10/10
This album is very dear to me as it formed part of the soundtrack to a formative couple of years in my life, along with a few others. But not only was it ever present in my ears 30 years ago, the lyrical sentiment was incredibly poignant and stuck a chord with me. So, when I saw the announcement for this title, and the inclusion of a new Steven Wilson 5.1 mix, I was somewhat excited.
I will come to the 5.1 mix in a moment, but I feel I have to mention all the other stuff in this box, as there is a lot here! Spread across six discs (4x CD's, 1x DVD-A/V and 1x DVD-V), this is pretty much as close to a definitive collection of all output from the SFTBC era. Disc 1 is much like the first disc of the previous 2 disc deluxe edition released a few years back, albeit that some of the tracks have been re-ordered. Disc 2 contains all of the single releases that would have been found on 7" vinyl, plus an audio interview with Roland & Curt.
Disc 3 is the 12" remix disc, gathering together the extended versions and remixes of all the singles. Disc 4 assembles mostly live output including 3 BBC radio session tracks and 6 concert recordings, rounded off with 5 early mixes of the singles.
Disc 6 contains the previously available "Scenes From The Big Chair" along with the Chris Hughes interview that was also on that DVD. This is completed by all the promo videos and a handful of BBC TV appearances.
All of these discs are presented in stiff card gatefold sleeves with various images of the era. Very nicely done. The content is, as I said, pretty exhaustive and is compartmentalised in a logical fashion. There are also two booklets, as there were with The Hurting box set, one of which is a tour programme replica, the other a superb collection of liner notes, interviews and credits.
And so to Disc 5!
Normally, I'd have been nervous about the quality of the mix of such a deeply personal album, but as soon as Mr Wilson's name was attached, all those nerves disappeared. And, after numerous listens, justifiably so. The DVD-A is presented in a simple yet completely effective manner, with simple menus that resemble recent HFPA Blu Ray releases. I'm guessing there's no point reinventing the wheel
There are multiple choices of audio across the two mixes and these depend on whether you're accessing the DVD-A Layer or the DVD-V Layer. They are as follows:
DVD-A
2014 Mix
MLP 5.1 96/24
DTS 5.1 96/24 (1536kbps)
MLP 2.0 96/24
1985 Mix
MLP 2.0 96/24
DVD-V
2014 Mix
DTS 5.1 96/24 (1536kbps)
Dolby Digital 48/24 (448kbps)
PCM 2.0 96/24
1985 Mix
PCM 2.0 96/24
So, all bases covered and the MLP quality is impeccable.
As for the mix, well all I can say is that it is a revelation! I have listened to this album more than any other in my collection, probably, and I thought I knew it inside out. However, the obvious clarity and channel separation that the 5.1 format provides really allows everything to breathe and occupy a wider soundstage than before. Steven's judicious use of the extra channels allows for breathtaking detail to be exposed but retains the fullness of the original production. Roland's vocal (and Curt's where applicable) reside in the centre without being too heavily focused there, and the various synths, drums and guitars are wisely placed in each of the songs. In Orzabal's homage to Robert Wyatt, the delicate yet quirky "I Believe", the detail is stunning, especially when the bass kicks in on the second verse. In the opener, "Shout", the Fairlight supplied SARARR patch (the breathy tone that permeates most parts of the track) is revealed to be far more intricate than I had ever imagined. "Everybody Wants To Rule The World", a song that suffered from horrendous overkill back in the day, now sounds triumphant and epic in a way I had never really known. And "The Working Hour", a song that could well have been the title track of the album if Curt had gotten his way, and which is, for many, the standout epic on this long player, does not disappoint in any way, shape or form. The detailed recording of Will Gregory's sax, and the sonic detail of the keys "clacking" is presented in pristine detail and the placement of all parts of this song is, quite simply, perfect. "Mother's Talk" actually feels quite different in as much as it was a real sonic collage that got unintentionally muddied in the original mix but now delivers such deep variety in its construction that it almost feels new!
But, if I had any anxiety about this release, it was around the classic "Broken/Head Over Heels/Broken (Live)" section. It had been revealed that the original multis for both versions of "Broken" had gone missing and that a 5.1 up-mix had been performed, using the Penteo software, to complete a full 5.1 mix of the album. This is, along with "The Working Hour" the highlight of the album for me and I was desperately concerned that it wouldn't work out well. But, whilst my ear can hear that it isn't *quite* the same in terms of channel separation as the rest of the album, it has been done so well that if you didn't know the history, you probably wouldn't question it. Suffice to say, my worries and fears have been allayed and the whole section works brilliantly.
And one has to commend both Steven and the band for sanctioning this as well as being honest and upfront about it, as many would've possibly given up on the whole project if parts were missing or had to be "fudged" in some way. But, in the hands of the master of this art, it has all worked out well.
Finally, some words around the words. Paul Sinclair has done a sterling job on the booklet, containing the interviews, track by track history and credits. And of course we must mention Neil Wilkes for his impeccable work on the authoring of a disc that works seamlessly and effortlessly, delivering all the content in a simple, yet effective, way.
So, it gets a 10/10 for the 5.1 mix and a 10/10 for the overall package.
I've yet to decide on whether I get the Blu Ray. All the content is replicated on the DVD-A and the resolution of the visuals would be the only (minor) difference. I have also been considering the two vinyl releases, one of the '85 mix and the other of the '14 mix, but, as much as I love vinyl and this album, and as much as I love to collect stuff, I think my money could be spent better elsewhere (such as "The Endless River" Blu Ray) and so will probably give them a swerve. I do think that a trick was missed in as much as they could've put ALL the audio from the box onto the Blu Ray quite easily, I'm sure, and heck, even the video content too, but I am very happy that Paul Sinclair pushed for the DVD-A in the box, if only to encourage adoption of 5.1 as a concept. A Blu Ray in the box would've been nicer, but I'm not complaining at all.
Box sets come in various shapes and sizes and this is a proper little powerhouse of a release, and at an excellent price point too. This is how to do it. A benchmark release