HiRez Poll Jones, Rickie Lee - The Sermon On Exposition Blvd [SACD]

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Rate the SACD of Rickie Lee Jones - THE SERMON ON EXPOSITION BLVD


  • Total voters
    28
Barry (bugdaddy) I couldn't have said it better myself. I bought this the day it came out and was floored by it, and continue to be. The paradox of "religious" music and the raw everyman attitude here is incredible; and the exposed-nerve sound is exciting every time I play this. My album of 2007 so far (I know, 2007 is over, I mean "so far" in my eval of all the 2007 releases I've heard)....which is sacrilegious to think Radiohead didn't finish No.1. Just having Sermon and In Rainbows in the same year makes 2007 a big success.
 
Just found a copy (the only one!) yesterday at Fry's in San Marcos and snapped it up. I've always liked Rickie's stuff, even though she's a long ways from "Stick It To Coolsville" these days. I like the atmospherics and the very open mix; the surround content is awesome and the audio quality first-rate. Yes, there's an almost experimental feel to some tracks, but in the same way as Sam Phillips is these days. Actually, Sam Phillips is a pretty apt analog here, since they are both Christians who despise organized religion - this is an album about religion in the same way Aqualung was, so don't let it scare you off.

I gave it a 8. Worth having, but not a casual listen.
 
Anyone have any suggestions as to why I can't figure out how to access the 5.1 layer on the SACD?

My player says it's playing the SACD layer but I can find the 5.1 tracks anywhere. Something simple I've missed?
 
I've played this many times on my Yamaha DVD-A/SACD carousel. It played fine. I've also played it on my Sony SACD carousel. It also played fine.

Perhaps you've tried this, but have you pulled the player's AC cord from the wall, and then plugged it back in a minute later? That often cures hinky behavior. Static gremlns in my chips...

I gave this a 9.

I think I bought this one from Music Direct as a new release. Also bought another copy w/o SACD for some goodies that weren't included in the SACD Deluxe Version. Was that a Best Buy exclusive? I have CRS...

I'm falling up...

Anyone have any suggestions as to why I can't figure out how to access the 5.1 layer on the SACD?

My player says it's playing the SACD layer but I can find the 5.1 tracks anywhere. Something simple I've missed?
 
Anyone have any suggestions as to why I can't figure out how to access the 5.1 layer on the SACD?

My player says it's playing the SACD layer but I can find the 5.1 tracks anywhere. Something simple I've missed?

Mine plays fine but my Pioneer always defaults to multich SACD first and foremost (and for that matter DVDA multi).
Try and go into your player menu perhaps it's switched off. If it's saying it's on shut it off and try stereo then go back and re-set multi.
Also try your audio button on the remote . Apart from that I don't know what I can add . Faulty layer SACD ?

What Linda says makes sense as well , could be a gremlin ! Kill power to fix.

High marks for this disc , it's a must have imho.



love this disc btw. Super surround mix kinda quaint but she sure does rock for a bluesy artist. (y)
As to the assessment


it's likely Christian Rock ---no way , far fn from it ! Think lyrically what Aqualung did re: God on one side of that album.
 
My Yamaha player is set to default to MC playback and every other MC SACD I have works fine. Tried the power cord thing too to no avail.

Put it in my little cheap Sony BD player and it plays the MC. pain in the butt to have to drag out another player just for one disc, but at least I CAN play it.

Gremlins I guess. Go figure.
 
Its a Hybrid disc and I've had issues where the 5.1 layer on Hybrid CD/SACDs will play on one machine but not on another. Its down to the laser focusing, the laser needs to focus to the correct depth to pick out the layer you require. Which coupled with the fact that some discs aren't quite 'perfect', subtle differences in the refractive index of the coatings, which when coupled to a not quite perfect laser focus means the 5.1 layer isn't seen. I had an old Pioneer which had a firmware upgrade to get round this, so check to see if one is available for your machine. I recently had it with the AF Dylan double SACD release, and another one was with Elvis Costello's North, its a right pain. Returning a disc to the supplier sometimes get round the issue but not always. But my old Denon DVD/CD/SACD player won't play some discs the newer Denon BD/DVD/CD/SACD will, and vice versa!

Anyone have any suggestions as to why I can't figure out how to access the 5.1 layer on the SACD?

My player says it's playing the SACD layer but I can find the 5.1 tracks anywhere. Something simple I've missed?
 
I have no history with Rickie Lee Jones, so I'm not sure how good her music gets.
I don't recall being very impressed with this album on my maiden listen. I'll probably sell or trade it at some point.
It could be someone else's cup o' tea...
 
