HiRez Poll King Crimson - IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING (2019 50th Anniversary Mix) [Blu-Ray Audio]

[JanBakker]

Congratulations Mike, well deserved indeed

 

[alansanchez86]

Awesome, living the limelight!

 

[JonUrban]

Congrats Mike! At least now you know some of us are paying attention.

 

[Goona]

Congratulations Mike a great review.

 

[5.1 4 Life]

Excellent! Playing In The Court 50th now and I love it! I knew when Wilson & Fripp decided to revisit the album 10 years after the DVD-A release that it would be worth it and it Truly Is. I think this surround mix is better than the one from the previous version & I'm truly enjoying the instrumental mixes that they included this time around.

 

[minimumtumbleweed]

Superb, this is a 10. I'm not even a huge fan of King Crimson and this album, but the mix is among SW's best. Zero complaints.

 

[5.1 4 Life]

KC - ItCotCK - 40th vs. 50th Review

Thumbs Up to 'Life In Surround' for the review of In The Court 50th. I visit that site frequently and having the review of Court 50th posted on DGM.com should attract even more viewers.

 

[edisonbaggins]

Thanks for the kind words, everyone. My hope is that Life in Surround brings the kind of attention to surround music that prompts more surround music to be created. And that we all have a good time together with it.

To return things to the 50th Anniversary of ItCotCK... I've settled on a 9. This 5.1 mix is extremely well done and very enjoyable. The music is influential, innovative and challenging at times, but enjoyable, on the whole. The pinnacle of KC remains, for me, Red and Discpline, so those are my 10s. I think... I'd have to go look!

 

[Albert Dagger]

The pinnacle of KC remains, for me, Red and Discipline, so those are my 10s. I think... I'd have to go look!

We have quite different tastes in terms of best KC surround releases. I always thought that Larks and Lizard were far superior to Red, but I agree on Discipline being great (and also the 'right' side of ToaPP).
If we include the two most recent releases, I'd say that The Power to Believe is up there with the work done by SW on the other albums. David Singleton knows how to mix to 5.1...

 

[5.1 4 Life]

Thanks for the kind words, everyone. My hope is that Life in Surround brings the kind of attention to surround music that prompts more surround music to be created. And that we all have a good time together with it.

You're Welcome! And yes; let's hope that your work at the LIS site helps more classic albums to be released in surround.

 

[Scott65]

I have the 2009 disc but have just ordered this one based on ratings and comments here.

 

[GOS]

I have the 2009 disc but have just ordered this one based on ratings and comments here.

I mean, you really cannot go wrong with this. Improved audio (YMMV), some nice extras. Cheap.

 

[Goona]

Just arrived from Bullmoose.
Total blind buy heard the masses say excstatic things so never heard the album before never heard anything from King Crimson.
Entered as a virgin but did give You tube a few plays over the last week while waiting for it to arrive. Was not looking forward to Schizoid as you tube sounded very harsh so heres goes.
Sat back and was very very pleasantly surprised with Schizoid could now listen to it and appreciate it for what it is, music has depth seperation clarity I really enjoyed it.
Wind is a masterpiece loved it
Anyone sitting on the fence of wether to get this album its a no brainer excellent 5.1 mix played it in LPCM by the way. Now i want Steve Wilson to revisit all the albums put them on Blu Ray the best format. Gave it a 10 will be one of my most played surround discs along with Abbey Road , Kraftwerk, Aqualung and Yes Fragile and what a surprise they are all up there in the polls, we have great surround music to listen to love this addiction.
10 10 10

 

[The56Kid]

I actually A/B’d the 40th anniversary edition and the new 50th. Placed the 40th in my Oppo UDP-203 and the 50th in my Oppo BDP-93 in order to give the 40th a fighting chance.

The 50th is the winner and it ain’t even close. The 50th features a very warm and full sound compared to the 40th’s thinner almost harsh sound. Giles’ drums have more heft compared to the former cardboard sound and Lake’s bass has a nicer rounded bottom end.

Although a number of the extras included on the Blu-ray were included in the DVD-A, the higher resolution on offer makes them really pop on the former. It also contains quite a few more extras.

