HiRez Poll Wilson, Steven - THE FUTURE BITES [Blu-Ray Audio (Dolby Atmos)]

Advertise with us
Find deals on ebay
Amazon
QuadraphonicQuad

Help Support QuadraphonicQuad:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Rate the BDA of Steven Wilson - THE FUTURE BITES

  • Total voters
    98
Regards the Atmos mix, i think it's very good. .It's very tight & controlled & not in your face, but i'm not sure if i cognitively perceive Atmos as i should ?? I suffer from a condition that affects cognitive function & i can't perceive, or see 3D image, which is quite disconcerting, especially when i immediately realised i couldn't. ( When my partner says, "the image is coming out into the room now" )
Any Atmos disc i own, ( music or film. ) i have never experienced that "overhead sound". Now it's either down to the position of my speakers, the cheapness of them, or the afore mentioned ?? I do suspect the very latter, but i can tell differences in quality of sound, i just can't perceive anything overhead, with anything.
 
The56Kid said:
Very interesting, Jon. I usually check both 5.1 options available on my multi channel discs and opt for the one with the highest MBPS rate displayed on my Oppo. It typically ends up being the LPCM track. Is this the proper logic?
Click to expand...

They are all lossless and the same resolution. The Kbps rate is higher with LPCM because it isn't data-compressed like the other streams.
If the masterings are identical, then they should sound identical.
(but apparently the DTS stream -is that the lossy core @JonUrban ?- is higher in volume than the Dolby)
 
I'm on board after all. I love the 'new sound' as much as I like his previous sounds, but in terms of composition most of the song on The Future Bites didn't grab me at first. Luckily, after a few spins, most of them do. In fact, the most easily accessible one, '12 things I forgot', is my least favorite. I agree with those who said it's more of a Blackfield song. The rest of the album sounds way more intriguing to me. More of that, please!

The mix sounds fantastic, both in 5.1 and in Atmos (using 4 heights in my case). I can't wait for the next one, hopefully that doesn't take another four years.

I just voted 9!
 
My vote calculation is based on the recommended voting framework proposed by JonUrban:
Surround Mix (30%) = 9.5
Audio Fidelity (30%) = 10
Content (30%) = 6
Overall Package (10%) = 6
TOTAL = 8.25 (Rounded to 8)​

SURROUND MIX: 9.5
The Atmos mix is awesome. But again, I prefer a slightly more adventurous mix.

AUDIO FIDELITY: 10
Great sound, production and clarity.

CONTENT: 6
I have been following Porcupine Tree and Steven Wilson since "Fear of a Blank Planet". I became a fan and I got all of his discography and I have to say that this album is not my cup of tea. It is good, but not as good as what Wilson has give us before. Or at least not in a level of what I enjoyed from his previous offerings.
After listening to this, I went back to listen to "Hand.Cannot.Erase" and "4 1/2" and it made me realize how much I miss more electric guitars and drums on this album. I'm more of a Prog guy, so that might explain why I don't love this.
I won't diss him for trying other things, but this is not one that I like a lot. There are good songs there, but this is not an album that hooks me.
I wasn't very excited after listening some of the singles before he released the album, but I got to say that the whole (album) is better than the sum of the parts.
Eminent sleaze reminded me a lot of Pink Floyd's "Have a Cigar" in sound and theme.


OVERALL PACKAGE: 6
I got the Deluxe Box set.... and I regret it. I should have followed my instinct and cancel it after listening to the singles and watching the unboxing video.
I should have bought the regular Blu-ray and that's it. The contents and design of this box set are kind of..... sterile. I didn't get the deluxe box of Hand.Cannot.Erase, but I watched some unboxing videos that made me realize that it was a great companion to the album. So when I wanted to buy it, it was sold out. So I decided to pre-order this one so I didn't miss it.
In this case, I guess the contents are ok based on the concept, but I feel duped. A cassette? I paid $130 CAD for the album, $66 CAD for shipping to Canada plus $41 CAD to DHL for import duties and taxes for a total of $237 CAD. The content and design of the box are not worth that. Besides, there are missing B-sides on the box (Eyewitness, In Floral Green, Move Like A Fever and King Ghost (Tangerine Dream Remix)). So if I want those physically, I need to purchase the singles.
Because of all this and the way the concept is presented, I feel stupid for purchasing the deluxe box set.

