Marillion "Script for a Jester's Tear" (Deluxe Edition with 5.1 Blu-Ray!)

[rugene]

I'm pretty satisfied with Misplaced Childhood and Brave, and Clutching is not too bad, maybe I am not a surround purist who not only judge the mix quality but also the sound quality.

 

[sjcorne]

I'm afraid Marillion's mixers have embraced the philosophy that surround music is best used the way classical music mixers do it...meaning ambience only. That's lazy and unimaginative!

I don't think any of the Marillion 5.1 mixes can be characterized as "ambience-only". Clutching was my least favorite of the bunch, but even that one had some good discrete moments - the keyboard solo in "Just For The Record" is squarely in the rears, as are the rhythm guitars in "Incommunicado" and the lead vocal during a section of "White Russian".

The problem with the first four albums is that there aren't nearly as many layered elements to spread out into the surround field compared to the later albums. Steven Wilson mentioned something to this effect in an interview a few years ago:

SDE: Were there any particular challenges, in terms of creating this Marilion 5.1 mix?

SW: Yes, there’s not much on it! I was surprised, because obviously it’s quite a big sounding album, but that’s because it’s beautifully recorded. In fact at any one time there’s usually only drums, bass, one or two guitar / keyboard parts, and a lead vocal going on. Occasional solos of course, but there’s barely any backing vocals, and very little in the way of what you might call sound design. The album just works really well as a well composed suite, but it’s quite simple in the way it’s arranged and layered, a very economic recording. So it’s certainly not a whizz-bang 5.1 mix, and I don’t think it would have leant itself to that anyway. I would describe it as being closer to a more immersive interpretation of the stereo mix. Sometimes that can be the right approach to take in my opinion. The lead vocals on the original album are quite far back in the mix sometimes too, and I stayed pretty close to that template, even though I might have mixed them louder if I’d been doing the album from scratch. But still they sound great where they are, that’s just a personal thing.

Script has even less elements to work with than either Misplaced or Clutching, and it seems like Andy Bradfield and Avril Mackintosh's approach to surround mixing is a bit more 'conservative' than SW's (or perhaps this is Fish's preference?), so the reports saying that this isn't a particularly aggressive 5.1 mix don't really surprise me. I'm still looking forward to hearing it

 

[MCDave]

I don't buy much into the argument that surround mixes are necessarily more tame when the music doesn't have enough elements. How many elements did SW have to work with when he did the 50th anniv. of In the Court of the Crimson King? Talk about a sparse album, but yet it is wonderfully mixed with great use of the surrounds. SW also didn't have much to work with when he did Fragile, but that's one of the most entertaining surround albums I have. You don't need a lot of elements to make a fun surround mix, you only need some imagination and a passion for being surround-ed. For example, you could create a spellbinding surround mix with just a piano trio. Pan the piano across the fronts, put the violin in the left rear and the cello in the right rear. That wouldn't be my preferred way of listening to a trio, but it certainly would be fun and interesting.

I do agree that Clutching and Childhood were decent but hardly demo material. So much more could have been done with those, and with this one too it seems. I can think of about a hundred things to do with Forgotten Sons. I look forward to hearing this even though I'm sure I'll let out a big sigh afterward.

 

[MCDave]

"SDE: Were there any particular challenges, in terms of creating this Marilion 5.1 mix?

SW: Yes, there’s not much on it! I was surprised, because obviously it’s quite a big sounding album, but that’s because it’s beautifully recorded. In fact at any one time there’s usually only drums, bass, one or two guitar / keyboard parts, and a lead vocal going on. Occasional solos of course, but there’s barely any backing vocals, and very little in the way of what you might call sound design. The album just works really well as a well composed suite, but it’s quite simple in the way it’s arranged and layered, a very economic recording. So it’s certainly not a whizz-bang 5.1 mix, and I don’t think it would have leant itself to that anyway. I would describe it as being closer to a more immersive interpretation of the stereo mix. Sometimes that can be the right approach to take in my opinion. The lead vocals on the original album are quite far back in the mix sometimes too, and I stayed pretty close to that template, even though I might have mixed them louder if I’d been doing the album from scratch. But still they sound great where they are, that’s just a personal thing."

SW just described 100% of Rush's music, much of which has been BEAUTIFULLY remixed in surround. An effective and entertaining surround mix doesn't require many elements. Same goes for another 3-piece power trio, ELP, whose music was somewhat shabbily dealt with by both SW and JJ, despite having little more than drums, bass, keys and a little guitar thrown in to work with.

 

[splinter7]

Apparently there is bad news on the release date for most standard retail channels.

Reports are that Warner shut down their warehouse before getting it out to all the retailers.
The official statement has been reported to be: "Unfortunately due to various reasons with distribution the release date of Marillion: Script For A Jesters Tear breakouts has moved from 3rd April to TBC."

Not sure if that means if even the retailers that have stock should hold off on the release.
Seems that the orders from the Fish & Marillion camps may-or-may not affected by this
God bless them for going with their respective guts and maybe getting these out - or maybe not.

