Surrounded On Sundays - 5.1/quad reviews and summaries

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

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  1. dthomas850

    dthomas850 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cleveland, Ohio
    Hey, just wanted to thank you for the review. I love Belew era Crimson but never really got into the last two studio albums. Based on your review I just ordered this disc and am really looking forward to hearing it.
     
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  2. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    You're Welcome.
    The last two albums are certainly less accessible than earlier albums, but I think the mix opens up Power To Believe quite a bit.
    I'm looking forward to hearing Re-Construction Of Light soon ... it's been there for months now, and I still haven't gotten around to listening to it lol

    Edit: please let us know what you think when you get a chance!
     
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  3. gd0

    gd0 Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies

    Location:
    Golden Gate
    Gotta agree that the surround mix is an odd one. Quad was in its infancy in the 70s, and more than a few mixes would suffer from unlucky guesses. But I can shrug off the 21st century audiophile concerns and enjoy this from time to time

    The mastering, esp on the 2-channel layer, is the reason to jump on this'un. If you can find it.

    Good ol' AF.
     
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  4. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    Yea, it was just disappointing.
    I'll have to give the stereo layer a listen. Great album.
     
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  5. gd0

    gd0 Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies

    Location:
    Golden Gate
    I've been on the King Crimson bus since 1969. Seen them a couple dozen times since 1981.

    I have no problem naming TPTB as being the best of the catalog, alongside Red, Larks', and Discipline. This 2000-03 version of the band seems under-regarded (at least for now), but the absence of familiar names like Levin and Bruford doesn't hurt the content at all. Strange, beautiful, as Jimi might put it.

    Coincidentally, this was/is the best-produced album of the bunch (alongside Thrak). It didn't need remastering at all, though what was done sounds fine. But the content demanded a surround mix, and the one done here is excellent. Glad Singleton did it, as Jakko can be really hit-or-miss with remixes.

    I got the box, which is excellent, but I was a little disappointed that the contemporaneous releases like ProjeKct X, Repercussions, Happy..., ExtraKcts..., Level Five etc did not get the surround treatment.

    TPTB and Re-ConstruKtion were well-received in this house.
     
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  6. Galactus2

    Galactus2 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Virginia
    It’s available on the bay auction site, as long as you’re comfortable with it being an extract.

    I’d like to hear it, too, and it’s annoying that Floyd moves like snails going uphill, in February, when it comes to releasing these stand-alone albums in surround. How long has Animals in 5.1 been talked about for now? Two years, or more? And it still hasn’t been released, despite *allegedly* already in the can.

    So we probably shouldn’t hold our collective breath about an official Meddle 5.1 release soon, despite the likelihood that it would probably sell very well. *sigh*
     
  7. Trainspotting

    Trainspotting Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Yeah, I want ahead and ordered it off of eBay upon Mark’s recommendation. We’ll see how it sounds…
     
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  8. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

  9. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

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  10. riskylogic

    riskylogic Forum Resident

    John, Elton - Madman Across The Water. I've never been a big Elton John fan. I bought Goodbye Yellow Brick Road three times (LP/CD/DVDA), but that's about it. But, when you can get a good surround mix at Dutton Vocalion prices ($14 from ImportCDs thrown into a larger order) that changes the equation. Besides, this used to be one of my sister's favorite albums when it came out, so I really need it so I can play it for her when she comes over. The surround mix is indeed very good (1/3)

    King Crimson - The Power To Believe. Put me down as one of the likers. My second favorite KC album with Belew (after Discipline) and somewhere around #5 overall. My wife went off to England for the summer this came out, which allowed me to crank this up in the living room on more than a few occasions. Even though it's one that Steven Wilson didn't do, it's also one of my favorite KC surround mixes. I especially like all four of the title tracks in surround (2/3).

    Pink Floyd - Atom Heart Mother. While I've had this album on the shelf, I haven't listened to it in a decade or to. Meddle is so much better, and if I want to go back farther in the psychedelic Floyd catalog, it's usually going to be a A Saucerful of Secrets or Ummagumma. But the audio collage mix for it is just perfect, especially for the title track. The rest of it is still kinda boring until it wakes up with the Psychedelic Breakfast. (1/3).
     
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  11. Devilscucumber

    Devilscucumber Forum Resident

  12. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

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  13. Devilscucumber

    Devilscucumber Forum Resident

    Has anyone checked the surround DVD of Young Americans? (It's also in DTS 96/24 according to my receiver): David Bowie - Young Americans
    It's quite good, and discreet, I wish there was more Bowie material in surround, though it sounds like Station to Station was a dead duck, hope Heathen gets the review this time.
     
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  14. Mister Charlie

    Mister Charlie "Music Is The Doctor Of My Soul " - Doobie Bros.

    Location:
    Aromas, CA USA
    Yes, Young Americans IS good in 5.1. As you say, discrete separation is very good.
     
  15. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    Yea it's a good mix
     
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  16. riskylogic

    riskylogic Forum Resident

    Feels Good to Me

    [​IMG]

    Studio album by Bruford
    Released January 1978
    Recorded August 1977
    Studio Trident Studios, London, UK
    Genre Jazz fusion
    Length 46:58
    Label EG/Polydor
    Producer Robin Lumley, Bill Bruford

    Feels Good to Me is the 1978 debut solo album by the British drummer Bill Bruford. The band Bruford grew out of the line-up assembled for this album. Led by drummer Bill Bruford, the album features guitarists Allan Holdsworth and John Goodsall, bassist Jeff Berlin, keyboardist Dave Stewart and ECM flügelhorn stalwart Kenny Wheeler. He also enlisted singer and songwriter Annette Peacock. Musically, the album does not sound like the early Canterbury scene but is more reminiscent of contemporaries Brand X, whose keyboardist Robin Lumley co-produced the album.

