Patricia Barber - Modern Cool coming on Blu-Ray Audio

[haikubass]

From Premonition Records website:

On June 26, 2012, we will re-release Patricia Barber's modern cool this time on a high resolution, dual layer Blu Ray. Surround sound is a truly amazing experience and this project, remixed in surround at the famed Skywalk Ranch really captures the way surround enhances the listening experience. We're really proud of the results.

The new version of the 1998 recording that was later released as a stereo-only SACD by Mobile Fidelity can be pre-ordered here.

[Analogueghost]

Cool! I'll totally buy this! It'll be interesting to see what kind of surround mix we end up with.

[haikubass]

I've already placed my order with ImportCDs - great deal for $18.19 plus additional 10% off. Also Amazon.ca has similar price.

[wavelength]

This album utilizes the Pure Audio Blu-ray format which allows CD-like navigation.
More here: http://www.pureaudio-bluray.com/?page_id=2

[bmoura]

More details on the upcoming Patricia Barber Blu-Ray Audio disc at http://www.pureaudio-bluray.com/?p=876

New 5.1 mix by Jim Anderson, the original engineer on the recording at Skywalker Studios. 5.1 mastering by Darcy Proper (formerly of Sony Studios) and Stereo mastering by David Glasser at Airshow Mastering - the mastering engineer behind many an SACD release.

[Analogueghost]

Thanks for the tip! Pre-ordered mine tonight.

[hafquark]

This is great news. The stereo SACD was reference quality, and I've always wanted to hear one of her albums in surround. Also, it's exciting to see the release on a Pure Audio Blu-ray.

Ordering through Import CDs with 10% off the total price including shipping came to $19.36.

Thanks for the heads up!

[DennisMabry]

Ordering through Import CDs with 10% off the total price including shipping came to $19.36.

I did the same. I don't want to miss this.

[stormchaser]

My copy arrived today. Get that poll up! My copy arrived from Amazon.

[stormchaser]

I gave this a quick listen last night but I won't have time to really get into it for another week or so due to me heading off to Montana. I'm not sure what the "CD-like" navigation thing advertised above is. There is still an on-screen menu (albeit stripped down with the color buttons on your remote enabled to switch audio streams). As I said, this impression is based on a quick first listen: the audio quality sounds excellent to me with percussion bleeding into (and sometimes discretely placed) in the surrounds. While this genre is a bit too mellow for my tastes generally, it is a really pleasant album and I'm happy to support surround music on blu-ray.

[bmoura]

It's a really well recorded album. So I'm sure the 5.1 Blu-Ray will be good. Her style is very laid back - so QQ fans should check the sound clips from the album before ordering.
I'm not sure it will be everyone's cup of tea musically.

[SMS]

I just placed an order from amazon.ca. The mellow parts aren't my cup of tea, but the samples I heard seem to indicate there are some more upbeat instrumental parts as well.

[Analogueghost]

About halfway through the surprisingly creative surround mix now. I was worried that we'd get a mostly ambient mix, or that each instrument would be assigned a specific speaker and that would be the height of the interesting stuff, but I think that the mix on this disc is really adventurous considering the instrumental simplicity of this record. I expected this sort of playing around from the Flaming Lips and Depeche Mode, not from Patricia Barber. The sound stage on all of the songs so far envelopes the listener, and there are several elements in each track that are focused precisely on the surrounds. For example, the cymbals in the first track, "Touch of Trash," are scattered all around the room and I think it really adds to the uneasiness of the song. It probably helps that the album was so well recorded in the first place - seriously, listen to the stereo mix for a couple of tracks and FEEL THAT BASS!

Very highly recommended and I hope for more Patricia Barber releases from this team!

[SMS]

About halfway through the surprisingly creative surround mix now. I was worried that we'd get a mostly ambient mix, or that each instrument would be assigned a specific speaker and that would be the height of the interesting stuff, but I think that the mix on this disc is really adventurous considering the instrumental simplicity of this record.

