HiRez Poll Porcupine Tree - Stupid Dream [DVD-A]

[bossfan]

Picked up Stupid Dream, FOAB and The Incident for Christmas. Love them all. Outstanding. Stupid Dream is by far the most accessible of the three but damn they are all excellent in their own way... And no band grows on you more that PT.

 

[d0zer]

I have to say, I don't like the artwork of this disc at all. But that's not important. Important is the great surround mix and the fantastic sound quality.

 

[kap'n krunch]

AAMOF I have NEVER liked the "drawings" artwork from SW/PT ..I do like the ones that are photos....

 

[rtbluray]

No need to review this disc.
Why? The number of '10' (and even '9') ratings speak for itself.

Only thing I can (re)add to it is the order link:
https://www.burningshed.com/store/porcupinetree/product/51/2317/

 

[MyCuff]

This and lightbulb sun are both available on burning shed. Lbs (cd +DVDaudio) also is on amazon for under 15...

 

[skherbeck]

Sonically perfect; completely immersive surround mix. In comparison to Lightbulb Sun, I find the music on this album a little less interesting (especially Tinto Brass and Stop Swimming), but otherwise the two are comparable in fidelity and mix. The 14 minute version of Even Less is great! Whereas I gave Lightbulb Sun a 9, this gets an 8!

 

[sukothai]

Hmm, Tinto Brass has always been one of my favorites.

 

[Ninecats]

I only seem to be able to choose between MLP and LPCM and both come out as stereo (OPPO dv 980h). Weird, Lightbulb Sun works as expected. Firmware-ish? Got the latest though.

E: I can choose 5.1 DTS as well, then my surround works, but in that case is it really hirez?

 

[DennisMoore Jr.]

I bought the reissue from Steven's website.

Perhaps my favorite PT along with In Absentia...

THIS recording is a text book example of how 5.1 takes 2.0 music to a much higher level and a thoroughly
satisfying musical experience.

PT- Stupid Dream is great and is also a case study of Steven Wilson, the artist and producer & mixer.

Absolutely a 10.

 

[timbre4]

Stupid Dream and Lightbulb Sun DVDAs were done around the same time; I'd expect them to behave the same. Try on another player?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Sixtyten]

I bought the CD of this the day it came out, so when the surround re-issue was released it was something of a no-brainer. I understand the that ratings have to take account of the content and the surround mix. I think the surround mix is, again competently done. I'm not sure how much it "actually" adds to the music, but I listen to it now rather than the old stereo version, so clearly I prefer it. The artwork etc on the DVD A version isn't as good as on the original, although the text is immeasurably easier to read, I don't like the aesthetic of it which looks like it has been retconned to fit with the sub-Tool-esque graphical direction PT were pursuing at the time it was re-released.

Musically I think this sits right in the middle of the classic PT albums. So better than anything after Lightbulb Sun. But, again there are hints of a different direction PT could have followed as epitomised by "Piano Lessons". Suppose the over-arching thing about listening to this album, nearly 20 years after the fact, is the vague sense I get of unfulfilled promise.

So, and given 10 is perfection which no artistic endeavour will ever achieve, I think this is a solid 6.

 

[Ninecats]

Timbre4

Yes, that's what I thought too. Well don't have the opportunity right now to check another, will try upgrade/downgrade firmware. Strange thing is I can choose between lossless lpcm stereo AND mlp stereo. Setting the player to dvd video I can play dts surround with no problem. Weird.

 

[Spock]

Excellent disc in every way - a 10!! SW's first surround mix?? Amazing

 

[4-earredwonder]

Excellent disc in every way - a 10!! SW's first surround mix?? Amazing

One of MY personal favorites, too. SW did an excellent job and the album is always one of my go to Porcupine Tree discs.

I likewise voted a 10.

 

[sjcorne]

Absolutely phenomenal! For me this is PT's finest hour, both content and mix-wise.

"Even Less", "Piano Lessons", "Pure Narcotic", and "Stranger By The Minute" are some of the catchiest and most accessible SW-penned tunes I've heard to date.

The surround mix takes the discreteness even further than In Absentia. Most songs have backing vocals, piano, and all kinds of synth effects isolated in the rears. There's even a few around-the-room pans. "Don't Hate Me" in particular benefitted immensely from the surround treatment with the vocal echo panning around the room. Maybe the best SW mix I've heard to date. This is the first one he ever did?