    Personnel
    · Bill Bruforddrums, percussion
    · Allan Holdsworthelectric guitar
    · Dave Stewartkeyboards
    · Jeff Berlinbass
    with
    ·
    Kenny Wheelerflugelhorn (on tracks 3, 7, 9)
    · Annette Peacock – vocals (2, 3, 10)
    · John Goodsall – additional guitar (6)

    Track listing

    No. Title Writer(s) Length
    1. "Beelzebub" Bill Bruford 3:16
    2. "Back to the Beginning" Bruford 7:09
    3. "Seems Like a Lifetime Ago (Part One)" Bruford 2:30
    4. "Seems Like a Lifetime Ago (Part Two)" Bruford 4:25
    5. "Sample and Hold" Bruford, Dave Stewart 5:12
    6. "Feels Good to Me" Bruford 3:49
    7. "Either End of August" Bruford 5:27
    8. "If You Can't Stand the Heat..." Bruford, Stewart 3:20
    9. "Springtime in Siberia" Bruford, Stewart 2:43
    10. "Adios a la pasada (Goodbye to the Past)" Bruford, Annette Peacock 7:55Total length: 60:25

    The 5.1 mix was first released in a 2017 box set, A Long Time Ago (1977-1980), that also contained a 5.1 of One of A Kind. However, both of those were released in 2019 as stand alone releases. The recording format is lossy DTS, unfortunately. That was very annoying when it was an expensive box, but more forgivable when you can get it brand new on the cheap:

    Burning Shed Amazon


    ______

    5.1 mix by Jakko Jakszyk

    Drums and Bass are in front. However, additional percussion is often mixed to the back. In addition, there something that sounds like harmonic percussion (e.g. a xylophone) figures prominently on many of the tracks. Because I was not sure whether this is actual percussion or a synthesizer I pulled up a video of a live performance of Beezelbub, and the answer is that Dave Stewart is Wakemanesque: He had a stack of five different keyboards, often playing two at the same time. His keyboard parts are often mixed differently, with some in the back and some in the front.

    BEELZEBUB

    Percussion, Bass, and Guitar mostly in Front. Some discrete percussion also in center channel and also briefly in back. Back dominated by keyboards.

    BACK TO THE BEGINNING

    Peacock vocals in center, guitar bass and percussion mostly in front, back dominated with keyboards, but guitar and percussion pops in too. Guitar solo in center near the end, and then Peacock in surround.

    SEEMS LIKE A LIFETIME AGO (PART ONE)

    Peacock vocals in center, reverbing flugelhorn and keyboards

    SEEMS LIKE A LIFETIME AGO (PART TWO)

    Keyboards and lots of percussion in back. Guitar in center. Great surround

    SAMPLE AND HOLD

    Very cool complimentary keyboards front and back. Guitar in center. Mostly keyboards, but bass in the back at one point (might be low end keyboards).

    FEELS GOOD TO ME

    Keyboards in center to start, then replaced with guitar. Not much in the back at all – until a little percussion at the end.

    EITHER END OF AUGUST

    Keyboards and percussion in surround, the flugelhorn. Drums and bass in front, guitar in center

    IF YOU CAN'T STAND THE HEAT...

    Percussion in front, keyboards in back. Guitar on center.

    SPRINGTIME IN SIBERIA

    Piano in surround, flugelhorn in front

    ADIOS A LA PASADA

    Keyboards in surround, very spacey guitar (or keyboards?) in center, Peacock vocals in center, guitar in surround at end
    _______


    Although this was technically a Bill Bruford solo album, two of the other group members on this album are also very distinguished. Allan Holdsworth was a very well-regarded jazz fusion guitarist who had a much longer solo career than Bruford. Dave Stewart, the keyboardist who is not the same Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics, also has had a long recording career of his own, and has also done a number of string arrangements for other artist including Anathema, the Pineapple Thief, and Steven Wilson.

    I got this album when it was released just because Bruford, not really knowing what to expect. I liked it straight off. It’s among my favorite albums that I would categorize as Jazz. Annette Peacock’s vocals are unusual (more like rapping than singing), and kinda cool for that reason.

    The surround mix is very good. The rear speakers are used somewhat sparingly, but they do chime in often enough to make the surround mix worthwhile.

    As someone who bought the box, I can’t say it was a good deal. The surround mixes weren’t worth paying a premium price for (i.e. something like $50 apiece). But, at the stand-alone price of about one third of that, it feels good to me. (2/3)
     
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  17. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    Alan Parsons Project
    Tales of Mystery and Imagination

    [​IMG]
    Studio album by
    The Alan Parsons Project
    Released
    1 May 1976
    Recorded July 1975–January 1976
    Studio Abbey Road Studios, London Mama Jo's Kingsway Hall
    Genre Progressive rock art rock
    Length 42:38
    Label Charisma (UK) 20th Century Fox (Everywhere else)
    Producer Alan Parsons

    Tales of Mystery and Imagination (Edgar Allan Poe) is the debut studio album by British rock band The Alan Parsons Project. It was released on 1 May 1976 in the United States by 20th Century Fox Records and on 1 June 1976 in the United Kingdom by Charisma Records. The lyrical and musical themes of the album, which are retellings of horror stories and poetry by Edgar Allan Poe, attracted a cult audience. The title of the album is taken from the title of a collection of Poe's macabre stories of the same name.

    Musicians featured on the album include vocalists Arthur Brown of The Crazy World of Arthur Brown on "The Tell Tale Heart", John Miles on "The Cask of Amontillado" and "(The System of) Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether", and Terry Sylvester of The Hollies on "To One in Paradise". The complete line-up of bands Ambrosia and Pilot play on the record, along with keyboardist Francis Monkman of Curved Air and Sky.

