Surrounded By Prog - Steven Wilson's Insurgentes

To start, a quick apology: if you feel that the posts have slowed somewhat here at the Prog Rock Blog, you'd be correct. The fact of the matter is that the Vancouver winter Olympics are well underway and most of my time has been dedicated to keeping an eye on the Canadian TV coverage for my Canadian media blog. Fear not though, while the Olympics are on for a few weeks, the world of Prog never sleeps. I'll post as often as I can here and will resume to full-tilt Progland once the closing ceremonies are over. Prog On! (hahaha that's a silly thing to say)

As much as I adore what Porcupine Tree has done over the last couple of decades, my favorite album by Mr. Wilson probably has to be the one he released under his own name. Steven's first solo album is not just another Porcupine Tree album. There are hints of the PT sound to be found for sure, but what makes Insurgentes so special for me is that it's really a compendium of everything Steven Wilson. Take a dash of Porcupine Tree, add some No-Man, sprinkle a bit of Bass Communion and heap in a health dose of Blackfield. This album features just about every aspect of the man. We often mention about how diverse and prolific the guy is, but I'm not sure we've ever considered what it would sound like if he brought all of his masks to the same ball. That really is the essence of what makes Insurgentes what it is: a work of art unique to one man. There is always a question of how much of the artist should be apparent in his art. This album is pure Steven Wilson.

Frankly, I have no idea why I haven't presented this album earlier in this series. The great thing about it is if you own it, you have the DVD-Audio. As far as I'm able to tell, every CD comes bundled with the DVD. That means that if you're even remotely into contemporary Progressive Rock, you probably already own it. And wow, what a disc it is to own. In fact, looking over my fairly large collection of surround sound music discs, this album probably ranks amongst the all time best. What I mean by this is that never has there been a better 5.1 music release in the history of the format. (It's likely that The Incident may take the crown once it comes out in a month or so, but for now Insurgentes is king) Everything about this disc is perfect: the music, as previously mentioned, is amongst the most diverse and interesting of Wilson's long career. When it comes to mixing music for surround sound, there are simply none better than Steven Wilson. He's taken what could have been sheer novelty and elevated it to level of beautiful art. Every track on this album creates a 3D sound-field that will envelope and surround you.

The album starts off with what I consider to be the least interesting track. Harmony Korine will probably remind you of Blackfield. This automatically means a focus on the pop song structure. It's a good pop song for sure, and the surround mix is excellent, but compared with what's to follow it seems tame and bland. Things start to get very interesting with the next track: Abandoner. As soon as it starts you are immersed in a world of vinyl crackle and analog warmth. Steven's voice takes to the centre channel with a chilling dry delivery of cynical verse. The first instrumental break occurs when one acoustic guitar plays a Spanish flavoured line in the front left speaker and a second responds in harmony in the rear right. Second verse (well if you can call it that, this is hardly standard songwriting here) comes with a chorus of Wilsons backing up the initial lone voice from the rears. Then we enter a state of quiet suspended animation. The delicate glockenspiel in the left rear doesn't prepare you for what's happening next. Suddenly a wall of white noise and distortion surrounds you like a veil of evil descending creating a thick fog of sound. It's an amazing effect that has to be heard to be believed. If you're familiar with this song in stereo, you aren't getting the full effect of this section.

Veneno Para Las Hadas. If the opening guitar chords remind you of Porcupine Tree's Sky Moves Sideways, you're not alone. What really makes this song unique and special is just how much better Wilson has gotten at creating lush atmosphere. This is a great track to play to anyone who is convinced that digital is incapable of the warmth of analog vinyl. The bounding bass and lush harmonies surround you and fill your body with warmth. This is a delicate track and the surround mix is ripe with soft detail. It'll send a shiver down your spine. And then there's the woodwind. You can hear the reeds vibrating! This is a master recording engineer at his finest.

No Twilight Within The Courts of the Sun is definitely the hardest rocking piece here. Fans of Porcupine Tree are going to see (hear) plenty to like. Check this out: Tony Levin on bass and Gavin Harrison on drums. What an out of this world rhythm section! The Fripp-like screeching and searing guitar that permeates this track is some of Wilson's most interesting. If there was any track you could use to show off the extended dynamic range of DVD-Audio, this would be it. It goes from ear bleeding loud to whisper quiet. A couple of moments will surely make you leap out of your flesh. Fantastic production. Check out the cool moment when Wilson's whispering vocal first enters: it's a cool effect that really sounds like he's inside your head.

