HiRez Poll Clark, Gene - NO OTHER [Blu-Ray Audio/SACD]

QuadraphonicQuad

Help Support QuadraphonicQuad:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Rate the BDA/SACD of Gene Clark - NO OTHER

  • 7

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 6

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 5

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 4

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 3

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 2

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • 1: Terrible Content, Surround Mix, and Fidelity

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    21

rtbluray

Hi-Res Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
QQ Supporter
Joined
Oct 31, 2008
Messages
9,422
Location
Middle TN
Please post your thoughts and comments on this 2019 reissue of the classic 1974 album from Gene Clark entitled "No Other".
This deluxe box set includes a brand new 5.1 surround mix of the album, mixed by @neil wilkes on both Blu-Ray and SACD.

(y):)(n)

71BM6-u%2B3bL._SL1000_.jpg

613mka1a0dL._SL1280_.jpg
 
Waiting anxiously for a report on the 5.1 mix! I have a copy of the deluxe box on hold at my local music store, but I'm really struggling about purchasing it due to the price. Glowing reports on the surround mix will be the deciding factor...
 
I've only listened to the surround mix once on the Blu-Ray and am in no way ready to vote. The fidelity is fantastic and the mix opens up the recording nicely. The mix is not gimmicky at all and it shouldn't be considering the music. The rears are utilized often for the excellent backing vocals. I need to really spend some time with this one. The session tracks sound great too btw.
 
Wow! I have to say I'm totally blown away by this album and mix. Neil Wilkes has done an incredible job here! It sounds so buttery smooth and the mix is absolutely fantastic! It's an absolute 10!!!

I was unaware of this album before I heard it was getting a multichannel remix but bloody hell what an album it is?! I love it it! The mix is actively discrete and just compliments the music perfectly. There's even some really good quad type panning towards the end...

It was really cool to meet Neil and some of the peeps from 4AD earlier in the week and I'd just like to say a massive thank you for doing an incredible job.

This is a strong contender for release of the year and is very quickly approaching desert island disc territory! :phones
 
This is great to hear! I just got word that my box has arrived at the store I ordered it, but I won't be able to pick it up until the 23rd. The album itself is very close to top 10 all-time territory for me (it certainly is top 20), and the arrangements and recording reallly make it a "made-for-surround" type album. Can't wait!
 
Reading this I can't to get home and listen to mine (I'm in Israel for a work visit at the minute, & its way warmer than the UK), I love the Byrds and have some Gene Clark in boring old stereo!
 
Reading this I can't to get home and listen to mine (I'm in Israel for a work visit at the minute, & its way warmer than the UK), I love the Byrds and have some Gene Clark in boring old stereo!

Be SAFE Duncan. Things are again escalating between Hamas and the State of Israel.

Am still keeping my fingers crossed for a stand alone BD~A.
 
Last edited:
Listened a few times to my copy. I really dig the music, I really dig Gene's vocal deliver. The fidelity is great and the surround mix simply fits the music. Really am enjoying this release.

My vote will never be about cost, or packaging. Just the fidelity, mix and content. Nothing more. :)

I voted a 9. Wonderful....

Edit - I should clarify, I'm listening to DTS HD Master on the bluray.
 
This is an enjoyable listen. The music and fidelity are excellent, and the surround mix opens the stereo field quite a bit. This is not a surround mix, though, that jumps out at you very often... the mix tends to have most of the instruments up front, with mostly conservative use of discrete elements in the rears. Generally, a lot of what you hear in the front channels is also in the rears but at a lower level. The center channel is very discrete with the lead vocal and other instruments occasionally found there (the lead vocal, however comes out of every channel at a pretty prominent level). Harmony/background vocals can come from anywhere (sometimes front, sometimes back, sometimes everywhere.) I'm not really a fan of the lead vocal coming from everywhere (although it sounds good here) because it means I can't adjust the rear channels louder without messing up the lead vocal level, and I'd really like to raise the rear levels to hear those discrete elements more prominently in this mix. There are so many instruments in these arrangements, it makes me wish a few more of them could have appeared discretely in the rears here and there (or maybe a lead solo). Overall, this will be my preferred version of the album to listen to, but I really wish it didn't cost $160, and that it didn't arrive damaged on the inside. I'll give this an 8. (3 for content, 3 for fidelity, 2 for mix, and no bonus point for the expensive, damaged box).
 
