HiRez Poll Taylor, James - "JT" [SACD]

[Fourplay]

Hi All,

I am going to break with conventional wisdom on this one. It was hard for me to find, but came so highly recommended that I felt compelled. After two listens I find myself far less impressed than the other reviews suggest. Perhaps it is the contrast to the recent ELP mixes...

This is not my favorite James Taylor CD, but of the ones mixed in surround it is the most familiar one to me musically. I agree that the sonics are excellent.

But the surround mix is lacklustre to me with the exception being the end of Terra Nova, which is excellent. But one 30 second segment does not an entire mix make. The rears seem quieter to me (this can be adjusted, granted) and frequently double a front soundstage mix element. Not that this should be a fatal flaw, but I just don't find much here that is adventuresome in a mix. A little here, a little there, but definitely not a demo disc for me (again with the exception of Terra Nova).

So I vote a 7 overall: beautiful music, great sonics, but a weak mix, especially even in contrast to the best mixed track on the same disc.

By the way, I sourced mine from Europe, and the Cat # is 497448 6. There is an outer cardboard sleeve with a gold square on the lower right corner that reads "Single Layer Multichannel." I have noticed other titles like this one. I am presuming/hoping the mix is identical to the other Cat # cited above. Can anyone confirm?

Ken

 

[Dixie4]

I think it has to be an 11 !!!

 

[blue.monk]

This is one of Taylor's better albums IMO and the disc sounds very nice indeed. The surround mix is very good but a bit conservative for my tastes. Nathaniel Kunkel seemed reluctant to put too much discrete information in the rears (with a few exceptions such as the coda of "Terra Nova" which as others have mentioned is pretty cool!). As a result I find there are fewer surround goose bump moments than you might find in a Greg Penny or Steven Wilson mix.

9

 

[jdholman]

10. This is the real deal!! JT doesn't rock often, but Honey Don't Leave LA begs to be cranked!! Got to use that 1400 watts and crank those three amps once in a while...

Several of these cuts need max volume..."I was only telling a lie" is my favorite.

 

[sbrom]

Surround mix is excellent. As Jon pointed out the last section of Terra Nova is a demo dream. I also agree with Eggplant that JT's vocals are a bit hot in the center channel. Dropping by 3 dB is just right on my system.

Open, relaxed, and comfortable music. Nice for a cloudy winter day.

 

[key_wiz]

One of my favorite albums of all time. Would love to pick up a copy but can't see paying the prices it goes for on eBay, especially with all the reports of a weak surround mix.

$30-40? All day long. $100+? I don't think so

 

[HDave]

Have the 1st pressing vinyl, always liked it..... Is this in 2.0 or MCH or both ?

 

[sbrom]

Keep trying on eBay. Took me a few weeks of watching new listings, I picked mine up for $35 incl. shipping.

One of my favorite albums of all time. Would love to pick up a copy but can't see paying the prices it goes for on eBay, especially with all the reports of a weak surround mix.

$30-40? All day long. $100+? I don't think so

 

[key_wiz]

Keep trying on eBay. Took me a few weeks of watching new listings, I picked mine up for $35 incl. shipping.

I do. I snag quite a few good deals here and there. (Just got a Genesis "Wind and Wuthering" for $13 inc. shipping! ).

Hope to run across one eventually

 

[sjcorne]

Just snagged a copy for $40 on eBay. I voted a 9. The mix is definitely on the conservative side, but it has it's moments. As others have mentioned the end of "Terra Nova" and sections of "Traffic Jam" are too cool.

 

[4-earredwonder]

Snagged a copy for $40 on ebay (was only bidder)...seemed reasonable compared to other listings.

Anyway, like many of these Sony single layer 5.1 discs the mix is a bit conservative but definitely has its moments. As others have mentioned the end of "terra nova" and rear view mirror section in "traffic jam" are too cool. The music is awesome..."honey don't leave LA" is a particularly great cut.