RESULT: 8
Buy the standalone Blu-ray. It is a very good mix and a great production. You might love the music.
 
sjcorne said:
I've got to disagree with you there--for me, that solo is the essence of the track. Have you seen the video? It's more than 'just' an extended guitar solo in terms of the song's narrative: it's like a wailing scream from the main character, once he's come to the horrifying realization that he's the one responsible for his lover's death. Had it been any shorter, the emotional impact would've been lessened.
Click to expand...
I could not have said that any better. One of my favorite SW tracks with one of my favorite guitar solos (and I'm not real big on solos). Guthrie Govan absolutely nails it on this one and it just works so well in the context of the song. I think I'll listen to it later (video included).
 
Been through this 4 times on Tidal,and I like it better now than after the first listen.Will not vote before I listened to the BD,the fidelity will be better from disc.Suppose it will be an 8.
 
Last edited:
edisonbaggins said:
What to vote?
Mixes? Stellar. Sound? Perfect. Music? Errr...
The Life in Surround review!
Click to expand...


The whole reason i love this new album so much, is that it's the first Steven Wilson album that i want to & can listen to on repeat. The two other titles i own, i can't do that, ( The Raven, ( especially ) & To The Bone, ( although, i can enjoy that more. )
It's precisely that's it's not his typical Prog Rock, that i'm enjoying it so much. It's addictive, infectious, hooks that immediately get into your head, ( If you're prepared to get out of your Prog Rock head ! ) It's a cohesive group of songs & it all gels well together, rather than some Prog Rock dirge that goes off in so many tangents, that it disappears up it's own orifice, for example : "Luminol".
I'm not against music going off in tangents, changing direction, ( as you can see from my profile name. ) it's when it's done well, i.e. that there's still a cohesion, i.e. that you still know it's the same song, even though it's changed direction, for example listen to songs such as "Better World" & "Home Of The Brave", ( by my favourite group. )
Just musically "throwing in the kitchen sink" does not make it good music & by the same token, not having the guitar / solo or real drums, doesn't make music anything less. The best music has essentially always been about melody, without that it's lifeless.
I'm not knocking Steven Wilson fans that like his Prog Rock style, i just think there's more to music than this, for ANY artist, if they stick to the "same old, same old" what's the point ?? Where's the creativity & excitement in that ??
I've been listening to "The Raven..." again, while typing this post.....the same feelings about "Luminol"......then you get the wonderful, beautiful song that is "Drive Home", albeit spoiled a little by that extended guitar solo......& now listening to the "Holy Drinker"......we're back to that "kitchen sink", again.
I can appreciate all music & i can pick out bits of each song, but for me enjoyment of listening to a song, is enjoying from beginning to the end, i just can't do that with Steven's particular style, or other artists in that vain. Many, many of you will disagree with my thoughts & observations, especially as so much of surround sound releases is the Prog Rock style, but i'm very happy & pleasantly surprised to listen to "TFB", which i know i can enjoy for years to come......
 
After Wilson's recent projects, I kinda went into this album with a bit of cautious optimism. It seemed to clearly right off the bat have that usual idea of consumerism amung other themes that Wilson has done in the past. Clearly, with the album art, the LIMITED EDITION DELUXE BOX SET design and the overall aesthetic, it's clear he's going for that. I don't hate the idea of having that theme, but since I'm used to his not so great lyricism in the past, it didn't exactly get me all that excited. Hey, at least the lyrics can't be as bad as Fear of a Blank Planet (great album despite that though) right?

Yep, they can be as bad. Taking from a comment from rym... "The lyrics on this album are like something a 14-year-old would write after watching Black Mirror". Though I'd rather try to stay on the positive and not rag on the lyrics, cus great albums can still have meh, even cringey lyrics. So how's the music?

Steven still seems to be on his Art Pop sound, not too far off from To The Bone. This isn't a bad thing on it's own, I actually see a lot of potential in this sound, especially when he can make great tracks like King Ghost, or Art Pop epic's like Personal Shopper. When the stars align where he combines his creative songwriting abilities, with great melodies and addictive hooks, he can really make some great stuff. Unfortunately the moments in which the stars align like those tracks on this album are few and far between. You've got stracks like Eminent Sleaze which just have really annoying hooks and overly big sounding instrumentals which sounds like one of the most surface level interpretations of what modern pop can sound like. Then you've also got just generic uninsteresting pop rock tracks like 12 Thing I forgot which not only screw up the flow of the album but also feel underwritten and generic for the sound.

Aside from the writing on this album, one of it's worst flaws to me is the flow. The flow of track's here just doesn't work, the transitions are off and the songs do not compliment each other like a well planned out/written album should. One thing that'd make a lot of these lesser moments not be as bad would be to have them in a spot that actually makes sense and feels right. Having a gorgeous melancholic ambient pop track (King ghost) go into a power pop/rock track (12 Things I Forgot) then into the albums worst moment, just doesn't sound right here. Even if the genre's aren't necessarily a problem there's something that sounds very weird about the flow of this album, and it really just makes me dislike it even more.

