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The Kid from Cali = A 
is born. He can SING, he can PLAY he can mix for Surround. Cannot wait for the sophomore album!
HiRez Poll Vieira, Mike - DISTURBING THE UNIVERSE [Blu-Ray Audio]
- Thread starter rtbluray
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The Kid from Cali = A is born. He can SING, he can PLAY he can mix for Surround. Cannot wait for the sophomore album!Philip Spinner
1K Club - QQ Shooting Star
You sound like an Oak Island fan like me. Holy Shamoly!
I don't know about all that, but it's very kind of you to say.
Work on the follow-up album is going slooooow, but it's happening. I like how it's shaping up, too. Incorporating lots of lessons learned.
Hopefully the result will be a surround lover's delight. Ji-eff/Cristale fell off the face of the planet though, so how the mixing/mastering will come about remains to be seen.
I have 5.1 mixing capability, but have only ever dabbled in it.
As it's roughed out, around 1/2 the album ought to be emotive and ballady type of stuff, and the other 1/2 faster, heavier, darker, more experimental.
Sabrina, for the first time, gets a song custom-written for her range and skills. I always wanted to do that. Damn, it's gonna be a tear-jerker too. "Another Night Alone."
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I’ve spent some time trying to do justice to a wonderful gift I received a while back: Mike Vieira’s Disturbing the Universe. When I heard of Mike’s family’s loss, I knew it was time to finally sit down and compose something to let him and his know just how much he is appreciated and loved. I’m sorry this review is so long; I just don’t have the strength to tighten it up--but that is no reflection on the tightness of this multichannel gem from my collection.
The title track begins with a distant voice reciting Genesis 1:1-4 and then the song comes bursting out of the chute, the lyrics setting the scene for the thematic foundation of the album: Who are we? Why are we here? “Can we swim against the tide? Do we dare to right the wrong? Should we just enjoy the ride? As the world is swept along?” Throughout, the piece is driven by Vieira’s full-on drum assault, grounded by Race’s bass, and enhanced by Caballero’s shredding guitar solos. The song closes with a return to the recitation of Genesis (1:5-6, 8-10) over ominous chords, a revisiting of the chorus (sung three times--the blessed Trinity) and one more guitar outburst for good measure.
And then into the driving power pop of “Break You” with its confessional lyrics, in which Vieira lays bare his soul, refusing to “let it hide inside this heart of darkness.” This song is especially poignant given Mike’s most recent LiS reboot regarding death and PTSD. “Wounded brother, kiss your enemy--I know the pain is real but don’t let them break you down.” Throughout the album, Vieira references familiar new testament teachings and tropes as he wrestles with archetypal questions.
Then comes an enigmatic number, “Prince of Peace” in which Vieira handles all the instruments except for the bass. This song is eerily prescient: it begins “Look how the world is growing so small / Look out the window and take in it all / Poised like a pearl in the dark depths of space / But this is the home of a blood-thirsty race / Each generation will seek for a sign / A cure for its woes or a virus divine / Wayward messiahs our hearts to align / This generation is seeking a sign” Listening to this song during the current pandemic, it really hit home. Vieira openly grapples with what I can only imagine is the soldier’s dilemma: the toll of war, the loss of life and land--and for what? But what I like most, lyrically, about this song is its refusal to fully articulate its title: the phrase Prince of Peace is NEVER completed: “But the wars and the lies and suffering will cease / And our hope and our love and mercy will increase / The striving will end from the greatest to the least / When we all answer the calling of the Prince of--” Perhaps the call is from within; perhaps that is where the Prince resides. Regardless, Vieira grapples powerfully and painfully and ultimately poignantly with life’s struggles.
The thematic connections are maintained and developed in the next song, “Like Rain,” which begins with a thunderstorm in the rear and keyboards up front. Synthesized strings swell as Vieira delivers the album’s most soul-searching, confessional, and introspective lyrics, openly struggling to find meaning in a seemingly meaningless world, admitting his brokenness that borders on defeat, but still clings to the hope that if we can endure and support each other, we will make it through the pain and “His love will wash over us, pouring like . . .” Interesting, Vieira again leaves the phrase hanging, incomplete--three times in this song--until he articulates it in the end . . . rain . . . or is it reign? Regardless, it is clear that we can’t do it alone; community is necessary for our survival.
Next up is a sweet acoustic ballad, “Naomi.”Percussion behind, Vieira’s vocals locked beautifully in the center channel, surrounded again by swelling synthesized strings. More talk of saviors and sacrifice and loss and regret and the hope of redemptive love, resonating with all that came before and anticipating what is about to come--the skeleton trilogy!
