HiRez Poll Dredg - EL CIELO [SACD]

[JonUrban]

What do you think about this one?

 

[BananaSlug]

Reminds me of other bands (I think Coldplay, but not sure) that I really don't like. The vocal style is totally unsuitable for rock music, but does help take your mind off the music which is quite derivative. By the time I get to the chorus of the first song (which I swear I've heard before, even though I'd never heard of these guys) I'm skipping to the other tracks listening for something worthwhile... never found a reason to stop skipping. On the up side, the sound quality is good and the mix interesting.

 

[daved64]

Well, let me take the opposite point of view. One of my....if not my fave 5.1 mix. I think they (whoever mixed it, no credit, though it sounds like Scheiner's work) make great use of the all speaker at times very dramatically. On Same Old Road, when everything sweeps to the rears, it's breathtaking. There's another occasion where a maniacal laugh comes out of the rear left and scared the crap out of me the first time I played it!

I don't find them derivitive, but quite unique amongst the cookie cutter bands out there. For me a 9 !!!!

 

[Guy Robinson]

Gave it a 9. I like it a lot as well.

 

[bugdaddy]

Thankfully, somebody had the sense to release this in multichannel - - otherwise I never would have picked it up. I find their sound pretty ethereal and their lyrics though-provoking. I listen to this quite a bit and I love the mix. It never fails to startle my dogs into barking at the rears - - always a good sign!

 

[Angrom]

The first SACD I bought... I loved the CD, but it really takes another dimension in 5.1, with the surrond voices and all that.

A good 8 out of 10

Bertrand

 

[YmSeb]

I think they (whoever mixed it, no credit, though it sounds like Scheiner's work) make great use of the all speaker at times very dramatically.

I finally was able to ask the band who mixed the surround track, and the answer is : MARK O'DONOUGHUE.

More details in my post here : https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/showthread.php?p=37951#post37951

A long time ago, I put a 10/10 in this poll for this mix, and I stand by it, until maybe one day the band itself remix it to show us how they would have done it (and maybe it will be even better, if possible!)

 

[Ge Someone]

I finaly picked this one up, the store was removing all their SACDs (and al lot of CD's of course), so I decided to get this and a few others, now.
Must say I like it. Porcupine Tree comes to mind, but it's different.

The surround mix is good, sometimes a lot is going on in surround, other moments it seems to revert to stereo for a few minutes.

Glad I didn't miss it. a 9.

 

[daved64]

I finally was able to ask the band who mixed the surround track, and the answer is : MARK O'DONOUGHUE.

I FINALLY saw his name on the liner notes. The problem is the font is so bloody small!

 

[e:leaf]

Definitely one of my favorite 5.1 mixes. It uses the rears to a great effect, particularly in the first 2 tracks, and the last. A bit too Utopian as far as lyrics go, but the musicianship is fantastic.

I initially listened to this album in stereo and loved it. The 5.1 mix moves it to an entirely new plane. If you like a great mix and modest progressive rock (I.e., not too self indulgent or busy), pick this up post haste.

 

[haikubass]

Mhmm... Just how Radiohead might have sounded in surround... *sigh*

 

[LizardKing]

Really enjoying this one.... hard to describe but reminds me (sort of) of a proggy mellow version of The Mars Volta.

This is interesting from Wikipedia about the album:

Album Inspiration

One of dredg's main influences on the album, El Cielo, was a painting by Salvador Dalí entitled Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bumblebee around a Pomegranate One Second Before Awakening, which is also what the acronym in the first song on the album, "Brushstroke: dcbtfoabaaposba", stands for. The painting clearly influences many of the album's core themes and song titles. For example, in the painting there is a long-legged elephant ("An Elephant In The Delta Waves") with a papal insignia upon its back. "The Papal Insignia" was a song recorded for El Cielo but only saw release of Industry Demos, recorded in 2001, and didn't make it onto El Cielo. Also pictured in the painting is a woman lying in a canyon: "The Canyon Behind Her" is the title of the last song on the album.

This is further supported by the translation of the Japanese spoken words from the beginning of "The Canyon Behind Her": "This album was inspired by a painting titled 'Dream Caused By the Flight of a Bee Around a Pomegranate One Second Before Awakening'. It is recommended that you view this painting as you listen to El Cielo. It is as if one stimulus awakens other senses. In other words, it's about 'drawing music'".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Cielo_(album)

I'm sucker for concept albums and Dali....so I might have to author a Blu-ray with Dali's "Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bumblebee around a Pomegranate One Second Before Awakening" as the picture to enhance the effect...

 

[inkubuzz]

i would love to have this one...

 

[privateuniverse]

One of the best kept secrets in the land of 5.1. I really like this one. Granted, like others have stated there are moments when it seems like the rear channels disappear, but when they are used, they're used to amazing effect. A very immersive experience. I give it a solid 9.

 

[splinter7]

I have had a copy of this forever ago.

I remember the clerk at the record store (see, I told you it was forever ago) gave it to me for free. I was always in there looking for used DVD-A and SACD copies. The store was in NYC and they frequently had some "promo" copies in the used bins. tsk - tsk, people turning over their promos for cash or trade.
Anyway, most of the staff recognized me from my typically lunch time browsing. One day the manager says to me one day "you are always looking for SACDs - I got one that will never sell, here you go."

--Greg

 

[bossfan]

Yes I have this one as well and like it too. Will have to listen to it again tomorrow.
Ok forget it, I'm listening to it now.. Agressive mix, at least in the opening number.. Really nice. Reminds me a little of Anathema.. Like it.

 

[patrick1]

I got this a looooooooooooooooong time ago at Tower, on a whim. A band I didn't know. Obscure cover art. ZERO cover information. I was just jonesing to buy a new disc. I'm glad I picked this up. This is a "listen all the way through" offering, and it took several spins for me to finally "get." This one is quite the gem. Worth finding, IMO.

 

[beerking]

This is one of those rare recordings that hits you with its originality straight away.
I was very lucky to find my copy for a reasonable price.
The rears, when used, are given a good going over.
If you can source one for a fair price then don't hesitate, it's as everybody has already stated ..a little gem!!

I'm not going to vote any less than 10
Maybe a tad generous, but hey ho, it meets all the criteria's I'm looking for.

 

[GOS]

This is a title I've had for several years, to my ears, insanely underrated surround album. I voted a 9. I absolutely love the music, love the vocals and all the effects that sweep in, and sweep out of the music. It's not a surround tour de force, but it is very good. Every once in a while the rear channels swell with well timed pieces. Immersive, full and super fidelity.

If you can locate a used copy for a decent price, by all means pick it up.

 

[The Bright Side]

This is a title I've had for several years, to my ears, insanely underrated surround album. I voted a 9. I absolutely love the music, love the vocals and all the effects that sweep in, and sweep out of the music. It's not a surround tour de force, but it is very good. Every once in a while the rear channels swell with well timed pieces. Immersive, full and super fidelity.

If you can locate a used copy for a decent price, by all means pick it up.

Agreed! Glad I have a copy. A gem.