Though, even through all of my criticisms, there's a few moments on here to love. King Ghost as mentioned before is a gorgeous almost symphonic ambient pop track with these absolutely gorgeous arpeggios in the chorus that genuinely make you feel like you're floating. It seems like one of the least preachy tracks on this thing and is definitely a highlight. While it is still preachy and has some of the worst lyrics on this whole album, Personal Shopper is a genuinely addicting track with a fantastic flow and bombastic chorus. I didn't like it as a single before, but hearing it in full with the rest of the album made me change my mind. Sure it's pretentious, but damn it's so catchy.

I want to be clear as well (well this might burn some bridges), I'm not one of those boomers who has this idiotic idea that music that was made in the 2010's is automatically bad, or that simple modern pop tracks are automatically horrible because of my own pretentious bad taste or someone who says music has to be some sort of odd time signature to be "real music" even though that isn't even experimental these days etc. I adore pop music and consume a ton of it. After all, one of my favorite albums of the decade was grimes' art angels. The thing that seperates this from all of the great pop music to come out lately is that this doesn't have as good songwriting, lyrics, creativity etc., not because it's simply pop music.

Oh I almost forgot to mention the mix/sonics, it's great but not the best I've heard from Mr. Wilson. The rears are used plenty and it certainly is a discrete mix, it just isn't all that special when it comes to some of his work. I think part of it is that this album doesn't really sound like an album to take massive advantage of all of the extra speakers. If he were to make more crazy panning then I think it would start to take away from the music. So the mix is great, no problems here. One thing I did notice though is that some parts just don't sound as good as I'd usually expect. Some parts sound a bit lo-res, especially the drums. Dynamics aren't an issue here, right balance of compression and limiting.

Can't say I'm surprised but I'm glad I gave it a listen, and I still look forward to see where he takes his sound next.

5/10
 
RelentlesSausage said:
After Wilson's recent projects, I kinda went into this album with a bit of cautious optimism. It seemed to clearly right off the bat have that usual idea of consumerism amung other themes that Wilson has done in the past. Clearly, with the album art, the LIMITED EDITION DELUXE BOX SET design and the overall aesthetic, it's clear he's going for that. I don't hate the idea of having that theme, but since I'm used to his not so great lyricism in the past, it didn't exactly get me all that excited. Hey, at least the lyrics can't be as bad as Fear of a Blank Planet (great album despite that though) right?

Yep, they can be as bad. Taking from a comment from rym... "The lyrics on this album are like something a 14-year-old would write after watching Black Mirror". Though I'd rather try to stay on the positive and not rag on the lyrics, cus great albums can still have meh, even cringey lyrics. So how's the music?

Steven still seems to be on his Art Pop sound, not too far off from To The Bone. This isn't a bad thing on it's own, I actually see a lot of potential in this sound, especially when he can make great tracks like King Ghost, or Art Pop epic's like Personal Shopper. When the stars align where he combines his creative songwriting abilities, with great melodies and addictive hooks, he can really make some great stuff. Unfortunately the moments in which the stars align like those tracks on this album are few and far between. You've got stracks like Eminent Sleaze which just have really annoying hooks and overly big sounding instrumentals which sounds like one of the most surface level interpretations of what modern pop can sound like. Then you've also got just generic uninsteresting pop rock tracks like 12 Thing I forgot which not only screw up the flow of the album but also feel underwritten and generic for the sound.

Aside from the writing on this album, one of it's worst flaws to me is the flow. The flow of track's here just doesn't work, the transitions are off and the songs do not compliment each other like a well planned out/written album should. One thing that'd make a lot of these lesser moments not be as bad would be to have them in a spot that actually makes sense and feels right. Having a gorgeous melancholic ambient pop track (King ghost) go into a power pop/rock track (12 Things I Forgot) then into the albums worst moment, just doesn't sound right here. Even if the genre's aren't necessarily a problem there's something that sounds very weird about the flow of this album, and it really just makes me dislike it even more.

Though, even through all of my criticisms, there's a few moments on here to love. King Ghost as mentioned before is a gorgeous almost symphonic ambient pop track with these absolutely gorgeous arpeggios in the chorus that genuinely make you feel like you're floating. It seems like one of the least preachy tracks on this thing and is definitely a highlight. While it is still preachy and has some of the worst lyrics on this whole album, Personal Shopper is a genuinely addicting track with a fantastic flow and bombastic chorus. I didn't like it as a single before, but hearing it in full with the rest of the album made me change my mind. Sure it's pretentious, but damn it's so catchy.

