HiRez Poll Gentle Giant - FREE HAND [Blu-Ray Audio]

[rtbluray]

Please post your thoughts and comments on this 2021 reissue of the classic album "Free Hand" by Gentle Giant.
This new release features THREE different surround sound versions of the album: a new 2021 5.1 surround mix, a new 2021 Dolby Atmos mix, and the original Quadraphonic mix that was originally released on DVD-V in 2012. The 2021 mixes were remixed by Steven Wilson.

 

[IMachine]

The best release of 2021 so far.
Steven was brave this time and got permission!
Gentle Giant music screams for that kind of production and Steven strikes the bullseye again.
10!

 

[beerking]

What he said...
We keep asking 'Can Steve get any better with his mixes?'
Well to my ears he has moved up another notch with his meticulous attention to detail.
I admit I am not a huge fan of Gentle Giants music but this release is gradually changing my mind, as it brings out more of what the band were trying to achieve, in its originality and musicianship .
A freely given 10 +

 

[5.1 4 Life]

Received mine today and playing it now. My favorite Gentle Giant album finally has a 5.1 mix worthy of it. I voted 10 out of 10! I know that Interview & The Missing Piece are coming soon, I hope that they do a 'stand-alone' release of the 5.1 Blu-Ray of the Debut Album as well.

 

[gene]

Just got my copy. So far it's amazing!
Another home run mix from Steve

 

[Matt Wilson]

Hot damn, another great GG album from Wilson! Giant never released a mediocre LP from the debut through Playing the Fool, and I welcome any 5.1 mix Steve cares to bestow on us. I hope they find the multis so we can eventually get Acquiring the Taste, Two Friends, In a Glass House and even the rest of Octopus in full. Like Power & the Glory, there's video for all the songs and the price is right.
A 10.

 

[madscot]

Hot damn, another great GG album from Wilson! Giant never released a mediocre LP from the debut through Playing the Fool, and I welcome any 5.1 mix Steve cares to bestow on us. I hope they find the multis so we can eventually get Acquiring the Taste, Two Friends, In a Glass House and even the rest of Octopus in full. Like Power & the Glory, there's video for all the songs and the price is right.
A 10.

The rest of Octopus! What do you mean, are there tracks missing?

 

[tlake6659]

The rest of Octopus! What do you mean, are there tracks missing?

For some of the tracks the multis were missing so they did an upmix.

 

[colsky]

Have listened to this 4 times so far, plus the instrumentals. Man of few words and I'm watching football on TV - stunning, probably the best GG mix so far - score definite 10.

 

[IMachine]

Have listened to this 4 times so far, plus the instrumentals. Man of few words and I'm watching football on TV - stunning, probably the best GG mix so far - score definite 10.

Me too

 

[Werno]

I just received this, a day before I go on vacation so I'm getting one quick listen before leaving my surround system for two weeks. Wish Amazon still shipped things to arrive on release day, I'd have had all weekend to check it out. Sounding like a 10 so far. I had to take it out of my Oppo BDP-83 where it stalled out after the 'Alucard' logo and put it in my Sony Blu-ray player to hear it, curious if anyone else had problems with specific players.

 

[perzon57]

Got this in today and I have to say I'm a little underwhelmed.After reading the panygyric reviews here I expected a little more omp in the height speakers.The music is top and the mix is good,but not as elevated as I hoped for.Yello and Kraftwerk mix's has spoiled me I guess.
Will listen some more before I vote,but it will not be a 10,that's for sure.

 

[AYanguas]

Received today from amazon.

Very special album for me as I was studying my university career, in 1977, listening to it. It was one of my firsts vinyl’s I bought after King Crimson and Genesis.

Once more again…. Why they think that our brains are short to cope with both Atmos and animated film at the same time? The Dolby Atmos mix does have ONLY a static picture. I will have to make a MKV composition with the other visuals and Dolby Atmos Tracks. Anyway, the animations are not as good as the ones from “The Power And The Glory” Blu-ray.

I like the new Steven Wilson Atmos mix. It is not too aggressive, without many ping-pong of sounds bouncing off the walls, like Yello-Point. But it is enough discrete. Good separation of instruments and good “immersive bubble”. The Tops/heights are well used in general, and you hear pans of instruments passing above you.

I think, overall, it is very good crafted mix. So a 10 for me.

EASTER EGG:

I do not know if this has been commented before or somewhere else.
There is a hidden song, at least I cannot access it from the Blu-ray menu.

It is in the file 00020.m2ts and contains the track “Just The Same (Outtake)” in Stereo 24-96. It is 6 minutes of good instrumental that seems to be an alternate take, or demo, or special mix. I like it.

 

[colsky]

EASTER EGG:

I do not know if this has been commented before or somewhere else.
There is a hidden song, at least I cannot access it from the Blu-ray menu.