    Tales of Mystery and Imagination peaked at #38 on Billboard's Pop Albums chart. The song "(The System Of) Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether" peaked at No. 37 on the Pop Singles chart, and No. 62 in Canada.[1]

    • Alan Parsons – Organ, Synthesizer, Guitar, Keyboards, Recorder, Vocals, Producer, Engineer, Projectron
    • Eric Woolfson – Synthesizer, Harpsichord, Keyboards, Vocals, Vocals (background), Executive Producer
    • Orson Welles – Narrator
    • Leonard Whiting – Vocals, Narrator
    • Arthur Brown – Vocals
    • John Miles – Guitar, Vocals
    • Jack Harris – Vocals
    • Francis Monkman – Organ, Keyboards
    • Kevin Peek – Guitar (Acoustic)
    • Terry Sylvester – Vocals
    • Laurence Juber – Guitar (Acoustic)
    • Andrew Powell – Keyboards, Arranger
    • David Paton – Guitar (Acoustic), Bass, Guitar, Vocals, Vocals (background)
    • Ian Bairnson – Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar, Guitar (Electric)
    • Chris Blair – Assistant Engineer
    • Peter Christopherson – Photography
    • David Katz – Violin, Leader, Orchestra Contractor
    • Burleigh Drummond – Drums
    • English Chorale – Vocals
    • Bob Howes – Choir, Chorus
    • John Leach – Percussion, Vocals, Cimbalom, Kantele
    • David Pack – Guitar
    • Smokey Parsons – Vocals
    • Joe Puerta – Bass
    • Dennis Clarke - Saxophone and Clarinet
    • Tony Richards – Assistant Engineer
    • Jack Rothstein – Leader
    • Daryl Runswick – Bass, String Bass
    • David Snell – Harp
    • The English Chorale and Played Ti – Choir, Chorus
    • Stuart Tosh – Cymbals, Drums, Vocals, Tympani [Timpani]
    • Tom Trefethen – Assistant Engineer
    • Pat Stapley – Assistant Engineer
    • Aubrey Powell – Photography
    • Storm Thorgerson – Photography
    • Hipgnosis – Design, Cover Art
    • Sam Emerson – Photography
    • Colin Elgie – Artwork, Graphic Design, Layout Design
    • Billy Lyall – Piano, Drums, Glockenspiel, Keyboards, Recorder, Fender Rhodes
    • Gordon Parry – Engineer
    • Jane Powell – Vocals, Vocals (background)
    • Les Hurdle – Bass
    • Christopher North – Keyboards
    1. "A Dream Within a Dream" 4:14
    2. "The Raven" - vocals, Alan Parsons, Leonard Whiting 3:57
    3. "The Tell-Tale Heart" - vocals, Arthur Brown (additional vocals: Jack Harris) 4:38
    4. "The Cask of Amontillado" - vocals, John Miles (additional vocals: Terry Sylvester) 4:33
    5. "(The System of) Dr. Tarr and Professor Fether" - vocals, John Miles (additional vocals: Jack Harris) 4:20
    6. "The Fall of the House of Usher 16:10
    • "Prelude" – 7:02
    • "Arrival" – 2:39
    • "Intermezzo" – 1:00
    • "Pavane" – 4:36
    • "Fall" – 0:51"
    7. "To One in Paradise" - vocals, Terry Sylvester (additional vocals: Eric Woolfson, Alan Parsons) 4:46
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    I don't know about anyone else, but it seems the first big claim to fame that I heard about Alan Parsons, was being the engineer on Dark Side Of The Moon, and it seems whenever his name is mentioned, so is that.
    In October 1967, at the age of eighteen Parsons went to work as an assistant engineer at Abbey Road Studios (man, wouldn't that be a dream come true!) where he earned his first credit on the renowned Abbey Road album ... certainly not a bad way to start your career. He became a regular there and worked on albums such as Wings Wild Live, five albums by the Hollies, and of course Dark Side Of The Moon, for which he was nominated for a grammy. He was known for doing more than what would normally be considered the duties of an engineer.
    He was well known to do the job of, virtually directing a recording session, in the way a movie director sets up a movie. An example of this would be on Al Stewart's Year Of The Cat, where he added the saxophone part, and transformed the folk ballad, into a semi-jazz track, and it shot into the charts.
    He produced Pilot (famous for January, and Magic), mixed Ambrosia's debut and produced their follow up.
    In 1975 he turned down the offer to work on Wish You Were Here to start his own thing, The Alan Parsons Project. He enlisted Producer, Writer and occasional singer Eric Woolfson, who he had done some work with at Abbey Road.
    The Project was a studio based situation, the band only performing live for the first time in 1990. Parsons would get musicians, early on, it would be members of Pilot and Ambrosia, and produce and engineer the albums. He also did production for other artists during this time.
    Although Parsons could sing and play Keyboards, Bass, Guitar and Flute, he only sang occasionally on incidental parts of songs. He is probably best known for his Keyboards with the Project, but has occasionally put Flute on tracks also.

    The Alan Parsons Project, seems quite a unique idea, with the guy whose name is on the ticket, not being the main vocalist of musician. Parsons worked like a Director making a movie, and made sure everybody did what was required of them to produce the album he had in his mind.
    The Project had a very successful career, and made ten albums between 76-87. The run from the debut to 1984's Ammonia Avenue probably considered the best of those, although Stereotomy and Vulture Culture seemed to do very well at the time also. I think some of the later albums weren't regarded as highly, because to a degree, like Genesis, the Project was seen to have moved to closely towards pop music by some.

    I think I was first taken by the intro to the Eye In The Sky album, Sirius. I found that piece of music to be very engaging, and I started to discover the Project, and very much enjoyed the albums I had. The first album I bought of their's was Turn Of A Friendly Card, which to this day I still love. The first album I bought in time was Ammonia Avenue, and I am very much looking forward to the soon to be released 5.1 bluray for that. Eye In The Sky was my first cd along with Dire Straits Love Over Gold.

