Crosby's IICORMN on DVD-A -- FINALLY!

[jsgamache]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned it yet. Nov. 21. A true DVD-A with a companion CD, mixed for 5.1 by Stephen Barncard, producer of the original album.

If you are not familiar with this flat-out masterpiece, it is without a doubt the most psychedelic album ever made. Even though it is 80 percent acoustic with nary a synthesizer to be heard, it makes Pink Floyd sound like Lawrence Welk.

I pre-ordered it. When I get it, I'm putting it directly in the DVD player, and I will set down and just let the tears flow throughout the first listen. This is it. As far as 5.1 goes, I can't imagine it can get any better than this.

[Bob Romano]

Between this and the Doors box Nov 21 is going to be a very expensive day!!! I can't wait though.

[rusinurbe]

Dont forget the Beatles also on that day !!!

[elmer]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned it yet. Nov. 21. A true DVD-A with a companion CD, mixed for 5.1 by Stephen Barncard, producer of the original album...

Been on the forum for some time now http://www.quadraphonicquad.com/foru...t=David+Crosby

Looking forward to Nov. 21 -Beatles, Doors and IICORMN

[bugdaddy]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned it yet. Nov. 21. A true DVD-A with a companion CD, mixed for 5.1 by Stephen Barncard, producer of the original album.

If you are not familiar with this flat-out masterpiece, it is without a doubt the most psychedelic album ever made. Even though it is 80 percent acoustic with nary a synthesizer to be heard, it makes Pink Floyd sound like Lawrence Welk.

I pre-ordered it. When I get it, I'm putting it directly in the DVD player, and I will set down and just let the tears flow throughout the first listen. This is it. As far as 5.1 goes, I can't imagine it can get any better than this.

i was under the impression that the remastered cd was coming out in november, but the dvd-a version isn't going to be out until jan 2007. where'd you order it?

[elmer]

http://www.rhino.com/media/requests/...4request.lasso

Rhino (link above) has this scheduled for 11/21 - CD Universe has it available for pre-order at $17.49 http://www.cduniverse.com/productinf...=7305236&BAB=M - it doesn't state DVD-A but it is the correct list price ($24.98).

[bugdaddy]

http://www.rhino.com/media/requests/...4request.lasso

Rhino (link above) has this scheduled for 11/21 - CD Universe has it available for pre-order at $17.49 http://www.cduniverse.com/productinf...=7305236&BAB=M - it doesn't state DVD-A but it is the correct list price ($24.98).

thanks! don't know why i was thinking otherwise. this one's on the must-have list.

[Odys]

Where was it confirmed that this is DVD-A? The Rhino site doesn't mention it, they just say DVD and 5.1. I'm really hoping it's DVD-A.

[DennisMabry]

Where was it confirmed that this is DVD-A? The Rhino site doesn't mention it, they just say DVD and 5.1. I'm really hoping it's DVD-A.

This may not be the cheapest option, but it describes it as DVD-A!

http://store.acousticsounds.com/brow...&section=music

[rusinurbe]

I am sure I read somewhere it was a 5.0 mix as well should sit well with Neil and in the LFE thread.

[neil wilkes]

It's at www.play.com as a CD with Bonus DVD-A as well.
Just Pre-ordered my copy.
It's not in the DVD-A section though - you need to look for it in the ordinary CD section, and there it is.

[Larry Geller]

f you are not familiar with this flat-out masterpiece, it is without a doubt the most psychedelic album ever made. Even though it is 80 percent acoustic with nary a synthesizer to be heard, it makes Pink Floyd sound like Lawrence Welk.

It's not psychedelic in the least! The most psych Crosby probably would have to be Notorious Byrd Brothers. What part of IICORMN do you consider psychedelic (besides the fact of the massive drug use during the making of it)? Do you even know what it MEANS??? Syd Barret is rolling in his grave over this comment.

[timbre4]

Wondered about that; I didn't own it back in the day. But I never had any reason to think it was psychedelic or a masterpiece. We shall see.

I LOVE 4-Way Street so maybe I'm 25% the way there....:

[BananaSlug]

It's not psychedelic in the least!

Hmm, I preordered it the moment I saw the psychedelic reference - though I had my doubts. No damage done though, as it also helped me top the $25 free shipping at amazon with that Beatles thingy coming out the same day.

[ChristopherLees]

I wouldn't call it psychedelic...but I'd call it a great album !!

If you like CSN and Y you MUST get this release.... the Greatful Dead as a backing band with David Crosby (and friends..like Joni Mitchell) doing vocals is a great combination...

My favourite track has always been "Cowboy movie"....(a bit like "Almost cut my hair" from dejavu).

[Felix E. Martinez]

Where was it confirmed that this is DVD-A? The Rhino site doesn't mention it, they just say DVD and 5.1. I'm really hoping it's DVD-A.

Just rec'd my copy of IICORMN and can confirm DVD-A (hi-res surround @96/24, hi-res stereo @ 192/24), plus DD surround and stereo and DTS surround.

