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Discussion: U.K. - U.K.

Posts: 17
Page: 1 2 next

Post by sylvian July 16, 2014 (1 of 17)
Definitely more ambitious than it turns out in the end - but with comparison with what comes much later, this is really decent English prog-group and finally we can put our hands on decent release of this gem.

I only recently have puchased their Japanese-only release of the live setting from US-leg of their final tour (other than has been relesed as "Night after Night", 1979).

One can only regret that U.K. were not so stable to go on. Solo Wetton projects never surpass his collaboration within U.K. or ASIA.

Post by Lute July 17, 2014 (2 of 17)
Good prog rock is always welcome on SACD. It deserves a surround mix, but I am still looking forward to these new releases.

Here's a 2011 reunion concert in Tokyo:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jmVLp0PU93Y

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OlcgIle1DiI

Post by sylvian July 17, 2014 (3 of 17)
2012?

I thought that last reunion was 2009 (double CD from the concert is also available).

Yes, surround will work fine with the 1st album......doubtful about the 2nd which is more straightforward pop. However, after all those years that have passed, these albums proved themselves as more viable than theirs other punk-oriented contemporaries.

Post by Lute July 17, 2014 (4 of 17)
sylvian said:
My mistake. Duh! It says 2011 April 15-19 right at the beginning of the video!! ;) I corrected my above post. This 2011 concert meant a lot to folks here in Japan. The nuclear accident had made Tokyo virtually a ghost town. Everyone was freaked out. Many concerts by other artists were cancelled. But...a few were super troopers and came anyway. I remember Placido Domingo came and gave a concert in April 2011. Lady Gaga came in June 2011. I believe UK also came in June 2012.

Yes, 70s prog rock has stood the test of time well. Punk (and Rap) were still fairly crude in the 70s. I feel the music of the post-punk groups of the 80s continues to be more relevant and timeless. I referred to Echo and the Bunnymen's 1984 album Ocean Rain in another post. I would love to see it and much more of that music released in 5.1 hirez. How about U2's Unforgettable Fire, and War!!?? Surely, there is a market for their music.

And... I know it's outside of many people's comfort zone, but Metal definitely needs to be better represented on 5.1 hirez. While a lot of Rock was becoming Pop and MTV oriented in the 80s and 90s, Speed/Thrash Metal continued to produce seriously wicked music and push the outside of the envelope.

Post by sylvian July 18, 2014 (5 of 17)
Hello Lute

Yes, I only yesterday (before horrid news) listened to Ocean Rain......this is very fine album and yes I would like to see it (as well as other stuff by E&tB)
properly done in SA-CD in stereo at least.

Also concerts in Japan are usally top notch performance as well as high sound quality (since audience is very tentativwely listening and cooperating with the performer) SO I would also welcome some more BD releases of the music recorded live past 20-30 years. King Crimson (1995) Duran Duran, Steve Hackett (1996), Yes (9012 tour) to name a few examples.....

Post by Lute July 19, 2014 (6 of 17)
sylvian said:

Hello Lute

Hello back at ya!

OT... /showreviews/9598#10575 is another great album from the 80s. I wish someone had given it a proper 5.1 mix, but all the same I am glad to see it's been released on both SACD and Bluray. From your review, it seems the SACD is the better of the two, right? Definitely have to get that one.

Horrid news? I believe you're referring to the airplane shot down in Ukraine...

Tragic :'(

Post by sylvian July 20, 2014 (7 of 17)
Yes, I can recommend the purchase of the second TFF album on SA-CD.

It is single layer so nothing disturbing comes within. I am using OPPO 105 (in Pure audio mode) so go for it while the stock lasts......

Post by Lute July 21, 2014 (8 of 17)
sylvian said:
Will do. Thanks!

There has been a nice stream of Universal SACD releases recently... Rainbow, Camel, TFF, etc... I got Carpenters: The Singles 1969-1973 last week. A beautiful remastering job! It's disappointing to hear that the follow up Singles 74-78 SACD was canceled, though.

Post by rammiepie August 25, 2015 (9 of 17)
While I would tend to agree with DelicateSounds and sylvian's review of U.K.'s eponymous first album, I read a blurb over at QQ stating that the absolute master tapes were NOT utilized as the source of the SHM~SACD. In fact, CDJapan states that the SHM~SACD transfer was culled from the 'latest digital mastering' because, supposedly, according to a former band member, the absolute master multitracks are "locked up tight" in Abbey Road Studios.

There is talk about doing 5.1 remixes from the absolute masters of the three U.K. albums but only if public donations (like Neil Young's Pono Drive) creates a suitable cache to make such an endeavor feasible.

BTW, no complaints here about the sound quality but still the source of the SHM~SACDs remains a mystery! One former band member asserts they're from 16 bit RBCD digital remasters............sure hope that's a fallacy.

At least the DR scores are more than decent: http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/list?artist=U.K.&album=U.K.

Post by sylvian August 26, 2015 (10 of 17)
Almost all of the recently released SHM-SACDs are culled from the tapes of Abbey Road archive.

So 16-bit sources is certainly hoax cause latest CD releases preceding UICY 76577 and UIGY 9570 japanese flat transfers on CD and SA-CD respectively are unofficial "Global Media Arts" reissues of the masters from late 80's.

Since I have had first CD issues of the debut + Danger Money I can confirm, that you can hear a lot more information from SA-CD than from any other previous release. I have listened to practically every rip from 1988 till 2009 of this album.

Unlike YES these all official or unofficial releases have far better dynamics than any official or unofficial YES release of pre-Steven Wilson era.

Concerning QQ (and particularly SH.tv) forums I pay very little attention to the rumours circulating there. These congreggations are emotionally biased worshippers rather than neutral analytical minds capable of accepting true facts. Exceptions are on both sides of course. Hi-end audio domain is full of stubborn persons persuaded of their own ushakeable truths.

Peace.

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