It is in the file 00020.m2ts and contains the track “Just The Same (Outtake)” in Stereo 24-96. It is 6 minutes of good instrumental that seems to be an alternate take, or demo, or special mix. I like it.
[/QUOTE]
You can get to it from the menu. Go to instrumentals, then tracks, across to Just the Same, then press right on remote! I agree it's excellent isn't it.

 

[AYanguas]

EASTER EGG:

I do not know if this has been commented before or somewhere else.
There is a hidden song, at least I cannot access it from the Blu-ray menu.

It is in the file 00020.m2ts and contains the track “Just The Same (Outtake)” in Stereo 24-96. It is 6 minutes of good instrumental that seems to be an alternate take, or demo, or special mix. I like it.

You can get to it from the menu. Go to instrumentals, then tracks, across to Just the Same, then press right on remote! I agree it's excellent isn't it.
[/QUOTE]

Thanks. I got it and I can access it also.

 

[colsky]

You can get to it from the menu. Go to instrumentals, then tracks, across to Just the Same, then press right on remote! I agree it's excellent isn't it.

No.

I mean "Just the Same (Outtake)" (06:06 duration) not "Just The Same" (05:35 duration) that is the same original song without vocals. In the Instrumentals there are only 7 tracks, the same as all the album versions.

"Just the Same (Outtake)" is a different track with alternate different music.

You can find it in the 00020.m2ts file, linked from 00007.MPLS playlist (single track). But I cannot access that from anywhere in the Blu-Ray menu.

Here you have the static picture from the video 00020.m2ts:

View attachment 68442
[/QUOTE]
It's there where I said, I'm sure, I listened to it yesterday. Definitely the outtake version. Sorry, I can't check it now, as football is on TV, again!

 

[5.1 4 Life]

Received today from amazon.

Very special album for me as I was studying my university career, in 1977, listening to it. It was one of my firsts vinyl’s I bought after King Crimson and Genesis.

Once more again…. Why they think that our brains are short to cope with both Atmos and animated film at the same time? The Dolby Atmos mix does have ONLY a static picture. I will have to make a MKV composition with the other visuals and Dolby Atmos Tracks. Anyway, the animations are not as good as the ones from “The Power And The Glory” Blu-ray.

I like the new Steven Wilson Atmos mix. It is not too aggressive, without many ping-pong of sounds bouncing off the walls, like Yello-Point. But it is enough discrete. Good separation of instruments and good “immersive bubble”. The Tops/heights are well used in general, and you hear pans of instruments passing above you.

I think, overall, it is very good crafted mix. So a 10 for me.

EASTER EGG:

I do not know if this has been commented before or somewhere else.
There is a hidden song, at least I cannot access it from the Blu-ray menu.

It is in the file 00020.m2ts and contains the track “Just The Same (Outtake)” in Stereo 24-96. It is 6 minutes of good instrumental that seems to be an alternate take, or demo, or special mix. I like it.

Thanks for Easter Egg info on the Free Hand Blu-Ray (and I thought those things were dead). The version of Alternate Take of "Just The Same" that plays sounds to me like a rehearsal for the song. Essential listening for Gentle Giant fans!

 

[AYanguas]

No.

I mean "Just the Same (Outtake)" (06:06 duration) not "Just The Same" (05:35 duration) that is the same original song without vocals. In the Instrumentals there are only 7 tracks, the same as all the album versions.

"Just the Same (Outtake)" is a different track with alternate different music.

You can find it in the 00020.m2ts file, linked from 00007.MPLS playlist (single track). But I cannot access that from anywhere in the Blu-Ray menu.

Here you have the static picture from the video 00020.m2ts:

View attachment 68442

It's there where I said, I'm sure, I listened to it yesterday. Definitely the outtake version. Sorry, I can't check it now, as football is on TV, again!
[/QUOTE]

Yes. Oops. I did find it already (press right on the original instrumental song).
I edited my post to remove all this explanation above, but I was late, and you got my post.

BTW, I'm curious how you know this (press right). Is it documented or posted somewhere?

 

[colsky]

It's there where I said, I'm sure, I listened to it yesterday. Definitely the outtake version. Sorry, I can't check it now, as football is on TV, again!

Yes. Oops. I did find it already (press right on the original instrumental song).
I edited my post to remove all this explanation above, but I was late, and you got my post.

BTW, I'm curious how you know this (press right). Is it documented or posted somewhere?
[/QUOTE]
A post on Hoffman site I think. Football has gone to penalties!

 

[GOS]

His Last Voyage is just epic. It really is hard to compare the Atmos mix to the DTS HD Master. At least, it is for me. They both sound excellent. I can't immediately tell them apart.... Hard to flip back and forth and maintain your memory of what the prior sounded like.

I voted a 10. I can't imagine it being much better than this. My God....