My award for best-of-the-best surround (that is the best track on the best album) would go to Twilight Coda. This soft and beautiful instrumental is definitely a demo piece. Turn off the lights and crank up the sound. The rich guitars and piano (by Dream Theater's Jordan Rudess no less) creates the perfect audio replica for that eerie feeling you get at twilight. This is 5.1 bliss right here. (That's no over exaggeration my friends). Get All You Deserve is as creepy as creepy gets. Wilson's voice is so delicate and soft, at yet for some reason I feel it's subliminally threatening. The song ends with what Wilson dubs "Total Fucking Noise". I suggest you listen to it yourself to see exactly what he means by this. (Hint: it's very loud)

As we've come to expect from Mr. Wilson over the years, the album comes to an end with a beautiful and moving piano ballad. This track was apparently recorded in a church and the 5.1 recreates the cavernous space perfectly. It's a subdued and emotional way to conclude the disc. (Did I mention the koto? My oh my: the koto!)

I could really go on and on (and on and on and on...) about how great this album is. This is the perfect work of art and one of the best examples of artistic rock we've had in decades. It's completely original. Steven Wilson has put just about every other modern rock artist to shame. This is miles away from what you're going to hear on mainstream radio. You can't say that there aren't any original things being done in rock after listening to this masterpiece. This album came out early 2009 and completely blew out anything else created around the same time frame. Why do the majority of people continue to listen to what the mainstream rock stations are oozing out when there is such real creativity going on under the radar? The fact that this work, and pretty much everything Wilson's done in the last few decades, has been largely ignored by most rock critics and fans just goes to show you how miserable the mainstream has become (at least here in North America).

Do yourself a favour, if you don't already own this, you have to pick it up today. Keep in mind that if you buy the CD you are also getting the DVD-Audio. If you don't own a surround sound system but know a buddy who does, then ask to borrow it for an hour or so. It is the best mix I've ever heard coupled with some of the most original and dynamic rock music produced in the last decade. The Incident is about to come out on DVD-Audio very soon so expect me to review that as soon as I get my hands on it. There is no doubt in my mind that it's going to be fantastic.

Now, if you don't mind I have to get back to watching the Olympics. There's an exciting curling match underway.

Surrounded By Prog - Genesis' Selling England By The Pound SACD DTS 5.1

I hate the Grammys. What a load of baloney. If you happen to frequent this blog I'm sure you'd have no difficulty imagining my reasoning behind this. I'd rather get whacked in the face with Chris Squire's triple necked bass that he uses during Awaken then get a dirty little Grammy award. That being said, I do tend to get minutely interested when the list of nominations comes around every year for the Surround Sound category. Mainly because this is a category that Porcupine Tree usually has a chance at winning. I know for a fact that Deadwing won in 2005 and Fear Of A Blank Planet was nominated, among a few others, I believe. I was quite disappointed when Mr. Wilson's solo album Insurgentes was not on this year's list of nominations. What were they thinking? I think that it might be one of the most amazing 5.1 presentations I've ever heard. Fools! Not 'mainstream' enough for the narrow-minded jerks, I suppose. (cynical cynical cynical I am)

What has been nominated this year, however, are the new surround sound mixes of the Peter Gabriel-era Genesis albums. In honour of this fact I'm going to take a look at one of those mixes: Selling England By The Pound. I'm sure this album needs no introduction as it is synonymous with Progressive Rock. It's usually battling it out for top spot on Prog Archives' top album of all time charts, and rightfully so. A well deserved classic by all accounts. Yadda yadda yadda... Despite my praise for the album itself, I just can't give the same glowing review of these new mixes. Genesis' sound engineer of choice, (at least since We Can't Dance in the early 90s) Nick Davis, and Tony Banks himself were mostly involved with this project and quite frankly what they churned out is very disappointing on many fronts. The notion of going back to the original recordings and remixing old albums of this nature is a dicey proposition. In an ideal situation, running the old multi-track tapes through modern digital mixing equipment should provide the opportunity to bring enhanced sound quality. Despite this, there is always a danger of making too many changes to the album and as a result rewrite history (in a George Lucas and Star Wars kind of way). The approach that Nick Davis took on these Genesis reissues is pretty upsetting.

