HiRez Poll Young, Neil - BEFORE AND AFTER [Blu-Ray Audio (Dolby Atmos)]

[rtbluray]

Please post your thoughts and comments on this new album from Neil Young entitled "Before and After", mixed and released in Dolby Atmos on Blu-Ray Audio.

 

[stoopid]

Not what I expected. The performance is "live studio" and a bit rough, possibly age related (Mr Young is 78 at the time of my writing this). But it's classic Neil, so if you're already going to buy something with his name attached, you know what you're getting. I like most of the songs and the version of Mr Soul works. We were thrilled when Johnny Cash was making music at this age, we should perhaps consider being equally grateful here.

I only have a 5.1 setup. The bluray's audio options are binaural, atmos, and stereo. I selected atmos and had a discrete experience, so the fold down was clean. My receiver reported the stream as True HD, which would be correct.

Sound quality was fine. Nothing ground breaking in fidelity, but studio quality and intimate. When the rear channels were in use the soundscape felt 'right' for the scant instrumentation. The harmonica does not, unfortunately, spin around the room as we all had hoped it would.

Packaging is a couple insert cards explaining the album and some groveling for more sales via the website. The poster lyrics sheet is a nice touch, although it would have been nicer and easier to enjoy as a standard booklet.

Overall this was an 8 for me, brought down by the imperfect performance and song selection (Old Man would have been nice to hear in high resolution). While I may not personally play this many times in the coming years, I suspect anyone who is a fan will enjoy the album.

 

[halbroome]

Please post your thoughts and comments on this new album from Neil Young entitled "Before and After", mixed and released in Dolby Atmos on Blu-Ray Audio.

Listening to it now. I remember Neil from his first albums, then later live performances for the Bridge Concerts, and of course CSN&Y. The last time I saw them was at the Bill Graham memorial concert.

Anyway.

It's like having him in front of you doing a live concert. Back in the day I sponsored Second Life concerts, live only, and this reminds me of
the delight of having an artist you like play JUST FOR YOU and not caring if others like it. I do. I voted 8 because, you know, there have
been a few other spectacular group / Dolby Atmos efforts this year to really compare. . . .

Still, it brings me back to my youth. I love it for that.

[edit: listening to it in Dolby Atmos, 7.2.4, not that it makes much difference, it is pretty much solo with this and that from another musician, and could be just as enjoyable in stereo. Nothing wrong with that . . . the extra speakers really do give it an enveloping, spacey field, as you would expect 8')]

 

[rusinurbe]

Man and guitar man and piano and a couple of times two men, I can see the mix being a touch polarising manly because bare bones is not going to make for a fully immersive mix. That said it wraps well and the music is pure Neil Young releasing his I fifth or sixth album of the year (including archives of one sort or another).
Shame it's not full of new songs but live in the studio. Never the less it a good Neil album.