Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

I've never been a big fan of the Depeche Mode surround mixes so coming back to Some Great Reward promises to be an opportunity to change my mind. This was an album that I owned on release, so as with Five Miles Out I know it very well indeed, but the stereo mix is not as detailed as the one for Black Celebration, which was the album where for me DM perfected their early style.

The bass extension is nice on this surround mix, giving the synths an impact that was certainly not well felt in the original mix. (The fear with early DM is always going to be that they sound “thin” because Vince Clarke's brand of synthpop has always tended to sound like that and his influence was still felt.) Some of the movement of the voices in “People Are People” is nice but the album is certainly slow to get going with the channeling.

The multichannel mix of “It Doesn't Matter” feels analytic, robbing the track of some of its mystery although I will grant that some listeners will prefer that. Martin Gore's lyrics - with their yearning sense of romanticism - were really coming into their own here and that brittle sentimentality has to be felt whatever is done with the sonics of the album, so there's a balancing act to pull off here. Fortunately, “Somebody” still has that magic, with the industrial noises still providing an ambient counterpoint to the rather saccharine balladry. “Master and Servant” (surely the most Soft Cell song never recorded by Soft Cell) gave the mixers an opportunity to go wild but for some reason they decline the invitation. “If You Want” is gloriously atmospheric at the start, though some of the magic is abated as it becomes just another synthpop track.

“Blasphemous Rumours” is the finale and for me that album's only standout track. It sounded sensational on release and fortunately the multichannel mix for the first verse doesn't disappoint, with the drums sounding enormous. True, the track has lost some of its impact over time, especially compared with Black Celebration, but you can hardly blame the mix for that and the eerie synth outro is still a great way to an end the album.

 

I had never heard the album before getting the deluxe. How does the 2013 stereo remaster compare to the original?

 

I honestly don't know. It took me six years to listen to the surround mix again so ... maybe get back to me in 2025?

 

Fly Like an Eagle


Studio album by
Steve Miller Band
Released May 1976
Recorded 1975–1976
Studio CBS Studios, San Francisco, California
Genre Rock, psychedelic rock, space rock, blues
Length 38:07
Label Capitol
Producer Steve Miller

Fly Like an Eagle is the ninth studio album by American rock group Steve Miller Band. The album was released in May 1976 (see 1976 in music) by Capitol Records in the United States, Canada and Japan and Mercury Records in Europe.

The album was a success, spawning three singles: the title track, "Take the Money and Run" and "Rock'n Me", and eventually receiving quadruple platinum certification from the RIAA.

In 2012, the album was ranked number 445 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. [1]

• Steve Miller – vocals, guitar, keyboards, sitar, ARP Odyssey (1, 2), producer
• Lonnie Turner – bass guitar (all but 12)
• Gary Mallaber – drums (all but 12), percussion

Additional personnel

• James Cotton – harmonica (11)
• Curley Cooke – guitar (12)
• Les Dudek – guitar (12)
• Charles Calamise – bass guitar (12)
• Kenny Johnson – drums (12)
• Joe (njjoe) Dandrea – percussion (Zildjian ct tophat) (12)
• John McFee – dobro (5)
• Joachim Young – B3 organ (2, 12)

Technical

• John Palladino – executive producer
• Mike Fusaro – recording engineer
• Jim Gains – mastering
• Susan McCardle – photography
• David Stahl – photography

1. "Space Intro" Steve Miller 1:15
2. "Fly Like An Eagle" Miller 4:42
3. "Wild Mountain Honey" Steve McCarty 4:51
4. "Serenade" Miller, Chris McCarty 3:13
5. "Dance Dance Dance" Miller, Joseph Cooper, Brenda Cooper 2:18
6. "Mercury Blues" K.C. Douglas, Bob Geddins 3:30
7. "Take the Money and Run" Miller 2:50
8. "Rock'n Me" Miller 3:05
9. "You Send Me*" Sam Cooke 2:42
10. "Blue Odyssey" Miller 1:00
11. "Sweet Maree" Miller 4:16
12. "The Window" Miller, Jason Cooper 4:19
------------------------------------------------------
Steve Miller has been floating around the place since about 1966.
Initially the band was formed as a blues band, and throughout most of their career you will hear references back to these roots. The band developed a bit of a psychedelic tinge to their sound, and recorded seven albums between 68-72.
In 1973 the band changed their sound substantially with the Joker album. Still based in rock and blues, there was now a slight pop feel to the tracks, and Miller embarked on a journey that would result in some of his best known songs over the next five albums from 73-82.
I discovered Miller through good old fm radio probably through the later seventies, but definitely in the eighties, and he had a string of very well known singles that seemed to do very well, although I have no idea of chart positions, but in the late seventies early eighties you would have been hard pressed not to know The Joker, Fly Like An Eagle, Rocknme, Jet Airliner, Swingtown, Jungle Love, Abracadabra ... they became radio staples and always gave me a smile.
I first got a vinyl copy of this album in the early eighties, and back in Oz in the early noughties there was a dvd audio released that I got. As with all my original dvd-a's that is lobg gone due to the travel, now I have the 30th anniversary edition with the album on cd and a dvd with a dts 5.1 and also an added concert on video from 2005, which I think is also mixed for 5.1.

