Finally received my package (from the UK) on Saturday.
It is a beautiful package indeed...very well put together. Seeing the vinyl is a trip for me...even though I have no record player and have no intention of getting one...still brings back memories of how we used to get our music fixes. And it was fun to show them to my 6 year old and try to make him understand what it was
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But then...of course...I immediately popped in the 5.1 DVD...been waiting nearly 14 years to hear this one!
My thoughts:
It took some getting used to at first, but I do LOVE it in the end! :music
The reason for the above, at first hesitation on my part is that some of the songs are definitely changed from their original versions.
“Sara” being the most prominent one I’d say. The original version was (as many know) MUCH longer than what made it onto the album (and the single version even shorter), and the 5.1 mix incorporates a little of the longer, “cleaning lady” version. “Sara” is my favorite song on the album (and one of my favorite songs of all time), so I am happy to report that it is very tastefully done for this 5.1 mix. Stevie’s vocals are amazingly clear, and the backing vocals and tracks are wonderfully placed…the original stereo version was so dream-like, but this version puts the listener into an even higher ethereal state
. Some backing vocals seem to come in at different times than in the original version, but again, it works splendidly!
There are also some other instruments I noticed in the surround channels that I had not heard before (and I’ve listed to this song a LOT over the years)…not sure if they were added for this new mix, or just brought out for the first time given the separation capabilities of a surround mix. Either way, they do work well with the song.
Another track that seems fairly changed is “Sisters of the Moon.” I think they used at least some of an alternate vocal track, and the guitar solo is not quite as “loud” as in the remastered version from 2005.
The title track is nothing short of stunning. Such a unique and different song than anything done before or since…and now every nuance of this song (the looped drum track, crystal clear vocals (both the Mac voices and harmonies as well as the Marching Band snippets), the trumpets, etc., etc.), can be heard in all its “in your face” glory. Worth the price of admission alone, IMHO.
“Brown Eyes” (never knew that the guitar at the end of the song as it fades out was from Peter Green!), “Never Forget Tonight,” “Storms,” “Honey Hi,””Angel,”…every song shines through and re-confirms that I still rank this as FM’s best album overall. It may not have received the accolades of Rumours, particularly when it was first released, but over time and after a few listenings back then, I came to my conclusion and am happy to see that many other folks also now agree with me.
In closing, it is so wonderful to finally have this album’s long-delayed 5.1 mix out there for all to enjoy. Yes, having to buy this expensive set that includes 2 vinyl records I will likely never listen to is annoying, but for this album, I was willing to take the plunge. The other supplementary materials are also excellent I might add!
Now how about the “White” album next, WB?