Last edited:
Fidelity is superlative and the mix is nicely immersive, if not aggressive, and serves the material very well. Nice job Neil.

I’ll admit I’d never heard this album before, but I’m blown away by the songs and performances. Simply excellent. Gene’s voice is so poignant at times, it almost brings a tear to the eye.

I can’t even begin to fathom how it was lambasted by pretty much everyone upon its 1974 release. All of those critics and especially David Geffen and Arista records can kiss my ass!

RIP Gene. You deserved a lot better.

A 10 for me.
 
I, too, had never heard this album before this release. I think it was @GOS 's dogged commitment to pick up the box set that convinced me to drop more money than I ever had on a single album, albeit in a lavish package. I'm with @Greg Z -- this is worth every penny. Unlike him, though, I've only listened to the SACD (TV should be coming soon so I can check out the blu ray!).

The album starts off pleasantly enough with a catchy little Byrds-esque country rock number, "Life's Greatest Fool," that made me think I'd be listening to an album full of such songs, mixed tastefully but not so very discretely. But when the second song, "Silver Raven," kicked in, it was clear to me that this had the possibility of being something very special indeed. Somehow the mix seemed to be opening up, the darkness of the song, Clark's falsetto, the haunting chorus taking the album to the next level, grabbing my attention--demanding it. And then comes the title track--and another sonic direction and much more going on in the rears. This is no country song--unless Sly Stone wrote the groove! And the song just continues to build, lyrically, musically, philosophically, transcendently! But wait, next is "Strength of Strings"! Holy Shit! Man, the mix just kept on opening up as does Clark's songwriting. What a testicular title for a song, and balls if he doesn't deliver! The lushness, the layers of the production really come through in the surround mix. And the album keeps getting farther away from country while somehow retaining its country roots . . . I have no idea how it happens because this song sounds almost modal, and the majesty of the lyrics and Clark's vocal tug at my heart and mind--sublime. "A Silver Phial" is up next with its beautiful harmonies and druggy anti-druggy tale. And then . . . the album's longest cut at 8:10, "Some Misunderstanding." What a track! That country feel is back and the majesty and melding of genres remains as Clark sings about how great it feels to be alive and the slide guitar and strings and background vocals underscore the epic beauty of it all. "We all need a fix at a time like this," and this is it, affirming life in its gospel-like flow. And away we go, back to the straight country feel of the opener with the penultimate song, "The True One." It's almost like these two country-rock numbers serve as bookends to all that comes between and all that blew me away with just how far Clark has taken the possibilities of country-rock. But he's not done. The album ends with the second-longest cut (6:04), "Lady of the North," a beautiful and penitent love song to his wife, who left him down in Southern California in the wretched excess of the recording process and partying and alcohol and drug use dragging on and dragging down, and to whom he would return, not really realizing his marriage was basically over. The backstory makes the song so much more powerful, especially coupled with the knowledge of the ultimate, inexplicable critical dismissal of the record and its subsequent commercial failure that resulted in a depression from which Clark never recovered. It all echoes through the song's final poignant notes.

The record itself strikes me as a timeless classic, a release of rare perfection lovingly restored and given a surround mix that enhances Clark's spiritual yearning and underscores the transcendence of Art. One of the true treasures of my collection and an undeniable TEN! Thanks @neil wilkes !
 
Last edited:
I, too, had never heard this album before this release. I think it was @GOS 's dogged commitment to pick up the box set that convinced me to drop more money than I ever had on a single album, albeit in a lavish package. I'm with @Greg Z -- this is worth every penny. Unlike him, though, I've only listened to the SACD (TV should be coming soon so I can check out the blu ray!).

