HiRez Poll Marillion - SCRIPT FOR A JESTER'S TEAR [Blu-Ray Audio]

[JulesRules]

To @JulesRules, I find it off that you haven't even heard the mix yet but post a comment filled with negative quotes from another forum.

So I've edited my post... I hope y'all are happy now.

And as stated before, I have heard the Clutching at Straws mix, which made me apprehensive about buying this.

 

[minimumtumbleweed]

I've still not heard the 5.1 mix, but has anyone tried upmixing the stereo remix with SpecWeb? I think it sounds great. Lots of great separation, and the vocals come out really clear from the centre. The bass really pops too.

 

[edisonbaggins]

Enjoying the EP and live show on the blu-ray. The EP did not sound very good to me on CD.
Sounds much better on the BD. I guess the higher resolution and bit rate helps a lot.

Yes, the mastering is loud (in the sense that many of the peaks are pushed to 0 db), and while I love it when music has more head room to breathe, the stereo remixes I'm hearing on the BD sound really great, to my ears.

The Marquee show is quite a treat. You can tell these guys took gigging very seriously and learned a LOT in their first couple of years together. It shows.

 

[GOS]

Enjoying the EP and live show on the blu-ray. The EP did not sound very good to me on CD.
Sounds much better on the BD. I guess the higher resolution and bit rate helps a lot.

Yes, the mastering is loud (in the sense that many of the peaks are pushed to 0 db), and while I love it when music has more head room to breathe, the stereo remixes I'm hearing on the BD sound really great, to my ears.

The Marquee show is quite a treat. You can tell these guys took gigging very seriously and learned a LOT in their first couple of years together. It shows.

Well heck. I may have to make an exception and take a look at the "extras". I've a bad habit or shrugging them off, as I'm usually disappointed. Well, unless it's the Tull extras.

 

[beerking]

I've still not heard the 5.1 mix, but has anyone tried upmixing the stereo remix with SpecWeb? I think it sounds great. Lots of great separation, and the vocals come out really clear from the centre. The bass really pops too.

I have and I totally agree, SpecWeb makes a cracking job of the stereo remix.
I've not heard the 5.1 mix either but I bet it don't come anywhere near this up-mix !!...imo

 

[edisonbaggins]

Script for a Jester's Tear 5.1 Album Review
Plus the Engineer's Perspective, featuring emails from Andy Bradfield and Avril Mackintosh

 

[Juggsnelson]

I voted an 8. The surround mix is not very spectacular however the fidelity is fantastic! This makes the 5.1 a very enjoyable listen. The bass! You can finally hear the excellent Geddy-esque playing note for note. This is a major upgrade.

Market Square Heroes EP sounds great too. Throw in the live shows and the documentary and this is an excellent package for the price. The usual nice book too. While not an overly imaginative mix, I still have never heard this album sound nearly this good.

 

[ctoelle]

I almost gave this one an 8. Great package, tons of extras and great fidelity. The 5.1 mix isn't bad, but it ain't much to write home about
If they had mixed the Market Square Heroes EP into 5.1, I would have given it an 8. Makes no sense at all why they did not do those 3 tracks. Dinged a full point for that oversight

 

[Albert Dagger]

Script for a Jester's Tear 5.1 Album Review
Plus the Engineer's Perspective, featuring emails from Andy Bradfield and Avril Mackintosh

Your best video review, in my opinion. Having direct insights and comments from the guys who worked on this project is invaluable and is well edited in the narrative of your review. I also like the part where you play bits of the six channels separately (even though they sound more discrete than what you describe with words). This is a great resource to formulate an educated opinion on this deluxe edition. I admit I’m not a fan of the stereo remix at the moment, and loudness is not the issue for me, I will listen again keeping this interview in mind.
Keep the reviews coming!

 

[edisonbaggins]

I'm voting 8. Mix 1, Sound 3, Music 3, content 1 (of 1).

 

[4-earredwonder]

Script for a Jester's Tear 5.1 Album Review
Plus the Engineer's Perspective, featuring emails from Andy Bradfield and Avril Mackintosh

I have to wholeheartedly agree with Albertop: one of your VERY Best LIFE in SURROUND videos.....EVER. The input from Andy and Avril was priceless and details what many of us surroundophiles are yet unaware of .......the rummaging through piles of master tapes, numerous edits, sans detailed written sheets outlining what's on those tapes and attempting to create magic on the final remaster....with time restraints imposed by the record company et alia.