If you look at the CD and DVD disc artwork, it may throw you - they both have the good 'ol Atlantic green-white-and-orange label with "STEREO" on the left. Don't worry, the DVD has the surround content

The menus show 5.1, but the liner notes state, "For creative reasons, the surround mix was done in 5.0; the LFE (channel, sic) is not utilized."

Gave it a quick spin...my impressions...

Once again, the good folks at Rhino are hitting these things out of the park. The Bjork box notwithstanding, they seem committed to hi-res, as was recently relayed to me by their authoring guru, Spence Chrislu. They've also embraced CD+ DVD combo packages lately, which I've always felt was the way to go.

Audio options for DVD-A players I've outlined above, DVD-Video players get Dolby Surround, DTS Surround, and Dolby Stereo. Extras include photos, lyrics, and an interview with Stephen Barncard (text only). As usual, Rhino's liner notes are excellent - informative and entertaining.

The CD is HDCD encoded.

The surround mix is *very* enveloping, yet retains the wonderful cohesion of Crosby & co.'s haunting vocals. Lead vox occupy the front (not only center speaker), additional vox all around. Very haunting, very effective.

While it is supposedly 5.0, I believe it shows as 5.1 on my Onkyo player; nonetheless, there is some *healthy* low-end all over this disc. Great clarity and thick bottom-end without cloudy boominess (I'm listening with floor-standing speakers, no bass management).

"Music Is Love" - guitar starts in the left-front and a taste in the left-rear, then moves to center, percussion on right. Around 2:35 into the track, the guitars spread to the rears.

"Cowboy Movie" - tamborine percussion in rear-left, claps in rears, lead guitar fills in rear, main guitars in the front L-R channels.

"Tamalpais High" - Vox all around. Incredible, haunting. Ride cymbal and drums in rear, guitars in front L-R.

"Laughing" - Acoustic guitars in rears, beautiful harmonies in rears (some sibilance here, not too bad).

"Song With No Name" - the one track I was really excited to hear in surround. Did *not* disappoint. Vox all around. Guitar on the left-front and left-rear channels, lead guitar embellishments in the left-rear. Cool stuff.

"Orleans" - once again, vox all around, luscious reverb in surround, acoustic guitar in rears.

My only gripe: Steve Hall's mastering is a bit loud. I would have retained about 3-4db of dynamic range, but no biggie.

[johmbolayaSQ]

I received a copy for review (my review will be up in the reviews section at Okayplayer, hopefully next week on release day), and I put the regular audio CD on the side and put in the DVD-A. I should also say that after years of holding off, I finally bought a receiver (a simple Sony STR K-700, nothing hi-pro but I wanted to have something to start with and work my way up). I wanted to be able to listen to all of the DVD-A's I've purchased over the years, some of the homemade conversions I've gathered, and of course to properly listen to The Beatles' Love when that is released.

I've been a fan of Crosby's IICORMN for years, I wasn't quite 6 months old when the album was released, so my exposure to it initially came from looking at Atlantic Records inner sleeves and always seeing his eye with the sun in the background. The other CSN(&Y) albums could be found, and my dad was also a huge fan of Manassas. If you're in a family where playing music is as common as breathing, anything for inspiration was acceptable, and it was obvious that a lot of Hawaiian music from the late 60's and early 70's was influenced by the West Coast sound. In time I would collect the various CSN(&Y) offshoots, and would become a huge fan. However, there was one album I always wanted. I would eventually find it at a thrift store, and I loved what I heard, but it didn't overwhelm me just yet, that would take time. Finally that time arrived, and I know all of us have come across those albums where after listening, you're just sitting there amazed by what you just heard. I began to listen to "Laughing" and "What Are Their Names" in a different way, and it is now one of my favorite albums (among many).

I'm sounding a bit like my review, so let me cut to the chase. "Music Is Love" starts out as basic as the original stereo mix, where it starts out in mono before the addition of overdubs, which turns the song into stereo. Nothing is heard in the back channels, it's very "raw" but that's what Crosby intended. Then "Cowboy Movie" begins and suddenly you're surrounded by the Grateful Dead and David Crosby in the studio. As I said in my review, the way it's done is very much like "The Wizard Of Oz" and the transformation from black & white to color. It's the opening of the musical doors, and Crosby and friends are ready to entertained.

What I'm amazed about is the incredible sound quality, and that's due to everything being recorded at 30ips. The liner notes (and the transcribed interview from Stephen Barncard on the DVD-A) gets technical with how the album was recorded. There are moments on the album where the music pauses and picks back up, such as "Tamalpais High (At About 3)" and "Traction In The Rain", and I'm sitting there wondering "I don't hear any hiss at all", not knowing at the time how the songs were recorded. There's a moment in "Tamalpais High (At About 3)" where one could sense the presence of the recording studio.

I'm curious to know what others think when they hear it, but what I liked about Barncard's surround sound mix is that he didn't mix every song the same way, each song has a very different feel. The liner notes indicate that when Crosby gave Barncard the task of recording, Crosby wasn't specific on mic positioning or anything, just a need to capture anything and everything on tape, keep the machines rolling. When it came to mix the album, Crosby definitely had input (he produced the album) but allowed Barncard to be creative with the music. He mentions some of the limitations of the studio and technology at the time (similar to those mentioned in the recent "Recording The Beatles" book), but of course did what he could do with what was presented.

