HiRez Poll BetterThanEzra - HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW? [DVD-A]

[byrdman7]

QUOTE;
Technical Notes: Not sure if anyone else noticed this, and it does not impact playback, but several of the songs don't change tracks at the right place. For example, the instrumentation at the end of Beautiful Mistake is fading and it changes to track 12 and finishes fading. There is a clean break in audio at the end of Beautiful Mistake, so I don't think this was intentional. It happens on at least 2 or 3 other songs. I didn't take notes on which the others were. I think it happens at the tail end of Under You also. The only time it would be noticed is if you are forwarded through the tracks. If you do that some tracks start out with just the tail end of the previous song finishing.

I have the Redbook CD of this title and it plays the same as the DVD Audio warts and all. This band is not known for slick polished releases. It appears the project used the master tapes with no changes which makes it special IMHO.

 

[dr8track]

Interesting. I did a little research and only one of my favorites, At The Stars, was released as a single. One More Murder, At the Stars and Like it Like That, were all released as singles.

Though critically acclaimed, the album was a relative failure commercially, only peaking at #128 on the Billboard charts. The first single, "One More Murder" scraped the bottom end of the Billboard Modern Rock charts, while the second single, "At the Stars," performed better, becoming a Modern Rock and Adult Top 40 hit (and later covered by Howie Day). A third single, "Like it Like That," failed to chart.

"One More Murder" was featured on two NBC dramatic series — Homicide: Life on the Street and Third Watch. The song was also featured in an episode of Charmed.

 

[fredblue]

When the lead vocal's in the centre, you know it's there....when it's across the channels, I find myself going to check the centre, e.t.c. which is a bit annoying ! I don't know if it's my imagination, but I think a centre vocal can have more clarity, depth & warmth ?

properly utilised the centre is an incredible element of surround music and I'm a fan of literal 5.1 mixes with the fifth being the centre, the anchor, well and truly, believe me.. that said the results can be astonishing with just stereo, let alone quad, where the "illusion" of a centre that a great 2.0 or 4.0 mix combined with a pair of speakers that image well can create!

I'll PM you a list of quad mixes you'd swear there was a centre channel when there absolutely is not!!

 

[fredblue]

Interesting. I did a little research and none of my favorites on the album were released as singles or had any sort of popular use. One More Murder, At the Stars and Like it Like That, were all released as singles. None of them made my list of favorites after listening to the album. Not that they are bad, just not among my favorites on the album.
Though critically acclaimed, the album was a relative failure commercially, only peaking at #128 on the Billboard charts. The first single, "One More Murder" scraped the bottom end of the Billboard Modern Rock charts, while the second single, "At the Stars," performed better, becoming a Modern Rock and Adult Top 40 hit (and later covered by Howie Day). A third single, "Like it Like That," failed to chart.

"One More Murder" was featured on two NBC dramatic series — Homicide: Life on the Street and Third Watch. The song was also featured in an episode of Charmed.

Lets all buy the DVD-Audio and get the album to Number One! Better late than never and the mark of an album ahead of its time!

 

[JonUrban]

Since this is a title specific poll thread, please keep comments "on topic"

THANKS

 

[Neil Palfreyman]

My copy arrived over here in the UK today - super swift air mail delivery from Music Valet; many thanks!

I wont review or rate until I have listened to it enough times to digest it (how ever many that may be) but a cursory play through several of the tracks left a very good first impression! Fidelity seems fine, channels are well used (ie plenty of surround action) and are discrete and, based on what little I played, I liked the way the mix had been put together. Could well be a cracking mix! I'm certainly looking forward to giving it a proper listen tonight.

 

[Chiburb]

Great review(s) above, so I'll keep this short: Since I have no home system, just the Lexicon in my car, I'm the target market for this and Music Valet. All I can say is that this is a treat! An amazingly crafted work by all involved, at times reminiscent of my first hearings of Porcupine Tree... it's that impressive.
Thank you!

 

[Chiburb]

Upon further review...
I've listened to this 5 or 6 times now and I want to add that this is just great music! I mentioned PT above, but it really does resemble Lightbulb Sun in its accessibility. Some obvious singles, some songs with hooks, others more complex.
What a great choice for the surround treatment.

 

[Music Valet]

Upon further review...
I've listened to this 5 or 6 times now and I want to add that this is just great music! I mentioned PT above, but it really does resemble Lightbulb Sun in its accessibility. Some obvious singles, some songs with hooks, others more complex.
What a great choice for the surround treatment.

Hey guys, great to hear all of the positive comments! I did just add a reviews section on the Music Valet website as well, if anyone is willing to duplicate their efforts here.

http://www.musicvalet.com/products/how-does-your-garden-grow-by-better-than-ezra

 

[Neil Palfreyman]

Just giving this album my first full listen through and I'm very impressed, both with the music itself and the quality of the surround mix. I bought it un-heard to support Music Valet and the project but I'm very pleased I did; it's superb! Wont rate until I have listened a few more times but it's minimum 8 and probably higher.

