HiRez Poll XTC - DRUMS & WIRES [DVD-A/BluRay Audio]

[rtbluray]

OK, so here is review Part 2 of 2 now that my Blu-Ray with bonus tracks has arrived.

To start, the first two bonus tracks in surround don't do anything for me, mostly because "Life Begins at the Hop" is an upmix and "Homo Safari" is just a weak B-side.
Thankfully when "Chain of Command" starts, it gets interesting for me again. When the guitars come in charging in it's such a rush! "Limelight" also sounds fantastic and stands head over heels with RUSH's 5.1 mix of their "Limelight". A lot of fun backing vocal mixing in this particular song.
When "Bushman President" comes up, it is yet another song that doesn't do anything for me. "Pulsing Pulsing" is at least a little bit better but still somewhat weak. At least the mix on that one is enjoyable enough. But then…

WAIT TIL YOUR BOAT GOES DOWN

Not only is this the best song amongst the bonus tracks but this is also the best mix as well. Sub sounds great on this track, and the ringing bell at the end is particularly effective!

And continuing,
the electric version of "Ten Feet Tall" is nice but still doesn't beat the warmth of the original acoustic version for me. "Officer Blue" is another filler track for me but like "Pulsing Pulsing", I may come to enjoy it later on with more plays. "Over Rusty Water" was a brief ambient track that I don't really get. "Sleepyheads" is like "Pulsing Pulsing" and "Officer Blue" in that I'm not a huge fan of it right now but it could grow on me.

What does this all mean for those of you debating to get this Blu-Ray release or not? The answer YES, you DEFINITELY should buy this release. The surround mix of the album is about as close to a perfect '10' as you could get, and just the fact that you get 10 extra new stereo and surround mixes plus all those fascinating demos and rehearsal takes makes this one of the best releases of the year by far!

 

[Perp]

Am I the only one that notices the "In The Room", holographic sound quality with the BD release? I recently updated my speakers and have started listening to all my surround discs again and , so far, I'm not hearing this effect with the few that I've tried including the last release of "Nonsuch". I mean, "Drums & Wires" seems so clear, close and real! "Relayer should be here in the next couple of days. I'll check that one too.

 

[ChristopherLees]

this is fantastic....... I just hope they find the multis for "Black Sea" and "English settlement"

 

[HomerJAU]

Dynamic Range info for those interestedL

foobar2000 1.3.4 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1
log date: 2014-11-05 18:09:37

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed: XTC / Drums And Wires
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DR Peak RMS Duration Track
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR13 -0.11 dB -17.04 dB 4:17 01-Making Plans For Nigel
DR12 -0.11 dB -16.66 dB 3:57 02-Helicopter
DR13 -0.11 dB -17.32 dB 3:07 03-Day In Day Out
DR12 -0.11 dB -15.30 dB 3:22 04-When You're Never Me I Have Difficulty
DR13 -0.11 dB -16.49 dB 3:15 05-Ten Feet Tall
DR12 -0.11 dB -15.01 dB 4:50 06-Roads Girdle The Globe
DR13 -0.11 dB -15.92 dB 3:50 07-Real By Reel
DR12 -0.11 dB -15.27 dB 5:37 08-Millions
DR14 -0.11 dB -17.59 dB 2:57 09-That Is The Way
DR13 -0.11 dB -16.19 dB 2:40 10-Outside World
DR15 -0.11 dB -19.18 dB 4:01 11-Scissor Man
DR13 -0.11 dB -16.50 dB 5:01 12-Complicated Game
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number of tracks: 12
Official DR value: DR13

Samplerate: 96000 Hz
Channels: 6
Bits per sample: 24
Bitrate: 7513 kbps
Codec: FLAC
================================================================================

 

[fredblue]

Dynamic Range info for those interestedL

foobar2000 1.3.4 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1
log date: 2014-11-05 18:09:37