 

[edisonbaggins]

No worries, since it's a shit mix!

(j/k)

Ban Snood!

 

[splinter7]

I understand that this a surround forum but I have been into this band since the early days. Disappointing that the mix might be lackluster but I am still looking forward to a few of the features on the release, especially the documentary and hopefully better stereo mixes of the album, EP and Recital.

 

[edisonbaggins]

I understand that this a surround forum but I have been into this band since the early days. Disappointing that the mix might be lackluster but I am still looking forward to a few of the features on the release, especially the documentary and hopefully better stereo mixes of the album, EP and Recital.

Not only the extra features, but there are those of us who have been happy with the surround mixes too.

 

[cbmmm3]

I'm pretty satisfied with Misplaced Childhood and Brave, and Clutching is not too bad, maybe I am not a surround purist who not only judge the mix quality but also the sound quality.

IMHO I tend to see the 3 you listed as very good Surround. I thought the sublime Straws was the best. Then there is Afraid of Sunlight...……...that one just did not register emotion with me. Just sounded stale and lethargic...and it is a great original album so I was quite disappointed

 

[cbmmm3]

Would love to see SW do Fugazi. Great album. I think that is the next album the label is doing in Surround

 

[minimumtumbleweed]

Would love to see SW do Fugazi. Great album. I think that is the next album the label is doing in Surround

99.999999999% certain we're not going to see any more SW Marillion remixes.

So, sounds pretty much like I would have expected. Really hoping they skip on Mackintosh and Bradfield for the upcoming mixes. Even Hunter's mix of AoS was pretty good, I'll take him over them. As it is, I'm only really looking forward to a few songs on Season's End and Holidays in Eden. I'll pass on this one.

 

[RuudMans]

I wasn't super keen on SW's remix efforts on the MC and Brave. I would even go as far as to say I dislike his remixes (stereo mainly, the surround benefits from the sound effects being more pushed into the surrounds, but is also quite poorly done) of Brave. I was hoping to be blown away by Brave, as it is my favourite Marillion release ever, but I was disappointed. I still prefer the original 2 channel mix. SW's remix was not my cup of tea.
MC was never my favourite album and the remix of that one leaves me pretty cold too.

Sorry people, not a fan of SW's Marillion remixes.

 

[IMachine]

I'm also not a "blind" fan for anything SW does. Also he made mixes that I don't love. But he has done very good work on most.

 

[weekendtoy]

I still haven't received my copy that was pre-ordered. I'm not complaining as there is clearly more pressing issues going on in this world.

I'm just hoping it don't get lost somehow.

 

[SHB]

I still haven't received my copy that was pre-ordered. I'm not complaining as there is clearly more pressing issues going on in this world.

I'm just hoping it don't get lost somehow.

I haven’t received mine. I’m hoping tomorrow or Monday. Has anyone in the US received it?

 

[minimumtumbleweed]

I wasn't super keen on SW's remix efforts on the MC and Brave. I would even go as far as to say I dislike his remixes (stereo mainly, the surround benefits from the sound effects being more pushed into the surrounds, but is also quite poorly done) of Brave. I was hoping to be blown away by Brave, as it is my favourite Marillion release ever, but I was disappointed. I still prefer the original 2 channel mix. SW's remix was not my cup of tea.
MC was never my favourite album and the remix of that one leaves me pretty cold too.

Sorry people, not a fan of SW's Marillion remixes.

At first I was a little put off by Brave, but, it's probably more to do with having near insurmountable expectations for such an album. Overall, he did a very good job on it. He didn't remix MC in stereo, so can't really complain about that. I think the surround there was quite good, just not much to work with - it's a very sparse album, which is one of its strengths.

 

[Muppet69]

I just checked my order on Amazon and it says it won’t be released until......... 31st December 2020! I shall take that with a large pinch of salt.

 

[splinter7]

I haven’t received mine. I’m hoping tomorrow or Monday. Has anyone in the US received it?

I received my copy in Atlanta, GA on Wednesday. I order from the band (to support the band) and they shipped it out March 19.

That was the fastest delivery I have received from anything originating out of the U.K./EU since I moved down from NYto GA. Other orders have typically been taking 2 weeks.

If you didn’t order it from the band or Fish, I think you are in for a much longer wait.

 

[Marplot]

I got my copy from Marillion last night. (Ohio)

 

[Marplot]

Stream #0:1(eng): Audio: pcm_s24le, 96000 Hz, stereo, s32 (24 bit), 4608 kb/s (default)
Stream #0:2(eng): Audio: dts (DTS-HD MA), 96000 Hz, 5.1(side), s32p (24 bit)
Stream #0:3(eng): Audio: dts (DTS 96/24), 96000 Hz, 5.1(side), fltp, 1536 kb/s
Stream #0:4(eng): Audio: pcm_s24le ([1][0][0][0] / 0x0001), 96000 Hz, 5.1(side), s32 (24 bit), 13824 kb/s

Market Square Heroes EP
Stream #0:1(eng): Audio: pcm_s24le, 96000 Hz, stereo, s32 (24 bit), 4608 kb/s (default)