This album, Selling England By The Pound, was a warm and lush sounding record. On the new 5.1 mix (and new stereo as well) things sound significantly louder and much harsher. The more I listen to these DVDs (I don't have the SACD version, which was only released in Europe and Japan and was outside of my budget to order as imports) the more I think this is a huge wasted opportunity. In comparison with Steven Wilson's treatment of the King Crimson catalogue so far, these discs are a sonic mess. I find it hard to crank these albums to a level of loudness that I'm accustomed to with the original vinyl version without having my ears start to bleed. To use audiophile terminology, these are harsh and bright sounding discs. The low end (the bass effects) are severely lacking. Where Mike Rutherford's bass used to shake the room, it now sounds as though its been castrated. It's wimpy sounding in 5.1. Us Prog fans should be thankful though, the Phil Collins era albums are treated far worse. In fact, I never listen to the new mixes of Trick Of The Tail and Wind And Wuthering anymore simply because they sound terrible. The original vinyl versions beat the snot out of them every time. Just compare the new Foxtrot with Wilson's treatment of Lizard and see what I mean. No comparison.

It's not all doom and gloom however. The use of surround sound and its additional speakers is very entertaining. The added separation does give additional insight into just how all the individual elements come together to make this album what it is. There are many instances of discrete sounds coming from the rear of the sound stage. During moments like in Cinema Show, the acoustic guitars are spread around the room in a way that lets you hear how all those weaving 12-strings come together. Backup vocals usually stand near the rear to counterpoint the leads in the front. The marching band at the beginning of The Battle Of Epping Forest marches around the room. The mellotrons, while having lost some of its majesty due to the sound quality remarks in the previous paragraph, are easy to hear coming from the rear. Going to the original recordings brings out many new details such as the sound of Peter Gabriel pressing the buttons on the flute during the solo in Firth Of Fifth. There also seems to be some different vocal takes used in comparison to the original, such as the "here comes the cavalry" cry during Epping Forest. All these aspects should appeal to all fans of Gabriel-era Genesis so these will probably be of interest despite the sound quality criticisms.

To be fair to Nick Davis and Tony Banks, the use of compression and equalization on the Genesis remixes are very much in step with current trends in music mastering. Personally the constant loud volume detracts from the dynamic nature of these recordings. If you aren't particular about such things then I have no doubt that the Selling England By The Pound 5.1 remix will entertain and amuse. If I'm in the mood to really listen to this album at a loud volume, I tend to reach for my vinyl copy. That being said (I love saying that), I do hope the box-set takes home the Grammy award for no other reason than having more Progressive Rock albums recognized by the mainstream (for what it's worth). If I had the choice, however, I'd easily pick Steven Wilson's Insurgentes to be nominated and win this year's award. It may be the best of its kind, ever. Hmmm, perhaps the next instalment of this column should explain exactly why I think this. How's that for a teaser?

Surrounded By Prog - Porcupine Tree's Lightbulb Sun DVD-A 5.1 Review

I've already reviewed one of Steven Wilson's 5.1 mixes in the form of King Crimson's Lizard. There is little doubt that Steven is the king of Surround Sound. If my glowing recommendation of Lizard wasn't enough to prove this, I'm going to take a look at one of his own band's albums in the form of Lightbulb Sun. This album has already been hailed as a modern masterpiece by many Progressive fans out there, so I'll assume that this material needs no introduction. If you've only heard this album on regular CD or as a digital download (or even vinyl for that matter), you really haven't heard it to its full potential. Mr. Wilson has been a huge fan of 5.1 since the release of Porcupine Tree's In Absentia in 2003 on the DVD-Audio format. For a true artist like Wilson, the idea of a format that required the listener to sit down and really take in the full breadth of an album was an ideal platform for his music.

There is usually a confusion whenever I mention the idea of surround sound music. For those who have never experienced an album in this fashion, it may be difficult to imagine what it sounds like. The point of this series is to attempt to explain why I think this is the way for serious music listeners to experience their favourite recordings. The real key in understanding why this is, simply go step outside of your house for a moment. Focus on what you are hearing. Close your eyes. While it is true that we only have two ears, you should quickly realize that you are very able to hear sounds coming from all directions. 360 degrees of sounds. If someone were to snap their fingers behind your head, you wouldn't say that the sound is coming from your left or right. Our brains are able to quickly take the information coming from our ears and process it in a way that can help us locate the sounds very precisely.

