HiRez Poll Yes - TALES FROM TOPOGRAPHIC OCEANS [DVD-Audio/Blu-Ray Audio]

[ssully]

I know this album inside out and I have to agree with all of your observations, with one possible exception. I always thought that SW's aim was to keep his mix as close as possible to the spirit and character of the original, rather than as close as possible to the original mix itself.

What does that even mean? Whereas with the original mix you have an objective standard, who decides what the 'spirit and character' are?

Whenever I've been disappointed with SW's Yes mixes, it's been exactly because he's changed the original mix in a way that's to my ears less good that Offord's original choice. And as a result, the 'spirit and character' suffer.

I'm thoroughly familiar with Tales, ridiculously so maybe, but that said, but still looking forward to listening to the new 5.1 mix in the next day or two. (I'm decidedly uninterested in the 2.0 remixes, for the Offord-era stuff. Going for the One and Tormato could use some help there, though)

(I've also got the the new KC 'Beat and "Three of a Perfect Pair" to plow through..an embarrassment of riches)

 

[Lycanthrope]

Finally, a dispatch confirmation from Amazon UK, about freakin' time too.

Did someone above say that they'd never heard TfTO? Wow, I can't fathom that, it's such a part of my history...

 

[GOS]

Finally, a dispatch confirmation from Amazon UK, about freakin' time too.

Did someone above say that they'd never heard TfTO? Wow, I can't fathom that, it's such a part of my history...

Yep, me. Never heard it. But, historically not being a YES fan, not so surprising.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bangdrum6]

Highly Recommended. The clarity of each instrument and vocal is outstanding. I stopped listening to the studio version of Tales about 6 months ago in anticipation of this release. Occasionally I listened to a few live versions in the mean time. Now I cant stop listening to this surround mix. I love it.

 

[bangdrum6]

The Wakeman solo (and accompanying music) that ended up on the album is an edit of the longer version heard on the 'Studio Run Through' of Revealing.

Eddie Offord's genius shone through again, on that. He gave that solo a dramatic arc by careful cut and paste.

Unfortunately Wakeman *never* played it that way live, in any version I've heard.

Ive read several articles in the past how Jon use to get on Wakeman about that solo live. He said " Rick will you get the solo right ". I have over ten different live versions of Tales . For that solo Ive learned to accept each show as a different experience. That solo then takes on an individual personality that can be very exciting, sometimes though it was awkward.

 

[ssully]

I think Jon was referring the Remembering, in the accounts I've read. The long keyboard part in the last third...that's the part Rick kept getting 'wrong', to Jon's frustration. They eventually dropped The Remembering from their Tales tour set.

 

[jefe1]

I had to vote 10 this is a superb remix and I appreciate the clarity to hear so much. Thank god there is no extreme bouncing/panning between speakers like an old style quad mix.... Got the album when it was new saw the tour with my brother way back then. This is not an album to rock out to or listen to everyday. It was adventurous very creative and complex music then and still a challenge for today especially the short attention span ear bud crowd.

I have listened a few times all the way through probably will not bother again with most of the extras. Will check out the cds in my car next road trip.
I still have a cassette tape of two of the sides I made years ago from the old vinyl I listen to once in a while.
I wish to thank Steven Wilson for what he is doing to save and reinvigorate these old albums he is a giant among music industry midgets.

 

[ifthenwhy]

Like many, I’ve always considered Tales to be a solid effort that suffered from an unfortunate and inaccessible musical bloat. Even Wakeman had this to offer on this Prog behemoth:

"“Tales From Topographic Oceans is like a woman’s padded bra,” he groused to one interviewer. “The cover looks good but when you peel off the padding, there’s not a lot there.”

So this offering has always remained at the bottom of my classic Yes pile. But, being that Wilson has undeniably knocked every other 5.1 Yes mix out of the park (Close To The Edge still brings me to tears) I simply had to try this one out.

And this is where the power of a 5.1 mix, in the right hands, becomes something almost occult like, as I now can finally hear the beauty in this album. Under the kind hands of Wilson, this music now sings in an entirely different way.

I have been forced to reconsider the music of this release, and this has never happened in my 5.1 travels. I am a bit mystified as to “why" this is happening, as I’ve heard the album enough to make educated summations of it’s worth, but I can now say that I was wrong, as this 5.1 release proves that Tales is a great Yes offering.

If one were ever to re-evaluate “Tales”, this 5.1mix should change their minds.

It did mine.

9 out of 10!

 

[ogrequad]

Like many of us, I've been anxiously awaiting this release since it was first announced, and I must say that it has far exceeded my expectations. "Tales.." is arguably my favorite YES album, and this mix elevates it to a whole new level. I especially love how the mix builds from song to song, getting more and more adventurous as it proceeds through each side, culminating with the majesty that is "Ritual". Highlights are too many to list but I'll mention the vocal crescendos in the final moments of "The Remembering", which left goose bumps on my skin and tears in my eyes. I'm not a religious guy by any means, but that moment almost made a believer out of me...

A 10/10 in every way possible.

 

[stormchaser]

Several reviewers above have used the word "revelation." I think that works here, in terms of the improvements in the sound quality, to say nothing of the mix. I still find this to be a bit too much self-indulgence on the part of the band, so I can't give this a 10. But the work done by Steven Wilson here is really amazing. So, a very enthusiastic 9 it is.

