HiRez Poll Talking Heads - BRICK [DVD-A DualDiscs]

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Rate the DVD-A of Talking Heads - BRICK

  • 6:

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 5:

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  • 4:

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  • 2:

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  • 1: Poor Mix, Poor Fidelity, Poor Content

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  • Total voters
    125

JonUrban

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This release has all 8 albums in "Advanced Resolution 5.1 Surround Sound"!

Post your comments here, and if they are released as individual titles in the future, we'll list each title seperately later.
 

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The "in-car" demo tonight was impressive as was the audition in the studio control room and I can't wait to play them this weekend. (I'll vote then.)

Kal
 
ArmyOfQuad said:
Has anyone else noticed there's something funny going on with the levels?
Give examples...I have only gotten to Fear of Music and sounds great so far (y)
 
They sound great, but I've found that on most discs, the menu and first song is louder then the rest of the disc.
 
ArmyOfQuad said:
They sound great, but I've found that on most discs, the menu and first song is louder then the rest of the disc.
Yes...the menu music is lower, I thought you were referring to the albums themselves. I didn't find much of a difference in the sound of the 1st song to the rest on each album.
 
Still trying to digest all of this....but my God it's a ten so far.
The biggest stand out so far....The alternate version of Burning Down the House......It's unreal....mindblowingly great. :eek: :mad:@: :banana:
 
was wondering if we'd be getting a poll for the box, or wait on the individual releases... now that i've been thru the entire brick i'll throw out the first 10. i find the whole project incredible. if you're a heads fan and a multichannel enthusiast, this is nothing short of manna from heaven. if you're not, wait for the individual releases of "remain in light", "speaking in tongues" or "naked". even if you never liked 'em in stereo, i'd recommend any of these just to soak up the 5.1 mixes - - the sounds come from flat-out everywhere.

more great news is that the early stuff with sparser instrumentation is wonderful in multichannel form as well (the alternate "acoustic" version of "psycho killer" with cello quickly comes to mind). i sure some will quibble about the cd sides containing more bonus tracks than the dvd sides, or the mere fact that they're dual-discs. i, for one, intend to just enjoy this treasure.
 
bugdaddy said:
was wondering if we'd be getting a poll for the box, or wait on the individual releases....

Let's treat the "brick" as a complete release voting-wise. It's so rare that we get any "pop/rock" titles we have to treat this as an entity.

If you get it, please don't vote until you digest it. Since this is a pricey unit, others will be watching to see if it's worth it and will appreciate a well thought out vote.

So far, I'm impressed. The only downer, that they are not "real" DVD-A's, doesn't really matter to me, as I would never play the CD side anyway! :D
 
This will take time, jon...but so far I'm very enthusiastic! Like the band itself, the mixes are dynamic, sometimes a little quirky, a lot of fun, and very layered, more complex than would first seem.

ED :)
 
I spent a few hours with these discs, and all I can say is WOW! (OK, I'd say more, but it's a family place here! :D)

This is a fantastic project. Aside from the fact that each disc is in a "Plain white jewel box" with nothing on the backside, it's all uphill from there. Each booklet has, on the inside front page, a word on the 5.1 remixing from band member Jerry Harrison, who created the mixes. This is a classic example of 5.1 mixes created to use the entire soundfield, and created by the original artist who is not "afraid" of surround sound.

This is such a refreshing change! When you hear these mixes, you will appreciate that they were created with care and thought by an original band member, and the results are, shall I use the word - STUNNING! :D

I am not a huge Talking Heads fan, but it's easy to see that I missed some great music by not being one. Of course, everyone who had a TV in the '80s knows the tune "Burning Down the House", as it was an MTV staple.

If you get this box a great place to start is the alternate mix of this song. If you are not sold on the purchase after hearing this, I would be suprised. It's tremendous, a sure fire demo track that will get even the most anti-surround type to take notice.

The famous video of this song is also on the same disc with a surround track that is different from the alternate version, yet still satisfying.

Much more to go through, however, this box is worth the price - I must say. Even if you only know a hit or two by this group, if you like the "hits", then you should go for the box, if only for the surround.

I mean, it's not like a ton of surround discs came out this week that you have to save up for! :D
 
JonUrban said:
This is a fantastic project. Aside from the fact that each disc is in a "Plain white jewel box" with nothing on the backside, it's all uphill from there.
Looks like there is something to look forward to in January then, when I'll be buying a few titles individually. How are the disks identified? Is there printing on the spines?

Some pictures would be useful. All I've seen is the plastic box so far.
 
I like these a lot, but FEAR OF MUSIC does not have the bass that I hoped it would. Awfully tame.
 
If possible, would someone please post which channels the main vocals appear to come from?

I guess I'm just curious to know if it is mostly coming from a phantom image created by using primarily the left/right channels? Or if vocals are placed primarily into the center channel?

Or is it even the same on all 8 discs? No doubt it takes some time to fully digest that multi-channel feast! Thanks!
 
