HiRez Poll Pineapple Thief, The - VERSIONS OF THE TRUTH [Blu-Ray Audio]

[Marplot]

As I reflect on it, I would like to see that scale included in the first post for each poll so it is super easy to find.

 

[ar surround]

Without the expected scale in front of you, it is sometimes hard to remember how to rate releases.

30% SURROUND MIX
30% AUDIO FIDELITY
30% CONTENT
10% OVERALL PACKAGE

Thx for this by the way I did struggle to find rules for the surround Poll

I personally use this just as a guideline. For example, if I really can’t stand the content then I don’t vote in the poll. I also weight “audio fidelity“ somewhat higher and don‘t consider “overall package” at all.

My other consideration is “what came before.“ A classic album with a new mix that puts previous releases to shame skews my rating upwards. Conversely, I’ll skew my rating lower for a hack job like 5.1 of In Search Of The Lost Chord.

I need to get this Pineapple Thief Blu-ray as it certainly has generated a lot of discussion on this forum.

 

[splinter7]

I need to get this Pineapple Thief Blu-ray as it certainly has generated a lot of discussion on this forum.

You can’t really go wrong with picking it up.
The stand-alone Blu-ray is under $14 at Import CD.

But don’t let that bargain price for two, immersive mixes skew your vote

 

[tezzalavell]

A New review to supersede the old one. Firstly let me explain the first listen if I can. I bought this blind without sampling . As a Somerset band and I live in Somerset they have somehow escaped me. No excuses. The Prog I know is symphonic , mellotron based , soaring guitars etc. . This sounded more like Depeche Mode in their Industrial phase !! So I shut my ears, threw my toys out the pram switched off and wrote a very unworthy review. Sooorrryyy !
Tonight I listened through my Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds ears ( kidding) to both the album and the bonus.
Its alternative rock , percussion driven , very sparse , no melodic crescendos not what I would call Prog at all . So apart from that what can I say. Its very immersive probably the most immersive album I have listened to. Yet it is discrete especially the bonus album.

But for me who is a person who has little patience, this album has left me undecided as to how many times I will play it. Either an album hooks me straight away or I stare at it in my surround album bookcase and pass it over. I will play it again because as all you guys say the surround mix is a good un
Fidelity, package (value for money) , mix are top notch ( I withdraw my Phil Spector remark until they release All things must pass. Please God don’t do it) .

Still I cannot give it more than 8 because I felt so melancholy that before bed I drank a whiskey and came to the conclusion that the Grateful Dead song Dire Wolf really was a happy song.

I hope I am reprieved and you wont de-member me.

By the way for all concerned my system is reasonably OK and my 13 years B&Ws disguised as Sony can still thump it out . I’m afraid all the damage was me ! My Bad on this one!

 

[Marplot]

Your willingness to revisit your opinion, evaluate it with a different perspective and raise your rating while still deducting points fairly for the content puts my own fairness and reviews to shame.
I do need to rate this one yet myself and agree in general before doing so that the bonus is ... different enough that I like it more.

 

[splinter7]

Agree with Marplot, and applaud your decision to revisit your review. I have no issue with you not connecting with the music. No need to explain.

 

[LuvMyQuad]

Still I cannot give it more than 8 because I felt so melancholy that before bed I drank a whiskey and came to the conclusion that the Grateful Dead song Dire Wolf really was a happy song.

I hope I am reprieved and you wont de-member me.

An 8 is respectable.

OK guys, we can put away the guillotine now. We can't have Tezzalavell going around member-less because of an 8.

 

[Marplot]

I don't have anything to add that reviewers with better ears haven't already said.

Surround Mix: The mix is great, and the alternate version is very enjoyable. 10 (3)
Audio Fidelity: The sound is great, it plays well at any volume with only a little fatigue from my wife telling me to turn it down. 10 (3)
Content: I like The Pineapple Thief and think that the arrival of Gavin has been a huge boon to their music. They do run a bit softer than my normal prefence so deductions for that. 8 (2.4)
Package: I have the Earbook edition so it is a jam packed bundle of goodness, but even their lone releases are a great value because Bruce always fills the media to the brim.
In this case we get 2 versions of the album. 10 (1)

Bruce has certainly come of age with his skill at mixing and I hope he revists their older catalog.