I do really love this album and consider it a bit of a rock classic, closely followed by the next album Book Of Dreams, which really seems to be somewhat of a remake of Eagle, but still a very worthwhile album.

Amazon has the thirtieth anniversary disc available second hand from $30 and new about $45
https://www.amazon.com/Fly-Like-Eagle-30th-Anniversary/dp/B000GFRDN6
ebay also has it for about $30
steve miller band fly like an eagle 30th anniversarycd | eBay
Discogs has it at about $17
Steve Miller Band - Fly Like An Eagle - 30th Anniversary
$22
Steve Miller Band - Fly Like An Eagle - 30th Anniversary
and $18
Steve Miller Band - Fly Like An Eagle

The other version is actually a dts disc, not dvd-a, my apologies, it's been a while.
Discogs has it available from $22
Steve Miller Band - Fly Like An Eagle

Surround Mix Ed Churney
Mastered by Robert Vosgien

I think Miller upset some folks at some awards ceremony in recent times, but I don't pay too much attention to all that stuff. I'm not looking to date the guy, I just like listening to music.

Space Intro
Unfortunately this is only a Dolby digital soundtrack, but sounds surprisingly good.
The space intro swirls and circles in the soundfield nicely

Fly Like An Eagle
This is an excellent opening. We still have the intro swirl happening, Miller has his tick - left rear - tock right rear.
Guitar riff front left. The drum fill rolls from f ront left to right rear.
The synth bits gurgle around in the rears.
Kick is getting really nice support. It really surprises me that this is DD.
This is a great mix, to me it opens up the song, but manages to still keep it very coherent.
Fading out we get some great organ and synth parts swirling around, and the tick tick tick alternating in the back, returning to reprise of the intro.
The is great stuff right here, that moves straight into

Wild Mountain Honey
Percussion effects, bells and chimes, coming from various spots. The midrange synth riff left side.
We get some swirling synths and sfx in the outro that add to the somewhat psychedelic style of the song.
Another nice mix.

Serenade
A rhythm guitar triangle front, left and right sides. Drums are to the right, but there is movement through the front and rear left. Interesting, certainly not bad.

Dance Dance Dance
Harmony box front left and right rears.
Acoustic left, dobro/lap steel? front.
Another nice mix

Mercury Blues
Guitar right rear, doubling front guitar. Drums roll from right rear to front.
Harmony vocals all round.
The drums do some unusual things in the mix, but not bad.
Another good mix

Take The Money And Run
We have some cymbals and vocals that find their way to the rears, but this is a very sparse recording and there is a ton of surround stuff going on.

Rock'n Me
Guitar left side. Secong guitar right rear. Cymbals and bvox in the rears. Again I'm surprised how sparse and direct this recording is here.

You Send Me
Guitar left. Bvox rears.

Blue Odyssey
A swell of synths and sfx all around us. Leading into

Sweet Marie
Acoustic right and left.
James Cotton some really nice harp just left. This is some down home blues and very effective.
We then move into a more rhythm based pattern and a tambourine comes in right rear.
Then back to the down home blues again.
Then we move back into a beat.
This sounds like a really cool jam between Miller and Cotton.

The Window
Cymbal swell left rear. Funk kind of synth right side.
Organ right
Nice rears effect with the backing vocals.
Ride cymbal right side
Main instrumental melody between the vocals has parts all around the mix, melding well to create a sound blanket.
More groovy sfx all around, adding a nice effect.

