DVD/DTS Poll Jethro Tull - STORMWATCH [DTS DVD]

[rtbluray]

Please post your thoughts and comments on this 2019 reissue of the classic 1979 album from Jethro Tull entitled "Stormwatch".
This 40th anniversary reissue contains the original album remixed in stereo and 5.1 surround by Steven Wilson along with an entire bonus disc of extra recordings from that period also remixed in stereo and 5.1 surround.

 

[hwkn]

Tull doesn't get much better than this imho.

 

[The56Kid]

Bought this just to complete the Wilson remix series in my collection, but I'm really enjoying it. It features a very warm and immersive surround mix that's very crankable. The clarity and fidelity throughout is superlative and provide further evidence that a lossy surround experience doesn't have to be a bad one.

Like GOS, I don't usually pay a ton of attention to the extras found in these fantastic releases, but I'm really hooked on the Associated Recordings found on DVD 2 of this one. They all sound fantastic, but the previously unreleased tracks especially shine:

The intro to Dark Ages (Early Version) sounds incredible and envelopes the entire listening space. A Single Man is a great instrumental track that commences with a beautiful piano intro in the mains before a beyond physically tangible bass arrives in the front stage with a cleanly strummed acoustic in the right rear. Simply fantastic! Orion (Full Version) starts with a very ominous segment featuring creepy keys in the rears with kicking drums in the mains before the full band sound arrives. Throughout the 9 minute songs, various instruments move in and out of the rear sound space creating a fantastic musical meld. Urban Apocalypse starts with piano and flute in the mains before the song takes full flight with flutes and vocals in the rears. Wilson fills the entire listening space with a full bodied warm surround mix. Man of God begins with beautiful acoustic guitar harmonics in the rears before piano and bass join hi hat chicks in the mains. Yet again, another great surround mix by Wilson on a song that wouldn't sound out of place on Aqualung. It really rocks! Rock Instrumental (Unfinished Master) rounds out the unreleased numbers in great fashion with another beautifully warm enveloping mix. Wilson seems more adventurous than normal on these songs maybe because he felt he could experiment more with unreleased material.

A lot of the songs on Stormwatch feature a harder rocking Tull than we've heard of late, and I love it. Barriemore Barlow's drumming is fantastic throughout and the drum sound in the mix is excellent and very present. His double kick work would make any metal drummer proud. Would love to have heard Barlow's drumming in a more stripped back, hard rocking band context just for kicks (no pun intended). He would have excelled.

A 10 for me due to the Associated Recordings disc alone. But in combination with the fantastic main album surround remix on DVD 1 and the usual amazingly detailed book, this one actually deserves an 11! Rest In Peace, John Glascock!!!

 

[jefe1]

This is so wetting my appetite for this release! Impatiently waiting for amazonuk to ship my long ago ordered copy.

 

[Ranasakawa]

I preordered this I believe in around June?

unfortunately I ordered it on burning Shed in the UK.

it has not even been available there yet! I don’t understand how they could screw this up

 

[knifeman]

I preordered this I believe in around June?

unfortunately I ordered it on burning Shed in the UK.

it has not even been available there yet! I don’t understand how they could screw this up

I just noticed this myself. The lack of posts on this thread had me wondering if this was actually released yet. But the 56Kid's great review above answered that question. I'll be including this in my upcoming mega-order. It's such a love/hate thing when numerous titles are released within a short time period: love when they arrive at your door and hate when my Visa bill arrives!

 

[H.A.L.]

There was a supply problem, apparently. I bought from BS myself, but I'm willing to wait on the chance of getting that Ian Anderson John Hancock!

 

[blue.monk]

As with the previous Tull releases, the new Stormwatch is a first-rate package--including a wonderfully detailed book and a whole disc of quality extras mixed in surround. I must confess, though, that this LP was somewhat of a departure point for me and Tull. I did pick it up upon its release and attended the accompanying tour but I never warmed to the material in quite the same way as I had for most everything up through Heavy Horses. I can't quite put my finger on it as to why. I do enjoy it but for me it's not A-list essential Tull. I was hoping this new release might trigger a new appreciation, an "a ha!" moment, as happened for me with the re-issues of Minstrel and (to a lesser extent) Too Old To Rock, but that has not happened. Oh well, just a matter of personal preference. Still, it is good and does have some stellar moments. I'm very happy to have it and appreciate the care and attention Mr Wilson and co. put into producing it. A 9.

