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HiRez Poll Taylor, James - HOURGLASS [SACD]
- Thread starter JonUrban
- Start date
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gave a 10 for..
"Excellent Mix, Excellent Sonics, Excellent Content"
Track 4 is a demo track..for a more subtle mix approach that is very well done..
"Excellent Mix, Excellent Sonics, Excellent Content"
Track 4 is a demo track..for a more subtle mix approach that is very well done..
Gave it an 8. It's my 4th favourite JT SACD. I usually play the 3 older titles. Hardly ever play Hourglass and I don't think I have played October Road for about 6 months. They are all pretty good though really.
Kazaam
701 Club - QQ All-Star
Gave it an 8, too. I think it sounds excellent sonically and the surround mix entertains me without annoying me. I do sometimes question the emphasis on the center channel for Taylor's vocals, but to be honest it doesn't seem to bother me much. Still... I'd be interested to hear what could've been had they eased up on the center channel just a bit and focused on the left/right channels instead for the vocals.
filper
1K Club - QQ Shooting Star
I thoroughly enjoy this disc... second only to 'JT' in the Taylor releases.
8.5
8.5
Dixie4
900 Club - QQ All-Star
This is my first JT SACD ( on any format, for that matter ) I was thinking a 9....but have to give it a 10, just purely for the fact, that it's puts a big smile on my face !
LizardKing
2K Club - QQ Super Nova
JT is my favourite of the James Taylor Multichannel ones I've heard - Haven't heard Dad Loves His Work ...
If you look for JT - make sure you get a MCH version rather than the MFSL Stereo only version...
... If you look for JT - make sure you get a MCH version rather than the MFSL Stereo only version...
Dixie4
900 Club - QQ All-Star
JT is my favourite of the James Taylor Multichannel ones I've heard - Haven't heard Dad Loves His Work
If you look for JT - make sure you get a MCH version rather than the MFSL Stereo only version...
I've ordered JT & October Road, both in multichannel.....i'm really looking forward to hearing them.
neil wilkes
2K Club - QQ Super Nova
I've ordered JT & October Road, both in multichannel.....i'm really looking forward to hearing them.
Where did you find those?!?
Dixie4
900 Club - QQ All-Star
I bought them off market sellers, on Amazon U.K. ( October Road - Like new / JT Brand new - sealed )
JT is my favourite of the James Taylor Multichannel ones I've heard - Haven't heard Dad Loves His Work
If you look for JT - make sure you get a MCH version rather than the MFSL Stereo only version...
The Dad Loves His Work M/C is fantastic! Just as good as "JT" in my book!
I've got Hourglass on the way, so can't compare it to the older albums yet but seems I'm in for a treat with this one!
Of the 3 older albums Sony "M/C SACD'd", I'd say "JT" and "Dad LHW" are equally brilliant surround mixes, of equally great albums and sound quality's exceptional on both.. "Flag" is not as good an album and not as good sonically or surround mix wise as the other two but its still no slouch.
As has happened so often to me on this surround music journey, a period of James Taylor's career I was never fussed about before has now become something I've surprised myself by really enjoying and playing a lot!
Dixie4
900 Club - QQ All-Star
The songs on Hourglass are great, Adam. ( October Road, is very good too, if you haven't got it ? )
I've had to buy a redbook copy of Hourglass, because it won't record properly onto mini disc. ( lead vocal's there, but sounds like it's at the end of a tunnel ) First time i've come across this problem. ( October Road transfered ok )
blue.monk
1K Club - QQ Shooting Star
I hadn't listened to this disc in ages and had forgotten how strong it is. The songs are some of his best since the 70's and the arrangements and production are outstanding. The 5.1 mix by Frank Filipetti is unique, mature and extremely effective. For sparser moments the rears may contain nothing more than some light reverb but then fill up with backing vocals, percussion, etc as the arrangements thicken. And there are some nice surprises as the music warrants. Taylor's voice is soloed in the center channel with no additional support (save for some reverb in rears). It all works beautifully and sounds amazing! Full and warm with ample dynamic range. I give it a 10.
This is the third James Taylor Multichannel SACD I've acquired, after JT and Dad Loves His Work. I'd say it's definitely better than Dad Loves His Work, but not as good as JT. I gave JT a 9, so I guess this is a strong 8. Maybe 8.5 if I were splitting hairs.
I listened extensively in stereo first, and I like the album a lot. So far, my favorite tracks are "Line 'Em Up", "Little More Time with You", and "Jump Up Behind Me".
Taylor sounds pretty much the same as he always has, which I find amazing considering this was recorded quite a few years after his classic period. It's nice ice mellow stuff with some good lyrics (I just saw The Post last night, so it was funny hearing the Watergate/Nixon commentary in the first track). There were a few snoozers I skipped past though, so maybe it's a track or two too long.
The mix is also quite good. I expected it to be somewhat different than the other JT discs, as it was done by a different engineer (Nathaniel Kunkel did the others, Frank Filipetti did this one), but their mixing choices are actually extremely similar. Hard center-channel vocals, drums up front, while the rears are mostly sparse aside from the occasional burst of backing vocals or light instrumentation. Though I usually prefer more active mixes, I admit this works quite well with the material. Just don't listen to Jeff Beck's Wired beforehand.
One thing I did find disappointing is that track 5, "Ananas", is a three-channel spread with almost nothing in the rears. Even the majority of the backing vocals are in the fronts! Shame as I really like that track. It stood out to me immediately compared to the prior song. I wonder why Filipetti chose not to use the rears on that track?
I listened extensively in stereo first, and I like the album a lot. So far, my favorite tracks are "Line 'Em Up", "Little More Time with You", and "Jump Up Behind Me".
Taylor sounds pretty much the same as he always has, which I find amazing considering this was recorded quite a few years after his classic period. It's nice ice mellow stuff with some good lyrics (I just saw The Post last night, so it was funny hearing the Watergate/Nixon commentary in the first track). There were a few snoozers I skipped past though, so maybe it's a track or two too long.
The mix is also quite good. I expected it to be somewhat different than the other JT discs, as it was done by a different engineer (Nathaniel Kunkel did the others, Frank Filipetti did this one), but their mixing choices are actually extremely similar. Hard center-channel vocals, drums up front, while the rears are mostly sparse aside from the occasional burst of backing vocals or light instrumentation. Though I usually prefer more active mixes, I admit this works quite well with the material. Just don't listen to Jeff Beck's Wired beforehand.
One thing I did find disappointing is that track 5, "Ananas", is a three-channel spread with almost nothing in the rears. Even the majority of the backing vocals are in the fronts! Shame as I really like that track. It stood out to me immediately compared to the prior song. I wonder why Filipetti chose not to use the rears on that track?
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