This is an interesting one. A lot of the tracks have some really nice immersive mixes. Particularly Space Intro, Fly Like An Eagle, Wild mountain Honey, Dance Dance Dance, Blue Odyssey and The Window. The other tracks sound good, and are generally mixed well, but the songs are a lot more sparse in instrumentation, leaving not as much to play with as the tracks mentioned. They certainly don't sound bad, and the whole field gets used in all the songs, but they are less layered and therefore less surroundish ... if that makes any sense.
I feel I can still recommend this, because at the very least it is definitely worth hearing Fly Like An Eagle in this mix. There is a short documentary and a video concert on the disc as well, so if you like Steve Miller, it is hard to see someone being disappointed in this as a package.
Some unusual mixing with the drums in several places, but not bad, and it doesn't detract from the songs at all to me.
A worthwhile surround mix, but not a state of the art surround mix.

 

Bril choice to help nudge us out of the classic rock mindset, Mark. Metheny has the cred and talent, and takes pushing boundaries seriously.

I should point out, he's done an album with an Orchestrion. What is an orchestrion? That was a new one on me, until I visited the famous "House On The Rock" in the Wisconsin Dells (house designed by an acolyte of Frank Lloyd Wright is an attraction in itself, with its' design, vision and immense collection of collections that just goes on and on). Inside, on the way down several stories (!) to the Worlds' Largest Merry-Go-Round(!!), one encounters wall-hangings of musical instruments automated by air-pressure hoses and piano-player mechanics...followed by room-corner setups of more musical instruments...followed by whole roomfuls of instruments, all controlled in this same, arcane, turn-of-the-century technology! Truly mind-bending.*

The Orchestrian Project was filmed for Blu-Ray in both surround, and 3-D!, and released in 2012. If the idea of seeing something you've never heard before, brought into the world of artist you already respect for his innovation as well as his playing , prowess and sensitivity interests you...thank me later.


(*For those who just got the surprise of your life spoiled, sincerest apologies. My encounter was done with my best friends just telling me nothing about what I was in for...and, "trust me". So right. Take your music-loving buds - besides, it's Wisconsin, there are significant pleasures abounding up there, many in kegs! - and especially your children)

 

Glad you enjoyed it Mark. Cheers!

 

A wonderful disc, even for those who are not jazz fans. Last time I watched it was on PSVR!

 

Vespertine


Studio album by
Björk
Released 27 August 2001
Recorded 2000–01
Studio
Various[show]
Genre Electronica art pop glitch pop ambient folktronica
Length 55:33
Label One Little Indian Elektra
Producer Björk Thomas Knak Martin Gretschmann Marius de Vries

Vespertine is the fourth studio album by Icelandic recording artist Björk.[nb 1] It was released on 27 August 2001 in the United Kingdom by One Little Indian Records and in the United States by Elektra Entertainment. Production on the album began during the filming of Dancer in the Dark, which was characterized by conflict between her and director Lars von Trier. Vespertine's sound reflected Björk's newly found interest in the music of artists such as Opiate and Console, who were also enlisted as producers.

Björk wanted to make an album with an intimate, domestic sound, deviating from the sonority of her previous studio album Homogenic (1997). With the rising popularity of Napster and music downloads, she decided to use instruments whose sounds would not be compromised when downloaded and played on a computer, including the harp, the celesta, clavichord, strings, and custom music boxes. Assisted by the duo Matmos, Björk created "microbeats" from various household sounds, such as that of shuffling cards and ice being cracked. Lyrically, the album revolves around sex and love — sometimes explicitly — inspired by her new relationship with Matthew Barney; other lyrical sources include a poem by E. E. Cummings, Sarah Kane's play Crave, and dialogues written by Harmony Korine. Björk, a self-titled coffee table book containing photographs of the artist throughout her career, was released simultaneously with the album.

Vespertine peaked at number 19 on the US Billboard 200 and at number 8 on the UK Albums Chart. It was widely acclaimed by critics, with praise centred on its erotic, intimate mood and sonic experimentation. The album appeared on several publications' lists of the best albums of 2001 and of the decade, and has often been considered Björk's best album to date. It was certified gold in Canada, France, and the United Kingdom. Three singles were released from Vespertine: "Hidden Place", "Pagan Poetry", and "Cocoon". In 2001, she enlisted Zeena Parkins, Matmos, and a choir of Inuit women to embark on the Vespertine World Tour, which took place at theatres and small venues, in favor of acoustics over audience numbers.