There really are no rules when it comes to how one might use the extra speakers in a 5.1 setup. If you've ever had the pleasure of watching a concert DVD in surround sound, you might have noticed how well those speakers behind you help create the ambiance of the venue where the show is taking place. You hear the roar of the crowd and the sound of the instruments echoing off the back wall. A good concert mix can really make the effect of 'being there'. Some studio album recordings in 5.1 use this approach, putting you in the recording studio with the band. Steven Wilson, however, takes a more creative style to his 5.1 mixes. What I believe he does is create a 3D sound painting.

Sounds pretentious? Nah... I think that this idea comes from the notion that music can really transcend from being just simply background noise or, as I like to call it, aural wallpaper. Music can, and should be as immersive, as gripping and as emotionally engaging as a movie. By using the home theatre systems that are increasingly common these days, artists like Steven Wilson are creating audio entertainment that parallels movie soundtracks in quality of sound. Lightbulb Sun, which in fact can only be purchased at this time in a set that features the CD along with a DVD-A, is one of the best examples of how effective a 5.1 mix can be.

Take, for example, the album's second track: How Is Your Life Today. This simple little track, clocking in at under three minutes, is a true example of a 3D sound painting. Picture a dark shadowy chamber, a piano in front of you and the longing lyrics of Steven Wilson front and centre, reverberating off the walls of the chamber all around you. Then the first line of the chorus "How is your life today?" fades in from a disembodied voice over your right shoulder. The next line "How is your life?" emerges from a second voice over your left shoulder. The two voices sing the final "How is your life tooooday?" in harmony and fade to darkness. The spotlight focuses again on the echoey vocals front and centre for the second verse. "And the cat its been staring at me, all this time" is heard as the last word, "time", whooshes away as the protagonist disappears, leaving just the piano in the dark chamber. Then suddenly the room is full of harmonizing Wilsons "la la la"-ing from all directions. Things seem to be getting a bit brighter as the harpsichord joins the piano and the chorus repeats again with lush warm voices surrounding you. The light takes a sinister colour, as an evil circus-like sound takes over the chamber. As the last chord decays, everything fades to black. The pianist takes his foot off the pedal and disappears into the darkness.

Despite the flowery language, none of this at any point seems gimmicky. None of the effects scream out "look at me! I'm in surround sound! Whoosh Bang ain't that neat?". Instead one gets a real sense that there is an increased meaning and purpose in the sound placement to help tell the story of the song. This description is naturally just one man's interpretation. I implore you to seek yourself out a copy of this disc and draw your own conclusions. While this one track is definitely a standout, the entire disc is just as engaging and imaginative. I should also add that this DVD-A is a sonic masterpiece. On first listen you may find it to be on the quiet side, but that is simply a sign of excellent mastering. Use your volume knob and turn it as loud as you desire. Unlike the majority of modern CD releases, Lightbulb Sun sounds better the louder you make it. Simply put, this is audio perfection.

Surrounded By Prog - Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon 5.1 SACD

I believe I'm right in saying that this is the highest selling SACD of all time. This is hardly surprising considering it's Dark Side of the Moon, the gateway of so many into the ambitious and aurally dense world of Progressive Rock. It also happens to be the most overplayed album on FM radio to this very day. Seriously, just try tuning into your local Classic Rock station and odds are you are going to hear tracks like Time, Money and Us and Them over and over and over... Well let me tell you now that listening to this classic album on the radio is really the wrong way to go about it. In fact, listening to it on Vinyl or CD may even be considered a second-rate way of enjoying this classic. The fact of the matter is this: Dark Side of the Moon was made to be heard in surround sound.

Firstly, this album was mixed in Quadraphonic sound (that is the four channel surround system that failed to gain any traction in the 70s) by Alan Parsons. This release is considered by many to be the definite version of the album. Although never released on any digital format, if you are clever enough you can find a bootleged DVD-Audio version online that sounds simply amazing and can be listened to on any DVD player with a surround sound setup. In 2003, Dark Side of the Moon was released on the then new format SACD. Instead of releasing the original Quad mix, the band elected to do a brand new 5.1 mix. This is the version I will be focusing on now.