Surround 10 (3)
Audio 10 (3)
Content 8 (2.4)
Package 10 (1)
9.4 rounds to 9.

 

[tezzalavell]

An 8 is respectable.

OK guys, we can put away the guillotine now. We can't have Tezzalavell going around member-less because of an 8.

I thank you for this being parted from my member for too long will make my wife happy and reduce my 5.1 to 5.0 ( lack of bass means no Omph in the bedroom )

 

[tezzalavell]

I thank you for this being parted from my member for too long will make my wife happy and reduce my 5.1 to 5.0 ( lack of bass means no Omph in the bedroom )

By the way Mr. Baggins , Sir . I Know not how I Iived before LIFE IN SURROUND

 

[AYanguas]

....
...The Prog I know is symphonic , mellotron based , soaring guitars etc. . This sounded more like Depeche Mode in their Industrial phase !! So I shut my ears, threw my toys out the pram switched off and wrote a very unworthy review. Sooorrryyy !
.......

That exactly was happening to me until last year. Over time I have been tired/stressed of listening so much prog rock, loud sound, etc. With the help of Surround I have become 'prog'ressively interested in softer sound and entered other prog substyles, or jazz or electronic. And discovered many neo-prog bands and Pineapple Thief.

I have learned to love this softer style, but of course with the help of good equipment, good mix and good discrete Surround.

 

[fcormier]

A New review to supersede the old one. Firstly let me explain the first listen if I can. I bought this blind without sampling . As a Somerset band and I live in Somerset they have somehow escaped me. No excuses. The Prog I know is symphonic , mellotron based , soaring guitars etc. . This sounded more like Depeche Mode in their Industrial phase !! So I shut my ears, threw my toys out the pram switched off and wrote a very unworthy review. Sooorrryyy !
Tonight I listened through my Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds ears ( kidding) to both the album and the bonus.
Its alternative rock , percussion driven , very sparse , no melodic crescendos not what I would call Prog at all . So apart from that what can I say. Its very immersive probably the most immersive album I have listened to. Yet it is discrete especially the bonus album.

But for me who is a person who has little patience, this album has left me undecided as to how many times I will play it. Either an album hooks me straight away or I stare at it in my surround album bookcase and pass it over. I will play it again because as all you guys say the surround mix is a good un
Fidelity, package (value for money) , mix are top notch ( I withdraw my Phil Spector remark until they release All things must pass. Please God don’t do it) .

Still I cannot give it more than 8 because I felt so melancholy that before bed I drank a whiskey and came to the conclusion that the Grateful Dead song Dire Wolf really was a happy song.

I hope I am reprieved and you wont de-member me.

By the way for all concerned my system is reasonably OK and my 13 years B&Ws disguised as Sony can still thump it out . I’m afraid all the damage was me ! My Bad on this one!

You don't HAVE to like something because everyone here likes it. The first time I heard The Pineapple Thief was around 2010 when I got a Kscope sampler CD and I found it average. Same think when I got another sampler from Kscope around 2014 and still found it average. Their "Your Wilderness" album came out in 2016 (the first with Gavin Harrinson) and the songs I heard (without hearing the whole album) were good. Then in 2017, they released their "Where We Stood" Blu-Ray: it was not only a live album, it was EVERYTHING:
- "Where We Stood" concert film (with some interviews in between songs)
- "Where We Stood" concert only with TWO surround mixes
- "Your Wilderness" album in surround (the DVD-Audio was discontinued)
- Your Wilderness acoustic album in surround (it was only released as a limited edition CD)
- "8 Years Later" in surround (it was only included as a bonus CD with the discontinued DVD Audio)
So you get FOUR albums for the price of one, the live one being like a "best of" with TWO surround mixes.
This is when I fell in love with The Pineapple Thief and slowly started expanding in their back catalog. While lots will say "Versions OF The Truth" is good, it's not the best place to start. I would say you better start with the "Where We Stood" Blu-Ray (really inexpensive for what you get), then expand from there if you like it. If you don't like it, then you will have tried. Personaly, their "Magnolia" album got me through some rough times, even if I found it average on the first listen.