Musicians[edit]

• Björk – arrangements, strings arrangements, choir arrangements, harp arrangements, music box arrangements, programming, beat programming
• Jake Davies – programming
• Valgeir Sigurðsson – programming, beat programming
• Martin Gretschmann – programming
• Matthew Herbert – programming
• Thomas Knak – programming
• Vince Mendoza – string arrangements, choir arrangements, orchestration
• Zeena Parkins – harp, harp arrangements
• Jack Perron – adaptation to music box
• Guy Sigsworth – celeste, celeste arrangements, clavichord, clavichord arrangements, choir arrangements, programming, beat programming
• Caryl Thomas – harp
• Damian Taylor – programming, beat programming
• Patrick Gowers – composition of vocal and organ arrangements (track 12)
• St. Paul's Cathedral Choir, conducted by John Scott – choir (track 12)
• Marius de Vries – programming, beat programming

Technical personnel[edit]

• Björk – production, basslines, vocal editing, sounds recording, field recording
• Valgeir Sigurðsson – Pro Tools, engineering
• Martin Gretschmann a.k.a. Console – production (track 10)
• Jake Davies – Pro Tools, engineering
• Leigh Jamieson – Pro Tools
• Thomas Knak – production (track 2)
• Jan "Stan" Kybert – Pro Tools
• Matmos – programming, beat programming
• Mark "Spike" Stent – mixing
• Damian Taylor – Pro Tools
• Marius de Vries – production

1. "Hidden Place" Björk 5:28
2. "Cocoon" (producers: Björk, Thomas Knak) Björk Knak
4:28
3. "It's Not Up to You" Björk 5:08
4. "Undo" Björk Knak
5:38
5. "Pagan Poetry" Björk 5:14
6. "Frosti" Björk 1:41
7. "Aurora" Björk 4:39
8. "An Echo, A Stain" Björk Guy Sigsworth
4:04
9. "Sun in My Mouth" Björk E.E. Cummings Sigsworth
2:40
10. "Heirloom" (producers: Björk, Console) Björk Console
5:12
11. "Harm of Will" Björk Sigsworth Harmony Korine
4:36
12. "Unison" Björk 6:45
-----------------------------------
Born in Iceland Bjork started singing at age 11 and first came onto the worlds radar as party of the band The Sugarcubes. They had a minor hits with the songs, Birthday, Regina and Hit, and then after their three albums, they broke up.
This meant that in 1993 Bjork was able to embark on a solo career, and that little bit of exposure from being in the band i think really helped her to move to the next level. Her first post Sugarcubes solo album "Debut" was sensational, and in my part of the world at least was very successful, with a string of popular singles, that found their way onto radio, and she was on her way.
Bjork is somewhat of a journeywoman and really does like to mix it up. The impression I get of her is quite sweet and very eccentric, and that isn't a bad mix for an artists. Bjork is most definitely an artist. I happen to think she has an amazing voice, but I know many that don't like it. I think her first three albums are classics of the nineties and cover a very broad field, with everything from acoustic horn arrangements, to dance, techno, ballads and more textures than a coral reef.
I haven't kept totally up with her output, because I get the impression that she went further than I wanted to, but one day, I may well check out some of her later stuff. I follow her up until Medulla and am not sure about much that comes after that.
She was also in a very arty, but good movie called Dancer In The Dark, that had a soundtrack also.
She is very worth checking out. Probably my favourite album of hers is Debut, but my two favourite songs are actually on Homogenic.
I have listened to this disc, but I think only once, and I am not as familiar with this album as I am the first three, because of the time in my life that I got it.
So today I will have a revisit of this and see how we go.

the dvd-a is available on ebay for about $40
Bjork - Vespertine (DVD Audio, 2001) for sale online | eBay
From about $28 on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Vespertine-B...rtine+dvd+audio&qid=1568574901&s=music&sr=1-1
from about $11 on discogs
https://www.discogs.com/Björk-Vespertine/release/1841804

Also on a dualdisc from discogs from about $22
https://www.discogs.com/Björk-Vespertine/release/106605

also on sacd from discogs from about $167 for the japanese sacd
https://www.discogs.com/Björk-Vespertine/release/10828830
from about $50 for the european sacd
https://www.discogs.com/Björk-Vespertine/release/262574

Also re-released in 2006 (scroll down to 2006 and you will see the dual discs, four regional releases i think it was)
Björk - Vespertine

I think the mix is by Mark "Spike" Stent

Hidden Place
We have the main bed of this track up the front. With little drum machine rhythm sections in the rears, some effects sends along in the rears.
When the bass kicks in there is no doubt that the sub is working.
This is one of Bjork's rhythmic ballads. These rhythmic elements work well in the surround field.

