Surround Albums to AVOID!!!

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Natalie Merchant - Tiger Lily
As far as I can tell, the remix engineer’s name isn’t mentioned in the liner notes. Damn good decision if you ask me!
It's been a while, but I remember it being pretty damn good! Lead vocal in all channels, which some people hate, but plenty of action in the surrounds, I think? Time for a respin.
 
Bucky Pizzarelli - Swing Live (SACD)
This disc’s mix just doesn’t ever come to life for me. It sits there while I wait for something sonically to wake me from my stupor. Have never made it thru the entire disc.

It’s the overenthusiastic audience reaction that ruins this one for me. I’ve ripped over 3,000 albums (stereo and multichannel) to my NAS and never bothered to rip this one.
 
I think The Beatles 1+ Surround Sound is a waste of time. I am just glad I heard it before I bought it, so I didn't buy it!
 
Yes, you are so right. The 2002 Fragile is a pathetic weenie mix, a few notches above worthless. There were actually many releases at that time with the same problem, but no one complained because we were too busy being elated that with surround’s (brief) rebirth. The Steve Wilson remix is far better.
Ouch. 2002 Fragile is one of the best dvd-audio MLP ever pressed. The SW mix improves on it but only slightly IMO.

EDIT: I went back and listened to both. The 2015 SW mix is better overall, improvement over the 2002. I certainly wouldn't trash my 2002 dvd-a though.
 
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First, I excluded all of the Silverline craptastic releases from the early 2000s, when I first came on the surround scene. Aside from a few gems like the Gordon Goodwin releases, most are shit. That said, here are my ‘Don’t Buys’:

Bucky Pizzarelli - Swing Live (SACD)
This disc’s mix just doesn’t ever come to life for me. It sits there while I wait for something sonically to wake me from my stupor. Have never made it thru the entire disc.

Deep Purple & The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra - Concerto For Group & Orchestra
Weak, weak surround when it exists.

Eric Johnson - Ah Via Musicom
Simply, an abortion of a surround mix for one of my favorite 90s guitar albums. Bummer!

Natalie Merchant - Tiger Lily
As far as I can tell, the remix engineer’s name isn’t mentioned in the liner notes. Damn good decision if you ask me!

David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust
Daaaammnnn! Such an amazing and iconic recording and such a shiitty, do nothing mix. GRRR!!!
I too was extremely disappointed with Ziggy....could have been simply AMAZING if done right.
 
Ouch. 2002 Fragile is one of the best dvd-audio MLP ever pressed. The SW mix improves on it but only slightly IMO.
I ended up using my 2002 Fragile disc as a coaster on my coffee table.....that's what I think of it....doesn't even sound anything like it was supposed to sound like.....now SW's mix blows it away and stays pretty close to what the original intentions were but with excellent discreteness and clairity!!!! Actually check out the 1-Step vinyl of Fragile.....OMG.....totally AMAZING
 
Pink Floyd- DSOTM, James Guthrie mix on SACD... couldn´t even finish listening to it...sold it or traded it as fast as I could! Waste of plastic!!! Parson´s mix is an industry standard (if it ain´t "baroque" don´t fix it!). Waters´ neuroses at their worst.

Genesis-Seconds Out. Revisionist/mix Hackett out cause Tony Banks is an insecure wanker...


Except, Hackett was already, as Genesis fans (and SH) have complained about since 1977, mixed very far down on the original release. Can you point to sections where he's been mixes even further down on the surround mix?

My picks for the by far most disappointing surround mixes I've heard , of great albums I know well, would be:

Jakko's two Bruford album remixes -- complete disasters
Jakko's Brain Salad Surgery mix -- jeez, what happened? (His Trilogy remix is no great shakes either)
Wilson's Relayer mix -- dead
Wilson's Tarkus mix -- emasculated

further down the list
Wish You were Here -- both surround mixes are disappointing in their own ways

Disappointing, but the musical material isn't that great to begin with:
Squackett

Disappointing 70s era quad mix
Gladys Knight & the Pips - Imagination

That's counting actual surround mixes, not upmixed product like Silverline's discs.
 
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Yes, you are so right. The 2002 Fragile is a pathetic weenie mix, a few notches above worthless. There were actualy many releases at that time with the same problem, but no one complained because we were too busy being elated that with surround’s (brief) rebirth. The Steve Wilson remix is far better.

Um. I never thought it was *great*, but some track remixes are better than, or at least no worse than, Wilson's remixes of the same:, Cans and Brahms, We Have Heaven, 5% for Nothing, LDR/Fish.

The whole2002 remix suffers from added reverb, and South Side of the Sky, is missing a crucial part or two (and the bonus track 'America' is a complete abortion, in both 5.1 mixes). The two bookend pieces --Roundabout and Heart of the Sunrise -- are credible alternatives to Wilson's and I couldnt' say one mix is definitely superior to the other. Eddie Offord's , flaws and all, is still the best anyway, as has proved true for basically all the Yes remixes.
 
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