Only reasons I gave it a 9 and not a 10 is that it's mastered a bit hot (especially compared to Lightbulb Sun), and I'm not a big fan of "Tinto Brass" or "Stop Swimming",

"Piano Lessons":


"Don't Hate Me":

 

[Beefalo]

This is my second PT. A QQ member recently recommended it. I was surprised to find such an outstanding disc for $13 USD delivered.
It is a little loud but the EQ is smooth so no ear fatigue for me. Excellent fidelity.
I noticed many discrete effects & pans. Probably more than any other selection I own. Each song had a little different mix so it didn't get redundant.
Even Less - The center had dry vocals, was pretty much silent and then had a wonderful lead guitar lick.
Piano Lessons - Vocal pan & echo between the surrounds.
Slave called Shiver - Backwards guitar ala Hendrix and what sounds like a vocal through a megaphone.
Don't Hate Me - This is my favorite.
Starts off with a spacey Steve Hillage-like guitar. Then flute moving around. The middle part has an unusual really complex sounding bass line. Next comes horns that move to the center channel and give way to a nice guitar. Overall it reminds me of a Gong song. Awesome !
This is no Rehearsal - Drums move from L/S to R/S to stereo front. Distorted wet vocal in front and clear dry vocal from surrounds.
Tinto Brass - Flute moving in a circle. Instrumental would make a great movie soundtrack.
Ambulance Chasing - A real Tribal Stomp. The drums fill the room.
I'm very impressed with Stupid dream.
So far I have voted 10 twice and 9 three times.
This gets my fourth 9.

 

[fthesoundguy]

I started going through Porcupine Tree’s discography chronologically after finding out about them. It wasn’t really until this record that they totally clicked for me. Their early stuff is raw, and The Sky Moves Sideways is great but nothing really captivated my attention like this record did.

For this being SW's first 5.1 mix, it truly is amazing. From the beginning he keeps everything fresh with his placement and doesn't overdo much or repeat mixing moves. Some people just know how to mix and have the correct thought process and he is definitely one of those people!

Even Less’ vocal echoes sound absolutely delightful!. There is one guitar lick that is buried a little every time it comes up… a bit of a shame to start off the album, but that’s all I could find wrong with the entire mix!

Piano Lessons' start in the phantom back threw me for a loop as well as vocal echo/delay going from R to L in the surrounds (And stopping for a second in the phantom back!). The backing vocal portions really make this whole song sound really full. Its a really cool track that I have always enjoyed listening to. Its even more amazing in 5.1!

Pure Narcotic: Cool moment with the shaker in the RR and xylophone in FL. Then the Xylophone moves to the RL at the next passage. Backing vocals in the phantom rear, then going to both rears is delightful, especially when the lead comes back into play near the end of the song. Moments like this go to show you that heavy panning during a song is not needed to have an effective 5.1 mix.

Slave Called Shiver: Pain’s going back and forth in the rears. Tom hits that go back and forth in the fronts. This song has a decent amount of nice discrete rear moments which keep me engaged.

Don’t Hate Me: Those eerie droning “moans” moving around in the rears really sets the mood! This song really shows off the delays (Vocals and flute) and it all sounds amazing. It helps that the song itself is just a remarkable one.

This Is My Rehearsal: The tom fills between front left and rear right really caught my ear big time. Vocals in the rear right singing every other verse in the chorus was pretty cool and then it going to rear left with effects on it. The guitar solo starting in the rears and going up and center.

Baby Dream In Cellophane: Totally immersive start. The beginning feels like an homage to Set The Controls for The Heart of the Sun. It them gets more modern but still retains that late 60s feel to it.

Stranger By The Minute and The Smart Kid have a couple of cool effects in them. Cool having that slide in the rear left on the former and Great vocal delays going into the rears for the latter.

Tinto Brass: Awesome opening. The bass thunders the room while little effects show up in the rears. Really love the flute reverbs in the rears. Then it starts to move all around the field! I audibly said “Whoa” when that happened. Really caught me off guard, which is a great thing in this capacity!

Stop Swimming: Cool to have some of the drums in the rears and fading in to full volume.

I’m giving this a 10. Yes, there is one little part that takes me out of the zone for a second, but the rest of it is one of the best mixes i’ve heard. Top to bottom, this is a killer album that flourishes in 5.1. SW really nails how reverbs should be treated in surround, it fills up the mixes so nicely. So many discrete effects and rear instrument placements. Probably my favorite PT album as a whole. I have never skipped a song when playing this album before. That doesn’t happen with many albums (In Absentia and Deadwing have a couple of duds that I usually skip). This is going to be a record that gets played pretty often. I know i'm late to the party, but i'm really glad I was able to find this in 2020 for a really reasonable price ($12).