I don't have any of the other JT SACDs so guess I'll have to start seeking them out.

9

IMO, ALL of the James Taylor multis are top notch. It has been rumored that a 5.1 mix exists for Sweet Baby James and am so surprised it has never been released on any hi res multichannel disc formats.

JT rules!:banana:

 

[DuncanS]

I agree I've them all, if only we could get SBJ in 5.1!

IMO, ALL of the James Taylor multis are top notch. It has been rumored that a 5.1 mix exists for Sweet Baby James and am so surprised it has never been released on any hi res multichannel disc formats.

JT rules!:banana:

 

[sjcorne]

IMO, ALL of the James Taylor multis are top notch. It has been rumored that a 5.1 mix exists for Sweet Baby James and am so surprised it has never been released on any hi res multichannel disc formats.

JT rules!:banana:

There was definitely a cancelled CD-4...the quad discography has it as WS4-1843

 

[JonUrban]

There was definitely a cancelled CD-4...the quad discography has it as WS4-1843

Yes. It was announced as a WB CD-4 back in the '70s, then it was actually created for DVD-A, but James did not approve the mix (according to SH).

It does play nicely through the Surround Master, especially "Suite for 20G"

 

[EMB]

Yes. It was announced as a WB CD-4 back in the '70s, then it was actually created for DVD-A, but James did not approve the mix (according to SH).

Overall, it's an enjoyable but simple album, not all that different from his '69 debut for Apple. And given that, like any country album of the time, should have been a simple matter to remix it in a very basic way, and except for "Steamroller" and "20G" not very rocking, so only those two offered any kind of creative potential for the mix. Unless THAT is precisely what bothered JT, hence the thumbs down. But we may never hear back about that one....

ED

 

[4-earredwonder]

Overall, it's an enjoyable but simple album, not all that different from his '69 debut for Apple. And given that, like any country album of the time, should have been a simple matter to remix it in a very basic way, and except for "Steamroller" and "20G" not very rocking, so only those two offered any kind of creative potential for the mix. Unless THAT is precisely what bothered JT, hence the thumbs down. But we may never hear back about that one....

ED

I'm sure if an Elliot Scheiner or Steve Wilson could remix the Sweet Baby James multitracks it would've been a much more 'tasteful' affair. Just hearing this album in Hi Res would've been a treat, especially in surround.

In those early QUAD days most early remixers used a somewhat exaggerated approach to surround which probably did turn JT off.

 

[EMB]

Agreed, but by the time DVD-A came along, it was as sensible a title as, say, MOONDANCE (also proposed and rejected but, because the artist doesn't control that title, we got it eventually). The question, I suppose, is why yea to JT but nay to BABY JAMES, which I'm sure is the one we all would like to hear.

ED

 

[amokZamboni]

A fine product. A solid 9 (not a 10 since it is 2017 and I've heard many products with better surround "dynamics". Arguably, tonally, one of the best voices on the planet...

 

[skherbeck]

This is a great album. The fidelity is perfect with amazing dynamics; every sound has room to breathe. The music is excellent from start to finish. The surround mix is tasteful and mostly subtle... here and there you hear discrete elements in the rears, but mostly you're treated to an enveloping sound experience that wraps around you like a warm blanket on a cold night; it's just right for the music. And there are some cool surround flourishes: at the beginning of "Secret Of Life" there are some chimes that tip-toe around the room; "I Was Only Telling A Lie" has some really nice guitar interplay between the surrounds and the front channels; the vocal harmonies in "Traffic Jam" are spread around the room a la the Eagles' "Seven Bridges Road"; Carly Simon's vocal drifts magically around the room at the end of "Terra Nova", as well as many others. Shit, I think I might be becoming a James Taylor fan. 9.

 

[sjcorne]

Best price I've seen on this in a while:

https://www.discogs.com/sell/item/597578762

Just bought the "Hourglass" MC from that seller. He's also got "Flag" and "Dad Loves His Work".