I want to be clear as well (well this might burn some bridges), I'm not one of those boomers who has this idiotic idea that music that was made in the 2010's is automatically bad, or that simple modern pop tracks are automatically horrible because of my own pretentious bad taste or someone who says music has to be some sort of odd time signature to be "real music" even though that isn't even experimental these days etc. I adore pop music and consume a ton of it. After all, one of my favorite albums of the decade was grimes' art angels. The thing that seperates this from all of the great pop music to come out lately is that this doesn't have as good songwriting, lyrics, creativity etc., not because it's simply pop music.

Oh I almost forgot to mention the mix/sonics, it's great but not the best I've heard from Mr. Wilson. The rears are used plenty and it certainly is a discrete mix, it just isn't all that special when it comes to some of his work. I think part of it is that this album doesn't really sound like an album to take massive advantage of all of the extra speakers. If he were to make more crazy panning then I think it would start to take away from the music. So the mix is great, no problems here. One thing I did notice though is that some parts just don't sound as good as I'd usually expect. Some parts sound a bit lo-res, especially the drums. Dynamics aren't an issue here, right balance of compression and limiting.

Can't say I'm surprised but I'm glad I gave it a listen, and I still look forward to see where he takes his sound next.

5/10
Click to expand...
So...another knock - I go back and listen again...loved it even more - changed my vote to a 10. Love the sound, mix, & style. On the contrary, I find SW’s work more mature and true to his influences. Moving forward and leaving things behind. Marriage and children have had a healthy effect on his writing. The nihilistic, teenage drones of PT are behind him. Adult musings and a facile control of his musical/compositional/technical skills coming together.
 
JimHansonDC said:
It's even more awesome sounding. Lots of room treatments incl bass traps all four corners and it's a Martin Logan LRC & Surrounds run by McIntosh & Carver amps w/ a Trinnov preamp that does an insane amplitude, delay and phase correction. Audio bliss.
Click to expand...
Dayuuuum! Even your description sounds like audio bliss!
 
RelentlesSausage said:
If he were to make more crazy panning then I think it would start to take away from the music.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure how much more crazy panning he could've added! There are things flying around in almost every song--it gets particularly nutty with the synth freakout at the end of "Personal Shopper" and guitar solo in "Follower".
 
sjcorne said:
I'm not sure how much more crazy panning he could've added! There are things flying around in almost every song--it gets particularly nutty with the synth freakout at the end of "Personal Shopper" and guitar solo in "Follower".
Click to expand...
Heh maybe I didn't notice it when I gave it a listen, I think I'll give it another listen sooner or later.
 
elmer said:
So...another knock - I go back and listen again...loved it even more - changed my vote to a 10. Love the sound, mix, & style. On the contrary, I find SW’s work more mature and true to his influences. Moving forward and leaving things behind. Marriage and children have had a healthy effect on his writing. The nihilistic, teenage drones of PT are behind him. Adult musings and a facile control of his musical/compositional/technical skills coming together.
Click to expand...
Hey I'm glad you enjoy it! Wish I did more haha ;)
 
edisonbaggins said:
What to vote?
Mixes? Stellar. Sound? Perfect. Music? Errr...
The Life in Surround review!
Click to expand...

I agree with pretty much your entire review. The album is not my cup of tea musically, but I appreciate the nihilistic concept he's trying to express. Maybe the lack of 'virtuoso musicianship' is also part of that concept. Who knows.
Anyway, great review and no offense to anyone who loves the album.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

rtbluray
  • Sticky
  • Poll
HiRez Poll XTC - SKYLARKING [Blu-Ray Audio (Dolby Atmos)]
2
Replies
31
Views
4K
FusionHead
F
rtbluray
  • Sticky
  • Poll
HiRez Poll King Crimson - RED (50th Anniversary) [Blu-Ray Audio (Dolby Atmos)]
Replies
3
Views
779
dquad
D
rtbluray
  • Sticky
  • Poll
HiRez Poll Ultravox - LAMENT [Blu-ray Audio (Dolby Atmos)]
Replies
7
Views
2K
dquad
D
rtbluray
  • Sticky
  • Poll
HiRez Poll Tears For Fears - SONGS FOR A NERVOUS PLANET [Blu-Ray Audio (Dolby Atmos)]
Replies
6
Views
1K
DrKlahn
DrKlahn
rtbluray
  • Sticky
  • Poll
HiRez Poll Storm Corrosion - STORM CORROSION [Blu-Ray Audio (Dolby Atmos)]
2
Replies
23
Views
2K
bgf1973
bgf1973

Latest posts

Back
Top