Vieira channels Peter Gabriel in the powerful, poignant imagery and world music shadings of “Dancing Skeletons,” which the liner notes tell us was inspired by Kathy Dettwyler’s book, Dancing Skeletons: Life and Death in West Africa. The mix makes haunting use of echoing vocals in the rears and Vieira takes his own vocals to the next level as he again empathically struggles to make sense of pain and loss, committing to “lend a helping hand.” Beautiful integration of drums and guitar and Sabrina Lynch’s delicate and heartfelt vocals.
Next up is a powerful drum-driven, bone bouncing musical interlude--Skeleton Dance--again channeling Gabriel and also The Blue Man Group and maybe some King Crimson “B’Boom,” synths dancing around the sound stage, leading us to a song anyone who has watched LiS will know:
“Skeletons Under Cover”! Not only do we have Vieira’s catchy synth tune, we also have some of his most playful manipulation of rhyme and line breaks, always maintaining thematic connections to light and dark, hope and loss, dreams and nightmares with more solid vocal work from Vieira and the uniformly excellent Lynch--fragile and evocative. Beautiful instrumental work--again, all Vieira except for the bass.
The home stretch kicks off with “Blood” (glitch n’ statik mix) Great use of the soundstage in this one, and we get a real hint of what Vieira might accomplish if he were to let loose with his vocals, looking for catharsis: “this captive soul longs to be freed / time may heal these wounds / but still I bleed.” This time the lyrics seem to be Vieira processing a lost love, but the sense of loss and regret resonate with all that he has articulated throughout the album.
Another heavy rocker, “Fight For Your Love,” continues the confessional, revelatory stance of the lyrics. This song again hints at what Vieira might do if he were to let loose and exploit his vocal prowess. And speaking of prowess, we are treated to another showing of Caballero’s tasty guitar fills shredding up the soundstage. I’m wondering if Adrian Belew is a vocal influence--forgot to mention this earlier in the review!
The album proper comes to closure with “Illusions,” a majestic and meaningful meditative musing of just what our lives’ missions are. Vieira’s THRAKy love of King Crimson is evident here--VROOOM VROOOM! Vieira again lets his listeners know the source of his inspiration; this time it’s Richard Bach’s Illusions: Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah. And although it all may be just an illusion, Vieira’s struggles with and transcendence of life’s confusion make for a gratifying and thought-provoking experience. This time Pat Sullivan provides the guitar pyro-technics that help to drive home the power and the glory of it all.
And if that weren’t enough, we are treated with four remixes. Such a deal, comrades!
So what to vote? Hmm, you may have to wait for the movie version of this review to find that out! Stay Surrounded, Comrades!
The title track begins with a distant voice reciting Genesis 1:1-4 and then the song comes bursting out of the chute, the lyrics setting the scene for the thematic foundation of the album: Who are we? Why are we here? “Can we swim against the tide? Do we dare to right the wrong? Should we just enjoy the ride? As the world is swept along?” Throughout, the piece is driven by Vieira’s full-on drum assault, grounded by Race’s bass, and enhanced by Caballero’s shredding guitar solos. The song closes with a return to the recitation of Genesis (1:5-6, 8-10) over ominous chords, a revisiting of the chorus (sung three times--the blessed Trinity) and one more guitar outburst for good measure.
And then into the driving power pop of “Break You” with its confessional lyrics, in which Vieira lays bare his soul, refusing to “let it hide inside this heart of darkness.” This song is especially poignant given Mike’s most recent LiS reboot regarding death and PTSD. “Wounded brother, kiss your enemy--I know the pain is real but don’t let them break you down.” Throughout the album, Vieira references familiar new testament teachings and tropes as he wrestles with archetypal questions.
Then comes an enigmatic number, “Prince of Peace” in which Vieira handles all the instruments except for the bass. This song is eerily prescient: it begins “Look how the world is growing so small / Look out the window and take in it all / Poised like a pearl in the dark depths of space / But this is the home of a blood-thirsty race / Each generation will seek for a sign / A cure for its woes or a virus divine / Wayward messiahs our hearts to align / This generation is seeking a sign” Listening to this song during the current pandemic, it really hit home. Vieira openly grapples with what I can only imagine is the soldier’s dilemma: the toll of war, the loss of life and land--and for what? But what I like most, lyrically, about this song is its refusal to fully articulate its title: the phrase Prince of Peace is NEVER completed: “But the wars and the lies and suffering will cease / And our hope and our love and mercy will increase / The striving will end from the greatest to the least / When we all answer the calling of the Prince of--” Perhaps the call is from within; perhaps that is where the Prince resides. Regardless, Vieira grapples powerfully and painfully and ultimately poignantly with life’s struggles.
The thematic connections are maintained and developed in the next song, “Like Rain,” which begins with a thunderstorm in the rear and keyboards up front. Synthesized strings swell as Vieira delivers the album’s most soul-searching, confessional, and introspective lyrics, openly struggling to find meaning in a seemingly meaningless world, admitting his brokenness that borders on defeat, but still clings to the hope that if we can endure and support each other, we will make it through the pain and “His love will wash over us, pouring like . . .” Interesting, Vieira again leaves the phrase hanging, incomplete--three times in this song--until he articulates it in the end . . . rain . . . or is it reign? Regardless, it is clear that we can’t do it alone; community is necessary for our survival.
