Surroundablog

Gavin Harrison & 05Ric "The Man Who Sold Himself" on DVD-A....

Available as a 2 disc cd/dvda set, The Man Who Sold Himself is the third collaborative outing from Porcupine Tree's Gavin Harrison and Canadian multi-instrumentalist/singer-songwriter 05Ric.

Exclusive: the first 500 copies will be signed by Gavin & 05Ric

Best known for his work with Porcupine Tree, Gavin has also played with King Crimson and played sessions for many other artists, but Gavin has stated that his work on The Man Who Sold Himself contains, 'Some of the wildest rhythmic concepts that I have ever conjured and 05Ric has snaked his bass around.'

05Ric goes on to explain that lyrically the album deals with themes, “Based on the greed of the financial global crisis, the empty shallowness of goal seeking without passion or for its own sake and the destructive force left behind by selfish behaviour. The central character through heightened awareness and right action discovers his true calling.”

Both lyrically and musically, The Man Who Sold Himself pushes this unique collaboration's possibilities even further out than before.

Preorder now for 27th February 2012

Storm Corrosion coming on Blu-Ray....

Editor's note: This little tidbit was buried within the "StarsDie.com" official website for Porcupine Tree. The posting consists of Steven Wilson answering a multitude of questions on PT and his other collaborations. In it was confirmation of a hi-res release for his project with Mikael Akkerfeldt of Opeth...

Question...."Also, I’d be curious to know whether he (Steven Wilson) and Mikael (Akkerfeldt of Opeth) plan to release “Storm Corrosion” in high res on either DVD-Audio or Blu-ray Audio. Thank you..."

Steven Wilson..."Storm Corrosion is coming out on Blu-Ray. The whole album was recorded at 96K so it sounds really good in high res."

The self-titled debut album from the collaboration between OPETH mainman Mikael Åkerfeldt and PORCUPINE TREE's Steven Wilson, which goes under the name of STORM CORROSION, will be available in April 2012 via Roadrunner Records.

Apart from Mikael and Steven, the album includes guest appearances by Gavin Harrison on drums/percussion, Ben Castle on woodwinds, and Dave Stewart on string arrangements.

According to a recent press release, "this album could be seen as the final part in the odd trilogy of records completed by Opeth's new album Heritage and Steven Wilson's brand new solo album, Grace For Drowning."

 

Thick as a Brick part 1 AND! 2 by Steven Wilson

Editor's note: While we've been anxiously awaiting the 40th anniversary release of "Thick as a Brick" word comes today of a SEQUEL TO "THICK AS A BRICK" IN SURROUND SOUND!

Steven Wilson explains:" "I recently had the pleasure of mixing the new Ian Anderson / Jethro Tull album, which is a follow up to the classic Thick as a Brick album from 1972. TAAB2 is very much in the tradition of the first album, a continuous 54 minute concept piece with a similar musical palette and style. It's just been officially announced for release in April as a CD/DVD (including a 5.1 mix and stereo in high res), more details on the Tull website. I also completed mixes for a 40th anniversary surround sound edition of the original Thick as a Brick, though not sure when that is coming out."

Thick As A Brick sequel
to be released April 2nd

From J-Tull.com

TAAB2 -
Whatever HappenedTo Gerald Bostock? - is a full length Progressive Rock
"concept" album worthy of its predecessor. Boy to man and beyond, it looks at
what might have befallen the child poet Gerald Bostock in later life. Or,
perhaps, any of us. To be released in two formats: the simple jewel case CD with
8-page booklet and the Special Edition with CD, audio-visual DVD and 16-page
booklet. The DVD contains 5.1 surround mixes, 24-bit stereo mix, videos covering
the making of the album, interviews with the musicians and the lyric reading
where ian Anderson reads the lyrics in various settings. Also on the DVD are the
pages of StCleve.com, the online update of the St Cleve Chronicle, fabled
newspaper of the original album, and the multilingual lyric translations in
Italian, German, Spanish, Czech, Polish and Russian

Thick as a.......deluxe edition!

Hot on the heels of Steven Wilson's excellent remaster of Jethro Tull's "Aqualung" comes word on "Thick as a Brick". In this month's issue of "Classic Rock"....Johnny Black interviewed the eccentric flautist of Jethro Tull....

Aqualung and Thick as a Brick  are set for Deluxe Editions soon. How involved have you been with the new packages.

IAN: I started having discussions with them more than a year ago with  EMI, whose initiative it was. A lot of credit for how good they sound now has to go to Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree who did the remixes. I'm involved but, really, Steven doesn't need me holding his hand because he has an instinctive and very respectful way of working. He has great regard for the original so he can bring about something with a lot more sonic clarity and authority without making it sound too unfamiliar.