 

[sjcorne]

You don't HAVE to like something because everyone here likes it.

I think most of the replies to @tezzalavell's original review had more to do with his criticism of the 5.1 mix than the music itself.

 

[marpow]

I voted 10. I purchased and recieved this a month ago and only now starting to getting closer to my new rig.
I listened lower volume, 55db, 24/96 PCM, FLAC my personal digital file from MKV and MMH, played via JRiver software, 5.1 DTS-HD MSTR, DR's are mostly 13's and 14's with one 15.
I really love all of this, the music is so smooth and relaxing, sonically very easy on the ears. The surround field is very discrete (different instruments playing different speakers with an immersive envelope).
I believe my 10 is heavily weighted because I like the music so much.
The book, with CD's, overall packaging, easy to read, is top notch.
The eight track 5.1 alternate versions are highly enjoyable.
Thanks again for QQ or I might have purchased this great set.

 

[wavelength]

The fidelity is out of this world - absolutely amazing. There is a short phrase on track 7 where the sound gets a bit sharp but other than that it is perfect. The mix is solid - nothing flashy - but still very immersive. Content-wise it is a little more "quiet" than I like - a bit more "hard and heavy" would have been nice - but all the songs are well done.

 

[Godman]

For me this is the best NEW album in 5.1 for 2020. I got the blur ay only version and what a value. The alternative mixes in 5.1 are out of this world. On " Demons" alternative mix... Gavin Garrison's percussion is coming from everywhere. What a track in 5.1!! Bruce Scoord is a genuis !

 

[bgf1973]

For me this is the best NEW album in 5.1 for 2020. I got the blur ay only version and what a value. The alternative mixes in 5.1 are out of this world. On " Demons" alternative mix... Gavin Garrison's percussion is coming from everywhere. What a track in 5.1!! Bruce Scoord is a genuis !

For me Versions of The Truth is The best song in 2020

 

[AYanguas]

For me, Pineapple Thief and Bruce Soord (look also for his solo albums) are the replacement of Porcupine Tree / Steven Wilson. Although Steven has yet to mix in Surround /Atmos many things for our pleasure

I am also hypnotised with "Demons" alternative mix.

 

[ar surround]

I admit that I'm somewhat prejudiced because the style of Versions of the Truth is what I consider right in my wheelhouse...a fusion of a number of styles loaded with hooks and harmonies. Other things I really like about this album:

- Superb fidelity
- Perfect tonal balance
- 5.1 mix
- No run-on songs. It's about 45 minutes for 10 songs...all make their point musically and lyrically and then it's on to the next song.

A 9+, so I gave it a 10.

 

[Lord British]

I admit that I'm somewhat prejudiced because the style of Versions of the Truth is what I consider right in my wheelhouse...a fusion of a number of styles loaded with hooks and harmonies. Other things I really like about this album:

- Superb fidelity
- Perfect tonal balance
- 5.1 mix
- No run-on songs. It's about 45 minutes for 10 songs...all make their point musically and lyrically and then it's on to the next song.

A 9+, so I gave it a 10.

I am new to TPT. What is your favorite track off of VOTT? I'm listening to the Blu-Ray of 'Where We Stood" right now. Good album. Great fidelity. Loaded with content. Cheap as f*ck. I'm actually quite fond of the instrumental pieces off of "8 Years Later"--'Hallucinations and Delusions' and 'The Confined Escape.' I know they're mainly a rock oufit, but I would love to hear them explore more of the instrumental side. Really nice vibe, these 2 tracks.