DVD/DTS Poll Jethro Tull - Thick As A Brick (Defective Original Disc) [DTS/DD DVD]

[rtbluray]

DO NOT BLAME STEVEN WILSON FOR THE WAY THE CYMBALS SOUND!!!

The drums from 5:00 to roughly 10:30 in part 1 have a "phase" effect on them, just like in the original mix except this time it's more pronounced.
Any criticisms that the cymbals (and overall mix) is too bright is probably resultant of the mastering process, so please do not blame Mr. Wilson for the way it sounds. He wanted high-res just like the rest of us and would've also preferred a true "flat mix" similar to the ELP releases.

With all that being said, I give it a '9'. Would've been a '10' if it had been high-res, but I can't remember a DTS title sounding better than this! (with the possible exception of Layla) Yes, I am also pissed off about the glitches but again, not Steven's fault so I won't deduct from my vote for that reason.

 

[Plan9]

Something to appease somewhat the people who are understandably upset with how this reissue turned out:


I had a talk with Steven Wilson and he can confirm that the glitches are NOT on his mixes and that the painful cymbals and the general extreme brightness are a by-product of the mastering.

He will try to get EMI to re-press the DVD, which, as you can understand, is a bit of a logistical nightmare.


Stay tuned.

 

[Quad Linda]

Obviously, my friend was not blowing smoke. Let's hope EMI follows through with re-pressing this.

 

[fredblue]

I don't remember the cymbals sounding quite like that (and I've heard the album in quite a few different formats/masterings over the years) so I guess the remixing process has made the phased effect much more prominent, as you say.

I don't entirely blame SW for the cymbals but it still sounds almost unpleasant.. having emphasised something previously more subtle in the mix, I don't feel there's any real sonic benefit to it.. which is the deal breaker for me much more so than it not being faithful to the original mix. mix variations from the original stereo are one of the reasons quad/5.1 can be so much fun after all.

still I find the lack of extended bass and a generally congested midrange to be the real killer for me. I was hoping this 5.1 mix would finally open up the sound in that regard, just as SW's Aqualung did. I guess I was asking too much.. at least in this respect the new mix is faithful to the original, as the album has never sounded that wonderful in the mid/bass depts.

to give it a fair crack (and because I love the album so) I'll give it a couple more listens this week and vote.. but as much as it pains me I can't see how I can justify giving a high score for this package.

here's the flaws for me that I'm struggling to get beyond: on-screen scans of the paper that you simply cannot read, a scaled down book of the paper (I maintain EMI would have been totally justified this time at least to have gone with LP sized packaging), a fairly ordinary mastering (that addresses none of the issues inherent in the recording, it still has a boxy closed-in lifeless quality to the mid/bass, i'm in the minority here but the boosted top end is the least of my worries), a good but not spectacular surround mix (probably the worst of all the SW mixes I've heard so far) and the final nail in the coffin, a lossy DVD complete with glitches.

 

[fredblue]

if there's a re-press I want them to send the replacement to me gratis (I'll gladly supply proof of purchase, of course).. but I will NOT go to the expense/hassle of sending in my DVD and/or the whole set to be replaced because EMI employ people who can't do their jobs properly.

 

[LizardKing]

if there's a re-press I want them to send the replacement to me gratis (I'll gladly supply proof of purchase, of course).. but I will NOT go to the expense/hassle of sending in my DVD and/or the whole set to be replaced because EMI employ people who can't do their jobs properly.

Amazon UK sent out replacements for the Wish You Were Here blu-ray disc free....

They just should be able to send replacement discs...

 

[davie]

This has to rate right up there with the Nick Davis Genesis remixes (actually well beyond) in the EQ department. The Contents page in the middle of the book states that Peter Mews did the mastering at Abbey Road. So this may not be entirely Steve Wilson's fault (though I have found some of his other remixes to be too bright as well). I only got through it by applying two (2) layers of terry cloth towel coverings to the tweeters of each of my speakers (the cymbal crashes occur in the front and rear channels). This is an analog solution I generally find more pleasing than tone control circuitry or digital EQ. Once I did that, I quite enjoyed the new mix. I never realized that Ian Anderson played the saxophone on TAAB. I too found the bass somewhat lacking in depth, though there is plenty of mid bass. This may simply be the way it is on the original multi-track tapes. (Recordings of this period often sound like a LC EQ has been applied.) Or perhaps Jeffrey Hammond was actually playing an acoustic bass during these sessions! (Sheer speculation of course). I have not listened to the 1972 flat transfer or the stereo remix. I have a needle drop of a 1972 vinyl on tape to compare them against (that is when my tape deck is working properly).
Amazon shipped this book style set in a bubble envelope. As a result, the upper spine and the lower front an rear corners are mashed in. Amazon would never ship a hard cover book that way, so why this set? For that matter they don't even ship CD's in bubble envelopes. So much for this being a collectors item.
At any rate, I rate the content a 3, the mix a 3, and the fidelity a 1. No extra point.

