Thread: Wakeman - quad releases

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Post by fredblue February 4, 2015 (81 of 112)
Kutyatest said:

Could anyone please give a bit more of their thoughts with regard to these two Rick Wakeman DVD-A releases?

Which of these two albums is what you'd consider to be the most musically accessible?

Are these the albums listed on Amazon as follows?

Label: Commercial Marketing
ASINs: B00Q5V6RYG & B00Q5V6QWO

Thanks.

Yes, that Amazon info is the two new Deluxe Editions.

Now I am absolutely no authority at all on it, as I never owned these albums before I heard the Quads just now.. but these are only my very basic listening impressions so far, here goes..

Straight off the bat, I wouldn't say either of them are hugely instantly accessible, in a pop album way, no. They're instrumental concept albums, after all, that each attempt to tell their relative stories in quite different approaches..

..if they have similarities, they both feature superb playing from RW, great musicianship around him (Six Wives is basically YES without their lead singer) and gorgeous choirs..

but if you think of Six Wives as mostly full on uptempo prog with a real funky tinge and almost soulful vocals (if you're familiar with the early Elton John album Madman Across The Water, they're pretty much the same people on vocals - Liza Strike, Barry St.John, etc. - and the blend and sound is strikingly similar.. no coincidence Rick Wakeman played on Elton's Madman album btw!)..

..whereas King Arthur is more like vespers in church at times, those kinds of beautiful choral vocals like you're at evening Mass.. and there's trumpet blasts it has a typically "Camelot-esque" feel & evocative of that time.

I have to say I'm loving these two.. I imagine for some they're pretentious twaddle but to me they're the kind of fun and funky thing you'd never get made now by a major label and artist! Also, for anyone into speaker gymnastics, there is some absolutely incredible surround going on at times ("The Magician" on King Arthur is the most mesmerising mix!!)

Post by Kutyatest February 4, 2015 (82 of 112)
Wow - I’m impressed! Both at the speed with which you have produced a response, but also the eloquent and descriptive language you’ve used so promptly! You’ve painted a wonderful picture in my mind of both albums – and I appreciate how difficult it is to recommend music to others. I like to think that I have quite a wide and varied taste in music, but inevitably some stuff catches me out.

Thanks very much - and for confirming the Amazon listing info.

Post by Epsilon February 4, 2015 (83 of 112)
fredblue said:

Also, for anyone into speaker gymnastics, there is some absolutely incredible surround going on at times ("The Magician" on King Arthur is the most mesmerising mix!!)

Plus 'Merlin the Magician' has one of the coolest Minimoog solos in rock history.

A lot of people dismiss The Six Wives... as utter noise but then again the same has been said about a lot of Yes releases. I think Arthur is the more accessible album but IMHO the two make a good pair both in a musical and a (British) historical sense.

Post by fredblue February 4, 2015 (84 of 112)
Kutyatest said:

Wow - I’m impressed! Both at the speed with which you have produced a response, but also the eloquent and descriptive language you’ve used so promptly! You’ve painted a wonderful picture in my mind of both albums – and I appreciate how difficult it is to recommend music to others. I like to think that I have quite a wide and varied taste in music, but inevitably some stuff catches me out.

Thanks very much - and for confirming the Amazon listing info.

Bah! You're too kind! It was just a stream of (un)consciousness I let flow! Hope you come to enjoy them at the end of the day!

Post by sylvian February 4, 2015 (85 of 112)
(Epsilon)+1

Post by fredblue February 4, 2015 (86 of 112)
Epsilon said:

Plus 'Merlin the Magician' has one of the coolest Minimoog solos in rock history.

A lot of people dismiss The Six Wives... as utter noise but then again the same has been said about a lot of Yes releases. I think Arthur is the more accessible album but IMHO the two make a good pair both in a musical and a (British) historical sense.

THANK YOU! That's the one! Merlin the Magician! (told you these albums were all new to me!) I don't know how any Quaddie could not lap that track up.. jaw-dropping mix (needledrop or not!)

Post by leahcim1960 February 7, 2015 (87 of 112)
Arthur has some vinyl artefacts, one great big scratch 21 minutes in around the Merlin intro.
Think it's fab, the mix is nice - like a big old fluffy blanket ;-)

Post by sylvian February 16, 2015 (88 of 112)
If anyone is interested here are the DR values for both albums I have just received on Friday:

http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/view/83299 (not very impressive - quad is better)

http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/view/83297 (much better and more or less the same as quad version)

Post by Marpow February 25, 2015 (89 of 112)
sylvian said:

If anyone is interested here are the DR values for both albums I have just received on Friday:

http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/view/83299 (not very impressive - quad is better)

http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/view/83297 (much better and more or less the same as quad version)

I have never heard both of these releases before.

I listened to King Arthur last night. I listened to the entire disc in the 24/96 DTS mode and Merlin The Magician in all the modes.

I concur that the quad versions all sound the same to me with heavy needle drop very obvious here and there.

Yes, there is a hard case for the stereo sounding better but as I was listening in stereo I kept thinking why am I not listening in quad?

It is very much a niche music, I didn't really find the music all that great. I would really have to be in my melancholy mood to enjoy the performance. Amazed to learn that it has sold 15 million copies, oh man, I guess a lot of people would disagree with me.

Why did I think these where Steven Wilson remixes? I think they are just re releases and not necessarily remixed or remastered? Just new packaging?

Am I in the ballpark on any of my thoughts?

Next I listen to Six Wives.

Post by rammiepie February 25, 2015 (90 of 112)
Mark, sorry you're disappointed with the Wakeman release. As Wakeman was Yes' keyboardist and also a member of Strawbs (among other groups), Six Wives and King Arthur, are, IMHO, of their time.....70's progressive rock and Yes, you can hear distinct elements of Yes permeating both of Wakeman's solo releases.

Essential listening..........probably NOT but I was of that time and enjoy both releases as it certainly brought back memories.

Mark, it might be wise in the future to sample records you're not familiar with on You Tube http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Rick+Wakeman+Six+Wives+Entire+Album&Form=VQFRVP#view=detail&mid=95CA9D96F1B71EFC5C4095CA9D96F1B71EFC5C40 before committing to a purchase. I try to sample music whenever possible before pressing ADD TO CART!

And MOST importantly, NOT all music which gets a surround release is worth investing in. I certainly have my share of "duds" in my collection.

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