HiRez Poll Vicar, The - SONGBOOK #1 [DVD-A]

[JonUrban]

Please post your thoughts and comments on this 2013 CD/DVD-Audio release of THE VICAR SONGBOOK #1.

Pre-release discussion on this title can be found in the following forum thread:
https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/showthread.php?16839

For samples and the press release, check out this thread:
https://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/showthread.php?17378


Please keep your reviews and thoughts in this thread so that future members can locate them quickly.

 

[elmer]

Well produced, mixed and played. Combining elements of XTC & Duncan Sheikish music theater pop with heady mix of lush background vocals and George Martin-like string arrangements - at times very reminiscent of XTC's Apple Venus Pt.1. I find myself especially drawn to the 3 consecutive tracks at the midway point starting with "A Man With A Woman On His Mind" (very much like an unreleased Nilsson track) through to the very lovely "San Manuel."

I do not usually participate in the whole 48 vs 96 argument - probably because my rather modest system wouldn't know the difference. However, I find it curious that this is presented in 24/44.1 MLP ( it still sounds good to me). Could it be that much of the disc space is taken up by over 5 1/2 hrs of (approx 5 hrs and 25 minutes too long IMO) of Punk Sanderson's video blog? I'm not sure I get the relevance of all that but I'm just interested in the music. I find the graphic novel and video blog element to be distracting at best and rather extemporaneous. Still the music and mix shine. I'll give it a 9 - and kudos to Neil for a great job on the mix!

 

[Chiburb]

I'm through it twice now, and tracks 1,3,and 13 are clearly demo material for their extremely aggressive surround qualities. Not that the other tracks aren't well done, just that those put a grin on my face. (Sorry, my car doesn't display track names, and they're hard to learn while driving.)
As for the music, I'll stick with Queen meets Tommy but add meets the Beatles, Beach Boys, and Nilsson. Fantastic musicianship all around.
I give it a 10, and wish the person who gave it a 1 would post why. Awfully cowardly not to IMO.

 

[LizardKing]

This is awesome... and sounds great in the car....:steering:

I really like the aggressive mix...

 

[Chiburb]

Two quick comments:
If this isn't Neil Wilkes' magnum "opus", I don't know what is. Superb work!

"In Dying Fire" is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard by anyone.

 

[neil wilkes]

Two quick comments:
If this isn't Neil Wilkes' magnum "opus", I don't know what is. Superb work!

"In Dying Fire" is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard by anyone.

I honestly think it is the best thing I have ever done to date - we are so pleased with how it came out I cannot even begin to describe it - the words are not there.

Everyone - Thanks for your kind words & support - it really does mean a lot.

 

[LizardKing]

The menu is pretty cool too..

I like how the finger points at what track you're on....

 

[user 1679]

I normally like to spin a disc at least a couple times before voting but as I had the mp3's for a while I was already familiar with the songs, and the 2 song teaser 5.1 cd that was shared gave me a pretty good idea what to expect. Just 2 or 3 songs in I knew this was a very solid 10 for me. I love the quirky songs and arrangements, the sonics on the disc are top-notch (no surprise given the names involved) and the 5.1 mix is outstanding - great disc to show off how good 5.1 can be and how it should be done.

Some of the comparisons already made are ones I hear in it too - Nilsson, XTC (though I'd refine that even more and say Dukes of Stratosphear!), Beatles. I also might add early Van Dyke Parks and maybe (Chris) Judge Smith.

I see in David Singleton's diary he's mentioned Songbook #2 already....bring it on says me!

 

[inquadwetrust]

Simply put - a glorious and life-affirming album. 10.

Superb song writing performed by an extremely solid pool of talent is always a good start but the surround mix that brings these elements into aural technicolor glory is absolutely wonderful. Engaging, even witty placement fills the room with a sound field that is sonically rich but never cluttered. Vocals breathe beautifully with an airy dryness that snaps archly against whimsical but vibrant brass and woodwind. Strings glide and soar in broad sweeps through the mix and the staccato punctuation of the more complex time signature shifts are a joy. You feel the music ebb away naturally only to be washed back at you except more revitalised and invigorated. It's a musical journey informed by a magnificently broad spectrum of classic influence. It manages to move effortlessly from feather light personal moments of introspection into wide expanses of vivid celebration and abandon. I'm hearing a work of people who love to write and perform, to engineer and record, to mix and master and once again, in the second decade of the 21st century it feels good to own a surround set up - it feels right. This is a modern and relevant album with immense intelligence and insight delivered via a format that I think is a reference release for the music industry itself, let alone QQers and beyond.