The fact that this SACD sold as well as it did may come down to the fact that it was released as a hybrid SACD/CD. This meant that it could be played on any regular old fashioned CD player. There is a slim chance that you have this SACD and don't even know it! All you need to do is get a multichannel SACD player to be able to enjoy the surround sound layer of the disc. Sound complicated? Well, this confusion was probably something that doomed the format in the end.

Before I start up the disc and describe some of the surround effects, I want to start out by saying that this is one of the finest sounding music releases I've ever heard in my life. The sonic quality is just "melt-into-yourself" quality. All those analog purist who claim that digital recordings will never have the depth or warmth of vinyl have clearly never listened to this SACD. It is pure sonic bliss. Alright, let us begin.

Speak To Me: The heartbeat begins in the front, clocks begin to tick all around the room. Voices from all corners of the room! You immediately get the feeling that all these layers of sounds and voices were really meant to surround you in this fashion. The screaming lady sound from behind/overhead brings us into...

Breathe: The bulk of the music appears to be coming from the front left and right. Those who heard the much more aggressively mixed Quad mix may be disappointing here. Gilmour's vocals really sound amazing and the real charm of this track is revealed with the clarity of the SACD.

On The Run: Ok, now the real fun begins. The whirling sounds circle the room. The low synth bass runs shake the room with amazing presence. The running man actually runs right around the room! The various helicopter-like sounds shoot over your head in an exciting and startling manner. The synth sounds sound soooo warm and lush you would be surprised to know they were recorded almost 40 years ago. Again, the sound effect work on tracks like this were completely cheated in plain old stereo. The manic laughter from behind sends shivers down the spine. A loud boom at the end and the running man takes another lap around behind your head... Uh oh, suddenly you are in a room filled with ticking clocks!

Time: All the alarm clocks go off at once from all directions! The loud angry chords surround the room and Nick Mason's drum fills are just as enveloping as they dance around the sound field. When the singing starts you get a "being in the room with Floyd" sensation with some of Rick's keyboards coming from just behind. The choral backup singers are given way more room in this presentation. Once again, the real shining element here is the outrageously good sound quality of it all. Roger's bass is not at all overpowering and very distinct. The mix in Breathe reprise is again focused in the front with Rick's organ bringing the song to a conclusion from the right rear.

Great Gig In The Sky: I adore the way Rick's piano sounds in this song. I feel that the mix, however, is a bit cheated from not enough use of the rear channels. In comparison to Alan Parson's Quad mix, this is a tame beast. At the very least, the sound has been really opened up and the "you are there" factor is really high with the reverb in the rears giving you a sense of space. The female vocals sound so lifelike that you might think this was recorded yesterday. "I never said I was frightened of dying" chimes in from the rear left channel (it caused my dog to jump!).

Money: The first cash register sound is anchored in the centre channel. The remaining ones emerge from all four corners. one at a time. Roger's bass takes over the centre channel and sounds simply amazing. The guitar chords emerge from the rear. The sax solo is featured right in the centre of the sound field while those clangy guitar chords hammer out behind you. This section is real audio 3D. The time signature change into the guitar solo brings a little more 'oomf' to the proceedings in those low tom fills by Mason. The drum sound is really something to be amazed by. Again, I can't help but feel that this song could have used more adventurous use of the rear channels. The talking voices emerge from all different corners of the room. Rick's organ in the front right channel transitions us into...

Us and Them: I love the way the bass sounds here. Roger may have not been the most technically gifted bass player, but he made sure his bass was well recorded. Again the sax appears to be front and centre. The echoing vocals start out in front and decay slowly behind you. Very cool. The choral backup singers fill out the rear of the room quite nicely during the powerful chorus section. It's impossible to deny the whole track is a simply sonic joy to hear. You know that really emotional section when the choral backup singers join in with the sax solo? It made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. This is what I mean by "melting" good sound.

Any Colour You Like: Rick's echoey synth fills the room and echoes from everywhere. The effect never quite was this convincing in stereo only. Dave's guitar solo starts in the centre but slowly expands to the point you have one part in the front left and an overdub in the left rear of the room. This track may have the best surround mix of the album so far! This is a real showcase of how a good mix can bring a layered instrumental track to life.