This groundbreaking and revolutionary album has never sounded better. My only complaint, and it isn’t unique to this fantastic new release, is the mind-blowingly boring improvisational section that comprises most of Moonchild. I’m all for improvisation in music and the musicians in this first edition of King Crimson were more than capable of doing so, but what they did on Moonchild simply goes nowhere and literally devolves to silence interrupted by a clank or two for what seems like extended periods of time. At least that’s the way I hear it.

I otherwise totally love this new 50th release and give it a big fat 10.

 

[beerking]

Talk about reliving my youth over the past couple of years with all these memory jogging, musical masterpieces.

It seems like it was just yesterday, that I had fags and matches in my school socks, to use during the lunch break, in the school grounds (surrounded by woods)
And then taking beer into an art class with the purpose of drawing it in a still life mock up....NOT!!

A right rebel I was...still am at heart.

I digress...Fripping hell, a mix that, finally, gives a true reflection to this gem's originality and brilliance.

A 50th 10

 

[MCDave]

...is the mind-blowingly boring improvisational section that comprises most of Moonchild. I’m all for improvisation in music and the musicians in this first edition of King Crimson were more than capable of doing so, but what they did on Moonchild simply goes nowhere and literally devolves to silence interrupted by a clank or two for what seems like extended periods of time. At least that’s the way I hear it.

I had to laugh when I read that. I've always had a difficult time appreciating improvisation, which is one reason I don't listen to much traditional jazz. In music, I'm all about structure, form and purpose, so improv always ends up sounding to me like a kid noodling around on a guitar in a music store when he doesn't know any music. I just don't find it interesting. It's the reason why much of Crimson's early works are somewhat inaccessible to me. But despite that, I really admire the musicianship and there's a great deal to like about this album and the 4 or 5 that came after it.

 

[MyCuff]

Deep discount has for $29.99 + a promo code "holiday" for another 10% off. And free shipping.

 

[drphibes]

My only complaint, and it isn’t unique to this fantastic new release, is the mind-blowingly boring improvisational section that comprises most of Moonchild. [...] what they did on Moonchild simply goes nowhere and literally devolves to silence interrupted by a clank or two for what seems like extended periods of time. At least that’s the way I hear it.

I’m right there with you. To quote a review I had of the low point of an otherwise wonderful 40th anniversary Earthbound release: It sounds terrible and IS terrible.

 

[rugene]

I’m right there with you. To quote a review I had of the low point of an otherwise wonderful 40th anniversary Earthbound release: It sounds terrible and IS terrible.

I had to laugh when I read that. I've always had a difficult time appreciating improvisation, which is one reason I don't listen to much traditional jazz. In music, I'm all about structure, form and purpose, so improv always ends up sounding to me like a kid noodling around on a guitar in a music store when he doesn't know any music. I just don't find it interesting. It's the reason why much of Crimson's early works are somewhat inaccessible to me. But despite that, I really admire the musicianship and there's a great deal to like about this album and the 4 or 5 that came after it.

This is also the case with all improvisation parts on KC material over the years, they probably do this stuff for the fun of playing together as musicians without to worry about who is listening at the other end.

 

[jimfisheye]

OK, wow, he fixed it!
I remember the talk about settling for using a safety copy of the multitracks for the first 5.1 remix. I remember uncharacteristically (because I normally think everything SW touches turns to gold) preferring the original stereo mix. In hindsight now, I think he still did an amazing job hiding that in that first remix! Scrunched things up a bit to bring detail to the surface and really disguised that there was a problem.

This is just nailed now! Full sound quality of the original stereo mix across the board. Nearly the same mix as the first 5.1 but without squeezing and "zooming in" as it were. Full soundstage of the original stereo. This is a definitive edition. I suppose the first 5.1 remix might be an interesting set of bonus tracks with the altered perspective now.

I pretty much knew my thought of them finding the Fillmore West multitrack and springing that on us in this set was delusional. Oh well. Probably really and truly lost forever. I don't know what's up with the rest of the content on this set though. These guys have become known for their unbelievable comprehensive content in their box sets. The extras here are the most desperate filler I've ever seen from them. Instrumental karaoke mixes?! More bastardized stuff with Jacko overdubbed in?!?! This is all staying right in the package forever.


Worth it 100% fir this definitive edition though!
This was great to listen through. Stereo mix might just be retired.
Buy this! He really fixed it.