Next up is a sweet acoustic ballad, “Naomi.”Percussion behind, Vieira’s vocals locked beautifully in the center channel, surrounded again by swelling synthesized strings. More talk of saviors and sacrifice and loss and regret and the hope of redemptive love, resonating with all that came before and anticipating what is about to come--the skeleton trilogy!
Vieira channels Peter Gabriel in the powerful, poignant imagery and world music shadings of “Dancing Skeletons,” which the liner notes tell us was inspired by Kathy Dettwyler’s book, Dancing Skeletons: Life and Death in West Africa. The mix makes haunting use of echoing vocals in the rears and Vieira takes his own vocals to the next level as he again empathically struggles to make sense of pain and loss, committing to “lend a helping hand.” Beautiful integration of drums and guitar and Sabrina Lynch’s delicate and heartfelt vocals.
Next up is a powerful drum-driven, bone bouncing musical interlude--Skeleton Dance--again channeling Gabriel and also The Blue Man Group and maybe some King Crimson “B’Boom,” synths dancing around the sound stage, leading us to a song anyone who has watched LiS will know:
“Skeletons Under Cover”! Not only do we have Vieira’s catchy synth tune, we also have some of his most playful manipulation of rhyme and line breaks, always maintaining thematic connections to light and dark, hope and loss, dreams and nightmares with more solid vocal work from Vieira and the uniformly excellent Lynch--fragile and evocative. Beautiful instrumental work--again, all Vieira except for the bass.
The home stretch kicks off with “Blood” (glitch n’ statik mix) Great use of the soundstage in this one, and we get a real hint of what Vieira might accomplish if he were to let loose with his vocals, looking for catharsis: “this captive soul longs to be freed / time may heal these wounds / but still I bleed.” This time the lyrics seem to be Vieira processing a lost love, but the sense of loss and regret resonate with all that he has articulated throughout the album.
Another heavy rocker, “Fight For Your Love,” continues the confessional, revelatory stance of the lyrics. This song again hints at what Vieira might do if he were to let loose and exploit his vocal prowess. And speaking of prowess, we are treated to another showing of Caballero’s tasty guitar fills shredding up the soundstage. I’m wondering if Adrian Belew is a vocal influence--forgot to mention this earlier in the review!
The album proper comes to closure with “Illusions,” a majestic and meaningful meditative musing of just what our lives’ missions are. Vieira’s THRAKy love of King Crimson is evident here--VROOOM VROOOM! Vieira again lets his listeners know the source of his inspiration; this time it’s Richard Bach’s Illusions: Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah. And although it all may be just an illusion, Vieira’s struggles with and transcendence of life’s confusion make for a gratifying and thought-provoking experience. This time Pat Sullivan provides the guitar pyro-technics that help to drive home the power and the glory of it all.
And if that weren’t enough, we are treated with four remixes. Such a deal, comrades!
So what to vote? Hmm, you may have to wait for the movie version of this review to find that out! Stay Surrounded, Comrades!
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Thread cleaned up. This release deserves a clean poll thread
DtU is getting better with time actually, more intricate details and interpretations are revealed with further listening.
Perhaps I will be in the running to release an exclusive ETR surround mix on the next one!
Freddie G
Member
I'm new to the forum, so please forgive me if this is not the appropriate place to post this. I am looking for a copy of this blu-ray release. Mike (Edison Baggins) said that I should inquire on this thread. Any one willing to sell a copy? I also have some other multichannel Blu-ray's to trade.
Crap, I totally forgot about this Clement!! I can't believe it's been this long ago....ugh.
I'm tempted to send you my only copy. Can't believe it's been so hard for you to find someone who will pass it along.
Freddie G
Member
No luck yet. I found a reel to reel quad copy on eBay, but would have no way to play it. I really want this especially after watching Clement's review! I have it on my eBay and Discogs want lists. Hopefully something will come up soon. I wouldn't want you to give up your only copy. I am patient.
Yeah, no sense in buying a R2R version if you don't have the equipment. That arrangement was made just as a little treat to those with working Quad R2R setups [hella jealous].
I'm talking to @chucky3042 and @Overture at Involve Audio about encoding the Quad version of the album in to Involve Audio surround. That way, it can be fully decoded on a Surround Master. And maybe do ok decoding with QS. Would that strike your fancy, at all?
- Joined
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Can you just get us the files and we will do some magic
Well, the 5.1 flac is still available, right? @Freddie G , you could at least listen until your patience pays off and a physical copy comes your way!
Or you can burn your own copy! The digital album comes with artwork! Stay Surrounded, Comrades!
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