DVD/DTS Poll Myers, Billie - Growing Pains [DTS CD]

[Bob Romano]

Please post your comments, thoughts and observations.......

 

[Savageone79]

I like this artist.. I didn't kow it was available in dts.. would anyone who has it or heard it give some comments so I know to pick it up or not.

 

[Eggplant]

Very nice. A solid 8.

I really wish DTS had done more of their own 5.1 mixes. Most were excellent -- discrete, contemporary and faithful. Hack engineers who just didn't get it when it came to surround music probably wouldn't get hired there.

Rain is the theme here, and the mix embodies it with enveloping ambience and effects, especially the hit title track. The album actually ends with a rainstorm that makes you want to curl up in front of a crackling fireplace with your SO.

Billie has a very interesting voice that takes some getting used to, but once you do you'll love the vulnerable edge she brings to her songs.

 

[mattB2]

NIce, aggressive surround mix and good music so to me it's an "8". (It might have crept up to a "9" if it were a DVD-A rather than DTS.)

Interestingly, I ordered the "DVD-A" version via a seller on Amazon and was surprised to receive the DTS version which is shown separately at Amazon. However, underneath the shrink-wrap covering, the DTS barcode is printed on a sticker which covers the original barcode which relates to the DVD-A version of the disc.

Does anyone know if separate DVD-A and DTS versions exist or is this just another case of someone not understanding the difference between the two formats?

 

[vinylguy4]

I've listed this as one of my all time favorites for surround sound music, and I stick by that oppinion. This was one of the first dts discs I got, and I've listened to it many times and I never get tired of it. Just my kind of music I suppose.
dts only as far as I know, no dvd-a.
My vote is 10.

Vinylguy4

 

[The Bright Side]

This is a strong mix, and the sound of the disc is excellent. That alone makes it an interesting title, but for me, what makes it an absolute winner is that this album is frickin brilliant. I am so very much in love with this disc. The music, Billie's great voice, and the poetic lyrics make this a sublime listen from start to finish, and a real emotional experience. I highly (highly!!) recommend this to anybody who likes music.

10 for the music, 8 for it being DTS, 9 for the mix and sound (just because 10 is reserved for Brothers in Arms, Avalon and the like). 9 overall.

 

[fredblue]

ah, another one to add to the shopping list! thank you for the recommendation, The Bright Side

 

[par4ken]

This is one of those discs that I purchased only because it was in surround, and it turned out excellent. Heard through the Millennium DTS decoder it's almost DVDA quality. Great voice and powerful songs. I recommend it.

 

[zabble]

Great thunderstorm on track 12 beginning at 5:00. I fooled several visitors into thinking there was a thunderstorm outside using this disc.

 

[fredblue]

oh now I really have to get this..!!

 

[fredblue]

two gripes to get out of the way -

i.)..the centre channel is underused.. hardly anything happens in it.. I like Billie's distinctive voice and I'd prefer to have her lead vocal hard in the centre with lead vocal ambience spread across the front L&R..

..and ii.) the disc is mastered a bit bright.. in certain spots percussion crashes etc are just that bit too overcooked for my tastes.. and the rockier material may have benefitted from Hi-Res..

Apart from that, SUPERB!

the album is terrific and there's a lot of lovely rear activity that really fits with the mood of the music.

oh and track 11 is sooooo sultry and gorgeous! demo worthy stuff and refreshingly of "visitor-friendly" music and not of more rock yer socks off or obscure prog stuff..!!

what does rather tickle me is how another of DTS Entertainment's own productions (*) features an absolute KILLER final track that really shows off the prowess of 5.1!

(*just like the Boyz II Men DTS, where the acapella "Yesterday" at the end totally knocks you sideways with its surround awesome-ness!)

 

[quadtrade]

two gripes to get out of the way -

i.)..the centre channel is underused.. hardly anything happens in it.. I like Billie's distinctive voice and I'd prefer to have her lead vocal hard in the centre with lead vocal ambience spread across the front L&R..

..and ii.) the disc is mastered a bit bright.. in certain spots percussion crashes etc are just that bit too overcooked for my tastes.. and the rockier material may have benefitted from Hi-Res..


QUOTE]

The answer to the above is Brad. This was his disc and even though DTS wanted us to have a center channel, this was done in quad way before the 5.1 insanity was born. This was ready made like the mystic moods which he also owned, and he could get them ready for a start on a DTS catalog. Quad when done correct is much better than the center channel destroying the soundfield, and that was his way of thought also. And the brightness thing was his too, Abraxsas comes to mind. I got to give some feedback when around, and i remember dialing in Stills for him, which still sounds pretty good. I think his hearing was being affected a bit, it was only a couple years later that brain cancer took his life.
The timeline might be good if we could post it somewhere. Maybe i should do some sort of timeline about the quickness that things changed during that era that the Millennium and DTS began the 5.1 era. There was no hi res anything back then, In 1996 that was fantasy, the chips were just being developed for that. After the first iteration of the Mill, i was asked by the fellow designing chips at Motorola if we wanted to do the next generation first, test pigs again. The chips to do both DTS and Dolby on one chip had just been developed in 1997-8. Wanted to know if we wanted it, we had 6 months before they gave it to Denon and the rest. The time was too short and adds to expensive. Interesting time.

 

[fredblue]

Thank you so much for the info! Explains everything!

I do still love this disc, don't get me wrong, my two niggles are not deal breakers for me its still very enjoyable indeed, having the background to it puts into context why no centre channel, the bright sound in places, etc.

Oh yes please! A DTS Timeline at QQ would be brilliant. You were right there creating surround sound future/a crucial bit of history.

 

[The Bright Side]

This is a strong mix, and the sound of the disc is excellent. That alone makes it an interesting title, but for me, what makes it an absolute winner is that this album is frickin brilliant. I am so very much in love with this disc. The music, Billie's great voice, and the poetic lyrics make this a sublime listen from start to finish, and a real emotional experience. I highly (highly!!) recommend this to anybody who likes music.

10 for the music, 8 for it being DTS, 9 for the mix and sound (just because 10 is reserved for Brothers in Arms, Avalon and the like). 9 overall.

Listening to this again right now and still agree with my assessment from 10 years ago. What an incredible album. If, for some reason, you've missed this so far, you owe it to yourself to track down a copy. Also, the poems in the booklet are thoughtful little gems.

In a room overcrowded by
4 corners
3 chairs
2 people
and 1 burning cigarette, that I didn't light

"I don't love you anymore"
Is always a few words too many