Highlights: Even Less, Piano Lessons, This Is My Rehearsal, Don’t Hate Me, Tinto Brass

 

[the tree 3]

I started going through Porcupine Tree’s discography chronologically after finding out about them. It wasn’t really until this record that they totally clicked for me. Their early stuff is raw, and The Sky Moves Sideways is great but nothing really captivated my attention like this record did.

For this being SW's first 5.1 mix, it truly is amazing. From the beginning he keeps everything fresh with his placement and doesn't overdo much or repeat mixing moves. Some people just know how to mix and have the correct thought process and he is definitely one of those people!

Even Less’ vocal echoes sound absolutely delightful!. There is one guitar lick that is buried a little every time it comes up… a bit of a shame to start off the album, but that’s all I could find wrong with the entire mix!

Piano Lessons' start in the phantom back threw me for a loop as well as vocal echo/delay going from R to L in the surrounds (And stopping for a second in the phantom back!). The backing vocal portions really make this whole song sound really full. Its a really cool track that I have always enjoyed listening to. Its even more amazing in 5.1!

Pure Narcotic: Cool moment with the shaker in the RR and xylophone in FL. Then the Xylophone moves to the RL at the next passage. Backing vocals in the phantom rear, then going to both rears is delightful, especially when the lead comes back into play near the end of the song. Moments like this go to show you that heavy panning during a song is not needed to have an effective 5.1 mix.

Slave Called Shiver: Pain’s going back and forth in the rears. Tom hits that go back and forth in the fronts. This song has a decent amount of nice discrete rear moments which keep me engaged.

Don’t Hate Me: Those eerie droning “moans” moving around in the rears really sets the mood! This song really shows off the delays (Vocals and flute) and it all sounds amazing. It helps that the song itself is just a remarkable one.

This Is My Rehearsal: The tom fills between front left and rear right really caught my ear big time. Vocals in the rear right singing every other verse in the chorus was pretty cool and then it going to rear left with effects on it. The guitar solo starting in the rears and going up and center.

Baby Dream In Cellophane: Totally immersive start. The beginning feels like an homage to Set The Controls for The Heart of the Sun. It them gets more modern but still retains that late 60s feel to it.

Stranger By The Minute and The Smart Kid have a couple of cool effects in them. Cool having that slide in the rear left on the former and Great vocal delays going into the rears for the latter.

Tinto Brass: Awesome opening. The bass thunders the room while little effects show up in the rears. Really love the flute reverbs in the rears. Then it starts to move all around the field! I audibly said “Whoa” when that happened. Really caught me off guard, which is a great thing in this capacity!

Stop Swimming: Cool to have some of the drums in the rears and fading in to full volume.

I’m giving this a 10. Yes, there is one little part that takes me out of the zone for a second, but the rest of it is one of the best mixes i’ve heard. Top to bottom, this is a killer album that flourishes in 5.1. SW really nails how reverbs should be treated in surround, it fills up the mixes so nicely. So many discrete effects and rear instrument placements. Probably my favorite PT album as a whole. I have never skipped a song when playing this album before. That doesn’t happen with many albums (In Absentia and Deadwing have a couple of duds that I usually skip). This is going to be a record that gets played pretty often. I know i'm late to the party, but i'm really glad I was able to find this in 2020 for a really reasonable price ($12).

Highlights: Even Less, Piano Lessons, This Is My Rehearsal, Don’t Hate Me, Tinto Brass

Great review, but you left out my favorite on this album, A Smart Kid. An oversite, or not notable?

 

[splinter7]

Glad to hear that you are enjoying the voyage. The period your in right now is my favorite PT era. The next album is my favorite. Lightbulb Sun - A neo-prog masterpiece. I personally did not love the final change in direction during the Lava/Roadrunner years. Likely I am in the minority.

 

[fthesoundguy]

Great review, but you left out my favorite on this album, A Smart Kid. An oversite, or not notable?

Its on the same line as Stranger By the Minute! Just didn't write enough about it to put it on its own line.

Glad to hear that you are enjoying the voyage. The period your in right now is my favorite PT era. The next album is my favorite. Lightbulb Sun - A neo-prog masterpiece. I personally did not love the final change in direction during the Lava/Roadrunner years. Likely I am in the minority.

I also got LS and am looking forward to settling down and listening to it a lot! Shesmovedon is one of my favorite PT songs ever.