Brain Damage: The rhythm guitar is focused in the front and those little lead lines kind of come from over your right shoulder. Roger's vocals sound like they are coming from just about everywhere. A whirling organ from behind introduce the backup singers who also seem to emjoy hanging out in the back of the room. (Maybe they're chilling with Rick and his organ?) The lunatic is in my head, or in the left rear speaker, either way that manic laugh has never been creepier. The moog synth during the instrumental break circles around the room while that crazy guy laughs back and forth in the rear.

Eclipse: Oooooooo in the rear, Roger in the front (mostly). This track seems to really fill the sound field as it climaxes. The female backup singers anchored all over the place. "There is no dark side of the moon really..." is quietly muttered behind you as the heartbeat slowly fades out.

All in all, I can't say this is the best 5.1 music mix I've ever heard. It is far too tame and I find it hard to pick out discrete elements the way I can in some of my other favorites (check out my Lizard review). I'm quite sad that this is considered by many to be the best surround sound album as it's really a "stereo+effects" mix. Alan Parson's Quad mix is, in my opinion, much better in terms of giving the layered nature of the music its deserved space with the rear channels employed far more often. Given his work with King Crimson's albums recently, Steven Wilson should be given the task of doing similar treatments to Floyd's catalog. If this album was released with a more ambitious mix you may have to wonder if the SACD/DVD-Audio formats would have been taken more seriously. Oh well...mere speculation on my behalf really.

I will, at some point, give a similar review to Alan Parson's mix of this album. Considering that you can get that version "illegitimately" online, and the fact that it is on the DVD format (one you can probably play without purchasing additional equipment) makes it an ideal choice for the surround beginner to enjoy a 'free' sample. (I'm not encouraging piracy here, only that Parson's mix was never officially released on a digital format, so going through so-called "pirate" channels is the only way to hear it)

Until next time, keep your ears open and

Keep The Prog Alive!

Surrounded By Prog - King Crimson's Lizard DVD-A 5.1 Review

When choosing how to commence this series examining how 5.1 Surround Sound has affected the scope and sound of classic Progressive Rock albums, I decided to start with something that is currently available for purchase. You see, the heyday for 5.1 music releases was all the way back in 2003/2004. This was the era that the record labels put out the competing formats DVD-Audio and Super Audio CDs. Since that time almost all the releases have gone out of print. As I explained previously, the consumer confusion as to what exactly these formats were in tandem with the fact that most were moving their music listening away from the home stereo and onto iPods created essentially what amounted to a flop. Neither format sold well and have since disappeared off the shelves. I could go on as to why exactly this is one of the great tragedies in the history of recorded music, but I'll save that for another post on another day.

Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree saw through the market confusion and continued to release DVD-Audios of his own material. I'm not sure exactly how it came to pass, but eventually Robert Fripp enlisted Wilson's expertise in Surround Sound to remix the entire King Crimson catalog. Now, in 2009, almost six years after the major labels chose to can the format, we are finally seeing the first of these Crimson remixes. The results? Simply outstanding! The added depth of sound provided by remixing these albums from the original recorded multi-tracks has given new life to these compositions, the oldest of which is now 40 years old.

Lizard has always been a difficult album for even some of the most dedicated King Crimson fans. It has always fallen into the "love it or hate it" category. Those who couldn't grasp it have always cited its leanings of free-jazz as well as just the sheer amount of musical ideas crammed into each track. Dense is too light a word to describe the aural layering involved in its creation. As Steven Wilson remarks in the new liner notes:

"One of the first things I said to Robert when we started talking about the 5.1 mixes was that I wanted to do Lizard because for me, that’s always been an album that was too big for stereo to contain. There’s so much going on in that record. I’ve always felt that if presented in the right way, I could make a case for this being the most experimental rock record ever made. It’s extraordinary what they’re doing on this album. In terms of fusing free-jazz with progressive rock for me there’s almost no parallel and yet it seems to (be) an album that is overlooked by jazz fans and progressive rock fans alike."