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analyzed: XTC / Drums And Wires
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DR Peak RMS Duration Track
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DR13 -0.11 dB -17.04 dB 4:17 01-Making Plans For Nigel
DR12 -0.11 dB -16.66 dB 3:57 02-Helicopter
DR13 -0.11 dB -17.32 dB 3:07 03-Day In Day Out
DR12 -0.11 dB -15.30 dB 3:22 04-When You're Never Me I Have Difficulty
DR13 -0.11 dB -16.49 dB 3:15 05-Ten Feet Tall
DR12 -0.11 dB -15.01 dB 4:50 06-Roads Girdle The Globe
DR13 -0.11 dB -15.92 dB 3:50 07-Real By Reel
DR12 -0.11 dB -15.27 dB 5:37 08-Millions
DR14 -0.11 dB -17.59 dB 2:57 09-That Is The Way
DR13 -0.11 dB -16.19 dB 2:40 10-Outside World
DR15 -0.11 dB -19.18 dB 4:01 11-Scissor Man
DR13 -0.11 dB -16.50 dB 5:01 12-Complicated Game
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number of tracks: 12
Official DR value: DR13

Samplerate: 96000 Hz
Channels: 6
Bits per sample: 24
Bitrate: 7513 kbps
Codec: FLAC
================================================================================

Thanks Garry v.respectable set of DR results imho

 

[Laird_Williams]

Outstanding surround mix. 10/10

Musically-speaking - quirky as heck. LOTS of fun to listen to - but sometimes hard for me to sit through the entire thing in one sitting. 8/10

Overall - 9/10
Great purchase.

 

[himey]

Outstanding surround mix. 10/10

Musically-speaking - quirky as heck. LOTS of fun to listen to - but sometimes hard for me to sit through the entire thing in one sitting. 8/10

Overall - 9/10
Great purchase.

Funny that for me I can't ever remember just listening to a track or two on this album. For me it's one of those discs that blends into one great collection of tunes. This mix is great and makes this release epic if you add in the bonus stuff...

 

[peterzach]

Well I finally have had a chance to listen to both the Dvda and Bluray and can't really add to much to what others have said already, this is one fantastic package of songs and great value for what you are getting. The songs are at times quirky and jerky, not a turkey among them. I forgot how some of the songs are very Talking Headish like and just love,love the drum sounds on this 5.1, they sound BIG. The bonus songs on the bluray are also quite fun to listen to and are mostly new to me and still blown away that they are in 5.1.

This is not the best XTC album but can not complain with what was done, top marks to Steven Wilson and Andy Partridge.
This is a easy 10 for me as i don't get hung about the scoring as I don't think the scoring system is meant to say that this is a perfect album that is not not but this is a excellent 5.1 release and would highly recommend either dvda or bluray but the bluray wins this time as it is fully loaded feast of music on it.
Can't forget to mention top marks to Neil Wilkes as well on authoring, great job as always.

peter

 

[Laird_Williams]

Funny that for me I can't ever remember just listening to a track or two on this album. For me it's one of those discs that blends into one great collection of tunes. This mix is great and makes this release epic if you add in the bonus stuff...

I don't do that either. 20-25 minutes of continuous listening seems to be my limit, however, on this one.
I don't cherry-pick tracks usually (except for demos) and if I listen to the first half first time around, I will start with the second half next time around.

Don't get me wrong. It is excellent material. But an entire hour of that quirky bounciness is a bit like making an entire meal from dessert for me. I LOVE dessert. I even love large helpings of dessert. But listening through this from end-to-end feels a bit like eating an entire cake to me.

As opposed to albums at an hour or more that I put on, they finish, and I wonder where the time went.