Cocoon
We start with a bass and rhythm track. She likes rhythm tracks that lean towards the industrial aesthetic, but less aggressive, generally.
We get some gentle keyboards under the bass and rhythm track.
Bjork's vocal sits on top of this, with sends to the rears.
This is a sparse, desperate and somewhat desolate track with a good deal of beauty in it.

It's Not Up to You
We start with the unusual rhythm track with beats front and rears.
A gentle keyboard comes in up front. Strings also come in. Voice on left rear during the breakdown.
The strings swell either side.
Again we get a track of fragile beauty, that has the feeling of a lament.
This mix is quite magnificent, adding a certain depth and space to this track, that really opens up and gives it some life.
A very cool transistor radio outro.

Undo
Bjork starts us off front, left and right rear.
Subtle keyboards both sides.
Some nice counterpoint vocals.
About 2.20 we get a bit of a swell in the music that really adds a good atmosphere.
This mix works really well, the string swells and the layered vocals taking advantage of the surround set up.
Quite a magical song.
The fade out has an excellent, moving sfx mix

Pagan Poetry
We have a harp? Finding some space around the field. Backing vocals in the rears.
Some really excellent use of the 5 speakers here. Really nice balance, subtle movement. Very good use of effects.
I find Bjork's music generally quite beautiful, yet challenging at the same time. This album leans towards the beautiful.
Really good mix

Frosti
Tuned bells all around the field. Very effective. Quite beautiful. They could well be synths, but either way they sound really good. This leads into

Aurora
Bellas either side. A strange sound that sounds like someone walking through snow.
Percussion comes in either side and front also.
Beautiful, although unusual choices for instrumentation here.
Again really nice use of the whole field here. Really effective, balanced and immersive.
All the bottom end stuff gets good sub support on this album.

An Echo A Stain
A pad, a sub rumble, sfx all around the field, record crackle, sounds of groaning frogs, an owl? a swell of voices and synths come up inderneath.
A throbbing midrange synth in rears.
Very effective surround. Excellent artistic collage of sounds that actually create a good song to. The swells are very dynamic.
Some interesting voice modulation effects also.

Sun In My Mouth
Right rear keyboard. Vocal front. Bass throb. Wind left side and rear.
Strings start swelling underneath, and all round.

Heirloom
Drum machine upfront.
Tuned sticks either side.
Layers of percussion create a field around a synth pad. Vocals and bass come in together.
A synth arpeggio of sorts bounces between the rears.
A nice little snare on the left.
Another really excellent mix, not just in terms of the surround field, but also in the way elements come in and out of the mix.

Harm Of Will
We start with mellow synths and strings here. All around we have the gentle caress of this sound. Bjork has her vocal up front, and we get some edited breathy vocalizations edited in for effect.
Again a beautiful song and mix.
Another wonderful dynamic swell of strings and choir.
This drops out to a keyboard and vocal the slow

Unison
We start with an effected vocal, and slowly a parade of sounds build up around us. Then a beat kicks in.
Again this is a masterclass of layering. Construction in the modern era 101.
I find Bjork's ability to create such synthetic backdrops, but retain a human and personal feel in the songs to be quite remarkable, and I think it is partly due to her effective use of real strings, and that powerful, yet fragile voice.
A fantastic listen.... and a closer listen to this album has risen it up in my ratings ... this may well be my favourite of hers. It is less pop, but not so far into the unusual places she goes as to make it a difficult listen.

I highly recommend this, unless you don't like modern musical sounds. This album has a modern sheen with the heart of a forties diva in it... I can't think of a better way to put it. but I find it engaging and moving.
It is probably one of her easiest to digest albums, but without compromising what it is she actually does. I think the mix is marvellous, and you get a good surround mix, but also, just a really good mix all round.
Top marks for this one.
@Parachute Woman - I believe you are a Bjork fan. If there are any insights into this album that you can share with us that would be cool

 

Kick

Studio album by
INXS
Released 12 October 1987 (LP & Cassette)[1]
26 October 1987 (CD)[2]
Recorded 1986–1987 at Rhinoceros Recordings, Sydney, Australia, and Studio De La Grande Armée, Paris, France
Genre Alternative rock pop rock new wave funk hard rock
Length 39:12
Language English
Label WEA Atlantic Mercury
Producer Chris Thomas

Kick is the sixth studio album by the Australian rock band INXS, released in 1987 by WEA in Australia, Atlantic Records in the United States and Mercury Records in Europe.