This was my Sunday mo(u)rning listen today. @J. PUPSTER asked me how the mix is, so I took that as an invitation to write a review. And you know me, Al--I'm a long-winded son of a biscuit eater, so if you looking for something pithy, check out the @bugdaddy post (and dig that emoji!). It's spot on for me.

Let me start by addressing the "religious" aspect of the content. I suppose I might classify it as "spiritual" rather than religious. As noted in previous posts, some of the content of the disc addresses the way organized religion has funked up the cryptic rabbi's simple message. And as far as Christianity goes, I would say the orientation of this disc is to take the message heard by first century Christians and deliver it to a twenty-first century audience. Take a look at gnostic texts: the historical Jesus, whose wife was Mary Magdalene, seems to be saying he is not THE Son of God, but A Son of God--We are all God. I mean, the Bible tells us we are all temples of the Holy Spirit. If you into that triune God stuff, there's only 1 H.S. Maybe there's only 1 of us; maybe the East has it right: we just dreaming. Plus the Gospels have the rabbi say he's not leaving his mother and his brothers to go out and meet his biological moms and bros--whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother. And he tells his disciples they will do what he did and GREATER! How in the funk we not ALL God in that scenario? So, if you are still reading and were worried that this is a Christian album, be not afraid. Actually, this paragraph may be the scary one! So let's hit the return key, shall We:

Loving the V.U. Patti Smith garage punk references in the reviews above. Love Rickie's seemingly stream of consciousness flow over the sick minimalistic propulsive beats/grooves. Meditations on the interconnectedness of Us all; the apparent pull of darkness and light in the material world; the pain of recognizing the responsibility to love the least among Us because together We are the Christ; the recognition that We're falling up; the need to pray quietly and alone to connect to Our Source (Heavenly Father AND Heavenly Mother) to understand the hip-hopcrisy and suffering all around; the conflicts of being a spiritual being having a human experience; the laser focus of Loving with all of one's heart and soul and mind; the mysteries and manners of it all.

And (finally @J. PUPSTER !) the mix: I'm surrounded by Rickie and the band. Her voice comes out of the front and rear speakers and is sometimes in the center. She envelops me. The mix makes hip use of the surrounds, sometimes sparkling surprises pop out behind and all around me (toy xylophones, finger cymbals, tambourines, funky percussion, dancing dulcimers, moody moogs, mysterious murmurings, chilling chants, ethereal sighs, multi-tracked vocals, lone voices crying out in the wilderness, even a little odd oud)--it's a superb sonic joy ride. The mix really opens up the album, placing me smack dab in the middle of it all, emphasizing individual instruments, helping me to feel the flow, revealing the layers and textures of each track.

Because of all of the above, the inclusion of a DVD-V shot in hi def about the making of the album, and the fact that I picked this up for less than eight bucks makes this a straight up TEN for Clement . . . which means Forgiveness which is another message of the beautiful fidelity found on this SACD.
 
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This was my Sunday mo(u)rning listen today. @J. PUPSTER asked me how the mix is, so I took that as an invitation to write a review. And you know me, Al--I'm a long-winded son of a biscuit eater, so if you looking for something pithy, check out the @bugdaddy post (and dig that emoji!). It's spot on for me.

Let me start by addressing the "religious" aspect of the content. I suppose I might classify it as "spiritual" rather than religious. As noted above, some of the content of the disc addresses the way organized religion has funked up the cryptic rabbi's simple message. And as far as Christianity goes, I would say the orientation of this disc is to take the message heard by first century Christians and deliver it to a twenty-first century audience. Take a look at gnostic texts: the historical Jesus, whose wife was Mary Magdalene, seems to be saying he is not THE Son of God, but A Son of God--We are all God. I mean, the Bible tells us we are all temples of the Holy Spirit. If you into that triune God stuff, there's only 1 H.S. Maybe there's only 1 of us; maybe the East has it right: we just dreaming. Plus the Gospels have the rabbi say he's not leaving his mother and his brothers to go out and meet his biological moms and bros--whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother. And he tells his disciples they will do what he did and GREATER! How in the funk we not ALL God in that scenario? So, if you are still reading and were worried that this is a Christian album, be not afraid. Actually, this paragraph may be the scary one! So let's hit the return key, shall We:

Loving the V.U. Patti Smith garage punk references in the reviews above. Love Rickie's seemingly stream of consciousness flow over the sick minimalistic propulsive beats/grooves. Meditations on the interconnectedness of Us all; the apparent pull of darkness and light in the material world; the pain of recognizing the responsibility to love the least among Us because together We are the Christ; the recognition that We're falling up; the need to pray quietly and alone to connect to Our Source (Heavenly Father AND Heavenly Mother) to understand the hip-hopcrisy and suffering all around; the conflicts of being a spiritual being having a human experience; the laser focus of Loving with all of one's heart and soul and mind; the mysteries and manners of it all.

