HiRez Poll Pineapple Thief, The - VERSIONS OF THE TRUTH [Blu-Ray Audio]
- Thread starter rtbluray
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Nice reviews, my copy arrived day before yesterday but nothing to listen to it.
WOW! That all I’ve been saying since finishing my first listen through of the blu-ray after work. The surround mix is amazing.
Useless personal story follows
All of my music providers think I should like Pineapple Thief. Every time Ilve sampled them, I came back with a resounding meh. I added Variations of Truth to my Apple Music Library on release day, just to try again, and was surprised I liked it in he background while working. Instead of the normal podcast on my walk I listened to it again and really enjoyed it. Listened again while going to sleep and noticed Gavin’s drums and was still wide awake an hour later. Ordered it from Burning Shed the next morning. For some reason it hadn’t shipped by yesterday morning, it looked to be back ordered. Put an order in with Amazon yesterday morning and was here for lunch today.
End of personal stuff
I put the blu-ray on in in my office while working, but my desk isn’t in the best position and I wasn’t concentrating on the music, I’d did notice some interesting stereo type affects with the drums between the left front and surround.
Setting myself up in the basement after work, where I could concentrate and turn up the volume, I fell in love. The sound is amazing and the mix of the main album was just great. It took a little while for it to sink in, I’ve been moving things around for music, since surround is this months pandemic coping method. made some adjustments and Stop Making Sense blew me out of my repositioned chair. I finished the album thrilled.
I selected the alternate version 5.1 without much of an expectation, I was just happy it was all in surround but figured they put their best effort into the primary release. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The mixes on the alternate tracks are so adventurous from beginning to end. The lyric placement of the last stanza of the alternate title track was inspired. A definite 10.
ps.
Post number 10! It only took 12 years and a pandemic.
Useless personal story follows
All of my music providers think I should like Pineapple Thief. Every time Ilve sampled them, I came back with a resounding meh. I added Variations of Truth to my Apple Music Library on release day, just to try again, and was surprised I liked it in he background while working. Instead of the normal podcast on my walk I listened to it again and really enjoyed it. Listened again while going to sleep and noticed Gavin’s drums and was still wide awake an hour later. Ordered it from Burning Shed the next morning. For some reason it hadn’t shipped by yesterday morning, it looked to be back ordered. Put an order in with Amazon yesterday morning and was here for lunch today.
End of personal stuff
I put the blu-ray on in in my office while working, but my desk isn’t in the best position and I wasn’t concentrating on the music, I’d did notice some interesting stereo type affects with the drums between the left front and surround.
Setting myself up in the basement after work, where I could concentrate and turn up the volume, I fell in love. The sound is amazing and the mix of the main album was just great. It took a little while for it to sink in, I’ve been moving things around for music, since surround is this months pandemic coping method. made some adjustments and Stop Making Sense blew me out of my repositioned chair. I finished the album thrilled.
I selected the alternate version 5.1 without much of an expectation, I was just happy it was all in surround but figured they put their best effort into the primary release. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The mixes on the alternate tracks are so adventurous from beginning to end. The lyric placement of the last stanza of the alternate title track was inspired. A definite 10.
ps.
Post number 10! It only took 12 years and a pandemic.
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I thought that was really clever too. Also loved how on the alternate "Demons", Bruce's last "it was only supposed to be a short-term thing" comes solely from the left rear channel.
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(I've ordered it on the strength of the votes here!)
Great to see your path to TPT. The main albums and the alternative/extra albums are always great. You basically get two surround albums for the price of one.
I love your Avatar. I was exposed to Riverside with a comp disc that came with a Burning Shed purchase. They have become a favorite of mine. I would love reissues of their early work in surround not to mention day and date surround releases of theirs and Lunatic Soul’s new releases.
Like others have said, the sonics are superb and the surround mixes for both versions are engaging and enhance the music. Bruce has earned his way to the pinnacle of mixers who are role models to others!
The songs and instrumentation strike me as monochromatic like the grayness of the cover and the book that accompanies the deluxe edition. Now look at the depth and range of color of their album Magnolia--no, that's not my favorite TPT, but just my analogy to say the older albums have much more range and variety of emotion and instrumentation, as well as finer aspects of Bruce's singing. So this one gets an '8' from me (sorry, I love them too, but...)
As an aside, thanks to Burning Shed for being the only vendor that can ship one of these overpriced book sets without it arriving banged up!
The songs and instrumentation strike me as monochromatic like the grayness of the cover and the book that accompanies the deluxe edition. Now look at the depth and range of color of their album Magnolia--no, that's not my favorite TPT, but just my analogy to say the older albums have much more range and variety of emotion and instrumentation, as well as finer aspects of Bruce's singing. So this one gets an '8' from me (sorry, I love them too, but...)
As an aside, thanks to Burning Shed for being the only vendor that can ship one of these overpriced book sets without it arriving banged up!
My deluxe set arrived from the fine Burning Shed folks this earlier week. I played the 2.0 mixes in the car constantly going to/from work all week so I could get to know the songs, then fired up the 5.1 on Friday night. Great stuff, just a super engaging mix that doesn't pull any punches. Love the alternate stuff too. I may need to spin the 5.1 again tonight if I have time to get a refined score but it's definitely in the 9 area. The songs are growers, really need at least three times through to get the nuances and hooks.