    Up until the release of this album on bluray, I had never actually heard it. For some reason I didn't dig right in to the Project's albums, and just enjoyed the one's I had, but I was young and discovering more music than I could comfortably digest, so someone has to miss out. I am sincerely hoping that Parsons ends up doing all his Project albums in 5.1, because they are certainly the kinds of albums that suit the format.

    Still available new on Amazon for about $25 https://www.amazon.com/Tales-Mystery-Imagination-Anniversary-Audio/dp/B01M16EE4T
    From discogs for about $18 The Alan Parsons Project - Tales Of Mystery And Imagination Edgar Allan Poe

    There is also a boxset for the big fan available from discogs for about $65 The Alan Parsons Project - Tales Of Mystery And Imagination Edgar Allan Poe

    5.1 mix Alan Parsons
    Assistants PJ Olsson and Jeff Fitzpatrick

    This is a very good album, and memory tells me the audio and the mix are very good also, but lets see how we go.

    A Dream Within a Dream
    We are introduced by Orson Wells. Slowly the music builds underneath.
    A flute sounding intro, and then a beautiful sounding bass, with just the right amount of sub.
    Keys come in on the left. Then a layering of arpeggiated keys and guitars come in and it is a nice encompassing mix.
    This is definitely not mastered loud.

    The Raven
    We move into the Raven smoothly, almost without realising.
    We have the vocals processed through a synth and effectively comes from the front and rears.
    With have synth sections either side, guitars spread, a choir across the middle. A wag guitar on the right.
    Synth pad in the rears, with a nice lead guitar up front.
    Really nice balanced mix. Immersive and engaging.

    The Telltale Heart
    The sub usage on here is really nice.
    The main wall starts across the front.
    Some nice effects whoosh out and around.
    Piano on the left. Strings in the rears.
    The vocals on the mellow section move from front, to right rear, to left rear, very effectively.
    Some nice subtle little gtr effects.
    A lead break comes in left rearsending reverb effects across the sound field nicely. We get a big crescendo that leads back to the rock vocal section.
    This could probably have more going on, but what is done is very effective, and doesn't leave you feeling short changed.

    The Cask of Amontillado
    Piano starts us across the back.
    Strings come in all round, and the vocals come in up front nicely.
    Bvox all round.
    A choral type effect across the back. Horn section pumps it up.
    Mellow section with the piano in the rears, and the vocals just forward of the front. Strings again come in all round.
    The balance is really good.
    All those years not deafening himself playing live shows, really paid off.
    We get a crescendo again, that breaks down to a somewhat market place soundscape, in a really nice surround field.

    Dr Tarr and Professor Fether
    Moving nicely and smoothly into this track.
    Gtr up front. Organ left rear, keys either side.
    Another nice full mix with full use of the speakers via direct mixing, and effects sends.
    Sound effects add even more dimension coming from rears. A keyboard quotes the Raven just right of front right. Arpeggio keys come in left of front left. Harmonised guitars in the rears.
    Finishing on a held synth.

    Fall Of The House Of Usher
    Moving smoothly and directly into this track, and another monologue, sounding excellent.
    Nice use of special reverb on the vocal.
    We get a really nice orchestral arrangement around us. Sounding classical in every way.
    Really excellent mix of this orchestral section.
    As one would expect from Parsons, the sound is fantastic, the orchestral prelude is wonderful.
    We move into Arrival with weather sfx that work really well and an organ builds a melodic bed, as synths come in playing arpeggiated riffs all round.
    Drums punctuate the track and then give it a groove.
    Piano right side. The synth encircles us.
    Extremely effective mix. Musically and mix-wise very satisfying.
    Intermezzo, comes in with an orchestral swells, sounding somewhat like a movie soundtrack, rather than the earlier classical piece.
    Bass up front. Really nice synth/guitar thing across the back. Chordal section up front, with strings instruments and tuned percussion sounds across the rears.
    This is a very dense mix.
    A d6, mandolin, lots of layers, beautifully constructed.
    Wonderful use of the surround field, wonderful clear recording, mixing and production.
    We are in the pavane section, and this whole track is certainly demo quality in every way. I don't have an elite system, but I assume on an elite system this would be quite amazing.
    We move into The Fall with a really cool melange of sound. Bits and pieces of all sorts of stuff coming from everywhere, like a virtual wall of white sound, but defined.

    To One In Paradise
    We move into the beautiful ballad smoothly.
    We have and effected guitar in the rears. Bvox in the form of a small choir all round.
    Acoustics either side.
    Counterpoint vocals in the rears.
    Another really nicely constructed mix.
    Youth choir and synth in the rears.
    A voice in the front leads us out with a poetic recital.

    This is an extremely good album and mix, on every level. I believe the audio would be an audiophile treat. I listen to the PCM 5.1 as I normally do when it is available, and there is also an HD-DTS Master Audio track if that is your preferred choice.
    I would imagine that any surround lover would be extremely happy with this mix. There are possibly minor quibbles on one track that it could have more rears action, but even there, it has some extremely nice usage of the soundfield.
    I think Parsons unfairly got labelled somewhat MOR, and Prog-lite by many folks, but on this album especially, that is just false. We have a lot of extremely good writing, with some real orchestral arrangements that would definitely sit nicely in a classical music rack. There is nothing Faux about this, it is a really well executed album on every level. The bluray has even been mixed and mastered to run as one continuous piece of sorts, whereas obviously the original vinyl was on two separate sides.
    I highly recommend this bluray, excellent stuff
     
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  18. Mister Charlie

    Mister Charlie "Music Is The Doctor Of My Soul " - Doobie Bros.