 

[Philip Spinner]

I give a 10 for the 5.1. Fantastic. I may have to return my disc though. The last 2 tracks on the original master section (Scissor Man and Complicated Game) will not play at home or in the car. Anyone else have a problem here before I return it.
Phil

 

[fredblue]

I give a 10 for the 5.1. Fantastic. I may have to return my disc though. The last 2 tracks on the original master section (Scissor Man and Complicated Game) will not play at home or in the car. Anyone else have a problem here before I return it.
Phil

Those two tracks from the original stereo master play ok on my Cambridge Audio Azur 651BD (to all intents & purposes an Oppo BDP-93) and seemingly @192k (according to my AVR anyway) which was a surprise as didn't see that mentioned anywhere.

 

[Plan9]

I give a 10 for the 5.1. Fantastic. I may have to return my disc though. The last 2 tracks on the original master section (Scissor Man and Complicated Game) will not play at home or in the car. Anyone else have a problem here before I return it.
Phil

I couldn't extract these 2 track on my computer. I believe it has to do with copy protection.

 

[DuncanS]

I'm giving this BluRay a 9, I'm reserving the 10s! However, its a 10 for the 5.1 mix its great, the sound clarity is really good there seems to be lots of dynamic range (love the drums), so 9. XTC are not my favourite band, but I like them, so the new mix refreshes the album, so 9 for the album, in fact I have to say I like the songs on the additional mixes more, so 9.5 for them, possibly because they're new to me.

 

[rtbluray]

I listened again to the bonus tracks in 5.1 surround (except for "Hop" which is an upmix), and I now have a lot more of a favorable opinion of them overall than I originally did.
It could be because having just heard the album in surround a week before on DVDA before getting in my Blu-Ray, I could have been initially underwhelmed to the magnificence of the album mix (plus I also listened to "Relayer" for the first time that evening too)

Basically this disc is your excuse to get a Blu-Ray player if you have not gotten one already!

 

[Snood]

Snood listened to the DVD-A 5.1 Mix lossless...........Have not had chance to listen to the rest - also have the Bluray too - All Snood can say is............

Holy Freaking Kwap!!!!! Wanted to say Holy F-ing Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!!!

This 5.1 mix is in one word.............................FUN!!!!!!!

Had a Smile all the way thru with every song.................

If you are buying this for MAKING PLANS FOR NIGEL.............well yeah its a nice mix, but allllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll and Snood means all the other songs are soooooooooooooooo freaking awesome!!!!

In fact Making Plans for Nigel, altho a great mix might be the least intriguing mix on the album (maybe except Real by Reel).........which not to say it (they) sux but oh man all the other songs that might have before been like uhh yeah are now like FUN ROLLERCOASTER FUN!!!!

This Mix is so much F-ing fun...................can imagine Andy dancing in his chair listening to this. At least he better have been dancing in some way.

Thank You Andy...........D&W was not one of my fave XTC albums in the past, but it is now.

Love this hobby :51banana:

Andy get the next one out ASAP :snoodhug:

Seriously if you are a on the ledge about buying this..........do EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET now!!!!!

 

[IMachine]

I love real by reel.

 

[Snood]

I love real by reel.

Snood Like it too.......but not the bestest fun mix on the album. Wasn't one of my previous best liked tracks in stereo before so maybe a lil biased on that track. Still good tho. :banana:

Gonna give it another test run tonight and will relisten to Real by Reel

 

[mam]

Wow, i would say 10 points. Great. Music around my head.

 

[skherbeck]

This one took some work for me to get into... I'm new to XTC, with Nonsuch being the only other of their albums I've heard. While Nonsuch goes down smooth and easy like sweet tea, Drums and Wires goes down like a shot of tequila... It burns initially, but ultimately takes you higher! This disc is packed with the rocking raw quirkiness of an early Oingo Boingo (one of my favorites)... The surround mixes are discrete and active; the sound quality is excellent. These tunes are energetic, with inventive interweaving guitar lines (reminiscent of The Strokes), interesting melodies and intelligent lyrics. I give this a 9.

 

[fac23]

10 on all counts, except I don't like too many of the songs on this one - so voted 7... Feeling bad already.