I also liked the fact that the primary guy behind the boards in the original 1970 sessions was the one who did the surround sound mix, he was able to tap into his memory banks and utilize what was on those multi-tracks. I realize that anyone who mixes in surround sound can do the same, but he's allowed to work with an album that was his project, not unlike Tom Dowd when he mixed some of the unreleased performances from the Allman Brothers Band's Fillmore shows, and it just sounds good. He doesn't try to revise the mix to modernize the feel, it's still an album from 1971.

Every mix on the DVD-A stands out, but I was personally overwhelmed by how beautiful "Laughing" and "What Are Their Names" were done. When that Joni Mitchell vocal comes in, it's all over. The positioning of the instruments in "What Are Their Names" is perfect, and it sounds as if there are two groups of vocalists, one in the front, and one in the back. Grace Slick's vocal in the first part of the lyrics are heard a bit clearer, and the effect, at least for me, was chilling. I always liked the moment in the song when her voice goes louder, but now you're able to hear it from the beginning and slowly move its way up. I couldn't help but break down.

The original album ends on a somewhat melancholy note, and I loved that eerieness of "I'd Swear There Was Somebody Here". It has been said that when Duke Ellington made music, he ended his songs not as solid endings, but as if he was saying "to be continued". The original LP felt that way, as if there could be more. Now it ends with "Kids And Dogs", and in a way helps end the album with a bit of a smile. The bonus track is not a distraction (as some bonus tracks can be), although it could also be listened to as the album's metaphorical encore.

My rating: 10 out of 10
Extras are minimal, just a very small photo gallery, lyrics, and the transcribed interview with Barncard.

[johmbolayaSQ]

Wondered about that; I didn't own it back in the day. But I never had any reason to think it was psychedelic or a masterpiece. We shall see.

It's not psychedelic at all, it's true to what Crosby had been doing between 1968-1970. As I said in my review, it is one of those albums where it's best to turn off the lights (or your eyes) and just listen. Crosby has admitted that his mind during these sessions were up in the clouds, which definitely added to the quality of the musicianship and songwriting.

Psychedelic, no. A masterpiece, definitely.

[bugdaddy]

thanks for that detailed review johmbolayaSQ. this will be soon arriving at my doorstep in the same package as the doors and the beatles. nothing better than an early christmas

[jsgamache]

It's not psychedelic at all, it's true to what Crosby had been doing between 1968-1970. As I said in my review, it is one of those albums where it's best to turn off the lights (or your eyes) and just listen. Crosby has admitted that his mind during these sessions were up in the clouds, which definitely added to the quality of the musicianship and songwriting.

Psychedelic, no. A masterpiece, definitely.

All I can say is that I'm older and more experienced than you guys, if you get my drift. As one letter-perfect review of this album I once read noted, you don't need to actually listen to this album. You can get a contact high just holding the cover. You need to expand your understanding of psychedelia if you don't hear it in this record. If nothing else, you should be able to hear the other-worldly trippiness in the title cut. Backtrack from there to hear how those atmospherics pervade the rest of the album.

OK, I'm just waiting for someone to call this a "folk album." Go ahead. I dare ya.

One more thing. Crosby had very little to do with "Notorious Byrd Brothers." He only played on a few cuts before McGuinn and Hillman canned him. (It is an incredibly trippy album, though.)

[johmbolayaSQ]

All I can say is that I'm older and more experienced than you guys, if you get my drift. As one letter-perfect review of this album I once read noted, you don't need to actually listen to this album. You can get a contact high just holding the cover. You need to expand your understanding of psychedelia if you don't hear it in this record. If nothing else, you should be able to hear the other-worldly trippiness in the title cut. Backtrack from there to hear how those atmospherics pervade the rest of the album.

Age-ism aside, I completely agree with you there. I'm not going to get into a debate with you or anyone about what's psychedelic and what isn't, because classification is nothing more than a need to make a record or CD easier to find. I do realize that it's a debate of psychedelic as a genre vs. psychedelic in the beauty that music plays in your head. I can only speak from a younger perspective (I'm 36), and you speak from yours. The album has drawn you in as much as it has to me, and our experiences in discovering it is obviously different, but rooted in the celebration of the nine songs (and now bonus track) found within.

A title track was not on the album, unless we're talking about a different album altogether.

[rusinurbe]

[QUOTE=jsgamache;53327]

OK, I'm just waiting for someone to call this a "folk album." Go ahead. I dare ya.

[QUOTE]

Funny You should say that it was in Mojo magazines list of Top Folk Albums you must have recently.

[jsgamache]

A title track was not on the album, unless we're talking about a different album altogether.

You are correct, sir! I meant "I Could Swear There Was Somebody Here." Now THAT'S psychedelia.

[JonUrban]

Has anyone seen this at retail? (BB, CC, Borders, etc?)

[Bob Romano]

I bought mine at Fry Electronics ($16.99) because, of course, Best Buy doesn't carry it in store. This is an awesome album and great surround mix!