The album starts off pleasantly enough with a catchy little Byrds-esque country rock number, "Life's Greatest Fool," that made me think I'd be listening to an album full of such songs, mixed tastefully but not so very discretely. But when the second song, "Silver Raven," kicked in, it was clear to me that this had the possibility of being something very special indeed. Somehow the mix seemed to be opening up, the darkness of the song, Clark's falsetto, the haunting chorus taking the album to the next level, grabbing my attention--demanding it. And then comes the title track--and another sonic direction and much more going on in the rears. This is no country song--unless Sly Stone wrote the groove! And the song just continues to build, lyrically, musically, philosophically, transcendently! But wait, next is "Strength of Strings"! Holy Shit! Man, the mix just kept on opening up as does Clark's songwriting. What a testicular title for a song, and balls if he doesn't deliver! The lushness, the layers of the production really come through in the surround mix. And the album keeps getting farther away from country while somehow retaining its country roots . . . I have no idea how it happens because this song sounds almost modal, and the majesty of the lyrics and Clark's vocal tug at my heart and mind--sublime. "A Silver Phial" is up next with its beautiful harmonies and druggy anti-druggy tale. And then . . . the album's longest cut at 8:10, "Some Misunderstanding." What a track! That country feel is back and the majesty and melding of genres remains as Clark sings about how great it feels to be alive and the slide guitar and strings and background vocals underscore the epic beauty of it all. "We all need a fix at a time like this," and this is it, affirming life in its gospel-like flow. And away we go, back to the straight country feel of the opener with the penultimate song, "The True One." It's almost like these two country-rock numbers serve as bookends to all that comes between and all that blew me away with just how far Clark has taken the possibilities of country-rock. But he's not done. The album ends with the second-longest cut (6:04), "Lady of the North," a beautiful and penitent love song to his wife, who left him down in Southern California in the wretched excess of the recording process and partying and alcohol and drug use dragging on and dragging down, and to whom he would return, not really realizing his marriage was basically over. The backstory makes the song so much more powerful, especially coupled with the knowledge of the ultimate, inexplicable critical dismissal of the record and its subsequent commercial failure that resulted in a depression from which Clark never recovered. It all echoes through the song's final poignant notes.

The record itself strikes me as a timeless classic, a release of rare perfection lovingly restored and given a surround mix that enhances Clark's spiritual yearning and underscores the transcendence of Art. One of the true treasures of my collection and an undeniable TEN! Thanks @neil wilkes !
Excellent review, Clement!
 
This is an enjoyable listen. The music and fidelity are excellent, and the surround mix opens the stereo field quite a bit. This is not a surround mix, though, that jumps out at you very often... the mix tends to have most of the instruments up front, with mostly conservative use of discrete elements in the rears. Generally, a lot of what you hear in the front channels is also in the rears but at a lower level. The center channel is very discrete with the lead vocal and other instruments occasionally found there (the lead vocal, however comes out of every channel at a pretty prominent level). Harmony/background vocals can come from anywhere (sometimes front, sometimes back, sometimes everywhere.) I'm not really a fan of the lead vocal coming from everywhere (although it sounds good here) because it means I can't adjust the rear channels louder without messing up the lead vocal level, and I'd really like to raise the rear levels to hear those discrete elements more prominently in this mix. There are so many instruments in these arrangements, it makes me wish a few more of them could have appeared discretely in the rears here and there (or maybe a lead solo). Overall, this will be my preferred version of the album to listen to, but I really wish it didn't cost $160, and that it didn't arrive damaged on the inside. I'll give this an 8. (3 for content, 3 for fidelity, 2 for mix, and no bonus point for the expensive, damaged box).
Bumping to a 9 since they sent me a replacement box :)
 
I had missed Clement’s review, but what an excellent summary of the album! It is definitely a «10» for content and fidelity. I would say an 8 or 9 for the mix - it is excellent, but I usually like an even more discrete mix especially with 70s recordings. This would have been an obvious candidate for a quadraphonic mix back when it was released, and if that had happened, I suspect it would have been a little different than what we get here. But all that said, the mix is great and the overall result deserves a 9 from me.
 
