HiRez Poll King Crimson - THE POWER TO BELIEVE [DVD-Audio/Blu-Ray Audio]

[rtbluray]

Please post your thoughts and comments on this 2019 release from King Crimson of their 2003 album "The Power To Believe".
This new edition has been remixed in stereo and 5.1 surround by the band's manager and audio engineer David Singleton.
All new mixes were approved by the set’s Executive Producer Robert Fripp.

The 5.1 surround mix has been released as a CD/DVDA-V set, and it is also included on Blu-Ray within the 2019 box set "Heaven & Earth".

 

[Plan9]

TPTB I is a good surround intro, then Level Five in 5.1 is a monster, that's a great start for the album. I'm less convinced by Eyes Wide Open, but Elektrik kicks some serious ass. Facts of Life is also powerful but some elements are not as well integrated as I wished. TPTB II is really cool, envelopping and very discrete. Dangerous Curves is amazing. The mix of Happy With... is appropriately "straightforward". TPTB III & IV are good but sound like they could have been mixed from stems.
The 3 bonus tracks are adequately envelopping, with a special mention to Superslow.

The sound quality is also overall better than on The ReconstruKction of Light.

9/10

 

[Albert Dagger]

TPTB I is a good surround intro, then Level Five in 5.1 is a monster, that's a great start for the album. I'm less convinced by Eyes Wide Open, but Elektrik kicks some serious ass. Facts of Life is also powerful but some elements are not as well integrated as I wished. TPTB II is really cool, envelopping and very discrete. Dangerous Curves is amazing. The mix of Happy With... is appropriately "straightforward". TPTB III & IV are good but sound like they could have been mixed from stems.
The 3 bonus tracks are adequately envelopping, with a special mention to Superslow.

The sound quality is also overall better than on The ReconstruKction of Light.

9/10

I quite agree with you. The sequence TPTB II - Dangerous Curves is amazing. I'd then give the silver medal to EleKtriK and the bronze medal to Level Five. I don't really like the bonus tracks to be honest, but I am not referring to the mix, the music isn't great for me.

I have a question for you: how do you understand that TPTB III and IV might have been mixed from stems? Is it because there are less discrete elements than in other tracks and are overall less envelopping?

 

[Plan9]

I quite agree with you. The sequence TPTB II - Dangerous Curves is amazing. I'd then give the silver medal to EleKtriK and the bronze medal to Level Five. I don't really like the bonus tracks to be honest, but I am not referring to the mix, the music isn't great for me.

I have a question for you: how do you understand that TPTB III and IV might have been mixed from stems? Is it because there are less discrete elements than in other tracks and are overall less envelopping?

They're mainly mixed in Quad and it sounded like all they had was a couple of stereo tracks to mix from. I may be wrong, I'll have to listen again.

As for the bonus tracks, they are like a more relaxed epilogue to the album to me: not essential, but nice to continue the experience.

 

[Albert Dagger]

I've changed my mind and am now giving this surround mix a 9. It is very very powerful; it's growing on me. On top of my previous comment, I've also noticed that Facts of Life works incredibly well in surround. It's really a great mix. Congrats to Singleton!

 

[rugene]

I prefer the content musically of PTB over COL but both mixes are great! The surprise song that I didn't know is the dark track "Superslow". I really enjoy that one

 

[Matt Wilson]

A 9. The mix (not to mention the album) is better than ReconstruKction of Light, and if there is never another studio album of new material with the KC name attached, then this will be a fitting epitaph.

 

[Mj33]

I was going to give this a 9 initially, but I've decided on 10 due to the inclusion of what is essentially two more albums in the CD/DVD package. This really is one of the better King Crimson albums IMO. This is a terrific surround mix by David Singleton. Some of this material was designed for surround, particularly the intro to "Facts of Life", the ending note(s) on "Dangerous Curves", and "The Power to Believe III" and its coda. The stereo mix doesn't have near the kind of dynamics that are needed to really make these pieces/parts work. Also, this album would not exist if not for THRAK. It's almost like that album's evil twin. It's darker. It's heavier. It's a fitting studio coda for a band that could never be easily categorized. What got me to 10 here is the inclusion of the Level 5 EP and the mini-album Happy with What You Have to be Happy with. Two more excellent recordings along with a great album that also has three bonus tracks in surround. It's hard to ask for more than that.

 

[anibal]

What can I say? This is reference material for me.
It is an easy 10. I wish more people hear it, only 15 votes!
I know this is not part of the "classics", but it is the KC album that resonates the most with me. I do own all 40th-anniversary series and listen to all the albums, I am a big King Crimson sucker, all eras.
The mix is fantastic, David Singleton deserves more recognition.
I do have a minor complain about the presentation, but easily fixable: I think the original running order of the album is perfect and it is a bit ruined here by adding the bonus tracks immediately after. What I usually do is stop it immediately after the Coda and listen to the extras at a different moment.
The EPs are awesome too. I think not many will agree with me but I found this edition essential.

 

[stoopid]

It's been a while since I've heard this in surround, so I'll hold off on casting a formal vote but I do recall it was a good mix with a lot going on in the rears. To amplify anibal's post - this album doesn't get enough love overall in the prog and even King Crimson fan community. Facts of Life and Happy... are King Crimson classics, IMHO. While this continued in the same vein as THRAK, the unique 6 man lineup for THRAK and subsequent live shows was an insurmountable achievement to replicate.