I've yet to receive my copy of Jester from AmazonUK but from your detailed analysis, I certainly won't be expecting a discrete 5.1 remix but rather, a spectacular sounding remaster and video loaded with extras...which is fine by me.

Yes, we ALL ❤ discrete remixes and I'm glad you referenced Parsons, Scheiner, Wilson and Clearmountain [you forgot Greg Penny] and I've been saying for years on QQ forum that potential remixers only need listen to these 'celebrity' remixers for 'spiritual' guidance, but alas, as we all know .... rarely the case.

Again, Mike, BRAVO ...... you certainly did a yeoman's job on your Script for a Jester's Tear LIFE in SURROUND video appraisal but as I've enjoyed all previous Marillion deluxe editions, I have no doubt this will be no exception.

 

[MCDave]

Script for a Jester's Tear 5.1 Album Review
Plus the Engineer's Perspective, featuring emails from Andy Bradfield and Avril Mackintosh

Indeed, GREAT review. I feel a lot better about the 5.1 mix, now that I know about the constraints that A & A had to work within. It sounds like a more discrete mix just may not have been possible in any case. That's a shame, but at least we get to hear Script better than ever.

Marillion had more money by the time they were back in the studio for Fugazi, and somebody mentioned in one of these threads that the recordings were done digitally (were they?), so if that's true then there wouldn't be a need to layer multitracks to save tape. Hopefully A & A will have more discrete multitrack elements to work with next time around.

 

[Matt Wilson]

I went with an 8, but with reservations. It's just not that immersive, but the clarity is there if you know what I mean. Boy, those Genesis comparisons were spot on. Has Gabriel ever commented on Fish's vocals?

 

[JulesRules]

I know that Fish phoned Gabriel before the album's release. Not sure what he said.

 

[timothyemerson]

Awesome review, edisonbaggins! I'm looking forward to getting mine once Amazon/courier deliveries are back to normal down the bottom of the planet (i.e., in a few months - ugh). Bummer about the surround mix but I'm usually happy with anything that's an improvement on previous releases.

 

[RuudMans]

I went with an 8, but with reservations. It's just not that immersive, but the clarity is there if you know what I mean. Boy, those Genesis comparisons were spot on. Has Gabriel ever commented on Fish's vocals?

Not as far as I know, but Tony Banks did record some songs with Fish. Maybe that tells you something

I do however fail to recognise any real Gabriel-like tonality in Fish's voice. I think their voices are not similar. at all. Maybe the frasing they use, while singing, but the tone of voice doesn't sound like Gabriel to me at all.
If you know the band IQ: their singer (Peter Nicholls) sounds a lot more like Gabriel than Fish ever did.

 

[IMachine]

Not as far as I know, but Tony Banks did record some songs with Fish. Maybe that tells you something

I do however fail to recognise any real Gabriel-like tonality in Fish's voice. I think their voices are not similar. at all. Maybe the frasing they use, while singing, but the tone of voice doesn't sound like Gabriel to me at all.
If you know the band IQ: their singer (Peter Nicholls) sounds a lot more like Gabriel than Fish ever did.

And the singer of THE WATCH is even more close! The closest I know

 

[Deek57]

Script for a Jester's Tear 5.1 Album Review
Plus the Engineer's Perspective, featuring emails from Andy Bradfield and Avril Mackintosh

Fantastic review, I have never been a Marillion fan, I remember first hearing them on BBC Radio 1's Friday Rock Show (hosted by Tommy Vance. I recorded the session they did, played it a few times all the time thinking they were pretty good but sounded like Genesis clones, this was before they had a recording contract. Then they seemed to disappear, it was a long time before they signed a deal. (as parrtly mentioned in the Greasepaint Doc) by the time they got a record out things had changed for me, marriage, a child so records became rare treats, a new(ish) band like Marillion had no chance of making my wants list. Anyway, your review piqued my interest, so much content in the Script special edition, value for money, even though you state the surround mix is not very immersive I still thought I need to check this out, all the places I looked to order it was unavailable/out of stock. Still, there is always a way so I went down that road, (I particularly like the Script Recital concert video) I've been playing the life out of all of it the past week. I have since been able to order a copy, only £25, it'll probably take forever to get here due to the current lockdown situation, my first ever Marillion purchase. I know what my vote will be, but I'll wait until my proper copy arrives. Thank you.

 

[perzon57]

Finally got this,the release was pushed back to April 18.
Not much in rears here,but like the music and fidelity is high. Gave it 8.

 

[Ranasakawa]

It's a 6 from me
Not the best surround mix I have heard