Elad
Active Member
Foe me this has to be the best surround sound disc I heard this year period. And as good as the music is it pales in comparison to the alternative version which is hauntingly beautiful and the surround mix was ridiculously unbelievable. If anyone ever wants to have a definition of what discrete is play this disc I must of listened to the bluray 5 or 6 times today this is one incredibly tight band, a fantastic mixed by Bruce.
Bruce gets Gavin's parts already mixed down to stereo. Steve is his longtime friend and mastering engineer.
Yeah, on the main album it sounds like he put the stereo mixdown of the kit like 75% in the front channels and 25% in the rears. It's got a nice 'open' sound and there are some moments where tom or cymbal hits seem to lean more toward the rears, so maybe there's some panning trickery in there as well?
Gavin's percussion parts on the alternate versions must've been from separate stems or multis though. It sounds too discrete to be anything else -there's different stuff frequently split front/back or even in each corner.
I was nursing a White Russian in a pitch black room with the lights and screen off when I first played the alternate versions - mistake. About half way through the first alternate song 'Break It All' I'm pretty sure I went into an acid flashback, or at the very least was teleported into an alternate space time continuum.
Yea the music and mix is that good.
Elad
Active Member
That has to be the best explanation I heard about the alternative version. I love it and it is so true
Lord British
Senior Member
I'm looking forward to listening to this, just based on the reviews. I'm not familiar with TPT, although I think Gavin Harrison is one of the best drummers around today. Loved his work with Porcupine Tree. Some of the stuff he does just blows my mind. What made him think he could DO that with his hands and feet??
Is it nuts to spend 45$ on an album you've never heard before, just because you've heard people say it SOUNDS so good??? ( And in this case, 2 albums, judging by how different they are.)
Is it nuts to spend 45$ on an album you've never heard before, just because you've heard people say it SOUNDS so good??? ( And in this case, 2 albums, judging by how different they are.)
I am listening now via Tidal and my NAIM streamer, stereo. I have the box set sitting on table, but my surround rig is down. I really like the music, I purchased via others recommendation and I really like it.
How about $13 for the single Blu-Ray edition? Includes both versions of the album in 96/24 5.1 & stereo.
https://www.importcds.com/pineapple-thief-versions-of-the-truth/802644856179
I ordered the bluray and ripped it, then played the 24/96 stereo version in the car yesterday, but just the original album (no bonus material yet). It sounds like one of those albums I'm going to have to listen to a few more times to get a better appreciation for it. It's not one that grabs you the first time out. But I did notice, even on the car system, the sonics seem quite good. Especially the fullness of the drums. With all the praise on this thread, I'll have to get to the surround alternative stuff sooner rather than later.
splinter7
1K Club - QQ Shooting Star
No hype - Hands down the best surround mix of the year. A sonic master class.
It’s like I am in a clean room of surround sound. Clinically precise. Everything has space without being buried.
I think that crisp, clear sound really works for the music and lyrical content. Even the graphics convey a stark sense. An angrier brother to Porcupine Tree’s ‘Stupid Dream’ and ‘Lightbulb Sun’ if you are not familiar and need a reference.
The primary album mix seems centered around Gavin’s drums and the rest of the instrumentation works around a 360 sound space.
Main vocal is mostly in the center.
Very tight and active low end.
Featured guitar solos are heavy in the center as well.
Cymbal work and a wood block/xylophone vibe almost has a Atmos feel - Seems to come from a little higher place than the rest of the sounds.
The alternative mix is not just a quick, stripped down or acoustic version of songs either. It is a full re-imagining of most of the songs presented in an extremely aggressive surround mix.
Main Mix: A modern, well balanced surround mix
Alternative Versions: Bruce’s version of “Qudio”
Price point of $14 USD for a stand alone Blu-ray is another outstanding value from Pineapple Thief. Certainly makes up for the slightly bloated price I had to fork over his solo album in surround.
@neil - I would appreciate to hear what your input on the mix was. Was Bruce’s surround vision always on the mark or did he need some persuasion?
It’s like I am in a clean room of surround sound. Clinically precise. Everything has space without being buried.
I think that crisp, clear sound really works for the music and lyrical content. Even the graphics convey a stark sense. An angrier brother to Porcupine Tree’s ‘Stupid Dream’ and ‘Lightbulb Sun’ if you are not familiar and need a reference.
The primary album mix seems centered around Gavin’s drums and the rest of the instrumentation works around a 360 sound space.
Main vocal is mostly in the center.
Very tight and active low end.
Featured guitar solos are heavy in the center as well.
Cymbal work and a wood block/xylophone vibe almost has a Atmos feel - Seems to come from a little higher place than the rest of the sounds.
The alternative mix is not just a quick, stripped down or acoustic version of songs either. It is a full re-imagining of most of the songs presented in an extremely aggressive surround mix.
Main Mix: A modern, well balanced surround mix
Alternative Versions: Bruce’s version of “Qudio”
Price point of $14 USD for a stand alone Blu-ray is another outstanding value from Pineapple Thief. Certainly makes up for the slightly bloated price I had to fork over his solo album in surround.
@neil - I would appreciate to hear what your input on the mix was. Was Bruce’s surround vision always on the mark or did he need some persuasion?
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