ... I think they'll be lost here. Also, we've got a hell of a lot of surround mixes between us so top five is too few.

 

I recently upgraded, although some might disagree that's the word, from a McIntosh MX-119 to a new Marantz pre/pro AV 7706. For years I had listened to stereo in stereo and surround in surround, until I got copies of Bitches Brew and Live Evil SACD hybrids with the SQ Quad mixes from the 70's. I tweaked some of the settings for Music 1 and 2 on the McIntosh to see if I could get anywhere near as good a surround mix as Columbia did. I got some good sounding results, but as you would expect nothing that was like the original surround mixes. What I did get was an appreciation for what these algorithmic surround processing programs can do. The result has been that with the Marantz I find myself listening to one of the two surround processing options more often than stereo for the majority of my listening. It clearly does more for some recordings than others, but when it's good it's really good. Having said that, I don't think there's been an example of my preferring algorithmic surround to a professional surround mix.