He hits the nail on the Lizard's head. Listening to this surround sound mix is a revelation. I'm going to go through the album now, track-by-track, and attempt to describe some of the ways the mix is presented. If you feel that the idea of describing music in such ways a bit silly, then by all means go out and purchase this album for yourself. Since it contains a DTS encoded version of the surround mix, essentially any surround sound home system should be able to play back this DVD. If you already have a surround sound-compatible DVD player at home you have no excuse not to buy this. Unlike many of the albums I will eventually cover in the column, this has just been released and shouldn't be too hard to find either online or in-store.

Let us begin.

Cirkus: Amazingly, the album begins with the vocals starting out behind you and slowly make its way towards the front centre channel of the mix. When the rest of the band joins in, the full power of the bass is felt as Robert Fripp's acoustic guitar has never sounded quite so clear. This is what I would call an extremely active mix with whirling melotron and organs surrounding you. The song no longer has that cluttered feeling that marred the original mix. The spacing around the sound field really is well done and allows you to hear each instrument clearly. At this volume, the melotron is really something other-worldly. Shiver inducing stuff. The dynamics during the quiet section allow the return of the powerful riff with Robert's frantic acoustic playing to make you jump out of your seat. Like an explosion almost in terms of how it hits you. This has never sounded so good.

Indoor Games: Brass spread before you in the front, keyboards in the rear and vocals locked right in the centre speaker. The strumming acoustic guitar coming at once from the front right and rear left punctuating the "Indoor Games" chorus. Again, the clarity of individual instruments is a revelation to anyone familiar with this album. In the quiet bridge section fuzzy low moog (i think) sweeps around the room. The sax solo is in the centre as the electric guitar answers in the rear. The effect is startling. I'm hearing details that I never thought I would, and I claim to know this album inside and out. The moog effects surround the room in a rousing example of the warmth of analog synthesizers. I might consider this song an excellent candidate for a 'demo' track to show off the power of 5.1 mixing. Simply as masterpiece!

Happy Family: I never really liked the way the vocal effects distorted the lyrics in this song originally. Wilson, while keeping the same 'feel' on the vocals, mixed them in a much clearer fashion here. The first instrumental break features keys in the front left, guitar front right and flute behind you. It has the effect of being in the middle of the room as the musicians play. The increased fidelity provided by the DVD-Audio format and the fact that Wilson was able to use the original source recordings to mix this is really 'ear opening'. If you thought this song sounded too 'busy' during its instrumental sections before, this new presentation may be a revelation.

Lady of the Dancing Water: After the aural assault of the previous tracks, this track remains a calming peaceful interlude before the epic. The opening electric piano opens the song in front as the flute fills in the rest of the room. The vocals have never sounded so clear. The trumpet (or trombone) during the chorus whispers over your left shoulder. Again, another shiver inducing moment. Fripp's acoustic guitar sounds fantastic. So warm and lush.

Lizard: Attempting to go into too much detail to describe this epic-length track is impossible, but I'll highlight a few of my favorite moments. Jon Anderson sounds purer here then ever before. The harsh melotron swells haunt you from behind as the gorgeous piano stays to the front. The vocal harmonies during the chorus are now much more apparent as they have been spread into the rear speakers. Prince Rupert's Awakening has been given a new lease on life. There is no doubt that Mr. Wilson has a great understanding of this music as his presentation is true to the original yet so much bigger and clearer than before. The Bolero section's trumpet solo is anchored dead centre and sounds magnificent. The swingy jazzy section is a sonic wonder, with brass instruments seemingly coming from right across the front of the sound stage. Like a jazz band performing right in front of you. This is a smart and intelligent mix that is guaranteed to satisfy both long time fans of this track and those who were skeptical initially as well.

If there was an award for "Album most improved by Surround Sound mix" this would win it hands down. In fact this may be one of the best DVD-Audio discs in my collection. This on a brand new disc on a format that was long thought as "dead". I can't recommend it enough. It gives a troubled album a new lease on life and is without a doubt the new definite version. Get it now while you still can. Even if you don't own a Surround System (what are you waiting for?) then Steven Wilson's new stereo mix may also interest you as it does indeed go to great extent to 'clean' up the messy original. The real attraction here, however, is the new 5.1 mix. Believe me when I say that even if you were not a fan of this one originally, this new release may change your opinion on this forgotten masterpiece of Progressive Rock.

Although not indicated, this is indeed the new two-disc DVD-Audio version. Order it from this link and help support the Prog Rock Blog!