 

[wavelength]

I only got through it by applying two (2) layers of terry cloth towel coverings to the tweeters of each of my speakers (the cymbal crashes occur in the front and rear channels). This is an analog solution I generally find more pleasing than tone control circuitry or digital EQ. Once I did that, I quite enjoyed the new mix.

I found this fascinating. They say you learn something every day.

 

[Plan9]

Folks, the tonality issues (lack of deep bass, boxed-in midrange, aggressive treble, etc...) are mastering problems, don't blame Steven for these... He's trying to find us a solution ASAP.

And concerning the phasing effect, it is much less forward in his mix. It is, again, the mastering that brought it up.

 

[dr8track]

While I have heard this recording in other formats perhaps a couple of times, I'm not so intimately familiar with it that I can really compare it with previous versions. That being said, I didn't notice any of the digital glitches in my version and it didn't sound overly bright to me. Maybe I'm just missing the digital glitches. Not sure I want someone to point out exactly where they are because if I do notice them, then it will drive me crazy. But for now, I'm blissfully ignorant and am enjoying the recording. I gave it a 9.

 

[davie]

The Thick As A Brick LP I recorded back in'72 has an abundance of bass, with plenty of punch in the kick drum, and the cymbal crashes are not abnormally accentuated, though the "whirling" effect is still present. The flat transfer of the 72 mix also exhibits the whirling effect early on side one but the balance of bass vs. treble is just right and the dynamics are used to dramatic effect throughout. Clearly Mr. Anderson knew what he was doing as producer in charge. Too bad today's world does not appreciate the importance of dynamics in musical performance.

 

[GabeL]

I listened to this again today using the dvd player that is hooked up via analog (vs. HDMI) connections and it did sound just a bit less harsh/shrill. I'd still give it about an 8 overall.

 

[Steven Wilson]

I appreciate that some of you think this release sounds better than others. However to me it is clear that something has gone wrong, as I barely recognise it as the mix I delivered. I am discussing with EMI - the glitches near the start of Part 1 on the 5.1 streams certainly need to be rectified, and this may yet prove to be a silver lining. I am sorry for this lapse in quality control. *Please* keep this info just to this forum for the time being please, as nothing is official from EMI's side, however I thought you guys should know, as I do hope things will be fixed. In the meantime if you do decide to return your copies to whevever you bought them on the basis that you aren't happy with the quality, I think that would be an entirely reasonable course of action. Thanks for your attention.

SW

 

[SMS]

Thanks for taking the time to give us an update Steven.

It never even occurred to me to try and return the CD/DVD, because normally it is not possible to return CDs or DVDs. But, I contacted Amazon.ca through online chat, and they were happy to accept a return. They sent me a link with RMA number, and even a shipping label so I don't have to pay return shipping.

I encourage others to do the same. Hopefully a bunch of returns will get EMI's attention.

 

[patrick1]

Hello. Wow, thanks to SW, I am returning this, unopened, to Amazon. Classy move to post here. Thanks.

 

[GabeL]

I'm returning mine too (since it was damaged). Thank you SW for all your efforts.

 

[JonUrban]

...... *Please* keep this info just to this forum for the time being please, as nothing is official from EMI's side, however I thought you guys should know, as I do hope things will be fixed. ......
SW

Thanks Steven for keeping us in the loop. Please members, do not repost this over at SHF or anywhere else, as per Steven's request.

Thank you

 

[Quad Linda]

So, what's EMi's excuse for Capitol Q8 of DSOTM derived from SQ, instead of discrete? How about side 2 of MMT Beatles LP & MoFi that were electronically rechanneled stereo, when stereo masters existed, which were used on the MoFi cassette, German MMT LP & all CD's? How about first pressings of the second Beatles Capitol Albums CD boxes that were screwed up? Weren't LP's and/or CD's flying off the shelves and EMI making money hand over fist when these where released?

The stereo masters weren't available in time for the late '67 release of MMT. So, they still weren't available 15 years later for the MoFi box? I blame EMI, not MoFi, who rarely screwed anything up.

Face facts, EMI is a band of moneygrubbing screwups.

...The music industry shrinks (or gets distributed), so less personnel is available for the label's quality assurance.

 

[winopener]

In the meantime if you do decide to return your copies to whevever you bought them on the basis that you aren't happy with the quality, I think that would be an entirely reasonable course of action. Thanks for your attention.
SW

Thanks Steven for any effort from your side. I am still waiting the packet with the disc and even if it has flaws... i'm keeping it. Along with Tarkus, having TAAB in surround for me is a dream come true.
Anyway, if EMI send out a replacement, it's ok.

 

[patrick1]

Hello. So.........................I keep it........................and waaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiittttttttttttttttttttttt for EMI to determine that a replacement needs to be issued?!??!? Hmmm. And how am I/are we to know if the current TAAB's being sent out are the "Fixed" ones. I think I'll stick with returning it STAT, unless I read this post here further and determine otherwise. Argh! Thanks.