    Location:
    Aromas, CA USA
    Excellent review of Tales Of Imagination. Well said.
     
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  19. Dennis Metz

    Dennis Metz Born In A Motor City south of Detroit

    Location:
    Fonthill, Ontario
  20. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    2112

    [​IMG]
    Studio album by
    Rush
    Released
    April 1, 1976
    Recorded February 1976
    Studio Toronto Sound Studios
    (Toronto, Canada)
    Genre Progressive rock[1][2][3] progressive metal[4][5]
    Length 38:42
    Label Anthem
    Producer Rush Terry Brown

    2112 (pronounced "twenty-one twelve") is the fourth studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released on April 1, 1976, by Anthem Records. After finishing touring for its previous album, Caress of Steel, in early 1976, the band was in financial hardship due to the album's disappointing sales, unfavorable critical reception, and a decline in attendance at its shows. The band's international label, Mercury Records, considered dropping Rush but granted the band one more album following negotiations with manager Ray Danniels. 2112 was recorded in February 1976 in Toronto with longtime producer Terry Brown. Its centerpiece is a 20-minute title track, a futuristic science-fiction song that takes up the entire first side of the album. There are five individual tracks on side two.

    2112 was released to favourable reviews from music critics and quickly outsold the band's previous albums. It peaked at No. 5 on the Canadian Albums Chart and No. 61 on the U.S. Billboard Top LPs & Tape and was the band's commercial breakthrough in the country. Rush supported the album with a tour of the United States, Canada, and for the first time, Europe, from February 1976 to June 1977. 2112 remains the band's second-highest-selling album (behind Moving Pictures) with more than 3 million copies sold in the United States. It is listed in 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die, and ranked second on Rolling Stone's reader's poll, Your Favorite Prog Rock Albums of All Time.[6] 2112 has been reissued several times; a 40th Anniversary Edition was released in 2016 with previously unreleased material, including the album performed by artists including Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Steven Wilson, and Alice in Chains.

    Rush
    Additional musician
    Production
    • Rush – production, arrangement
    • Terry Brown – arrangement, production, recording, engineering, mixing
    • Brian Lee – mastering
    • Bob Ludwig – mastering
    • Hugh Syme – graphics
    • Yosh Inouye – photography
    • Gerard Gentil – photography (band)
    • Ray Danniels – management
    • Vic Wilson – management
    • Moon Records – executive production
    1. "2112" 20:34
    • I. "Overture" – 4:31
    • II. "The Temples of Syrinx" – 2:16
    • III. "Discovery" – 3:25
    • IV. "Presentation" – 3:41
    • V. "Oracle: The Dream" – 2:00
    • VI. "Soliloquy" – 2:19
    • VII. "Grand Finale – 2:16"

    2. "A Passage to Bangkok" 3:32
    3. "The Twilight Zone" 3:16
    4. "Lessons" (Music & lyrics: Lifeson) 3:51
    5. "Tears" (Music & lyrics: Lee) 3:30
    6. "Something for Nothing" (Music: Lee) 3:59
    ------------------------------------------------------
    In honour of Neil Peart's life, I thought it would be nice to go through the album that really put the band on the map. This would have been the first Rush album that I heard. My Drummer mate Dave introduced me to this in my late teens, and I loved the music, but wasn't so keen on the singing at the time. I have since gotten used to Geddy's vocals, and now enjoy them. That is largely thanks to getting the Moving Pictures 5.1 when it came out. I really loved that album, and it worked as a gateway to introduce me to Rush. The first Rush album I ever bought was Hold Your Fire, probably around 1988. At the time I wasn't too enamoured with that album, and my movement into the band stopped there until getting the Moving Pictures 5.1. I will be very interested to go through Hold Your Fire in the Rush Album thread, down the road.
    So far we have been through Moving Pictures, Hemispheres and the Steven Wilson mix of A Farewell To Kings.

    Rush got together in 1968 and was Alex Lifeson, Jeff Jones and John Rutsey, after a few weeks, Geddy Lee who had been a school friend of Lifeson took the place of Jeff Jones, and this line up went on to record the debut album Rush from 1974. Prior to the album they had recorded a single, which was a cover version of the Buddy Holly classic Not Fade Away, back with an original You Can't Fight It. The band, tired of disinterested record companies ended up starting their own label Moon Records and with help of Manager Ray Danniels, who had been watching the bands gigs, and later Engineer Terry Brown, they released their debut album. All looked a little grim until a Cleveland dj, Donna Halper chose Working Man to go on her playlist, and it got a buzz going in the working class areas, and Mercury records picked up, and re-released the debut album.

    After the release of the album. Rutsey ended up having to leave the band due to health difficulties stemming from his diabetes. Rutsey had shown himself to be a solid drummer, and certainly capable of keeping the stool, but this health issue led to auditions by the band for a new drummer, and very wisely the guys chose Neil Peart to take the stool, officially joining the band on July 29, 1974, two weeks before the group's first US tour.
    They performed their first concert together, opening for Uriah Heep and Manfred Mann with an attendance of over 11,000 people at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on August 14. In addition to becoming the band's drummer, Peart assumed the role of principal lyricist from Lee, who had very little interest in writing, despite having penned the lyrics of the band's first album. Lee and Lifeson focused primarily on the instrumental aspects of Rush, and pushed the band in an increasingly progressive rock-oriented direction.
    Fly By Night was the first album to feature Peart's drums and also his lyrics, which were directed by his love of fantasy and science fiction writing.
    Caress Of Steel was not greeted too well, and critically seen as too far removed from Fly By Night, having two back to back epic tracks was seen as a little audacious.
    The poor critical and commercial response to the album led Mercury to pressure the band to move in a more commercial direction ... and as we have seen a few times here, the band was given a "one more chance" type deal to get some returns .... they ignored the record companies request for something more commercial and instead embarked on to write the twenty minute album opener 2112. Perhaps the five three minute tracks on side two were a compromise, but perhaps they are just the songs that came out.... writing is an interesting pursuit, and leads you down all kinds of paths.