This revelation is not expected before the new year....but stay tuned for all the bits and bytes of this gem coming soon....SOON.....5.1 TOO PLEASE!

Also...check out this article written by Anne Leighton concerning Ian Anderson's upcoming tour "Thick as a Brick" which will include a multitude of special guests..... http://anneleightonmedia.blogspot.com/2011/08/two-announcements-from-ian-anderson-and.html

All the World's a Surround Stage...

Editor's note..I started to shake with anticipation when this bit of news hit my inbox...promptly ordered all 3 sets..including the wrongheaded synthesizer'd period of set3. Just so you know...these sets ONLY  include surround sound versions of "Fly by Night", "Farewell to Kings" and "Signals". The other 13 cds smell like stereo-only. It's unclear whether those 3 dvds will be available as stand alone cd\dvd deluxe editions or blu-rays. This article originally ran on Antimusic.com.

On Wednesday Rush Sectors Box Sets Details was a top story. Here is the recap: UMe have set a November 21, 2011 released date for Rush Sector box sets consisting of three separate six-disc box sets which together spans their entire historic Mercury Records recording career.

Each "Sector" contains five of their 15 Mercury albums in chronological order, all transferred to high resolution 96kHz/24-bit audio and digitally remastered for optimal quality.

In addition, each volume includes an exclusive booklet packed with unpublished photos, original album lyrics and credits, and features one album from each set specially remixed on DVD in high resolution 96kHz/24-bit, 5.1 surround sound and stereo, compatible with both DVD-Audio players and DVD-Video players. Each album is packaged in a replica vinyl mini-jacket of the original album release with all three box sets forming a Rush CD road case.

SECTOR 1

• RUSH – Their hard-rocking, self-titled 1974 debut hit the Billboard 200 and features classics such as "Working Man" and "Finding My Way."

• FLY BY NIGHT (1975) – Released in 1975, Fly By Night sees the debut of drummer Neil Peart who would help drive the band towards more complex material. Included are fan favorites such as the title track, "Anthem" and the eight-minute composition "By-Tor And The Snow Dog," which shows the band's musical growth and progression.

• CARESS OF STEEL (1975) – Also released in 1975, Caress Of Steel hit the Top 200 and gives a further glimpse of the band leaning toward prog rock and features Rush classics such as "Lakeside Park" and "Bastille Day."

• 2112 (1976) - One of Rush's all-time classics, 2112 was the band's commercial breakthrough reaching the Top 100 on the album chart and remains one of their most popular albums successfully merging prog rock with their hard rock roots, a first for its time. 2112 features epic

tracks such as the 20-minute title track "2112," taking up the entire first side of the original vinyl album.

• ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE (1976): Hitting Top 50, this was Rush's first live album and features classics such as "Fly By Night/In The Mood" which reached Top 100, "2112," "Bastille Day" and "Something For Nothing."

• DVD: FLY BY NIGHT – Their classic 1975 sophomore release is now, for the first time, presented in high-resolution 96kHz/24-bit 5.1 surround sound and stereo.

SECTOR 2

• A FAREWELL TO KINGS (1977) – Their 1977 Top 40 release features their hit "Closer To The Heart," "Xanadu" and the title track, "A Farewell To Kings."

• HEMISPHERES (1978) – Reaching Top 50 on the album chart, Hemispheres includes the 20- minute opus "Cygnus X-1Book II – Hemispheres" and the metaphoric social commentary "The Trees."

• PERMANENT WAVES (1980) – This 1980 release hit No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and features classics such as "Freewill" and "The Spirit Of The Radio."

• MOVING PICTURES (1981) – Considered one of the greatest hard rock albums of all time, this quadruple platinum-selling masterpiece features the Grammy® nominated instrumental "YYZ" and rock radio staples such as "Tom Sawyer," "Red Barchetta," "Vital Signs" and "Limelight."

• EXIT…STAGE LEFT (1981) – Released in 1981, this Top 10 live album features performances of favorites such as "Tom Sawyer," "Freewill," "YYZ" and deeper album tracks such as "La Villa Strangiato" and "Broon's Bane."

• DVD: A FAREWELL TO KINGS – The album that set their musical course and signature songwriting style is now presented in high-resolution 96kHz/24-bit 5.1 surround sound and stereo.

SECTOR 3

• SIGNALS (1982) - The synthesizer-driven Signals reached Top 10 and produced their No. 1 hit

"New World Man" and the Top 20 hits "Subdivisions" and "The Analog Kid."