Count your blessings/oh my darling ones/yes count your blessings/that you are the lucky ones

 

[perzon57]

Received this disk last weekend and have played it several times.The fidelity and mix is top of the line.My problem is that I don't like the music.There is one or two songs I like a little,but overall it's not my cup of tea.I'll give it 5 for the mix and fidelity and 1 one for two songs. 6

 

[inquadwetrust]

Received this disk last weekend and have played it several times.The fidelity and mix is top of the line.My problem is that I don't like the music.There is one or two songs I like a little,but overall it's not my cup of tea.I'll give it 5 for the mix and fidelity and 1 one for two songs. 6

I feel compelled to say that this is what QQ is all about - balance!

 

[neil wilkes]

Received this disk last weekend and have played it several times.The fidelity and mix is top of the line.My problem is that I don't like the music.There is one or two songs I like a little,but overall it's not my cup of tea.I'll give it 5 for the mix and fidelity and 1 one for two songs. 6

That's fair enough - it is unrealistic to expect everyone to like it.
However I have to ask that if the fidelity & mix are top of the line, how come they only get a 5? (This is not a complaint, I hasten to add - just a question).

 

[Chiburb]

That's fair enough - it is unrealistic to expect everyone to like it.
However I have to ask that if the fidelity & mix are top of the line, how come they only get a 5? (This is not a complaint, I hasten to add - just a question).

I think he's just following Mr. Urban's guidelines in his 6/14 post above.
And have I thanked you for this masterpiece lately?

 

[perzon57]

That's fair enough - it is unrealistic to expect everyone to like it.
However I have to ask that if the fidelity & mix are top of the line, how come they only get a 5? (This is not a complaint, I hasten to add - just a question).

Hello
Fidelity and mix is half the package for me.Music is the other.Top music and lousy mix/fidelity could also be a 6 in my way of voting,but music will always be the most important part for me.So bad mix/fidelity and music I love may get a higher score the the other way round.

Regards

 

[kap'n krunch]

OK, I took the plunge, here I went, Burning Shed way....
If Neil is involved , I'm sure I'll like it , maybe not all of it, but we share musical tastes from what I've seen...

Cheers,
G

 

[neil wilkes]

Hello
Fidelity and mix is half the package for me.Music is the other.Top music and lousy mix/fidelity could also be a 6 in my way of voting,but music will always be the most important part for me.So bad mix/fidelity and music I love may get a higher score the the other way round.

Regards

Makes perfect sense to me.
Thank you!

 

[Chiburb]

I ask this as a relative newbie and mean no offense to veterans who've been here much longer:

How can a release described here and in the pre-release thread as aggressive surround, beautiful, demo material, Queen meets the Beatles, and MIXED BY NEIL WILKES who is an active participant all over these threads garner such low interest?

Color me confused.

 

[wavelength]

I ask this as a relative newbie and mean no offense to veterans who've been here much longer:

How can a release described here and in the pre-release thread as aggressive surround, beautiful, demo material, Queen meets the Beatles, and MIXED BY NEIL WILKES who is an active participant all over these threads garner such low interest?

Color me confused.

Thanks for the wake-up call. I just placed my order.

 

[quadsearcher]

Originally Posted by Chiburb View Post
I ask this as a relative newbie and mean no offense to veterans who've been here much longer:

How can a release described here and in the pre-release thread as aggressive surround, beautiful, demo material, Queen meets the Beatles, and MIXED BY NEIL WILKES who is an active participant all over these threads garner such low interest?

Color me confused.

Thanks for the wake-up call. I just placed my order.

I just placed an order also. A couple songs on the sampler were good, so, looking forward to hear more.

 

[pythonman]

Got my copy today. Very aggressive surround mix, but the music will take some getting used to. Yes, I see the Beatles influence, but there are no drums in any of the tracks, which makes the whole album harder to get into upon first listen. Very interesting and experimental, and I'm sure it may grow on me, and certainly it's demo material as far as showing off my 5.1 system is concerned, but not sure I'll be listening to it that often. Time will tell. Well done to Neil for the surround mix.