As the band's most successful studio album, Kick has been certified six times platinum by the RIAA and spawned four US top 10 singles ("New Sensation", "Never Tear Us Apart", "Devil Inside" and "Need You Tonight", the last of which reached the top of the US Billboard singles charts).[3][4] At the 1988 MTV Video Music Awards, the band took home five Moonmen for the "Need You Tonight"/"Mediate" video.

The album was produced by British producer Chris Thomas and recorded by David Nicholas in Sydney, Australia, and in Paris, France. The album was mixed by Bob Clearmountain at Air Studios in London.

• Michael Hutchence: lead vocals and backing vocals
• Kirk Pengilly: saxophone, rhythm guitar and backing vocals
• Tim Farriss: lead guitar and backing vocals
• Andrew Farriss: synthesizers, drum machine, rhythm guitar and backing vocals
• Garry Gary Beers: bass guitars
• Jon Farriss: drums, percussion

1. "Guns in the Sky" Michael Hutchence 2:21
2. "New Sensation" 3:39
3. "Devil Inside" 5:14
4. "Need You Tonight" 3:01
5. "Mediate" 2:36
6. "The Loved One" Ian Clyne, Gerry Humphreys and Rob Lovett 3:37
7. "Wild Life" 3:10
8. "Never Tear Us Apart" 3:05
9. "Mystify" 3:17
10. "Kick" 3:14
11. "Calling All Nations" 3:02
12. "Tiny Daggers" 3:29
--------------------------------
By the time Kick exploded all over the world Inxs had been stars in Australia for at least seven years.
They started out as a kind of pop/ska/rock band and over the years added and subtracted elements to suit the songs that they were making.
Their first hit single was Stay Young off the Underneath The Colours album. Having said that though One of their first really popular radio tracks was Just Keep Walking, which is still a favourite of mine.
In 1982 they release Shabooh Shoobah, and it had some slight hard rock edges amongst the new wave dance pop, that mainly consisted of well placed guitars. The songs One Thing, Black and White and particularly Don't Change. They did some shows in the US and started to get a little bit of recognition there.
In 1984 the band released the Swing, and that sent them over the top and they became superstars in Australia. It sold bucketloads (for Australia) and had the hit singles Original Sin, Dancing On the Jetty, I Send A message, Burn For You and to a lightly lesser extent Johnson's Aeroplane became a huge radio favourite. A wonderful album that really was very well received.
After that came Listen Like Thieves in 1985. It was somewhat a return to the guitars being out the front and the album again was a huge success, with tons more hit singles.
I would dearly love these three albums in 5.1
I believe some of those albums mentioned did reasonably well overseas, but when Kick came out it exploded all over the world selling about twenty million copies and getting gold and platinum records all over the world.
The album sold incredibly well in Australia also, and it was a great album, but I think that a lot of us Aussies felt the boys had tailor made an album for the US market, and that's fine, and it certainly worked, but we sort of felt that our guys had gone on to greener pastures, and we kind of clung to some of the earlier stuff, when they were ours.
I highly recommend anyone that likes the band to get at least Shabooh Shoobah, The Swing and Listen Like Thieves, for me, all three are better than Kick, but Kick is undeniably a wonderfully crafted pop/rock album.
Need you tonight was the first single and got plenty of attention. Followed by four more great singles that kept the band in everyone's minds at the time.
Whenever I see the footage from the Wembley show of New Sensation and see the whole crowd jumping up and down as one, I find it quite moving, and effecting.

Still available new on Amazon for $35
https://www.amazon.com/Kick-30th-Deluxe-3CD-1Bluray/dp/B0767R8M69

It is one of those 3cd's with outtakes, demos, b-sides, and different mixes with a bluray that has the album in 5.1 and the videos also.

Atmos/5.1 mix - Giles Martin and Sam Okell

Guns In the Sky
Hutchence goes around the speakers with his oo ha intro.
Then we get the bass with a ton of sub.
The guitars don't have enough presence.
I went back to this.
It sounds better, but it's a little sub heavy and the guitars don't have the punch I remember.

New Sensation
This sounds better.
Guitars either side in the rears. The reverse reverb on the vocal has a nice effect in the rears to the front.
We get bvox in the rears, and the sax and guitars .
This mix is missing something too.
With it being a 7.1 mix I assume it should have a mix down for the 5.1 standard, but it is like it is out of balance.
I went back to this also. Again it's a little sub heavy. Better than the initial set up sounded.

