HiRez Poll Marillion - MISPLACED CHILDHOOD [Blu-Ray Audio]

[Spock]

Yeah me too. So much so, that the Misses asked for a moratorium on Marillion music. Could be that I've also been playing the deluxe version of "Script for a Jester's Tear" in my car as well. I told her it could be worse... it could be the Sgt Pepper album or Songs From the Wood that I developed a jones for (both of which she pretty much despises for some reason). Not to worry, a few days of Flaming Lips in heavy rotation and she'll be begging me to go back to the Marillion again.

Here my 20 year old daughter commented that she liked the Marillion album, she did not like Sgt Pepper - but she loves The Flaming Lips. Usually when she likes music I play, she first asks for the name of the artist - then she asks if they are still alive :yikes and if positive - if they still performs and makes records. I believe she checks them out on her Spotify.

 

[drphibes]

I voted 9, in no small way because this release finally put me over the threshold of liking this album. That was no small feat, because I went through a period of actively disliking it.

In 1991, I was carrying a torch for a brilliant and capable woman who had become a good friend. She loaned me a CD of this album. I didn't like it very much, and I was dumb enough to tell her. Turns out it was one of her nearest and dearest things in the world. It goes without saying that romance never took flight. No regrets, but I really blew it.

If you're on the fence not even really a fan of the band, you should give this a shot. it's a solid presentation and may hit you in a way previous presentations of the material haven't.

 

[timothyemerson]

Fidelity: Superb. I've heard things I've never heard before. I'm used to a "24-bit remastered" CD from a few years ago and the bass on that one was cranked up to 11. This new mix is a lot more pleasant on the old earholes.

Surround Mix: Expectations were low when I read Steven Wilson said "expanded stereo" but I don't know why I doubted. It's awesome.

Content: Generous! The yap with the band was fun and they seem like a bunch of cool geezers. Great to see the music videos on there too. These deluxe sets are getting closer to becoming a little time-capsule which I like. Would have been good to have ALL of the content on the BD too, cos then I don't need to haul my skinny frame off the couch to change discs, but I ain't complainin'.

If you're on the fence, buy it! You won't be disappointed. All too frequently-neglected melody will be oozing out your speakers.

I got mine with Fish's signature. Thought I detected a whiff of curry in the pages but it could have been the ink. Or some bay leaves from his garden?!

 

[d0zer]

sound quality and surround mix are really good, the content is excellent. Currently I'm listening to the live-cds and I can't help but thinking that Script For A Jester's Tear would even be better in surround... Anyway - 9 points it is.

 

[MCDave]

Yes, I can't wait for Clutching, Script and Fugazi, in that order please

While I do agree with most that Misplaced Childhood is their best album musically, I actually listen to it the least of the 4. That's kind of a pattern I have with most bands. ELP's BSS is their pinnacle, but I listen to it the least. Same with Kansas...Leftoverture and Point of Know Return are their best, but I listen to the earlier albums more. Saga too, the first 3 albums get more playtime than Worlds Apart. I have no explanation for this phenomenon.

 

[GOS]

Yes, I can't wait for Clutching, Script and Fugazi, in that order please

While I do agree with most that Misplaced Childhood is their best album musically, I actually listen to it the least of the 4. That's kind of a pattern I have with most bands. ELP's BSS is their pinnacle, but I listen to it the least. Same with Kansas...Leftoverture and Point of Know Return are their best, but I listen to the earlier albums more. Saga too, the first 3 albums get more playtime than Worlds Apart. I have no explanation for this phenomenon.

I do - I have the same issue. Sabbath, Paranoid is their tour de force....but I hardly listen. It's because I'm burned out on the air play and obviousness. I generally prefer less familiar titles from all of my favorites.

 

[wavelength]

Sounds better to me with the center channel boosted (where the vocals are).

 

[SMS]

Sounds better to me with the center channel boosted (where the vocals are).

Agreed. I trimmed the center up by just 1 db using my Emotiva preamp. It made a significant improvement.

 

[skherbeck]

I thought I had never heard this before when I purchased it... but when I played the CD in my car last week, I knew every song! I had a girlfriend when I was 19 who was into Marillion, so I figure she must have had it. Anyway, love the music. This entire album will make it to my surround playlist... as 2 songs ("Side 1" and "Side 2"). Unfortunately, I have to agree with a couple other QQers in terms of the mix... while the surround aspect of the mix is good, I feel both the drums AND the vocals are a little low... especially when compared to the stereo mix (which I've been listening to all week). I can live with the drums but I'll be adjusting the vocals for my playlist. GREAT set, though, and well worth the money. I really hope we get more surround releases from these guys. 8.

 

[marpow]

Remember this ? It was the talk of QQ just recently. Great, I voted 10, listening now, very discrete. DTS-HD Master at 96Khz. After just listening to the same format with the new Black Sabbath Live Blu Ray I thought I'd go back and see if quality of surround compares, of course this is much better than The End Black Sabbath. If you are a newcomer to surround music you are in for a long strange trip, don't trust the forum, trust yourself.

