Kansas "The Absence of Presence" CD+5.1 Blu-Ray coming 6/26/2020

[beerking]

OK, so the Mrs. is out with some errands, and I'm about to retire to my couch with a bag o' tater chips and sody pop, and listen to this thing and do a little review later; catch ya'll on the other side

I'll join you pups.....although mine is a specced up mix from the stereo CD!!

And these are the stereo CD -DR's:

DR5 -0.01 dB -6.86 dB 8:22 01-The Absence of Presence
DR5 -0.01 dB -5.61 dB 6:21 02-Throwing Mountains
DR4 -0.01 dB -6.02 dB 5:17 03-Jets Overhead
DR6 -0.01 dB -8.16 dB 2:17 04-Propulsion 1
DR7 -0.01 dB -9.15 dB 4:38 05-Memories Down the Line
DR4 -0.01 dB -5.53 dB 5:19 06-Circus of Illusion
DR5 -0.01 dB -6.03 dB 5:13 07-Animals on the Roof
DR5 -0.01 dB -7.37 dB 4:51 08-Never
DR5 -0.01 dB -6.51 dB 5:06 09-The Song the River Sang

Enough said!!

 

[The56Kid]

I'll join you pups.....although mine is a specced up mix from the stereo CD!!

And these are the stereo CD -DR's:

DR5 -0.01 dB -6.86 dB 8:22 01-The Absence of Presence
DR5 -0.01 dB -5.61 dB 6:21 02-Throwing Mountains
DR4 -0.01 dB -6.02 dB 5:17 03-Jets Overhead
DR6 -0.01 dB -8.16 dB 2:17 04-Propulsion 1
DR7 -0.01 dB -9.15 dB 4:38 05-Memories Down the Line
DR4 -0.01 dB -5.53 dB 5:19 06-Circus of Illusion
DR5 -0.01 dB -6.03 dB 5:13 07-Animals on the Roof
DR5 -0.01 dB -7.37 dB 4:51 08-Never
DR5 -0.01 dB -6.51 dB 5:06 09-The Song the River Sang

Enough said!!

Wow - no dynamic range at all!

 

[beerking]

Wow - no dynamic range at all!

Yep.....although the up mix is reasonable, considering it didn't have much to work with!!

 

[edisonbaggins]

I'll join you pups.....although mine is a specced up mix from the stereo CD!!

OMG, why would you do that?! The CD is SMASHED. Don't you have the blu-ray?

 

[beerking]

OMG, why would you do that?! The CD is SMASHED. Don't you have the blu-ray?

Nope...……….let's just say the CD didn't cost much.
I wonder if the up mix has more going on than the Blu-Ray?
By the way, I like this album.

 

[jimfisheye]

No worries. Just bustin' your balls a little. When you don't like something, you REALLY let us know.

Well yeah, busted there too!

There are a couple bands, Uriah Heep is another one, that I'll always be interested to check out their new album even though there was really just a little period I was into. I know I'll probably be disappointed but I'll keep checking them out. There are usually little bits of songs I like.

Hmmm...
Remember that album they released after Point of no Return? There's a reason you don't! So that one had the original lineup and everything. This new album is better. So there! I believe the reason for their creative lull might have been... well, Ozzy will tell you all about it on side 2 of Volume 4. There's a video from their next tour. Audio Visions I think it was? More evidence. Power Windows after that was it? Play the Game Tonight. Remember that? Probably should really be celebrating this new one!

 

[The56Kid]

OMG, why would you do that?! The CD is SMASHED. Don't you have the blu-ray?

I apologize in advance, Mike, but you’re cracking me up in this thread. In a good way!

 

[steelydave]

I haven't bothered with this release, but the descriptions of the mix as being underwhelming are no surprise given the 5.1 was done Jeff Glixman, whose surround resume seems to be a catalog comprised exclusively of disappointments that includes the SACDs of Allman Bros. Fillmore and Eat a Peach, and Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On which is maybe a notch above the previous two, possibly thanks to the presence of original engineer Cal Harris on the 5.1 mix. Glixman's surround approach seems to be to recreate the stereo mix as faithfully as possible, and then put about 5% of that information discretely in the rears just so you know your speakers aren't broken.

 

[fredblue]

I haven't bothered with this release, but the descriptions of the mix as being underwhelming are no surprise given the 5.1 was done Jeff Glixman, whose surround resume seems to be a catalog comprised exclusively of disappointments that includes the SACDs of Allman Bros. Fillmore and Eat a Peach, and Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On which is maybe a notch above the previous two, possibly thanks to the presence of original engineer Cal Harris on the 5.1 mix. Glixman's surround approach seems to be to recreate the stereo mix as faithfully as possible, and then put about 5% of that information discretely in the rears just so you know your speakers aren't broken.

you summed up this mix (and his mixing modus operandi in general) in a nutshell.
long live steelydave

 

[edisonbaggins]

you summed up this mix (and his mixing modus operandi in general) in a nutshell.
long live steelydave

That's weird, because the rhythm guitars heavily favor the rears (like, hardly in the fronts at all), and that's like 10 to 15% of the music, right? Am I right?

 

[fredblue]

That's weird, because the rhythm guitars heavily favor the rears (like, hardly in the fronts at all), and that's like 10 to 15% of the music, right? Am I right?

probably yeah.. tbh i was hoping for stuff like the violin, keyboards etc to be more prominently used in the surround mix. i may get over the disappointment in time, its not like i won't play it again, musically i enjoy it, we'll see.

 

[edisonbaggins]

probably yeah.. tbh i was hoping for stuff like the violin, keyboards etc to be more prominently used in the surround mix. i may get over the disappointment in time, its not like i won't play it again, musically i enjoy it, we'll see.

