HiRez Poll King Crimson - THRAK [DVD-Audio]/[Blu-Ray Deluxe]

[Matt Wilson]

9, easy. Great 5.1 mix of an awesome album. I mean - how many prog bands who debuted in the late '60s were putting out discs this good in 1995? All the Crimson surround boxes are worth your time, and this is no exception.

 

[newslane]

9, easy. Great 5.1 mix of an awesome album. I mean - how many prog bands who debuted in the late '60s were putting out discs this good in 1995? All the Crimson surround boxes are worth your time, and this is no exception.

Not many bands could perform at this level. And in my opinion, their last studio album, The Power to Believe, was their best.

 

[Mj33]

Though this album has been out since 1995, it never ceases to amaze me. KC were already over 25 years into their career with only one original member remaining, the inimitable Robert Fripp, who needs no introduction on this forum, of course. However, two members were back in the fold (Belew and Bruford, absolute giants of their respective instruments). It's the continuity with these musicians that makes THRAK work. There is chemistry. On top of that, you have Trey Gunn and Pat Mastelloto, who are a bit younger, bringing crazy mad chops to the fore, challenging the old standard bearers, if you will. They achieve a technical level that is almost unheard of in rock music, particularly in 1995 when it was released. Is every song a winner? No. There is a bit of filler. However, it always works in context. The segue pieces are certainly not a waste of time nor do they make me want to skip them when I listen.

Now, on to the mix. It's been around for quite a while but this is my first time hearing it. The use of Bruford's percussion in the rears is a great decision. You have to separate the two drummers. If not, it's just a jumble of percussive noise and this album does not need more noise IMO. This sounds amazing in surround during the track "B'Boom". The bass and Warr work is funky in spots and just plain sinister in others. There is definitely a kind of menace to this album, though not as much as on The Power to Believe. Fripp and Belew intertwine as they have done since Discipline. Amazing. Sounds great in surround, as does their other work together, even the unfairly maligned album Beat. This album was created for surround really. It's not as good as the classic trio albums from the '70s with John Wetton, but it's just as good as anything the '80s trio (half of this band) put out IMO, with the exception of perhaps Discipline. I gave it a 10.

P.S. The stereo mix is much improved over the original. I hadn't heard that before either, but it has much better separation and range. I'm really enjoying this album much more given the "new" sonics.

 

[anibal]

This album was my entry point to the Crimson Vortex. I loved it from the start when I friend of mine lent me his cassette (!!??) when I was a teenager. However, I was not prepared to fully appreciate it, that happened a few years later! At first, I just thought it sounded cool and different but nothing exceptional. But this album has so much information happening at the same time, so many layers... You know where I am going with this. This album _requires_ a surround mix to fully enjoy it. I can not really comment on the new stereo mix vs the original, I have not heard this record in other than 5.1 since I got the DVD-A. I should have gone for the boxset, but It was completely out of my budget at the time and apparently sold out now.

I find many "differences" in the 5.1 mix compared to the original stereo, but none of them bothers me. Maybe the hihats are a bit too prominent, but that's just me being picky. Of course it is a strong 10 for me. I was pleasantly surprised by Jakko's mixing skills.
Since I've been listening to the 40th-anniversary series in the original release date order, I feel that I must mention how much Belew vocals improved over time. For me, he really transformed himself from "competent" to "stellar" in this album. You can find so much expressivity, nuances and control here, it is amazing.


BTW, is the upper octave guitar arrangement in Dinosaur, around second 41, also present in the stereo mixes? I can not tell, it is very prominent in the 5.1 mix and I love it.

 

[bookofsaturdays]

With all the LITA in Atmos buzz, I’m going back and listening to the Crim 5.1’s tonight for the first time in a long time.

This is a tough one.

I definitely can appreciate what Jakko was trying to do, but since this is such a dense production to begin with I think it loses some of its impact being separated out like this, at least for the more bombastic tracks.

The mix works a lot better for me on the mellower, soundscapey tunes. Walking On Air and Inner Garden are gorgeous in 5.1. I really love hearing Adrian’s voice so clear, it seems to be floating somewhere between my head and RR.

Dinosaur to me sounds especially different in 5.1, particularly in the beginning, before the vocals enter. Is all that stuff I’m hearing in the original mix? If it is, it’s imperceptible. It’s a little distracting to be honest. Definitely cool, but it seems like those elements are overpowering the mix.

All in all, I appreciate that we have this fresh take on the album. It’s not going to be always what I want to hear and I’ll go back to the original stereo mix just for the power it has. I don’t like the new stereo mix either because again, it loses punch that comes with the separation.

I’m thinking a strong 7, weak 8. Worth owning.

 

[key_wiz]

How did I miss voting for this one?

Anyway...easy "10". Great mix of one of my favorite KC albums. 'nuff said.