    So that brings us to where we are today.
    This album is undoubtedly a classic album, that straddles the Rock, Progressive, and probably Metal genre's very well, but genre means little to me, I just want some good interesting music, and this album provides that in spades.
    It is a while since I listened to the album, with everything that is going on, so I'll leave my thoughts on the mix until I have a listen.

    I have the cd/dvd edition, but this has been released in several formats.
    There are several releases of the cd/dvd-a and also the cd/bluray from 2012. When the 40th anniversary box came out it had a concert from 1976 on it, and I believe that the 5.1 wasn't included, but please correct me if I am wrong.

    I believe on all versions we have the same mix.
    5.1 mix by Richard Chycki
    2012 deluxe sets Mastered by Andy VanDette

    cd/bluray set housed in a 40 page hardback comic book
    From Amazon about $54 https://www.amazon.com/2112-Audio-Blu-Ray-SUPER-Deluxe/dp/B00A2BTCTC
    Discogs from about $50 Rush - 2112

    Cd/bluray set
    still available new from about $26 on Amazon Rush - 2112
    around $19 on discogs Rush - 2112 (but there are multiple pressings, so look through the 2012 release data on discogs to compare.

    cd/dvd-a
    Apparently there is one left in stock on amazon for about $15 https://www.amazon.com/2112-5-1-Audio-DVD-Deluxe/dp/B00A2BTCM4
    it's on discogs for about $12 Rush - 2112 (note there is one for about $6, but it has no dvd)
    again there are a number of releases, so the discogs reference page is your friend in finding the one you want, at the price that's acceptable.

    2112
    We start with a nice synth wash all around us, with circling and pulsing, a very effective opening.
    A little sub in the pulse works nicely.
    This leads into a staccato section
    We get a really nice ambience from the guitars, and the delays move nicely to the rears.
    An extremely good opening.
    The next part of the opening is excellent also with guitars either side, and space synths throbbing in the middle with sends outwards.
    I'm giving this a bit of temperature today, and pretending I'm a teen again.
    We have nice layered guitars, that are using the full soundfield.
    Nice light sub help for the kick.
    Geddy is in front of the centre speaker, with a very forward presence.
    Discovery starts with running water all around us. Underneath we have Lifeson sort of tuning up, and gradually moving into a nice little guitar intro, with some sweet harmonics.
    This is essentially up the front, with fx sends to the rears.
    The tempo picks up, and the guitar is running the show, front left and tight rear.
    We burst into presentation, and the soundfield fills will guitar.
    There is a guitar either side.
    Geddy's bass is up front.
    There is an acoustic on the right, I hear the string scrapes.
    If there were any downsides so far, it would be that the guitar is probably a little too prominent in the mix, and the drums slightly low.
    Oracle - the dream starts with a nice chorused guitar, essentially up front with nice effective sends to the rears.
    There is a cool sound effect that slides down the sides, front to rear, and we burst back into the rock.
    Guitars front and sides.
    Soliloquy starts with the guitar just left of left front. Geddy up front we reverb sends to the rears.
    Then we punch into the rock again.
    The drums are a bit more in the mix here.
    The guitars are all around us, and Lifeson takes a nice lead.
    Grand finale.
    We have a steady mix set up through this track with drums bass and vocals up front with guitar tracks filling the sides nicely.
    We get a nice effect slide across the back via the guitar.
    We get some nice sfx with wah guitar etc whooshing across the back.
    All up a very good mix.

    A Passage to Bangkok
    A cool riff front right, with sends to the sides.
    A nice little oriental tune goes through the back, via giitar... sorry, not sure of the name, but you know the tune.
    The mix is steady again with the guitars filling the field.
    A couple of nice little movement effects.
    A nice Lifeson lead up front.
    A return of the oriental riff in the rears.
    This is a very full mix, whether by guitar layers, or fx sends I'm not sure.

    The Twilight Zone
    Guitar riff right rear, joined up front.
    Guitars either side. Geddy's effected vocal up front. It has some sections in the middle of the room too.
    Lifeson peels of a really nice lead with pinch harmonics.

    Lessons
    We bounce into a fairly uptempo acoustic gtr chordal pattern. Accentuated by electrics in the rears.
    Then we punch in the crunch.
    We roll through various guitar textures and tones in this track and they work effectively.
    Chycki is really trying to get this right, and he is very close, but I'm not sure he has the mix nuance required to move him to the next level.

    Tears
    Acoustic guitar in a reverb bath, with vocals. Then we get support guitars come in effectively.
    We have a mellotron? Come in on the right side. The the left side. Then both, towards the rears.
    This mix is actually more immersive than I remember, and we have a generally nice sounding mix all round.
    The guitars fade out and leave the mellotron around us.

    Something For Nothing
    The very definite guitars front and either side. Nice solid drum sound up front.
    Geddy's vocal disappears into a splash of reverb that fills the room.
    Lifeson peels off another excellent lead.
    A pick scrape across the rears.
    Geddy sings in the middle of the room.
    We get a big rave up finish.

    This is a fantastic album. Chycki has done a pretty good job, but for me, some of the instrument levels were a little uneven. Not terrible, by any stretch, just that slight difference between a really high grade mix, and a pretty good one. Having said that though, I have no idea what he had to work with, so we need to bear that in mind.
    All in all I think the Rush fan would be happy with this mix ... Ideally, Scheiner, Wilson or one of the top flight surround mixers would have been given the tapes for all Rush's material, but we have what we have, and I think it is acceptable, and enjoyable, but slightly flawed in its execution.
    The mix does use all the speakers, so for surround fans, that will always be the main part of the equation, but it could have been better.
     
    ti-triodes, drum_cas, jamesc and 5 others like this.
  21. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    Dennis Metz likes this.
  22. gd0

    gd0 Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies

    Location:
    Golden Gate
    Wish I could agree; I bought the two standalone Bruford reissues with low expectations, based on what I'd read here re: the box.