The music reminds me a little of Keane or maybe Travis and there's some impressive stuff going on in the mix. I can hear some clever spatial positioning between fronts and rears in places that creates a very wide field - in fact in places it's wider than my listening room; I haven't heard this done this effectively on many other surround mixes I own.

 

[The Bright Side]

Just giving this the first spin and DAMN THIS IS FUN!

It's very much like the New Radicals. Music is fantastic. Surround is fantastic. Sound quality is fantastic. Really really happy with this! Will rate after some more listens, but if this is any indicator of things to come, then my excitement about Music Valet just grew even bigger - and I didn't think that was still possible.

 

[fredblue]

"...and I'm still waiting...." ..just like Miss Ross..

 

[Dixie4]

"...and I'm still waiting...." ..just like Miss Ross..

I don't have a clue what the status of my order is ? I did not join BTE's website, I just paid for the cd / placed order.
I'm going to see if I can find out today what's going on. Wish i'd joined the site, at least that way I could have checked status.
I don't really see why it should take so long ! ? Touring, given has a reason for delays ???

 

[MikeT]

I don't have a clue what the status of my order is ? I did not join BTE's website, I just paid for the cd / placed order.
I'm going to see if I can find out today what's going on. Wish i'd joined the site, at least that way I could have checked status.
I don't really see why it should take so long ! ? Touring, given has a reason for delays ???

I ordered my copy direct from Music Valet. I got an email my copy shipped at the end of April. It never showed up. I worked with Rich at Music Valet to finally get a copy, which arrived today.

The original disc was shipped with a supposed tracking number, but it was an invalid number. Obviously it never showed up. A disc shipped by Rich with a valid tracking number only took 3 days or so to reach me.

Just an FYI.

 

[elmer]

Almost 50% of the comments on this poll so far are from members who don't even have the disc. Post the delivery complaints elsewhere - please

I'm very pleased with the disc - kudos to Music Valet for taking the plunge into the perilous waters of becoming a music label - especially one that features Surround - I will think only good thoughts! I always lumped Better Than Ezra into the Goo Dolls/Wallflowers/Matchbox 20 school of college rock popularized by Merge/Columbia back in the 90's. I like the electronica flourishes and hear more than a bit of Radiohead's influence - especially on the track "New Kind Of Low." I'm giving it an 8 although the production and mix deserve higher. While I typically find videos and epks superfluous - as an introduction to the Surround audience - some live performance video would have been nice - and in DTS rather than Dolby. But this is a minor quibble - I am very happy with my purchase and look forward to what's next from Music Valet.

 

[fredblue]

Almost 50% of the comments on this poll so far are from members who don't even have the disc. Post the delivery complaints elsewhere - please

I'm very pleased with the disc - kudos to Music Valet for taking the plunge into the perilous waters of becoming a music label - especially one that features Surround - I will think only good thoughts! I always lumped Better Than Ezra into the Goo Dolls/Wallflowers/Matchbox 20 school of college rock popularized by Merge/Columbia back in the 90's. I like the electronica flourishes and hear more than a bit of Radiohead's influence - especially on the track "New Kind Of Low." I'm giving it an 8 although the production and mix deserve higher. While I typically find videos and epks superfluous - as an introduction to the Surround audience - some live performance video would have been nice - and in DTS rather than Dolby. But this is a minor quibble - I am very happy with my purchase and look forward to what's next from Music Valet.

I'm as guilty of straying off-topic as the next man (and I apologise for posting a couple of things here not relating to how this disc sounds in surround) but do keep it in proportion, elmer

3 in 35 posts mentioning "delivery complaints" is hardly 50% of the posts in this Poll thread.

I look forward to my next post here being to rate & evaluate the disc on its merits rather than anything else

meantime, I thank you elmer for your thoughts & comments on the disc, this really does sound terrific (even if I don't thank you so kindly for your pedantry!)

 

[Dixie4]

I'm as guilty of straying off-topic as the next man (and I apologise for posting a couple of things here not relating to how this disc sounds in surround) but do keep it in proportion, elmer

3 in 35 posts mentioning "delivery complaints" is hardly 50% of the posts in this Poll thread.

Guilty as charged....send me to the gallows !! ( I'll comment on the disc, should I ever receive it !! ?? )

 

[infaze]

i like it - TEN

this was always on my cd list to buy but for some reason i never did.
this band's music is terrific.
good songs all the way through.

the mix is done the way I like surround , all speakers engaged
with lots of air and clarity and no gimmicks.

note to you Ezra guys - if you remix all your albums in 5.1 - I'll buy them.

Thank You Music Valet

 

[infaze]

this is what shows up on video.

i agree this is all you need

i get the lyrics on the apple mini -
its less intrusive to the music

 

[LizardKing]

Wow!!!

Really enjoying this... the mix is great. This is how surround should be mixed....

I'd never heard these guys before - it was blind buy for me.. I'm glad I got it.

A couple of (very minor) negatives though:
The packaging is very flimsy - a couple of corners got dented up in transit...
The menu is 4:3 in DVD-A mode - but 16:9 in DVD mode...any reason for that?
No stereo (not that I really care), but I personally think including stereo would mean they would appeal to a wider market. Was there a licensing issue with including Hi-rez stereo?