Devil Inside
The elements are well placed, but the balance between them seems wrong. We have a percussion effect on the right that is too loud. Most of the time the guitars don't seem quite right.
The vocals here are barely there...
I fidgeted with a few things and altered the feed to a direct sound from the oppo, and it sounds better, but still a little disappointing.
Ok back to this as well. It is ok, but it sounds out of balance on the levels to a degree. I think the vocals are too low, the guitars a little too high....
Still disappointing

Need You Tonight
This sounds way better. I can hear the instruments and the balance between them is a lot better.
This is actually a good mix.
Guitars either side bvox rears. Drums and cymbals getting some side and rears action.

Mediate
This sounds pretty good with synths swells and stabs in the rear sand the riff guitars left.

The Loved one
Guitars left front , pianos either side.
This is a cover of the song by the Loved Ones, that that the band had previously done a better version than this one. Though this is pretty decent.
This mix is pretty good, but again it seems out of balance.
I havent minded, in fact, quite liked Giles' Beatles remixes, but this just doesn't seem quite right.

Wild Life
The surround mix here sounds quite good with little rhythm elements all around.
The vocal has a better balance in the mix.

Never Tear Us Apart
A nice arrangement and mix of the synth strings. We have clarity. The vocal sounds right. Riff guitar in the rears.
This sounds pretty good, but I still think it is out of balance with the volumes to some degree.

Mystify
Starts well.
Finger snaps in the rears.
Sounds pretty good, but still not quite right.

Kick
Again the use of the channels is fine.

Calling all Nations


Tiny Daggers

For the most part the mix is interesting in the sense that it uses all the channels and sometimes quite effectively, but it just doesn't sound right.
Volume levels seem to be rather out of balance in several places. The tracks don't seem to sound the way they are supposed to.

I really don't know what is going on with this one.

I would really like one of you tech heads to stick your ten cents in on this, particularly if you have heard it, because this has left me a little bewildered.

 

Anyway.
I am not posting the polls this week, as I won't be able to do these for the next two Sundays.
@Galactus2 has kindly offered to step in and do the next couple of Sundays, and I believe he has two albums lined up and ready to roll. So please keep commenting, and putting your two cents worth in on these mixes while I am drinking on the beach

Cheers
Mark

 

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

Reference to the albums

Alice Cooper - Welcome To My Nightmare Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries
Allman Brothers Band - Live At Fillmore East - Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

The Beatles - The Beatles (White Album) Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries
Beck, Jeff - Blow By Blow Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries
Bjork - Vespertine Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries
Bowie, David - The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries
Browne, Jackson - Running On Empty - Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

Charles, Ray - Ray Sings, Basie Swings - Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

Davis, Miles - Bitches Brew - Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries
Depeche Mode - Some Great Reward - Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries
Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries
Doobie Brothers - The Captain And Me Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries
Dylan, Bob - Blonde On Blonde Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

ELO - debut album Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries
Emerson Lake And Palmer - Brain Salad Surgery Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

Fagen, Donald - The Nightfly Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries
Flaming Lips - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries
Fleetwood Mac - Rumours Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

Gaye, Marvin - Lets Get It On - Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries
Genesis - Selling England By The Pound Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries
Gentle Giant - The Power and The Glory - Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

Hendrix, Jimi - Electric Ladyland - Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

Inxs - Kick Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries
Iron Maiden - Dance Of Death Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

Jethro Tull - Minstrel In The Gallery Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries
Joel, Billy - The Stranger Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries
John, Elton - Madman Across The Water Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

King Crimson - Red Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Southern Surroundings Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

Moody Blues - A Question Of Balance Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

Oldfield, Mike - Five Miles Out Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

Pat Metheny Group - Imaginary Day Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

Queen - A Night At The Opera Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

REM - Green Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries
Rich, Charlie Behind Closed Doors Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries
Roxy Music - Avalon Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries
Rush - Moving Pictures Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

Sly And The Family Stone - Greatest Hits - Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries
Steve Miller Band - Fly Like An Eagle Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

Talking heads - Remain In Light Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries
Tangerine Dream - Phaedra Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries
Townsend, Pete/Lane, Ronnie - Rough Mix Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries
T Rex - Electric Warrior Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

Uk - Night After Night Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

Wakeman, Rick - Six Wives Of Henry The Eighth Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries
Waters, Roger - Amused to Death Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries
Who - Quadrophenia Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

XTC - The Black Sea Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

Yes - Close To The Edge Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

Zappa - Quaudiophiliac Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

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

 

You have no worries with the stereo version, it’s just a tastefully done (to my ears, anyway) remaster; not a remix.