• GRACE UNDER PRESSURE (1984) – This 1984 release hit Top 10 on Billboard's album chart and features classics such as "Red Sector A" and "Distant Early Warning."

• POWER WINDOWS (1985) – Released in 1985, Power Windows features Top 10 hits "Marathon" and "Big Money," plus the Top 50 hits "Territories" and "Mystic Rhythms."

• HOLD YOUR FIRE (1987) – The Top 20 album includes "Force Ten" and "Time Stand Still" with both reaching No. 3 on the Mainstream Rock chart, plus the Top 50 hits "Lock And Key" and "Mission."

• A SHOW OF HANDS (1988) – While 1976's All The World's A Stage shows Rush's hard rock roots and 1982's Exit…Stage Left showcases their mix of synth and prog rock, the Top 50

double live album A Show Of Hands concentrates on the band's later synth-driven era with tracks such as "Subdivisions," "Force Ten," "Red Sector A" and "Marathon."

• DVD: SIGNALS – The 1982 Top 10 album Signals is also featured in high-resolution 96kHz/24-bit

5.1 surround sound and stereo.

More Jethro Tull comin'

I've been a fan of this band since Jethro first put drill to seed...andI missed this release the first time around (thanks RT musicman for the info). If you missed it too...A digitally re-mastered and expanded three disc Collector's Edition of Jethro Tull's brilliant 1969 sophomore release.

CD 1 includes Stand Up re-mastered and 11 bonus tracks (including BBC radio sessions and the classic singles Living In The Past and Sweet Dream), while CD 2 contains a 1970 live show from Carnegie Hall.

A DVD-Audio disc features a 5.1 mix of the Carnegie Hall show plus an interview with Ian Anderson.

Comes as a deluxe digipack with a replica of the original vinyl gatefold pop-up and a detailed booklet.

'A crucial album.' - Popmatters

CD 1: Original album, re-mastered:

1. A New Day Yesterday
2. Jeffrey Goes To Leicester Square
3. Bouree
4. Back To The Family
5. Look Into The Sun
6. Nothing Is Easy
7. Fat Man
8. We Used To Know
9. Reasons For Waiting
10. For A Thousand Mothers

Bonus tracks

11. Living In The Past
12. Driving Song
13. Sweet Dream
14. 17 [mono]
15. Living In The Past [original mono single version]

"Top Gear" BBC Radio session recorded 6/16/69; broadcast 6/22/69

16. Bouree [mono]
17. A New Day Yesterday [mono]
18. Nothing Is Easy [mono]
19. Fat Man [mono]

20. Stand Up US radio spot #1
21. Stand Up US radio spot #2

CD 2: Live At Carnegie Hall [1970]

1. Nothing Is Easy
2. My God
3. With You There To Help Me/By Kind Permission Of
4. A Song For Jeffrey
5. To Cry You A Song
6. Sossity, You're A Woman/Reasons For Waiting/Sossity, You're A Woman
7. Dharma For One
8. We Used To Know
9. Guitar Solo
10. For A Thousand Mothers

Disc 3 - DVD Audio

Live At Carnegie Hall [1970]
Carnegie Hall audio: DTS & Dolby Digital 24 bit 48kHz
5.1 surround sound and 2.0 24 bit 48 kHz LPCM stereo [audio only]

1. Introduction
2. Nothing Is Easy
3. My God
4. With You There To Help Me/By Kind Permission Of
5. A Song For Jeffrey
6. To Cry You A Song
7. Sossity, You're A Woman/Reasons For Waiting/Sossity, You're A Woman
8. Dharma For One
9. We Used To Know
10. Guitar Solo
11. For A Thousand Mothers

DVD Bonus Feature:

An interview with Ian Anderson [London, 2010]

Jethro Tull surfaces for Halloween...

A commemorative Collector's Edition of Jethro Tull's classic 1971 album, featuring new stereo and 5.1 surround sound mixes by Steven Wilson.

The box set contains 2 cds, a 180g audiophile LP in replica gatefold sleeve, plus dvd and blu-ray discs containing a 5.1 mix of the album and four bonus tracks.

The superb package comes with a 48 page hardback book featuring detailed liner notes, a new Ian Anderson interview, Q&A's with engineer John Burns, notes from Steven Wilson, lyrics, rare photos, and reflections from Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond, Martin Barre, Clive Bunker, Barrie Barlow, Glenn Cornick, Terry Ellis and Jennie Franks (Ian Anderson's first wife and lyricist for title track Aqualung).

Shipping includes insurance as standard (UK = Recorded Delivery, EC/Rest of World = International Sign For). You will need to sign for the package when it arrives.

Pre-order now for 31st October 2011 release date