If I have a gripe about the box it would be that there is no track information on the back of the cd cases. I hate taking the books out unless I absolutley have to and these booklets are a bit thick. I can see them getting ruined after a short time. I wish the discs were in regular cases instead of white. Other than that, this is one fabulous package!!
 
[/QUOTE] Remain in Light and Fear of Music so far have been the most revealing mixes. Born under Punches just screams right out of the gate.
I can not emphasize enough how good these mixes are.[/QUOTE]


Still am looking for comments regarding Fear of Music. Not enough bass in my opinion.
 
Terry,

Regarding Fear of Music bass I will try to listen this week. I noticed some songs have greater sub appeal and some albums vary in overall gain.
It didn't strike me as missing much, but I was really listening to the synths and effects that I had never heard with such clarity.

Songs like Mind, air, and Cities..... In particular the cities intro, I could actually hear the hammond comping on the chords before the lyrics kick it. Its interesting that the melody stands out a little diff in those first few seconds.

What I liked about this album was the surrounds. JH really singled out some stuff that was very buried on my original cd which was compressed to hell.

Right now I am listening to the cd sides for the bonus tracks which are also quality.

Thanks,

Andrew
 
Bob Romano said:
If I have a gripe about the box it would be that there is no track information on the back of the cd cases. I hate taking the books out unless I absolutley have to and these booklets are a bit thick. I can see them getting ruined after a short time. I wish the discs were in regular cases instead of white. Other than that, this is one fabulous package!!
I just got the "brick" today. Can't wait to take it home and give it a spin! I really like the minimal white look with the blank CD spines. I'm already very familiar with the albums but if I were not I could see that I would probably be annoyed with the packaging. As it is, I love it! I like the fact that the box itself is molded plastic plastered with 3D wording of the song titles. It adds great juxtaposition to an otherwise stark, minimal presentation. The package itself is a work of art, really.

Oh, BTW, the front covers look just like the standard CDs, so its just a matter of sliding them out of the box a bit to find which one you want to grab.
 
Okay, I’m just now coming up for air after diving into the Talking Heads box set. Wow. Very cool! I entered into this with a bit of hesitation given all the hype, but I am very happy to report that the hype is justified.

I started with one of the best albums ever produced: Remain In Light. I think Jerry Harrison himself describes it best:

"Remain In Light was the first album we remixed for 5.1. It seemed to be the perfect place to start. The overlapping, contrapuntal parts can now be heard in all their glory. From the three-dimensional swirl of "Once In A Lifetime" to the staggered choruses of "The Great Curve" to the hypnotic drone of "The Overload," Remain In Light is as dense an album as we ever produced, and I feel that these surround mixes bring these songs to a new level."

"Dense" is an understatement. I expected the surround mix to really open this title up --and it did-- to a certain extent. However, I was surprised to find this nut left largely un-cracked. I was hearing details and passages that I never noticed before, but beneath all the revelation were layers still begging to be peeled back. Perhaps an octophonic mix is needed to really open this gem up.

Be that as it may, the 5.1 mix is a completely new interpretation compared to the original stereo mix. The difference is like night and day. There are folks who abhor surround mixes because of some perception that they impinge upon the original stereo mix. I usually dismiss such nonsense, but in this case I can almost feel their pain. It takes courage to delve beyond the comfort of the familiar to explore the unknown; to face a situation that was once intimately familiar but is now alien. I felt that as I listened to the 5.1 mix of Remain In Light. The complexity of the mix and infinite layers seemed to amplify the discomfort of hearing the vast difference of the surround mix compared to the very familiar stereo mix.

But that feeling passed as I continued down the road of discovery. Numerous layers were peeled back, laid bare and I found that I wanted more! In this case, it is a desire that I am happy is still there. The 5.1 mix of Remain In Light reveals much yet retains all its mystery and intoxication.

Next I fired up More Songs About Buildings And Food. This was sure to prove much more sparse given the primitive density compared to Remain In Light. True, true, but comparisons here are unfair. Each Talking Heads album stands on its own with truly unique approaches to recording methodologies. I found the surround presentation and clarity of More Songs About Buildings And Food to be exceptionally satisfying. The approach here relied less on density and more on a stylistic presentation of elements. Very well done.

Finally, I listened to Fear of Music. Since this, too, was an earlier, sparser title I did not expect the sheer immensity in sound of Remain In Light. However, I was thoroughly amazed at the full, rich sound of the recording. The surround mix of Fear of Music really has an immediacy and cohesive sense of environment about it. It is certainly not ambient but, to me, it sounds like the perfect representation of an acoustical space constructed from discrete elements. A thoroughly enjoyable mix with an incredibly rich and detailed flavor!

I can’t wait to delve into the remaining titles. I am thoroughly enjoying the experience thus far. The visual elements and bonus materials are icing on the cake. The set is top-notch all the way through. I love it! A perfect 10!

(y)
 
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