My reaction to the 5.1 mix was similar to @Sordel the first time, hence not playing it for years. But the second time I went into it knowing it was a new interpretation of the original and I just sat back and listened to what was there and was able to enjoy it.

Totally agree that the bits that are missing and strange and somewhat annoying, though.

 

I am indeed a huge Bjork fan. Thanks for thinking of me! Vespertine is one of her most amazing artistic statements and one of my two favorite Bjork albums (along with Homogenic). The music itself is incredibly gorgeous but the album is deeply intimate and emotional as well. It is essentially a concept album detailing how much Bjork loved her boyfriend and sharing physical intimacies with him. This is part of what makes her devastating breakup album Vulnicura so painful--it's about the same guy, at the end of their relationship.

One of my favorite things about Bjork is the way she constructs lyrics. She puts words together in ways that a native English speaker wouldn't and it adds to the unique beauty of the songs. Every note on the album speaks of her sensual love and desire for this man. My favorite tracks on the album are Sun in My Mouth and Coccoon, both of which speak very plainly of that rich and deeply intimate sensuality between two people in love. It's so vulnerable and gorgeous to listen to.

This is my favorite album of 2001. Masterpiece.

 

Cheers mate
I need to pay more attention to the lyrics. I am normally too swept away by the sound to notice to be honest.

 

Thanks for the review of INXS Kick! I’m curious did you review it based on listening to the full Atmos mix or as standard 5.1 ? I have this title and enjoy it in 5.1 but don’t have an Atmos setup so curious what differences Atmos brings.

 

I only have the 5.1 setup.
I was somewhat shocked today. I just found it really unbalanced, and that's terribly disappointing as one of the few Aussie bands with an album in surround...

I was wondering if being an atmos mix, there was sonic info missing.

 

A few added comments, Mark, related to Metheny:

Although there are a few tunes in his book that may be shoe-horned under a smooth jazz rubric ("James" or "Phase Dance" come to mind) I certainly wouldn't categorize his work to appeal to those who enjoy that sub-genre. If you can, check out the album Tokyo Day Trip - in five songs you get the depth and breadth what Pat can do, all live. And nothing there approaches smooth jazz: these five tunes evoke Sigur Ros, Wes Montgomery, Bill Evans, John Zorn, or Arvo Part, at least to my ears.

As for other 5.1 suggestions, I recommend the following two performance DVDs with 5.1 tracks. While they are not the proper albums, the live performances faithfully capture the spirit of the source material:
The Way Up - Live, essentially a 60 minute piece of music, and the final Pat Metheny Group release
The Orchestrion Project - where Pat lets his mad scientist freak-flag fly, using midi controllers and sequencers to bring the concept of one-man band to an astonishing, head-shaking level.

 

I certainly didn't mean smooth jazz as an insult, and I didn't even know it was yet another subgenre ......

I would call a lot of Wes Montgomery's stuff smooth jazz, and I would call Miles Davis Kind Of Blue smooth jazz ...

These genre's and subgenres are killing me lol

 

“Smooth Jazz” is, broadly, light Jazz from the West Coast. “Kind of Blue” is Modal Jazz.

 

I understand. I am essentially a genre free zone ... my statement was based on how it sounds and feels to me, not a genre

 

Like Gerry Mulligan?
I always thought smooth jazz was typified by Grover Washington Jr.'s Winelight or Kenny G's big hit albums.

 

Hmm, you may be right: Wikipedia says it arose in the 1970s and ‘80s. George Benson, Kenny G and Chuck Mangione are their examples. Guess I shouldn't have posted off the top of my head!

Edited to add: Gerry Mulligan (according to the same, ahem,”source”) went from Cool Jazz to West Coast Jazz. I think that that's closer to what I had (wrongly) in mind for Smooth Jazz.

 

Although I enjoy Winelight, I understand it is very different to what Metheny is doing.
I don't really know Kenny G, except by name... and predominantly, name calling, but the couple of things I have head I would call light weight ... yet I don't think they are as horrendous as folks make out.... just not super engaging ... kind of like the Richard Clayderman of sax or something.....

Anyway forgive my (probably intentional) ignorance

 

It's all good, @mark winstanley and @Sordel . Back to our regular programming....

 

I bought Kenny G's first album on release. There's really no excuse I can find for that now ..