We're on the same page. This mix is hella tame. On all but two tracks.
I just try to do what I can sometimes to counteract what I see as over-reaction or exaggeration.
We're passionate about active surround here and I get that. I just think if we're accurate we'll be overall better received by anyone reading reviews, especially early ones, when deciding to support a surround artist or not.

 

[~dave~~wave~]

But they don't! The cd & bluray double pack is at Amazon UK for £14.65:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Absence-Pr...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=DDDA0N85ZR7EQ8EF0PYC

USA Amazon bumped the price up $5, essentially a match now.

 

[mam]

Music is OK, but the surround sound? ..... no, for a new publishing it`s a mix to run away. I`m very
disappointed

 

[fredblue]

We're on the same page. This mix is hella tame. On all but two tracks.
I just try to do what I can sometimes to counteract what I see as over-reaction or exaggeration.
We're passionate about active surround here and I get that. I just think if we're accurate we'll be overall better received by anyone reading reviews, especially early ones, when deciding to support a surround artist or not.

while i'm very happy indeed to see a day and date new surround music release from any artist, let alone one with the heritage of Kansas, i won't be recommending this one to anyone purely on the 5.1.

 

[mandrix]

The vocals.....just don't sound quite right to me, I can't quite describe it and maybe an artifact induced by my age and hearing loss. But still, I'm thinking this album is a last, best effort from a band I admire greatly. "can I tell you".
I have the DVD of Sail On, the 30th Anniversary offering with well known goodies, and while not a sonic marvel, much more appealing to me.
I would still rather listen to these guys than some that have been around as long.

 

[Eggplant]

I am telling you now (with Peace and Love) that this whole physical media trip is ending soon. Very soon.

Hear that?
The voice of God.

For me, it mostly already has.
I refuse to buy any 4K discs since I have the option to own titles in the cloud. I hope soon that will be a viable option for surround music. Tidal was a big step that direction. Feeble, but big.

 

[Wagonmaster_91]

Just for grins I stopped into a local WalMart. I rarely enter this place as it's usually a nightmare with regard to parking lot, traffic, and lots of people in line and all.

Anyway, I figured no one out here in Eastern CT would be looking for a new Kansas CD+BluRay package so I figured I'd grab what they had. Holy Crap! Not only did they not have it, they no longer even had a CD section! There was an end cap with "new releases" (of which the Kansas was not one) and that was it. I looked and looked and saw no CD section at all. There was a small section of LPs, but no CDs. In fact, there were more LPs than CDs in the store!! How about that.

Their DVD/BluRay section was tiny. One small short aisle and that was that. This store used to have a really large CD and DVD/BluRay section.

I am telling you now (with Peace and Love) that this whole physical media trip is ending soon. Very soon.

The record companies/distributors helped Walmart, Target and Best Buy put the record stores out of business. Sometimes, with extra discounts, those chains could SELL CDs for less than independents, buying from one-stops, could BUY the CDs. Little Mom & Pop stores would go to those chains and buy the new releases on Tuesdays (NR day) to sell in their stores. Those chains have no emotional investment in music, so if the profit is gone so now is the product. It was pure greed/suicide on the part of distributors.

On a positive note, a local record store in my area - Forever Young Records - is still going great guns. It is a huge store that sells every type & format of music new and used - LPs, CDs cassettes, R2R, 8-Track, quads, memoribilia, vintage stereo equipment, etc.
The owner was savvy enough to hook up with U-Haul as a side biz of the store and as a result they have been able to remain open during all the lockdown because renting trailers and trucks is considered an "essential business" in Texas. They say their business is great - seeing numbers like it was Xmas as people are looking for ways to entertain themselves at home. Forever Young has a website and they are on Amazon, too. Check 'em out.

Now back to our regularly scheduled program... If you are having a problem enjoying the new Kansas album ( I haven't heard it yet), pretend that it is NOT a Kansas album when you listen to it. Say, a new band called..mmm..Oklahoma. "Ya know, these guys sound a bit like that band Kansas." I have to do that with lots of new albums from classic bands - Styx, Yes, Foghat, Foreigner, etc. I know they aren't the same as they were in the 70's (80's?)...but neither am I...sigh.

 

[EricKalet]

For me, it mostly already has.
I refuse to buy any 4K discs since I have the option to own titles in the cloud. I hope soon that will be a viable option for surround music. Tidal was a big step that direction. Feeble, but big.

Really isn't a debate or argument to disagree. Physical media is joining the dinosaurs as extinct.

My only bone of contention, and as technology continues to evolve, is that the quality of physical vs. streaming (cloud based) is a wide divide. Music (and movies) sound way better via physical digital mediums at this point in time. My worry is that content providers won't utilize the best available sound quality on streaming/cloud platforms, (for example Dolby Digital + vs. Dolby True HD) even if/when bandwidth allows for it. My other, a minor gripe, is that streaming/cloud media can be removed off of the cloud at any time by content owners. At least with physical, you have a hard copy in your hands, play it anytime.

 

[jimfisheye]

Ahem, yeah I recommend the last track on the new Zak Rizvi album. It sounds a lot like Kansas.

Downloads and keeping a digital collection will continue as the "physical" copy. Bands that make the kind of music that attracts the likes of us will sell downloads on their own webpages if needed. It's not the same as holding an album cover but the perfect 24 bit HD files and unlimited art and liner notes potential has an appeal just the same.

You know what I can't do with CD booklets? Zoom in on them to be able to read them! The paper just doesn't respond to the pinch zoom gesture.