HiRez Poll Midler, Bette - THE DIVINE MISS M [Blu-Ray Audio]

[~dave~~wave~]

Well, here goes from blu~ray.com: [A fun read]

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Bette-Midler-The-Divine-Miss-M-Blu-ray/368135/#Review

Somebody needs to do this guy a favor and explain to him the technical reasons for his frustration with the authoring.

 

[jefe1]

This album poll has garnered 41 posts including one from me.
One might think this is an extremly popular album from these numbers. Goes to show what a little controversy can do....

 

[Rstaylor]

Never my intent to offend, and in fact “hate” is a probably too strong a word. If Bette Midler’s car broke down in front of my house I would certainly call her a cab. A lot of folks who have gotten into surround music find that there is a lack of titles which has pushed us into exploring other genres and try new things. Despite making some interesting and exciting musical discoveries, sometimes there is one that just doesn’t resonate, and this is one for me. But to the extent I have some thoughts about why something works or does not, I may share with this community. Others may find it useful, or not. I certainly don’t begrudge anyone liking this album.

This brings back memories of getting my first cd player way back in 1987.
A few of my friends were buying titles simply because the selection of cd's was very limited for a while.
More often than not, they were disappointed.
I learned from their mistakes.
That being said, I am optimistic that there will be more and more quad releases in the near future.
Hopefully, everyone will get the titles that they really want.

 

[Infomas]

Like Al Stewart's "Past Present and Future", I've been listening to this album for 50 years and it has never sounded better. As others have stated, it is well produced and has an excellent quad mix with lots of front to rear separation. For some of us older folk, part of the love of this album comes from seeing her live back in the day. Near the end of the show on her first tour she says, "Okay, here's the song you paid your $5 for. What? You paid $7.50? You've been robbed!" She then breaks in to "Leader of the Pack" and is flying back and forth across the stage in her 8 inch spiked heels. We were all in awe. Playing that song today in 4 channels brought all of that back. An enthusiastic 10.

 

[barfle]

I won’t give this a point score. It’s pretty clear I am an “outlier” statistically and I don’t want to let that take away from the fun Bette Midler fans may experience with this. If you are not a fan of BM, I don’t think this will change your mind. Anyway, here goes. I hated this. Probably because I am not and never have been a Bette Midler fan. Never understood the appeal of “The Rose” or “Beaches” and her voice always got on my nerves. I was hopeful after reading the raves that this would be different, but sadly no. Sometimes she just seems to drag out words and notes unnecessarily to perhaps dramatize them but for me it just subtracts. The song selection is mid 70s dreck. Listening to “Friends” I thought “If after school specials were musicals they would sound like this.” Never wanted to hear “Delta Dawn” again. Leader of the Pack never needed to be redone either. “Superstar” which talks about someone playing their sad guitar doesn’t seem to have a guitar in it, But there is a prominent piano and a harp. Most of the time her voice is immersed in reverb, so much so I swear I could still hear it after I pressed the “stop” button. There are a few diamonds: “Am I Blue?” “Hello in There” and “Boogie Woogie” are nice. There isn’t enough shelf space inside my house for my entire collection, the “less appealing” of which is in the garage which is not climate controlled. This will fit right in there.

There are a handful of “artists” whose work I find unappealing as well. I don’t have the courage to call them out on this forum, because I see so many folks here who practically worship what I consider to be bad singing, mediocre guitar playing, inane lyrics, screwball rhythms, and just plain irritating songs.

But I already know a lot of what I don’t like, because I didn’t like it in 1975 and I still don’t like it. And in that case, I don’t buy it.

 

[jedson]

First post here. Been lurking for a while, which is how I heard about this bluray.

Full transparency: I can't be completely objective as I've been in love with this album since I heard it on 8-track when I got my first stereo as a kid -- one of those all-in-one jobs with a turntable, tuner and aforementioned 8-track player. My current setup is certainly not the highest-tech surround system, but since I got it I've been searching out old quads in addition to newer multichannel releases. Perhaps unsurprisingly, I give this a 10.

During her "Experience the Divine" concerts in the mid-90s, Bette Midler referred to her recording career as "the scud missile of show business." It's a funny line, especially considering that she also poked fun at "those inspirational ballads they love me for" before delivering improbably affecting performances of said ballads which, in a live concert setting, she invests with a sincerity that elevates them above the treacle of their studio counterparts. "The Wind Beneath My Wings" may be a far cry from "The Rose," but she only jokes about it beforehand, not during. However, speaking as someone who grew up on her freewheeling pastiches and smart-ass banter with Johnny Carson, give me one of her "scud missiles" from the 70s over "Beaches" any day of the week. That said, this album is nothing less than a bullseye, as far as I'm concerned. The bluray sounds amazing, my only quibble being the original quad mix on "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" which has the vocal wandering around the room. I'm not sure what the intention was with doing that, but it doesn't work for me. The first version of "Friends," on the other hand, benefits greatly from the quad mix, separating the multiple overdubs which in the stereo mix just sound like a big muddle. Anyway, that's my two cents. Happy to be here.

 

[zani57]

A PLUPERFECT 10 if ever there was one! Superbly remastered from the original Atlantic DOLBY A master QUAD tapes, Ms Bette skillfully weaves her magic from tin pan alley to a World War II classic to Motown on steroids and turns John Prines's HELLO IN THERE from his original faster paced original into a heartfelt elegy to growing old and forgotten. Her articulation is superb, the arrangements beyond reproach and the RHINO team has managed to preserve every minute nuance of what I consider Ms Midler's finest achievement EVER! And Tom Dowd's QUAD remix brilliantly captures THE DIVINE MISS M in sheer four corner MAGIC!

Thanks to Foraging Rhino and his A+ team at RHINO for at long last releasing this mini masterpiece in state of the art sonics!

Not trying to be a stickler, but not one of the tracks is a Motown song. Chapel of Love and Leader of the Pack are songs by girl groups but neither was from the Motown label.

 

[quicksrt]

First post here. Been lurking for a while, which is how I heard about this bluray.

(edit) Happy to be here.

Not trying to be a stickler, but not one of the tracks is a Motown song. Chapel of Love and Leader of the Pack are songs by girl groups but neither was from the Motown label.

Great to see a Quadio release, or releases bringing out the new welcomed members and lurkers.
This is one of those very important quad mixes, imo as important to pop-vocal as "Paranoid" and Machine Head" both are to hard rock. All of these mentioned quad mixes brought out folks to the forums and resulted in more than satisfied purchases.

It's all good.

 

[4-earredwonder]

Not trying to be a stickler, but not one of the tracks is a Motown song. Chapel of Love and Leader of the Pack are songs by girl groups but neither was from the Motown label.

You are quite correct. My BAD! Should've specified "the Brill Building" sound!

 

[quicksrt]

There is a 5 rating here on this one, but "surprisingly no comment" from the posting member on why.

 

[GOS]

There is a 5 rating here on this one, but "surprisingly no comment" from the posting member on why.

A 5 vote could mean several things. I think. The music sucks badly, and the surround mix blows. Which, doesn't seem likely. Even if the content is a 1, the mix shouldn't be much less than an 8, and the fidelity really shouldn't be much less than an 8. That doesn't add up to a 5. I dunno. I think some folks vote with a knee-jerk response. I don't like her and and I don't like the music. So, I'm gonna vote a 4 or 5.

Oh well.