Music DVD Poll Peter Gabriel - Greatest Hits

[LizardKing]

I got the Athens Blu-ray which has a copy of this.

I have to say that some of the tracks sound like poor facsimilies of the original stereo tracks - they sound like re-makes :yikes rather than just being re-mixes from the multis. The surround versions of Big Time and Sledgehammer in particular don't do it for me. However, some of the other tracks work quite well.

 

[ProgRules]

I got the Athens Blu-ray which has a copy of this.

I have to say that some of the tracks sound like poor facsimilies of the original stereo tracks - they sound like re-makes :yikes rather than just being re-mixes from the multis. The surround versions of Big Time and Sledgehammer in particular don't do it for me. However, some of the other tracks work quite well.

There are some rather distinctive differences in a lot of the tracks. I think the changes are detrimental overall, but maybe I'm just not amenable to change. @: But the songs on this dvd that also appear on the "All About Us" laserdisc are better on the LD, imo, even though it's only Dolby Surround (i.e. matrixed). I always really loved the version of Kiss That Frog on there, which was created for a ride (!) according to the LD.

In general, I prefer mch mixes that don't add elements, though I enjoy hearing new things in the mix, i.e. w/ the added room to breathe, bringing up some existing elements that were somewhat buried in the stereo mix.

 

[The Bright Side]

I got the Athens Blu-ray which has a copy of this.

I have to say that some of the tracks sound like poor facsimilies of the original stereo tracks - they sound like re-makes :yikes rather than just being re-mixes from the multis. The surround versions of Big Time and Sledgehammer in particular don't do it for me. However, some of the other tracks work quite well.

Funny - I love demoing my system with Sledgehammer. The way the flute at the beginning is in the center only, then the horns blast from the back and that perfectly mixed bass thunders through the room... I love it.

 

[bobou2]

Funny - I love demoing my system with Sledgehammer. The way the flute at the beginning is in the center only, then the horns blast from the back and that perfectly mixed bass thunders through the room... I love it.

It sounds incredible in my Acura...
I have a question about one song on the new(fixed) disc....Are the main vocals on "Digging in the Dirt" mostly in the rear channels? It always sounded weird to me and I can't find my original Play DVD.

 

[Snood]

Ugggggggggh and another disc I need to get......thanks for the info tho, would have ended up buying the wrong thing. Cant wait \o/

Will be all like this :51banana: when I get it

 

[MrSmithers]

Just ended up (ahem) playing this... Had it for quite a while but not listened for ages... Wow can’t believe I’d not voted?! The surround mix is absolutely superb! I’m voting a 10!

My version is Peter Gabriel - Play: The Videos...

 

[JimHansonDC]

If you love some discrete elements all around in the mix
You get it and they are stunning. Gabriel's music is rich and nicely layered so this gives everyone room to breathe and a place in the room to stand.

There are also some interesting uses of essentially a straight 4.0 quad mix with the LFE kicking in on the second verse and the center only used sparingly for vocals.

Other times you get a lead vocal iso in the center and you can really hear how much effects (echo and distortions) they put on his voice. he's not a pretty singer and that gives some of his haunting sound.

It's fair to say there are some major changes from the 2ch single mixes but I happened to dig them and they were definitely done to take advantage of the additional channels.

Gotta say, I loved every second of it.

 

[Monkish]

I’m torn on how to rate this one. As far as mix quality, this is easily a 9, maybe even a 10. But, if (like me) your main interest in Gabriel is pre-So, be forewarned that there are basically *no* faithful 5.1 mixes of studio versions from the first four albums, at least in the main program.

Solsbury Hill — upmix
I Don’t Remember — live version from Plays Live (and sped up a half-step)
Games Without Frontiers — a majorly deconstructed mix of the studio version, with guitar and synth parts missing all over the place — the chorus, in particular, sounds really empty
Biko — live version from 1987
Shock The Monkey — more or less faithful mix; *however*, the big drum hits during the “monkey... monkeeeEEEEY” and “shhhhhhhhhhhhOCK” sections are gone, and those are such an iconic part of the song

The most faithful pre-So mix is actually Modern Love in the extras section.

As others have mentioned, even when you get to So, there are different mixes of Sledgehammer and *particularly* Big Time.

I wouldn’t be so disappointed/annoyed by this if Gabriel would release faithful 5.1 versions of all these studio albums, a la the Talking Heads Brick mixes. Then, the mixes on this DVD would be an interesting and worthwhile alternate experience.

But, of course, the classic Gabriel studio albums don’t exist in 5.1.... and there’s no sign that they ever will.

So... if the disappointment/annoyance wasn’t a factor, I’d probably still give this an 8. But, I’m taking off an additional point and giving this a “protest vote” of a 7.

 

[ted_b]

But, of course, the classic Gabriel studio albums don’t exist in 5.1.... and there’s no sign that they ever will.

Does no one consider "Up" a studio album? It's great in 5.1 (and I read somewhere that Peter wrote several songs with surround in mind?).

Back to "Play"....I LOVE the "Us"-era stuff like Blood Of Eden, Kiss That Frog, Digging In The Dirt. The Shaking The Tree mix is great, too. Yes, stuff like Solsbury Hill and Big Time are disappointments, but what the hell, this collection is a real diamond in the rough.