R.E.M. "Up" (25th Anniversary 2CD + Blu-Ray Edition out in November!)

[rtbluray]

As predicted, R.E.M. are continuing their 25th anniversary series with a 25th anniversary edition of their 1998 album "Up".
https://platenzaak.nl/products/up-25th-anniversary-deluxe-2cd-blu-ray

 

[edisonbaggins]

I'm not familiar with this album!

 

[bgf1973]

Walk Unafraid is one of my favourite REM‘s songs

 

[Tres Discrete]

I'm not familiar with this album!

IIRC, Daysleeper was the lead single & got a fair amount of Rock & Alternative airplay…and At My Most Beautiful might be, well…their most beautiful song (and a bit of a tribute to The Beach Boys’ sound)

 

[LennonCobain]

I guess it’s safe to assume that the existing 5.1 mix by Elliot Scheiner will be recycled, as has been the approach with the anniversary reissues (other than Automatic For The People).

 

[JediJoker]

I guess it’s safe to assume that the existing 5.1 mix by Elliot Scheiner will be recycled, as has been the approach with the anniversary reissues (other than Automatic For The People).

Yep. I think only Automatic For The People received a new Atmos mix for this series.

 

[Dynamic Editor]

It's so odd that these sets have so little consistency, both in packaged size and content within. There's not even a place for the b-sides on this release, unlike New Adventures in Hi-Fi's recent release.

 

[fripppp]

Damn I was looking forward to this. As a huge fan this is my favorite REM album, but this set is pretty barebones, hardly anything new here. This is probably their most layered album and would have sounded amazing in Atmos. I'll have to pass.

 

[alansanchez86]

Love day sleeper.

 

[Titch]

I'm not familiar with this album!

"Up" was R.E.M.'s first release after drummer Bill Berry left the band. Beck drummer Joey Waronker took over drum duties. It's not got a good reputation in their catalogue, but it sounds like R.E.M. with an atmosphere placed in the landscape between "Out Of Time" and "Automatic For The People". However, "Up" differs considerably from their 1980-mid-90s classic period. No hit singles. It's not a concept album, yet the songs are obviously connected. Probably influenced by producer Pat McCarthy. The lovely guitar song "Sad Professor", "Daysleeper" (which in every way, also in terms of sound and production, could have been on "Out Of Time"), the magnificent closing song, "Falls To Climb", and my definitive favourite: "At My Most Beautiful" are all fantastic. Beautifully written and beautifully sung by Michael Stipe.

 

[AshBuchanan]

I think the quality of their work starts to dip on this album, possibly due to Berry's departure. It still had a couple of REM classics, but falls short of their previous efforts. Not as bad as their next couple of albums though, I think Reveal and Around the Sun are just boring.

 

[rtbluray]

amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/TBC/dp/B0CJ27TPS1/

 

[Stupy]

Hello. To add another unwanted opinion on Up generally, it would probably be better appreciated if it was not by R.E.M.. I wonder sometimes if the band remembered that R.E.M. is a stage of sleep; and the album feels like it exists in that bleary state between being asleep and awake.

That is not to say it is boring: it is not boring. A rocking guitar album it is not. It is quirky. Alt pop? I do not know what to call it. Perhaps if it was, say, labelled Radiohead, it would be more appreciated. It is engaging, beguiling, and a credible work of musical art.

This album coincided with some major events in my life. I suppose it is locked in with those memories of late 1998. I still find At My Most Beautiful a little heavy on the sugar. Daysleeper and Lotus were surprisingly catchy singles. Walk Unafraid a form of teenage anthem (though Stipe probably lined us kids for career failure lol). Diminished is buried towards the end of the album and is of beauty; Falls To Climb not far behind.

Alas, this box set is reminiscent of New Adventures in Hi-Fi. Completely undercooked. Atmos, b-sides, demos, all could have been nice to include. And now I must investigate ordering it, as I have done with every other R.E.M. 25th anniversary :-/

 

[halbroome]

This is one of those albums that benefitted when it first came out by listening with headphones. The 5.1 really upped the sound, and it has grown on me even more. But yes, no Atmos, and recycled 5.1: then it's a 'no.'

 

[haikubass]

https://superdeluxeedition.com/news/r-e-m-up-reissue

 

[Stupy]

So I thought... perhaps the best indication of what will happen with Up could be the most recent 25th anniversary edition, New Adventures in Hi Fi. Because it looks like Up is in the same position - previous DVDA; blu-ray coming out with no apparently new mix.

Here are the wave forms for the DVDA and bluray (in the 25th anniversary) for New Adventures in Hi-Fi, track 2 The Wake Up Bomb.

First thoughts:
- Why did I do this?
- It looks like they've dropped the volume by 25% and let it go, but I assume there will probably be other minor changes.
- Why did I get out of bed?

 

[Tres Discrete]

So I thought... perhaps the best indication of what will happen with Up could be the most recent 25th anniversary edition, New Adventures in Hi Fi. Because it looks like Up is in the same position - previous DVDA; blu-ray coming out with no apparently new mix.

Here are the wave forms for the DVDA and bluray (in the 25th anniversary) for New Adventures in Hi-Fi, track 2 The Wake Up Bomb.

First thoughts:
- Why did I do this?
- It looks like they've dropped the volume by 25% and let it go, but I assume there will probably be other minor changes.
- Why did I get out of bed?

Can you interpret the wave forms for us mere mortals who barely grasp this - ie based on this would you recommend one over the other?
Thanks

 

[Dynamic Editor]

Can you interpret the wave forms for us mere mortals who barely grasp this - ie based on this would you recommend one over the other?
Thanks

The blu-ray mix is quieter, but still dynamically-compressed the same amount. That is to say that the mix will sound the same if you turn up the volume a bit, with one exception: I believe the LFE in the newer, blu-ray release is properly synced to the mix, unlike the earlier DVD-A release, in which it was out of phase.

 

[Stupy]

I'm a little concerned at the amount of apparent clipping in left and right on both waveforms (shown by the amount of lines hitting the maximum volume). To my amateur reading, this means I suspect the recording could be better in terms of fideliity; probably most effects drums (?). Not that the recording is bad; just no need for the clipping.

The volume difference, shown by the different heights in the waveforms, seem irrelevant. As per Dynamic Editor's comment; you would just have to change the volume to hear the same. At the 24 bit depth; nothing to talk about here I think.

In listening I've never thought a tangible difference between the two but have not directly compared the two. The LFE mix fix, assuming it is there, probably makes the bluray the choice. I've never really been bothered by the lfe issue in listening, though.

Either way, what I'm seeing is certainly no ringing argument in favour of getting the Up box set for the bluray. I'm still getting it because I'm an excessive R.E.M. fan and have the previous 10 (!) 25th anniversary releases; not stopping now. But not a convincing argument for the casual fan who has the Up DVDA.

 

[Dynamic Editor]

I'm a little concerned at the amount of apparent clipping in left and right on both waveforms (shown by the amount of lines hitting the maximum volume). To my amateur reading, this means I suspect the recording could be better in terms of fideliity; probably most effects drums (?). Not that the recording is bad; just no need for the clipping.

I'm willing to bet the tiny bit of clipping really makes no difference. Yes, clipping can distort the signal, but whether it does so audibly is not guaranteed.