This is great news! Thanks! I am very excited to receive this disc now! Amazon has shipped it, so I am hopeful that it will arrive before the long weekend.

[haikubass]

Holy mackerel, my copy just arrived today and I love it! The only letdown is the smell - nothing like your average freshly unsealed blu-ray

Boy I wish there were more Blu-ray Audio releases of this sound and mix quality... [sigh]

[Kal Rubinson]

About halfway through the surprisingly creative surround mix now. I was worried that we'd get a mostly ambient mix, or that each instrument would be assigned a specific speaker and that would be the height of the interesting stuff, but I think that the mix on this disc is really adventurous considering the instrumental simplicity of this record. I expected this sort of playing around from the Flaming Lips and Depeche Mode, not from Patricia Barber. The sound stage on all of the songs so far envelopes the listener, and there are several elements in each track that are focused precisely on the surrounds. For example, the cymbals in the first track, "Touch of Trash," are scattered all around the room and I think it really adds to the uneasiness of the song. It probably helps that the album was so well recorded in the first place - seriously, listen to the stereo mix for a couple of tracks and FEEL THAT BASS!

I am bothered by the mixing of Barber's voice in the surround mix. Any comment on it?

[haikubass]

I am bothered by the mixing of Barber's voice in the surround mix. Any comment on it?

Full frontal clarity; do not worry

[Kal Rubinson]

Full frontal clarity; do not worry

Not for me. The stereo track was great but her voice is phantom-imaged in the surround mix and, somehow, interacts poorly with the new center signals.

[bmoura]

Holy mackerel, my copy just arrived today and I love it! The only letdown is the smell - nothing like your average freshly unsealed blu-ray

Boy I wish there were more Blu-ray Audio releases of this sound and mix quality... [sigh]

The Blu-Ray smell? Hmm....

[wavelength]

The good: what a voice. I could listen to her forever. And the band/music is great in high rez. This is from a "I rarely listen to jazz" guy.
The bad: This is hardly a surround mix. The rears echo/minic the fronts throughout. It so discouraging when industry professionals do that. Sending out an SOS to SW.

[Kal Rubinson]

The good: what a voice. I could listen to her forever. And the band/music is great in high rez. This is from a "I rarely listen to jazz" guy.
The bad: This is hardly a surround mix. The rears echo/minic the fronts throughout.

Yup. That, too.

It so discouraging when industry professionals do that. Sending out an SOS to SW.

Agreed.

[SMS]

The Blu-Ray smell? Hmm....

LOL... I also noticed that the bluray artwork had a really strong smell. I've never noticed a smell that strong in any other blurary. Hopefully it goes away. I could barely leaf through the artwork as I listened.

Not for me. The stereo track was great but her voice is phantom-imaged in the surround mix and, somehow, interacts poorly with the new center signals.

I am not loving the mix either. Very few discreet sounds in the rears. And, I agree with Kal that the vocal imaging is not great. I found in most tracks the vocals were not anchored perfectly in the middle, rather it was very slightly left of middle. And, in some tracks the vocals came from the very far left. Anyone else notice the same? Unfortunately, I don't remember which tracks were far left. I'll have to listen again to get that info.

I haven't listened to the stereo mix yet either. Will try that.

However... I must say that this recording sounds amazing. The clarity and dynamics are very good. Despite an average surround mix, I am still happy with the purchase.

[Gmat25]

Enjoying this Bluray alot. I also have the MFSL SACD and its wonderful. It also had a bonus track (The Beatles Fool on the Hill) not found on the Bluray. My wife and I saw Patricia Barber Quartet last night in Chicago at the Green Mill Cafe in Chicago. I got chance to talk with her and told I really liked the bluray. She stated it was alot of fun for her to listen to.

[Philip Spinner]

Since I don't have a BD player yet I will keep mine sealed for now. Do you think the strong odor mentioned can harm the disc over time. Perhaps I should open it to air it out.
Phil.

[LizardKing]

I can confirm that this disc stinks!!!!

I like music, mix & SQ though... the mix sounds good to me....