    The surround attempt is very conservative, but as noted, there's enough there to entertain.

    My issue with these is Jakko's (seeming) inclination to fiddle with the levels of various individual instrument tracks, resulting in a discomforting listen wherein some things are too quiet and others too loud. The same experience is evident in his remixes of Brain Salad Surgery and Trilogy; not so in Wilson's remix of Tarkus (I don't have S/T).

    I've also encountered sloppy editing, such as truncated fadeouts, but I don't know if those can be attributed to Jakko.

    Makes me very wary of any new JJ remixes going forward.

    To be fair, his remixes of Jethro Tull bonus material, and especially King Crimson's Thrak (a complete re-imagining) are quite excellent. But I have to wonder if that's a result of the respective bandleaders breathing down JJ's neck.
     
    mark winstanley likes this.
  23. JakeKlas

    JakeKlas Impatiently waiting for an 8-track revival

    Location:
    United States
    For years I had a few APP singles, but it wasn’t until about a year ago that I got deeper into the albums, and that kind of corresponded with Alan’s band coming through town. Great show.

    This is the one album that I didn’t really care for and didn’t own. But after getting the Eye In The Sky box and pre-ordering the upcoming Ammonia Avenue box, I figured I’d kick myself if they eventually do a box for everything and I was too late with the earlier Tales box. There is that collector part of me that hates to see a gap on the shelf, and I’m learning that some items can get ridiculously expensive if you don’t grab them when they come out.

    I’m still not totally into the album, but that may come with time and more listens. And sometimes those bonus tracks showing the work in progress actually help you appreciate the final versions more.

    The sound is fine... no problem there. The content just doesn’t really capture me. As I think more about it, it’s probably The Fall of the House of Usher segment that loses me and it’s almost half the album. So I guess, for me, that particular mystery about my lack of excitement toward the album has been solved.

    Not my favorite Rush album, but between Neil’s passing and your review, I did pick up the blu-ray version of this today. It was the only 5.1 from them that I was missing. Not unlike APP’s Tales, I’m not particularly fond of about half the album... side two in this case. But side one is a classic.
     
  24. riskylogic

    riskylogic Forum Resident

    There was nothing about the mix that made me uncomfortable, but yes it is very conservative. I was on the fence about giving a 3 for the mix rather than a 2.
     
    mark winstanley likes this.
  25. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product Thread Starter

    Bruce Soord ‎– All This Will Be Yours
    Genre: Rock
    Style: Prog Rock
    Year: 2019

    [​IMG]
    CD1-1 The Secrets I Know 2:24
    CD1-2 Our Gravest Threat Apart 4:14
    CD1-3 The Solitary Path Of A Convicted Man 3:44
    CD1-4 All This Will Be Yours 6:04
    CD1-5 Time Does Not Exist 3:33
    CD1-6 One Misstep 4:00
    CD1-7 You Hear The Voices 6:54
    CD1-8 Cut The Flowers 4:35
    CD1-9 One Day I Will Leave You 5:17
    Acoustic Reworkings + Bonus Tracks
    CD2-1 The Secrets I Know 2:14
    CD2-2 Our Gravest Threat Apart 4:46
    CD2-3 The Solitary Path Of A Convicted Man 3:41
    CD2-4 All This Will Be Yours 4:42
    CD2-5 Time Does Not Exist 3:37
    CD2-6 One Misstep 3:45
    CD2-7 You Hear The Voices 4:45
    CD2-8 Cut The Flowers 3:21
    CD2-9 One Day I Will Leave You 4:26
    CD2-10 Take Your Pick Of Their Beliefs 3:33
    CD2-11 Your Last Expression 4:17
    DVD All Tracks In Hi Res 29/96 Stereo + DTS 5.1
    DVD-1 The Secrets I Know
    DVD-2 Our Gravest Threat Apart
    DVD-3 The Solitary Path Of A Convicted Man
    DVD-4 All This Will Be Yours
    DVD-5 Time Does Not Exist
    DVD-6 One Misstep
    DVD-7 You Hear The Voices
    DVD-8 Cut The Flowers
    DVD-9 One Day I Will Leave You
    ----------------------------------------------
    I honestly can't tell you much about this one. I really enjoyed The Pineapple Thief album Dissolution from a few weeks ago. I happened to notice that this album from last year had a surround mix also, so having enjoyed that one so much, I thought I would give this album a go. I also thought it would be cool do it it sooner than later, so if it is any good, folks can get onto it, if they choose, before it hits that annoying out of print and expensive zone.

    I honestly can't tell you much about Bruce Soord, except I like the work I have had a chance to check out. I thought Dissolution was great, and the concert bluray Where We Stood was excellent. The mix, footage and performance.
    Bruce has two solo albums and two albums with Wisdom of Crowds Bruce Soord With Jonas Renkse - Wisdom Of Crowds
    Pineapple Thief has I believe 12 albums proper, and various other bits and bobs available. The Pineapple Thief
    I can't speak to the quality of any of the earlier stuff, but the two more recent releases I have, and now know, are excellent.

    All This Will Be Yours is available on Amazon, as listed above 2cd/dvd. In a book set (the tall slim variety. roughly 11"x11" and 3/8 thick) for about $52 https://www.amazon.com/All-This-Will-Yours-incl/dp/B07X4BN8JX
    On Discogs for about $62 Bruce Soord - All This Will Be Yours
    Burning Shed for about 35 pounds All This Will Be Yours
    on Ebay for around $65 bruce soord all this will be yours dvd | eBay

    So without further ado lets have a go, and see what we have.

