HiRez Poll Tears for Fears - SONGS FROM THE BIG CHAIR [DVD-A/BluRay Audio]

[Clint Eastwood]

I received the blu ray today and I'm on my second listen...I was really concerned when I heard the very first song(Shout)...it was very congested and even bright sounding(not ear bleeding but enough to be mild distraction)...after all these glowing comments about this disc I was puzzled...well that didn't last too long...because the sultry sound of the sax in THE WORKING HOUR made me perk up and pay attention..it's like a veil was lifted and the music could now be heard the way I wanted..and then I was tense...MY big song was next... the success of this disc rests on the sound of EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD...from the very first sounds I knew it was everything I had hoped it would be...there I was in the Delorean...no need to go 88 m.p.h. this time...I was already back in the 80's..no worries about a flux capacitor....in reality I had my eyes closed on my couch and was head-bobbing to the music that was surrounding me...ah yes...this is what I have been waiting for...this song that I wanted to be good was just superb...

With the exception of Shout this disc is excellent and I think with more listens I will find a replacement for that song...lot's of candidates...could be MOTHER'S TALK...I have some history with that song...could be I BELIEVE...and the SECOND best song on this disc is HEAD OVER HEELS...and it's never sounded better...love it too...I won't rate it now...need more listens..but it won't be a 10...and that's not the fault of Steven Wilson...he's done a masterful job on this album...but you can't make chicken salad from chicken sh*t...you can only do so much when the source material has so many flaws...recordings in the 80's had their quirks...although it won't be a 10 it's looking like a 9 all the way from the early returns...I just need to hear more...but I'm loving it...

Listening to BROKEN right now and it's sounding so good...

 

[elroy]

10 from me. Cannot wait for Seeds Of Love!

 

[The Bright Side]

I only had to listen to this once to give it a straight 10. Mind-blowing, even "Broken".

"Shout", though, sounds different from the stereo versions we know. It's a bit like FGTH's "Rage Hard". They both have a lot of impact in stereo that is somewhat changed in 5.1, perhaps simply because the songs' elements are spread apart - so it comes with the territory. Takes some getting used to.

 

[SMS]

I received the blu ray today and I'm on my second listen...I was really concerned when I heard the very first song(Shout)...it was very congested and even bright sounding(not ear bleeding but enough to be mild distraction)...after all these glowing comments about this disc I was puzzled...

I agree. Even the stereo mix of "Shout" sounds bright. I was very concerned after listening to this track, but the rest of the album sounds fantastic.

Listening to BROKEN right now and it's sounding so good...

This track was not actually remixed by Steven Wilson according to the liner notes. They could not find the multi-track tapes for this one. So, what you are listening to is an up-mix. It does sound pretty good though! The original recording, mix and master were quite good.

 

[DuncanS]

Being a creature of the 70s, of the bands from the 80s which I listened to and saw live, Tears For Fears, Talk Talk, and XTC were top of the tree. "Songs From The Big Chair" is an album I really like, its well crafted. This mix opens it up, and puts new life into the album. Nice mix, nice sound quality, even the up-mix of "Broken" comes out well. I'm giving it a 9.

 

[colsky]

Sorry all, but I just don't get this one . I never particularly liked this band's music back in the day, but was convinced to get the Blu Ray Audio version of this after reading all of the glowing reports about the sound quality. I've heard this disc now 3 times. My opinion of the music unfortunately hasn't improved from my memory of it. Also, in my opinion, the surround mix is good, but not one of the best. Obviously there may be a subconscious element here, in the way that there must be with peoples' voting. i.e. if you are listening to one of your favourite albums then it will sound good to your ears, whereas if you are listening to music that you don't like then it won't sound as good. A little simplistic maybe, but there must be an element of truth to this. Before my last listen of Songs from the Big Chair I was listening to Porcupine Tree - Anaesthetise, and afterwards I listened to The Power and the Glory and Legend, and these other 3 sounded so much better.

I would also add 2 more comments on this. I'm not a massive fan of XTC, but I have both the Nonsuch and Drums and Wires blu rays and these sound superb to me, such that the music has improved to me and I listen to both regularly. Also, I played Songs from the Big Chair to my wife, who is a bigger fan of this album (and eighties music in general) than I am, and she wasn't wow'ed by the surround mix either.

Sorry to go against the flow of opinion on this disc. As they say opinions are like a-holes, everyones got one. And ears are like lugholes.

 

[splinter7]

Obviously there may be a subconscious element here, in the way that there must be with peoples' voting. i.e. if you are listening to one of your favourite albums then it will sound good to your ears, whereas if you are listening to music that you don't like then it won't sound as good. A little simplistic maybe, but there must be an element of truth to this.

I personally find the exact opposite to be true and my critique of a 5.1 mix of a well established stereo reference to be much more critical. Being so used to a certain stereo image that is changed or expanded upon with the addition of discrete channels often throws me off.