And (finally @J. PUPSTER !) the mix: I'm surrounded by Rickie and the band. Her voice comes out of the front and rear speakers and is sometimes in the center. She envelops me. The mix makes hip use of the surrounds, sometimes sparkling surprises pop out behind and all around me (toy xylophones, finger cymbals, tambourines, funky percussion, dancing dulcimers, moody moogs, mysterious murmurings, chilling chants, ethereal sighs, multi-tracked vocals, lone voices crying out in the wilderness, even a little odd oud)--it's a superb sonic joy ride. The mix really opens up the album, placing me smack dab in the middle of it all, emphasizing individual instruments, helping me to feel the flow, revealing the layers and textures of each track.

Because of all of the above, the inclusion of a DVD-V shot in hi def about the making of the album, and the fact that I picked this up for less than eight bucks makes this a straight up TEN for Clement . . . which means Forgiveness which is another message of the beautiful fidelity of this SACD.

Right On, Brother @Clement ! (And Amen, Sister Rickie!) Beautifully said. Sermon on Quadraphonic Boulevard.
 
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This was my Sunday mo(u)rning listen today. @J. PUPSTER asked me how the mix is, so I took that as an invitation to write a review. And you know me, Al--I'm a long-winded son of a biscuit eater, so if you looking for something pithy, check out the @bugdaddy post (and dig that emoji!). It's spot on for me.

Let me start by addressing the "religious" aspect of the content. I suppose I might classify it as "spiritual" rather than religious. As noted above, some of the content of the disc addresses the way organized religion has funked up the cryptic rabbi's simple message. And as far as Christianity goes, I would say the orientation of this disc is to take the message heard by first century Christians and deliver it to a twenty-first century audience. Take a look at gnostic texts: the historical Jesus, whose wife was Mary Magdalene, seems to be saying he is not THE Son of God, but A Son of God--We are all God. I mean, the Bible tells us we are all temples of the Holy Spirit. If you into that triune God stuff, there's only 1 H.S. Maybe there's only 1 of us; maybe the East has it right: we just dreaming. Plus the Gospels have the rabbi say he's not leaving his mother and his brothers to go out and meet his biological moms and bros--whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother. And he tells his disciples they will do what he did and GREATER! How in the funk we not ALL God in that scenario? So, if you are still reading and were worried that this is a Christian album, be not afraid. Actually, this paragraph may be the scary one! So let's hit the return key, shall We:

Loving the V.U. Patti Smith garage punk references in the reviews above. Love Rickie's seemingly stream of consciousness flow over the sick minimalistic propulsive beats/grooves. Meditations on the interconnectedness of Us all; the apparent pull of darkness and light in the material world; the pain of recognizing the responsibility to love the least among Us because together We are the Christ; the recognition that We're falling up; the need to pray quietly and alone to connect to Our Source (Heavenly Father AND Heavenly Mother) to understand the hip-hopcrisy and suffering all around; the conflicts of being a spiritual being having a human experience; the laser focus of Loving with all of one's heart and soul and mind; the mysteries and manners of it all.

And (finally @J. PUPSTER !) the mix: I'm surrounded by Rickie and the band. Her voice comes out of the front and rear speakers and is sometimes in the center. She envelops me. The mix makes hip use of the surrounds, sometimes sparkling surprises pop out behind and all around me (toy xylophones, finger cymbals, tambourines, funky percussion, dancing dulcimers, moody moogs, mysterious murmurings, chilling chants, ethereal sighs, multi-tracked vocals, lone voices crying out in the wilderness, even a little odd oud)--it's a superb sonic joy ride. The mix really opens up the album, placing me smack dab in the middle of it all, emphasizing individual instruments, helping me to feel the flow, revealing the layers and textures of each track.

Because of all of the above, the inclusion of a DVD-V shot in hi def about the making of the album, and the fact that I picked this up for less than eight bucks makes this a straight up TEN for Clement . . . which means Forgiveness which is another message of the beautiful fidelity found on this SACD.

Most apparently, CLEM~E's in LOVE with Rick~E's Sermon on Exposition BLVD. Will really have to re spin this album to vote rationally. Thanks for the memory .......
 
I would have to side with Jon here in regards to not being into religious stuff but I AM into spiritual stuff. I would not buy this disc based if Clements intrepetation of the lyrics is accurate. Sometimes I think we make the scriptures to difficult to understand. There is one scripture that says it all "The cross is foolishness to those who are perishing....
 
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