    The dvd actually has 11 bonus 5.1 mixes. The 9 albums tracks as acoustic versions, and two bonus tracks.
    There is a 96/24 stereo mix, dts 5.1 full system mix, and a dts 5.1 for bass management systems.

    The Secrets I Know
    We get a slow synth fade up in the sides.
    Then we move to an acoustic guitar and vocals up front. Very clean, immediate sounding.
    We get some synth swells, and bvox in the surrounds.
    About two minutes in we get a mild swell in dynamics, that gives us some gtr either side, and then a really nice swell.
    It moves back to the gtr, and we get some sfx in the rears, some beautiful use of delay, and a really nice synth bell-liked sound in the rears also.

    Our Gravest Threat Apart
    A nice sub assisted kick upfront. And also some percussive guitar.
    Some effected vocals in the rears and the song kicks in again.
    This is an extremely good mix. The use of dynamics in the sing is excellent, and the use of the surround field to accentuate those dynamics is also excellent.
    I know this is the first track, but so far this guys knowledge of how to Express his music in 5.1 is really very good.
    Beautiful mix, use of dynamics and expression.


    The Solitary Path Of A Convicted Man
    Nice sounding drums up front.
    Acoustic guitars in either side rears.
    Again good use of the sub for support.
    Keys sit nicely in front of the front.
    Castanets in the rears are very effective too.
    Nice subtle melodic lead gtr up front.
    Nice harmonies from the vocals on the rears.
    This guy has a great sense of melancholy, and infuses this melancholy well with nice melodies and extremely effective instrumentation and mixing.

    All This Will Be Yours
    A guitar note plays in the rears and moves to the front.
    Some nice synth string swells comes in the sides. A piano across the middle of the room.
    Yea, really nice mixing.
    Guitars either side, with a sort of atmospheric feels.
    Again nice sub assist for the kick. Drums sound good.
    Nice slide guitar comes in.
    Yea, a really wonderful full mix again, that really adds to the melancholic beauty being displayed.
    Some nice swooping effects, from an effected guitar I believe. Crowded street noise surrounds us, then is pulled out quickly to great effect.
    Gtr left rear. Hats right rear.
    Really very good, and well thought mix.

    Time Does Not Exist
    Acoustic gtr left side. Synth swells, delicately in the rears and middle.
    A very personal immediate vocal up front.
    Reverb vocalisation feeds to rears.
    There is a gtr on the right also now too.
    Keyboard melody across the middle.
    Drums come in and extra keys.
    We return to the opening set up, and end with an excellent dry "anymore"

    One Misstep
    Bvox rears. Acoustic gtr left rear.
    Drums front, percussion right rear. Effective.
    Synth pads in the sides.
    Again a very effective mix.
    Again nice use of reverb pop in the rears.
    Bruce has a good ear for these mixes, for his music at least.

    Your Hear The Voices
    Bass synth swell upfront followed by electric piano, and an acoustic gtr on the left.
    Some nice delay effects in the rears.
    A minimalist keys and vocal verse. Very effective.
    We gently swell, nice delays on the vocal have a really effective surround effect.
    The use of delays here is excellent, creating nice little white sound bits in the rears. Drums come in nicely up front.
    Percussion left side. A synth pattern swells and bubbles all around us, percussion come in on the right side also.
    The layers here are extremely effective.
    A distant police siren in the rears.
    The sing comes back in.
    Just really excellent emotive soundscapes and use of vocals.
    We move back into the surrounded by percussion with the bubbling synth again.
    Really great work.
    A delayed chord fades us out.

    Cut The Flowers
    Pulsing acoustics. Swells in rears.
    Doubled vocal up front.
    Drums kick in nicely.
    Volume swell gtr effects encompass us.
    We drop out to electric piano and vocal up front.
    We bounce back into the beat.
    Percussion right rear. Volume swell gtrs tickle our ears bouncing across the rears.
    Again nice ambient delays.
    Tuned percussive synth or effected percussion either side rears.
    Some distorted guitars add a further effective layer.
    I really like this guys work.
    Really nice work

    One Day I Will Leave You
    Synth swells all round. Acoustic gtr kicks in on the left side. Another up front.
    Gtrs come in either side. Some really nice whale call synths or volume swell guitars come in with some subtle movement in the soundfield.

    I messed up a little there. I think I fixed it. Track one moves into track two so smoothly that I completely missed it.
    Anyhow. I am really impressed with this guy. His music leans on the melancholy side, but that is no issue for me, but his use of sound, effects and the surround field is really excellent.
    If he took the same care as he does with his own work, and can channel himself into someone else's work, he would be a good choice to do some surround mixing for others.
    I find myself as entertained by his mixes, as I do with any of the Wilson mixes, and I love those, generally, so I am giving the guy high praise.
    The songs have sort of acoustic guitar beds, but they are dressed up beautifully with very intelligent use of effects and synths, with added keyboards here and there. The percussion, again, is used in a very effective way, and when it all comes together, the mixes he is giving us really do satisfy greatly. i have been trying to think of an artist to compare him to, for those that aren't familiar with him, or his band, but although there are very likely many, I am not really sure how to express that, and I don't really like to anyhow, because he is him, not them ....

    I highly recommend this to folks with a foot in the past, but no fear of the present music. It is very well executed, and really is worth a listen.
    For anyone interested in giving this guy a listen here is a youtube link for the album, to give you an idea of what kind of music this is. This mix and use of sounds and the field really are top class.
    Extremely happy with this discovery of this guy and his band, and hope for more from them.
     
    weekendtoy likes this.
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