The only truth is that "what sounds good" is subjective - unless it is a Silverline release

 

[JonUrban]

Sorry all, but I just don't get this one .......Sorry to go against the flow of opinion on this disc. As they say opinions are like a-holes, everyones got one. And ears are like lugholes.

You never have to apologize for stating your feelings in the polls, ESPECIALLY when you back it up with reason and rhyme. Thank goodness every review is not a 10 with everyone following the fold. The more varied opinions, the better.

The only time it's unjustified is when someone tanks a poll with a low vote and leaves no explanation as to why they are voting like that, especially on a disc with consistent high marks.

 

[key_wiz]

I give it a 9. One of my favorite albums of all time. An easy 10 for me for content. Sound quality? Probably a 9. Always a great sounding album and still is, but no real improvement on the quality in general. Still great.

The surround mix? Hmm. I was hoping for a bit more in some places. "Listen", always an immersive track, is even more so now and is worth the price of adminssion alone, IMO. The upmixes of "Broken" are good for what they are, but detract as so much more could have been done with that great song. Most of the rest is nice enough, but I think it could have a been more "aggressive" and been fine for the type of program this is. So an 8 for the surround from me.

 

[GOS]

LOL! I almost hated to vote on this one. I can tell these 80's discs bring a lot of interesting perspectives. Admittedly, I was NOT a fan of TFF back in the 80's. Of course, with age, I mellow and appreciate a heck of a lot of music I dissed back in the day. I knew I would appreciate this music, and I do.

Funny, but for me - I only knew the hits. Never had the CD of LP, so there are 4 songs on here I'm hearing for the first time. With music, I don't like to over think it. I like to go with a couple listens, and how does it hit me.

What I immediately noticed, is some songs have a lot to process. Shout is one of those songs. I honestly don't know how much better this could have sounded...considering all of the big sounds that all demand equal attention. I was pretty pleased with the way that song sounded. I guess I can somewhat see why some say the vocals are lost...though on my setup...not so much. (Klipsch are known for having an in your face presence....)

I would say half of the songs just sounded great. Meaning, great to how I like it to sound. A couple of them I found myself thinking.....I wish that instrument, or that riff could be a little louder. But, who am I to say. Again, not being a big fan....I had no preconceived ideas about all that.

I listened to it straight through, twice. Back to back. My final take away is, this is quality music, very well done. The mix is nice - works very, very well in some songs...slightly less in others. Again - that's just my take. I suspect others are blown away by this mix. I ended up giving this an 8. I toyed with a 9, but thought I wasn't being true to what I really felt. 8 is good. Nicely done. Fans will likely be very impressed.

 

[Clint Eastwood]

The more I have played this disc the more I have changed my mind about how bad shout was...there is just a lot going on in the background...so many competing sounds..it's much more complex of an arrangement than I remember from hearing it over the air waves...when I rate music in these polls I use the "real estate model"...what is most important in real estate...the answer...location....location..location...well in music the most important thing FOR ME is content...it rules the day...it's ironic because in the hi rez hobby I have had to put sound quality at the top of my list most of the time...especially in the beginning of my collecting...but I have reached the point now where I have enough "demo discs" that are collecting dust on my shelves..I need more content driven discs...and this one fills that requirement...and still offers excellent sound quality...not reference....but certainly enough to make me happy...

If you don't like the content.... getting a surround title isn't going to change your mind about the music...for me anyway..so since I do like this content and IMO it's the best you are ever going to hear this album I rate it a 9...and this 9 is going to be played a lot..unlike other 9's I have in my collection that are just sitting gathering dust on the shelf...everytime I here "Everybody Wants To Rule The World" a big smile comes over my face...and that's what it's all about for me...the enjoyment of the songs...

 

[jamesdak]

I personally find the exact opposite to be true and my critique of a 5.1 mix of a well established stereo reference to be much more critical. Being so used to a certain stereo image that is changed or expanded upon with the addition of discrete channels often throws me off.

The only truth is that "what sounds good" is subjective - unless it is a Silverline release

This is me too, normally. After so many years of listening to a favorite album in stereo it can be worrisome for the mix to 5.1. But in this case it's a home run in my book!

 

[jamesdak]

Well I am on my 3rd listen and all I can say is it's a 10 from me. Always loved the album and am totally loving this mix. Like a previous poster has already said. The pleasure derived from Listen is worth the price of admission in itself. And right now I am noticing, and loving, the drums in The Working Hour. Have been in quite the funk today and now I'm smiling. A fitting tribute to a good band and another awesome testimony of our favorite music god. Otherwise known as Steven Wilson!

 

[kvsawilson]

Sorry all, but I just don't get this one . I never particularly liked this band's music back in the day, but was convinced to get the Blu Ray Audio version of this after reading all of the glowing reports about the sound quality. I've heard this disc now 3 times. My opinion of the music unfortunately hasn't improved from my memory of it. Also, in my opinion, the surround mix is good, but not one of the best. Obviously there may be a subconscious element here, in the way that there must be with peoples' voting. i.e. if you are listening to one of your favourite albums then it will sound good to your ears, whereas if you are listening to music that you don't like then it won't sound as good. A little simplistic maybe, but there must be an element of truth to this. Before my last listen of Songs from the Big Chair I was listening to Porcupine Tree - Anaesthetise, and afterwards I listened to The Power and the Glory and Legend, and these other 3 sounded so much better.