 

[bgf1973]

I have discovered too late this álbum. It is incredible from beginning to the end. The surround Mix is awesome!!. A really 10 for me.

 

[Albert Dagger]

Re-listened to this yesterday evening - first, surround mix, then the newly remastered original stereo mix.
I've changed my mind. I initially voted 8, but this surround mix deserves a 9. It's just so good in comparison to the original mix (more detailed, warmer, fuller). Blind curve is the real standout of the remix IMO.
The extras are also enjoyable, the live album is great!

 

[edisonbaggins]

OMG, the 'round the room tom roll that opens Bitter Suite must be what he auditioned for Rush to get his AFtK mix greenlit! Simply awesome!!!

 

[edisonbaggins]

Examination of the mix and explanation of my vote of 10!

 

[sjcorne]

Finally got my hands on this one (not cheap, and two of the disc holders are broken ) and gave it a few careful listens. For whatever reason, I had difficulty getting into this album, but now I can safely say that I finally “get it” it and I think it’s a brilliant work - though admittedly, I like Clutching At Straws just a little bit more.

I wouldn’t say this mix is light on the rear channels at all. In fact, there are quite a few moments throughout the album where lead guitar or keyboard lines find their way into the rear channels. The guitar breakdown at around 4:20 in “Blind Curve” - one of my favorite moments in the album - is completely panned to the rear and sounds awesome. I’d go into further detail, but @edisonbaggins did an excellent job describing the mix in his video review. Though I enjoyed the 5.1 mix of Clutching, there’s so much more surround activity here and I’m left wondering what SW could’ve done with that album.

The surround treatment on “White Feather” in particular really surprised me. On the original stereo mix, Fish’s lead is emphasized over the backing vocals and you can’t quite make out what they’re singing. In the surround mix, the backing vocals are loud and clear in the rears and you can hear exactly what they’re singing (“moscow children, stockholm children, etc”).

My one gripe with the mix is that, as others have said, the lead vocals in the center channel often seem buried. The “Perimeter Walk” section of “Blind Curve” in particular suffers because of this - though I'm usually all for around-the-room pans in surround mixes, Fish’s vocals are way too quiet as they hop around the room and the moment is totally robbed of its power and intensity.

Raising the volume of the center channel does help, but I find it that it sometimes makes the lead vocal seem way too dry and ‘small’ in comparison to the music. Perhaps this is one instance where the “vocals in the center channel” mixing style wasn’t the right way to go? It's certainly not a deal-breaker, and I get that SW was trying to respect the balances of the original mix.

So I think I’m gonna join the “8” crowd on this one - I’ll be playing this quite a bit. Looking forward to possible 5.1 mixes of Script For A Jester’s Tear and Fugazi in the near-future...

"Kayleigh":


"Blind Curve":

 

[Artist Doug]

Interesting to hear everyone's takes on this. While I didn't say it, my very first impression was....why are the drums so quiet? Conversely, I thought the vocals were just perfect. Ha! We are all different in what we perceive or like aren't we?

I just kept thinking, if this were an actual Steven Wilson disc, the drums would be pronounced.....but this is Marillion, who I know nothing about. Maybe drums were never meant to be heard...I dunno.

I will vote a 8. For me, mostly due to the drums (in my opinion) buried and without any snap whatsoever. Generally I don't nit-pick, but for some reason, I felt inclined to lay it all out there for the world to see.

I completely agree with this review,it’s about the worst Marillion 5.1 mix I have heard,very flat,no dynamics and the drums are awful,

 

[Beefalo]

I completely agree with this review,it’s about the worst Marillion 5.1 mix I have heard,very flat,no dynamics and the drums are awful,

Welcome to the QQ forum @Artist Doug !

 

[Matt Wilson]

Definitely a better 5.1 mix than the one created for Script for a Jester's Tear, but then this is Steven Wilson so it's to be expected. It's also a better album, with the themes of love, loss, childhood, etc. being an autobiographical concept LP for Fish with the rest of the band playing to the best of their abilities. True prog was all but dead in 1985, so this must have come as a shock. There's still the Genesis vibe, but the group has come into their own by this point and comparisons are pointless. A 9.

 

[MCDave]

Definitely a better 5.1 mix than the one created for Script for a Jester's Tear, but then this is Steven Wilson so it's to be expected. It's also a better album, with the themes of love, loss, childhood, etc. being an autobiographical concept LP for Fish with the rest of the band playing to the best of their abilities. True prog was all but dead in 1985, so this must have come as a shock. There's still the Genesis vibe, but the group has come into their own by this point and comparisons are pointless. A 9.

LOL. I was trying to think of Genesis back in 1985, but all I could think of was Phil Collins belting out Sussudio on the radio 14 times a day.

 

[Matt Wilson]

I don't think anyone was comparing Marillion to Collins-era Genesis though.