 

[knifeman]

As with the previous Tull releases, the new Stormwatch is a first-rate package--including a wonderfully detailed book and a whole disc of quality extras mixed in surround. I must confess, though, that this LP was somewhat of a departure point for me and Tull. I did pick it up upon its release and attended the accompanying tour but I never warmed to the material in quite the same way as I had for most everything up through Heavy Horses. I can't quite put my finger on it as to why. I do enjoy it but for me it's not A-list essential Tull. I was hoping this new release might trigger a new appreciation, an "a ha!" moment, as happened for me with the re-issues of Minstrel and (to a lesser extent) Too Old To Rock, but that has not happened. Oh well, just a matter of personal preference. Still, it is good and does have some stellar moments. I'm very happy to have it and appreciate the care and attention Mr Wilson and co. put into producing it. A 9.

Same with me. Actually, I started losing interest with Heavy Horses and even a bit with Songs From the Wood. Maybe it's that folk trilogy thing. I'm not really remembering much from Stormwatch but maybe a spin in 5.1 might rekindle my appreciation. Even though I'm a completist, this might be my last interest in Tull surround titles, if any more are forthcoming. The 80's stuff doesn't do it for me, even though I have a few in my CD collection. And I consider myself a big fan of Tull. BTW, ImportCD price now $36.95 plus %10 off until 11/25. https://www.importcds.com/

 

[marpow]

I voted 10. A really good surround disc and Jethro Tull sounds different than the earlier stuff, a little heavier, which I liked. I also liked the theme of cold ocean, storms, etc.

 

[Matt Wilson]

I enjoy all the Wilson Tull boxes and Stormwatch is no exception. Can't really tell if I like this mix more or less than the recent ones (Songs from the Wood, This Was, and Heavy Horses) becase since I own all of the Wilson remastered boxes I now tend to view his work in its totality rather than as individual projects. Stormwatch isn't one of the better LPs but it's as well-done as any other album in the series in terms of it's 5.1 mix. Another winner in other words. I'd say the Wilson/Tull series is my favorite surround sound set that I own.

 

[d0zer]

I didn't know this album before, and I was pleasently surprised how much I like it. The extras on this set are the price worth alone, even the live concert sounds pretty good to my ears. The surround mix is as good as you'd expect from Steven Wilson. The package is as always kind of gold standard for these sort of reissues. A 10 in my book...

 

[Elad]

Believe I stopped listening to Tull right after Song from the wood. I am not sure why probably just lost interest. Than came Steven Wilson and that all changed. I have every surround except This Was. I recently purchased Heavy Horses which I knew hardly anything about and thought it was great and will say the same about Stormwatch it is a harder edge JT like the music, the mix and all the extras I am giving it a 9

 

[R E Faust]

This is a 9 for me.

I am knocking 1 off because it doesn't contain all the 5.1 mixes on one disc so the listener can program the album with the extended versions and/or additional tracks. That's a real miss IMHO

R E Faust

 

[LuvMyQuad]

This is a 9 for me.

I am knocking 1 off because it doesn't contain all the 5.1 mixes on one disc so the listener can program the album with the extended versions and/or additional tracks. That's a real miss IMHO

R E Faust

Soooo it would have been a 10 without the inclusion of the 5.1 expanded tracks... then everything would have been on one disk

 

[R E Faust]

Soooo it would have been a 10 without the inclusion of the 5.1 expanded tracks... then everything would have been on one disk

Nope, that's the exact opposite of what I was saying, apologies if it was too difficult to understand
R E Faust

 

[edisonbaggins]

I'm not sure this would be a 9 for me, even with all the 5.1 on one disc. A 9 is pretty damned great in my book and content, surround-wow and extras are all a bit lacking with this reissue.
Still worth experiencing, but maybe a 7 or 8 for me.

 

[Ranasakawa]

It's 8 from me. It's not as good as some of the earlier box sets but the out-takes are actually better than the official version on this box

 

[perzon57]

Gave it 9,the best JT after Aqualong for me.

 

[drphibes]

Believe I stopped listening to Tull right after Song from the wood. I am not sure why probably just lost interest. Than came Steven Wilson and that all changed. I have every surround except This Was. I recently purchased Heavy Horses which I knew hardly anything about and thought it was great and will say the same about Stormwatch it is a harder edge JT like the music, the mix and all the extras I am giving it a 9

I would recommend This Was if you can get it for a good price. What Wilson was able to do with a very limited recording was remarkable. I really enjoyed it.