I would also add 2 more comments on this. I'm not a massive fan of XTC, but I have both the Nonsuch and Drums and Wires blu rays and these sound superb to me, such that the music has improved to me and I listen to both regularly.
.

Colsky put into words pretty much just what I was thinking. Except for the part about liking the XTC discs more after hearing them in surround. I can't get into this one or XTC from a music standpoint. But the one XTC (Nonsuch) I bought sounds to me much better than this one from a fidelity standpoint. I just don't seem to be able to appreciate this 80's pop/rock sound. Didn't like the Better Than Ezra one either. but again, thought from a sound quality that it seemed better than this one. I had a friend back in the day who loaned me both this disc and the XTC one thinking I would like them and they didn't do it for me back then either. But I've always thought the radio songs on here sounded ok and was pretty excited to hear them in surround. But sitting and listening is different than just hearing something while driving or in the background while other things are happening and Shout, in particular, wore out it's welcome with me long before the 6 minutes were up. Everybody Wants to Rule the World is the one song I enjoyed on here and the mix is great, but I don't see myself sitting through the whole disc again.

I put this on right after I played the BS&T "Child Is the Father.." and the difference to me is night and day. The instruments on the BS&T disc sound so real and natural and they seem almost artificial to me on this TFF disc. I don't know what exactly makes it wrong, but I just don't hear the fidelity that others are raving about. And maybe it has to do with what colsky said about just not liking the music affects my opinion of the sound?

I wonder if this had come out a few years ago when my surround selection was much smaller if I'd have appreciated it more, but with many of my favorite albums (Yes and Tull) being released, I'm finding myself having far less time and patience to listen to anything I don't really enjoy, even it it is a good surround mix. But to all of you that are enjoying this disc, I say happy listening to you!

K

 

[elmer]

An excellent update on an already excellent album. I have no issues with vocals being to low or the penteo surround for the lost multis on one track. Overall - superb. I do however, feel that the BD Audio only format is a bit of a cheat in regards to bonus content. 25 gigs can contain a ton of info even with the additonal hi rez stereo with a few bonus tracks, one only need to look to the Tull releases and their embarrassment of riches. I'll take this for sure. I'll even give it a 9 - but would have loved to have given it a 10 if the format lived up to its full potential.

 

[John S]

I was never a big TFF fan back then. Not a big fan of '80's music in general. But, I REALLY like this disc.

I've played it about 8 or 10 times, so far. It really makes my system / room shine at insane volume levels.
I like the fact that it defaults to immediately playing the surround track. But I'm not crazy about it rolling over to the stereo track automatically.
This is going to be my go-to disc for system demo, for a while.

A solid 9 from me.

 

[byrdman7]

Well, with the rest of the discs, I get the Center just fine..it's with this one that the vox is REALLY low!

Kap'n you are right, the center channel is mixed to a lower level which buries the vocals. I have the Blu-Ray edition so the DVDA may not have this problem. I had to make a copy and add 4.5 dB to the center channel to make it worth listening to. There is nothing wrong with my system or settings. I put the Blu-Ray in and went to another room and the vocals could barely be heard. There is a huge issue with the center channel on the Blu-Ray edition IMHO.

 

[blue.monk]

I don’t have a deep history with this album but I enjoy the music enough to have ordered the standalone blu-ray. The fidelity overall is good with “The Working Hour” being the best sounding track thanks in no small part to the great drum sound they got from Jerry Marotta. Unfortunately most of the other tracks use a more mechanized and processed drum sound but, hey, it was the 80’s so I can roll with it.

The 5.1 mix does a good job replicating and expanding on that big 80’s sound. Curiously, though, the lead vocal is most frequently isolated in the center with just the faintest trail of reverb in the other channels. And since the vocal is often quite dry it seems at times small and out of sorts against the big reverb-filled soundstage, as if it doesn't inhabit the same space. I would have preferred the lead vocal to be more present in the fronts for a better integrated sound. Even so, overall I find the mix fun and immersive. An 8 for me.

 

[HDave]

This is a good disc to own and sounds great. My only negative is I also thought while listening that some of the vocals in the 5.1 mixes were what I call muddy/dirty. And I've seen other members noticed this also. So I think I will adjust my system for this disc and guess maybe a bad batch got out. I received mine after the initial release due to delay. So because of the VOX I gave it an 8.......Happy Holidays to all

 

[Elad]

I seldom vote but have to say this bluray amazed me. I am not a big fan of tears for fear like a couple of songs but this bluray changed my opinion the surround field blew me away. My two favorite surround sound discs have been Avalon and captain fantastic as my go to disc, this disc is now in my top 3 all I can say is wow.