 

[bossfan]

Mine is now on order from Burning Shed. Never heard the album. I've heard parts of it on other live albums -namely Symphonic- so it should be interesting. Looking forward to it. Ttyl.

 

[MIDIQ]

After listening to this four times now, i like, it but my overall enjoyment is about an 8. So i voted 8. I like the album, it is just not going to be a favorite. Very glad to have it in the collection, and many thanks to those who pushed to get it done. The surround mix is very good, just the music is not going to be a favorite of mine. I have never owned this album in stereo, so i am new to this album.

 

[Ranasakawa]

Arrived in a cold stormy day. Ordered and received the 4 disc edition with the BluRay.
Played this tonight. What can I say?
Absolutely staggeringly beautiful surround mix by Mr. Steven Wilson
I hope he reads this, because he has re-created a great album into a masterpiece!
Thanks to all who were involved in producing this great music.

 

[himey]

Arrived in a cold stormy day. Ordered and received the 4 disc edition with the BluRay.
Played this tonight. What can I say?
Absolutely staggeringly beautiful surround mix by Mr. Steven Wilson
I hope he reads this, because he has re-created a great album into a masterpiece!
Thanks to all who were involved in producing this great music.

As a Florida boy, I never realized it got cold on Australia...

 

[ssully]

I know everyone's in their raving stage, so I'll be the usual counterpoint. I know this album extremely well. The music is spectacular, and Offord's mix was incredible*. The 5.1 mix has good points and bad ones. It's more successful than, say, Relayer (which I think SW botched) but not as consistently good as, say, his Fragile or TYA. Focusing on the positive, the biggest success is the last 3rd of 'The Remembering', the big Wakeman showcase then the triumphant outro. That works really well, better than Offord's 2ch mix. Throughout the new mix, drums and bass are certainly more forceful, which is often good. On the negative side: some of the contrasts between sections seem to have been smoothed out, reducing the drama; some effects are missing (perhaps not re-creatable, like the swelling transition from the end of 'Leaves of Green' to the loud instrumental coda of The Ancient). There are 'tones' I think SW got wrong, and some he got right; some of the new instrumental balances did not sit well with me (for the intro of the Ancient, SW seems to have reduced the bite of Howe's slide guitar; the whole three-part instrumental section in the middle, preceding Leaves of Green, seems less 'mysterious' now, somehow). Restoring Squire's full bass solo in Ritual was unnecessary; Offord chose wisely in cutting a naff bit of that out.


*The charge that the original mix was 'muddy' is belied, for me, by the sound of my old mid-1980s Japanese LP, and the (decoded) HDCD, which sound excellent, detailed yet, yes, 'warm', as well as the Rhino remaster, though I'm less familiar with that. I've not yet listened to the flat transfer, though, which, I suppose, will tell the real story.

 

[himey]

I know everyone's in their raving stage, so I'll be the usual counterpoint. I know this album extremely well. The music is spectacular, and Offord's mix was incredible*. The 5.1 mix has good points and bad ones. It's more successful than, say, Relayer (which I think SW botched) but not as consistently good as, say, his Fragile or TYA. Focusing on the positive, the biggest success is the last 3rd of 'The Remembering', the big Wakeman showcase then the triumphant outro. That works really well, better than Offord's 2ch mix. Throughout the new mix, drums and bass are certainly more forceful, which is often good. On the negative side: some of the contrasts between sections seem to have been smoothed out, reducing the drama; some effects are missing (perhaps not re-creatable, like the swelling transition from the end of 'Leaves of Green' to the loud instrumental coda of The Ancient). There are 'tones' I think SW got wrong, and some he got right; some of the new instrumental balances did not sit well with me (for the intro of the Ancient, SW seems to have reduced the bite of Howe's slide guitar; the whole three-part instrumental section in the middle, preceding Leaves of Green, seems less 'mysterious' now, somehow). Restoring Squire's full bass solo in Ritual was unnecessary; Offord chose wisely in cutting a naff bit of that out.


*The charge that the original mix was 'muddy' is belied, for me, by the sound of my old mid-1980s Japanese LP, and the (decoded) HDCD, which sound excellent, detailed yet, yes, 'warm', as well as the Rhino remaster, though I'm less familiar with that. I've not yet listened to the flat transfer, though, which, I suppose, will tell the real story.

You lost me at Relayer is botched.

 

[Ranasakawa]

Sorry mate, i'm not from Florida.

 

[ssully]

You lost me at Relayer is botched.

Yet you quoted the whole post.

Anyway, the flat transfer of the Tales masters, which I've listened to some of now, sounds very good. It also indicates that the bass has been boosted on the HDCD version. The HDTracks mastering is different from it too. FWIW.

 

[Elad]

I finally received my bluray on Saturday all I can say is oh wow, yes Tales can be bloated at times but the clarity and the depth just had me have an out of body experience.. It was great. I listen to everything but the ancient for some reason I always skipped that song when the cd came out maybe now I will listen to it.
What I did listen to was truly amazing Thanks Steven Wilson, thank you Yes and thank you for those on here that pushed everyone to get this out.. Life is good and the world is now a better place. I do not know what follows maybe we will get the rest of the Elton John SACD's out. But for now all is great,,
A 10 for me never thought this would come out !

 

[delarog]

Absolutely stunning. Best surround Blu-Ray I've heard all year. @: