HiRez Poll Seals & Crofts - SUMMER BREEZE [Blu-ray Audio]

[BillSamm1]

 

[quicksrt]

I like warm 70s recordings when the production values are this high.

There is a woodsy folk feel to the proceedings, and it’s not supposed to sound like Supertramp “Crime” or REO’s “High Infidelity” which are both stellar sounding recordings which came much later in the decade as that layer style of mix became in vogue.

 

[Clement]

The more i listen to this, the better it gets. I'm ultimately with @edisonbaggins – this isn't always squarely in my wheelhouse; however, with each revisit, i appreciate the depth and breadth of the release more and more – it really is a gem. I recently made a 2 am pilgrimage to the Baháʼí Temple in Wilmette (the city to the north of where i stay). One of the reasons i headed up there is because two songs on this release ("Hummingbird" and "East of Ginger Trees") quote the Baháʼí scriptures. I would call this release soft rock, but it ultimately covers an impressive spectrum of music.

The opening track, "Hummingbird," begins with chant-like harmonies and melodic mandolin swelling from all four speakers. Then, there is an abrupt shift as the song proper starts with lush strings and a beautiful horn chart, all driven by the duo's powerful harmonies and propulsive acoustic guitars. Next up is "Funny Little Man," which almost feels like a classical piece with its lovely acoustic instrumentation and more signature harmonies, all tastefully and discretely mixed. "Say" picks up the pace considerably with blasts of acoustic, percussive strumming and more swelling strings.

Next up is the title track, a song that seemed nearly omnipresent during the AM radio daze of my youth, but which is now as fresh as a, well, "Summer Breeze" in this Quad mix, deliciously discrete and absolutely irresistible with soaring harmonies and acoustic and electric guitars coming from separate speakers. "East of Ginger Trees," the other song that quotes Baháʼí scripture, is lush and lyrical and has an Eastern tinge that beautifully underscores the message.

"Fiddle in the Sky" takes a decidedly country turn. Although this is one of those songs that is outside of my wheelhouse, the Quad mix and the eclectic nature of the music have me appreciating it more upon each repeated visit. "The Boy Down the Road" continues the country flavor, but it moves into folk territory. Again the quad mix, with acoustic guitar and mandolin coming from separate speakers and the harmonies coming soft and spooky from all corners of the room, elevates this song for me. "The Euphrates" has more of a rock feel to it with a driving beat and some good sax work.

"Advance Guard" slows things down again. It starts starkly and then builds with additional acoustic guitar and more sweet harmonies that eventually become multitracked, filling the room with sound. The album ends with its longest (5:14) and hardest-rocking track, "Yellow Dirt." Compared to the rest of the album, this track sounds rough and raw and downright dirty with some solid and unexpected electric guitar work. The mixture of styles on this album and the strength of the mix have won me over. I respectfully submit a vote of 10!

 

[sf49erjohn]

I rated the disc an 8. The surround sound mix is excellent but the list of songs doesn't do it for me. Probably wont get much play sadly.

 

[kfbkfb]

(breaking my "rule" - rating after just 1 listen [except "Summer Breeze", heard on the radio many times in mono and stereo])
Music Content: 7

Fidelity: 9
(listened on my basement system)

Surround Mix: 7

average 7.67, rounds to 8


Kirk Bayne