Listening to Now (In Surround) - Volume 2

[Cibola]

Chicago (II) DVD Audio: The Memories of Love set is exceptional as is Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon. This disc is truly a treasure, though I still don't "get" the first five because they seem strangely out of place to me, almost like Chicago demos.

 

[Lute]

Fantasies & Impromptus - Lavinia Meijer (SACD).

A lovely recital by Lavinia Meijer of 19th & 20th century composers. Compared to the Philip Glass disc, this program features music which I would characterize as more "traditional" harp repertoire. The mood is romantic and pretty, yet just as hypnotic and moving as her other releases.

Here's some further reading and samples... http://www.allmusic.com/album/fantasies-impromptus-mw0002147401

 

[Q8]

Recent quad listening. The movie hits is fun. People are right about the Hard Labor mix being muddy. Still pretty fun at points.

 

[Quad Linda]

Funny you should mention this disc. Yesterday, while watching the Cubs beat the White Sox, it hit me that I haven't listened to this one in a long while. I bought it as a new release in '70, as well as when it came out on SQ, CD, and DVD-A. It might be their best album, although my all-time favorite track by anyone is Beginnings, off CTA.

I've owned this album on cassette, SQ LP, 2 CD, single CD, and 2 DVD-A's. The DVD-A's are the only pressings that didn't sound like a prerecorded tape. On the DVD-A, the fidelity FINALLY matches the quality of most of the material.

I also thought about how some of the tracks on this album seem a bit atypical of Chicago. Other than In the Country, which is kind of dull IMHO, the other four of the first five are among their best tracks. Movin' In, The Road, Poem for the People and Wake Up Sunshine are all killer tracks, although they don't sound like demos to me.

I also remember cruising down the road in my '76 Buick Regal with my friend Sue and commenting on some of the tracks on the Q8 of Chicago X which I bought that afternoon. You Get Me Up is one of my favorite Chicago tracks, but it sounds as much like War as it does Chicago.

View attachment 20680Chicago (II) DVD Audio: The Memories of Love set is exceptional as is Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon. This disc is truly a treasure, though I still don't "get" the first five because they seem strangely out of place to me, almost like Chicago demos.

 

[Simon A]

Hi everyone!

I've been wanting to hear this baby for a looong looong time and now I'm loving it!

 

[Tornado Red]

Good call Simon, I picked this up not long ago and found it to be stunningly good considering the era. Enjoy!

 

[edisonbaggins]

Peter and the Wolf DVDA
Deja Vroom DVDV
Opeth Blackwater Park DVDA

 

[Simon A]

Another first for me tonight. I'm only missing 2 of Björk's Multichannel discs (they're on the way). Very nice!

 

[Lute]

4 + Four - Turtle Island String Quartet / Ying Quartet (SACD).

A fun, jazzy release which won a Grammy for Best Classical Crossover Album in 2006. The Turtle Island String Quartet started out in the 1980s on the Windham Hill Jazz label. On this disc from Telarc, they are joined by the more classically oriented Ying Quartet. The result is a spicy gumbo of Classical, Jazz, and Bluegrass rhythms with a dash of Pop music.

The discrete surround mix is immersive. But, it would have been even more interesting if Telarc had gone all out with the surround mix and divided the 2 quartets between the front and rear channels. Instead, they take a more standard approach and blend them into one soundstage. However, there is still plenty of information in the surrounds, which give a full and spatial openness to the performance by these 4 + 4 string players.

Here's a recent article...http://www.seattletimes.com/enterta...riff-its-brand-of-swing-with-simple-measures/

And some background...http://www.allthingsstrings.com/lay...t-from-Turtle-Island-and-Ying-String-Quartets

 

[Simon A]

4 + Four - Turtle Island String Quartet / Ying Quartet (SACD).

Looks interesting Lute. Tell me, is the last track the Beatles song by any chance?

 

[Lute]

Looks interesting Lute. Tell me, is the last track the Beatles song by any chance?

Yep, that's the famous Lennon & McCartney song. Beautifully performed.

They do this stuff so well that I wish they would have added a couple of more Beatles and other pop/rock groups' songs.

 

[Cibola]

sara k Hell or High Water : Has it been a year? Probably not but this is a sweet disc. At first I think it's just ok, then after the first 1/3 it just gets better. Crystal clear with a solid low end and discrete elements in the surrounds. If you like the style, it's a keeper.

 

[Lute]

sara k Hell or High Water View attachment 20720: Has it been a year? Probably not but this is a sweet disc. At first I think it's just ok, then after the first 1/3 it just gets better. Crystal clear with a solid low end and discrete elements in the surrounds. If you like the style, it's a keeper.

I love this album. Beautiful songs and superb surround mix.

 

[skherbeck]

ELP "Brain Salad Surgery" (DVD-A 2000)... just received this disc and loving it! Quite a circus mix! Bought the old mix instead of the more recent one because I wanted "Lucky Man" (I'm probably one of the few on this site who doesn't really enjoy their debute except for that song). Some real speaker acrobatics (but perfect for the music)!

 

[Jim the Oldbie]

Happy 46th anniversary from this old hippie!

(OK, I was only twelve when Woodstock happened, but my spirit was there!)

As we see the first shot looking out over that sea of people, "Ladies and gentlemen, Mr Richie Havens!" still gives me a chill, every year...

-- Jim (Did any QQ fans make it to this? Do tell!)

EDIT: God, so many of these people are gone now! But the music lives on, as loud and as proud as ever.

 

[Tornado Red]

Not sure if I should post this here, but I'm looking for the best surround version of Holst: The Planets out there, on SACD, DVD-A or BD-A. Looking for great dynamics, and I really like music that's very black between the notes. Any thoughts would be appreciated, thanks

 

[Philip Spinner]

View attachment 20723

Happy 46th anniversary from this old hippie!

(OK, I was only twelve when Woodstock happened, but my spirit was there!)

As we see the first shot looking out over that sea of people, "Ladies and gentlemen, Mr Richie Havens!" still gives me a chill, every year...

-- Jim (Did any QQ fans make it to this? Do tell!)

EDIT: God, so many of these people are gone now! But the music lives on, as loud and as proud as ever.

I was there. All 3 days, and I have hundreds of color slides to prove it. I have a really nice photo of Jimi on my wall.

 

[wavelength]

I was there. All 3 days, and I have hundreds of color slides to prove it. I have a really nice photo of Jimi on my wall.

Wow!

 

[kap'n krunch]

I was there. All 3 days, and I have hundreds of color slides to prove it. I have a really nice photo of Jimi on my wall.

Awww, c'mon , share the Jimi Pic , even with watermark..I'd frame it (w/o the watermark) but I'd credit you!!!

 

[Philip Spinner]

Awww, c'mon , share the Jimi Pic , even with watermark..I'd frame it (w/o the watermark) but I'd credit you!!!

Sorry I don't have a digital camera. My passion for photography dried up with the discontinuance of kodachrome.