As this is most people's fave Gene album (but by no means his only good one), I can see why it's the only one so far to get the surround sound treatment. I won't even mention how there are no Byrds albums in 5.1 that I know of (hoping that will change) either. It's superb! If you're unfamiliar with Clark's music, and are interested, purchase thee, one of these boxes henceforth. And then go buy the rest of Gene's '67 - '77 catelog.

A 9.
 
While I have been a fan of No Other since only January 2008, (I found it in my iTunes purchase history) I have loved "Strength of Strings" for decades, since I heard it on This Mortal Coil's Filligre and Shadow (Please release a deluxe edition of this one 4AD). I had been casually following surround music for the past decade, basically keeping up on Steven Wilson releases and the rare new album from favorite artists that happened to be released in surround. The silver lining to COVID has been rediscovering my love for the format. It was amazing what I had missed in the years since my initial exposure. One of those things was No Other.

I was initially elated to hear a special edition with a surround mix had been released, then devastated when I saw what it was going for. I thought there was no way that I would be able to justify the cost. Luckily, I found one on eBay that was still above what I could stomach for "8 songs" and received an unexpected cash gift for Christmas. The gift allowed me to recalculate the price to something quite reasonable. Almost 13 years to the day, after I bought it on iTunes, the special edition arrived in the mail.

The set is magnificent. 3 SACDs and a Blu-Ray justify to me the original MSRP. If the Blu-ray is ever released as a stand alone disc, I think Pineapple Thief's Where We Stood might be it's only rival. The vinyl LP and Single are great, but will never be unwrapped. The book is a great read and a great expansion of the documentary on the Blu-Ray. The other extras included are excellent and the packaging of the individual discs is beyond any other set I have purchased. Even the label, 4AD enhances the experience of this set. It arrived with internal damage that many noted. After a couple of emails I received a brand new box yesterday.

That's a long introduction, to quote Mariusz Duda. The music on this release is phenomenal. The quality of the demos and the original album on the SACDs is exquisite. I used to think I was an audiophile, but never had the equipment or ears to justify the conceit. But these do sound great to me. It was a pleasure to put the SACD into my DV-45A and listen to the album in surround while working, The demo discs sound just as good and have many interesting differences from the final versions.

The true pleasure was bringing the Blu-Ray down to my listening theater and listening to the surround mix in its full glory without the distraction or work. The sound quality on my system is excellent. I love these mixes, they are very well thought out, none of the place this instrument here and leave it there or just stereo mirrored in the surrounds. Each mix is specific too and excellent for each song. The highlight for me is Silver Raven.

A Definitive 10.
 
Can I please say to everyone who has voted this mix so highly that - to borrow a phrase from an online news channel 'I love you all and there's nothing you can do about it!' This was one of the most fulfilling projects I have ever worked on, and huge thanks to 4AD who trusted me with this release as well as all of you guys for your positive comments.
 
Can I please say to everyone who has voted this mix so highly that - to borrow a phrase from an online news channel 'I love you all and there's nothing you can do about it!' This was one of the most fulfilling projects I have ever worked on, and huge thanks to 4AD who trusted me with this release as well as all of you guys for your positive comments.

This is one I truly wish would get a standalone release. I've probably bought close to 80% of the boxsets with surround in them and as much I love the music on "NO OTHER" I just couldn't convince myself to pay the price for this one. I seem to have a mental cutoff that won't let me go very much past the $150 point to secure a surround disc while the rest will almost surly rarely, if ever, leave the box. Shame, I really do like the music. Oh well at least I can stream it in stereo online. But thanks just the same Neil for all good work you do (y)
 
Back
Top