HiRez Poll Jones, Howard - HUMAN'S LIB [Blu-Ray Audio (Dolby Atmos)]

[SomethingAnything]

Watching and listening to this brilliant insight with Stephen on your YouTube channel Mike.
So nice to see your son taking part and engaging with Stephen.
It's almost like a visual autobiography of Stephens musical, mixing life.
Which I find fascinating.
It's not often we get to hear how the nuts and bolts of albums are put together.
Thankyou

Yes, it's clear that he loves his work, and what could be more important than that!

 

[wavelength]

I think this is the most unified surround field that I have ever heard. The level matching between the front L, C, R and the rears is critical. I was listening to this album and the music just wasn't making sense. I was getting a little frustrated because all the comments were so positive but I wasn't getting it. Finally I raised the rears and wham!...the music locked into place. A surround field to die for. It truly is wonderful.

Edit: I only slightly raised the volume on the rears. It was a fine line between being not quite right and being perfect.

 

[Clement]

wOw! It seems as if i've been waiting forever to hear this one (amazon never delivered and ultimately cancelled my order)! Thanks to @mandrix i now can, and it was certainly worth the wait! Thanks to @Stephen W Tayler , this release is an absolute revelation – he really did put his heart and soul into this exquisite labo(u)r of LOVE! This album is an magnificent immersion in synths (discretely placed), with electronic washes cascading over me from all four corners of my surround space. The trippy visuals work really well to underscore both music and lyrics. I wasn't familiar with this album, though "What is Love?" seems to ring a distant bell from the clubbing daze of my youth, but i feel i will be intimate with it because of just how engaging it is in this new collaboration between the original artist and engineer.

If you are a fan of this genre of music, this is a MUST-OWN release. If you are not a fan of the genre, prepare to be won over. My suggestion is to sit down with the book in hand and read along with the track by track commentary from Howard Jones and Stephen W Tayler. And, by all means, be sure to read the excellent essay by Anil Prasad, the title of which says it all for me: "Bend Your Brain: Reimagining Human's Lib in Surround." Jones and Tayler are quoted liberally in the essay, which helped this listener understand just what a passionate project this is for both artists. I couldn't help but be drawn in by their passion. This one will be in MAJOR rotation for me!

An unequivocal and highly deserved 10! Go back and read every effusive review that precedes mine. So much marvelous insight for this marvelous release. I've listened again and again to this beauty throughout the day – it's so damn engaging! Mine is the 34th vote of 10, the only score QQers have awarded this release up to this point!

 

[Malhomme]

This is pretty smashing.
I totally missed Howard Jones at the time, I was too much into hard rock and heavy metal to have any interest.
So I am not biased by nostalgy here.
Not only the music is incredible for a first album (and I prefer Human's Lib to Dream Into Action) but the mix is like fireworks in your living room.
It is takes so well advantage of space positions, clarity to the point your listening the record with a microscope. It is like a private special show for you. You end up smiling most of time, and navigate between bewilderment and ecstasy.
Does it say enough I relly like this very very much ?
It is of course a 10.

 

[stormchaser]

I don't know that I can add more to the praise here. This simply sounds gorgeous (which I did not expect from an 80s synth album). The mix is active and engaging. I didn't spend much time with this album back in the day, but I will now. While a couple of songs to me do sound very dated, the wonderful mix keeps the entire album alive and vibrant. Highly recommended. I'm not sure it deserves to be the second perfect ten in QQ history, but damn, it's good.

 

[Mesozoic Mike]

This disc just sounds fantastic. Fidelity is more important to me than the surround mix. I know that makes me kind of an outlier here, but for me, the sound reproduction is the key.
Poor fidelity can be spread across as many channels as you like, but it has to sound clear, clean, and dynamic for me to smile. This disc does that in spades with the bonus of a terrific surround presentation.

 

[Stephen W Tayler]

Made it to the top of the August Hi-Rez Polls update!! Thanks everyone!! SWTx

 

[Bobby Martini]

Exceptionally great in every way. One of the best discs in my collection.

 

[SomethingAnything]

Made it to the top of the August Hi-Rez Polls update!! Thanks everyone!! SWTx

I initially thought you were referring to Human's Lib, but I think you have audio engineered all four sitting at the top!

 

[groo]

Absolute 10 from me. This is how a mix should be done! Songs burst into life, rich discrete never a null moment Brilliant surround and visuals. If there was a 2024 award for best overall mix and presentation in qq, my vote for this to be the top five surround releases. Please keep this level of output up @SWT

 

[xportz]

I don't usually vote on new releases but this was one of the most transcendent, incredible musical experiences of my life. There were times when the enveloping sound and psychedelic visuals seemed to elevate my consciousness to near euphoric levels. Needless to say, 10/10.

 

[Stephen W Tayler]

I am still astonished at the reaction to this release! I know I had always thought how this could work in such a sonic environment, but it has been so special to be able to share that vision like this. You cannot imagine how it makes me feel - SWTx

 

[Bobby Martini]

I am still astonished at the reaction to this release! I know I had always thought how this could work in such a sonic environment, but it has been so special to be able to share that vision like this. You cannot imagine how it makes me feel - SWTx

That's because it's just so damn good. Other mixers - take note.....this is how it's done

 

[stedman]

This BD-A offers outstanding sound and visuals. I always liked Howard Jones, but the mix and graphics here take this album to another level. And what a pleasant surprise to have such cool animation rather than a static image of an album cover. I wish all artists did this. I am blown away. 10/10 of course.

 

[Stephen W Tayler]

I wouldn't have minded if they had included a few other b-sides, or the full length "What Is Love?" but that's just quibbling..

I keep seeing references to the full length 'What is Love' which was not the original, it was tha 12" (extended version) which was already my edited and extended remix, so I would not do a remix of a remix. I wanted to stick to the original format as intended on the original album, not just copy the remix

 

[mrcond]

42 votes, all 10s. Not even a 9 in the bunch. That has to be a record for QQ. This wasn't in my radar but I guess I need to get it. Hope it’s not too late!

 

[Bobby Martini]

42 votes, all 10s. Not even a 9 in the bunch. That has to be a record for QQ. This wasn't in my radar but I guess I need to get it. Hope it’s not too late!

For me personally this album's surround mix is proof that Atmos is not the 'be all and end all' many people make it out to be. You won't find a better, more immersive mix out there......and it's not even Atmos !

Essential purchase

 

[Stephen W Tayler]

42 votes, all 10s. Not even a 9 in the bunch. That has to be a record for QQ. This wasn't in my radar but I guess I need to get it. Hope it’s not too late!

I'm very fortunate to have the top 4 in the hI-Rez Poll Charts list. I have a couple more high scores that might join them soon

 

[Petr Kropotkin]

....I have a couple more high scores that might join them soon

Well, if you want to tease us, for God's sake, please don't post the colour of the spines or we'll have another 50-page guessathon like the Rhino Quadios. Did my head in that.

 

[Stephen W Tayler]

Well, if you want to tease us, for God's sake, please don't post the colour of the spines or we'll have another 50-page guessathon like the Rhino Quadios. Did my head in that.

I'm referrring to recent releases that are already scoring well, not to projects still to be announced, there are several!. Hawkwind's 'X in search of Space' is going well, as is Songs for a TaIlor from Jack Bruce.......