Jump to content

Pink Floyd - Animals [BluRay surround 2018] release


stoopid
 Share

Recommended Posts

Animals is my favorite Floyd album...but I don't know, is it too much to ask for a disc of bonus material? I'm not enough of an audiophile to care about 5.1 mixes (really I just don't have the equipment for it), and until I read otherwise, I don't know if a deluxe remix is really going to bring out new essential layers in the music, enough to make me buy it again anyway. Like, I already own it on CD and vinyl, and both sound great to my ears. If Roger already posted liner notes on his own website (because of course at the age of who knows how old they somehow can't let go of their massive egos over some paragraphs about how great the music they made was), that's not really enticing me to spend the money just to read more about a very well documented release anyway (and sorry, I'm sure David's approved notes are just as fascinating, but to get mad about the original liner notes focusing on the concept of a concept album because you're not the one who came up with it... come on man). So anyway, even if they're like Rush and cutting room floor stuff either doesn't exist or is so embarrassingly underdeveloped it will never see the light of day, how about some live shows? I don't care if they've been released before, the tour is part of the album cycle, and therefor just as relevant to a deluxe reissue. 

 

Anyway, sorry to rain on the hype train. I'm just not terribly interested in this.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Entre_Perpetuo said:

Animals is my favorite Floyd album...but I don't know, is it too much to ask for a disc of bonus material? I'm not enough of an audiophile to care about 5.1 mixes (really I just don't have the equipment for it), and until I read otherwise, I don't know if a deluxe remix is really going to bring out new essential layers in the music, enough to make me buy it again anyway. Like, I already own it on CD and vinyl, and both sound great to my ears. If Roger already posted liner notes on his own website (because of course at the age of who knows how old they somehow can't let go of their massive egos over some paragraphs about how great the music they made was), that's not really enticing me to spend the money just to read more about a very well documented release anyway (and sorry, I'm sure David's approved notes are just as fascinating, but to get mad about the original liner notes focusing on the concept of a concept album because you're not the one who came up with it... come on man). So anyway, even if they're like Rush and cutting room floor stuff either doesn't exist or is so embarrassingly underdeveloped it will never see the light of day, how about some live shows? I don't care if they've been released before, the tour is part of the album cycle, and therefor just as relevant to a deluxe reissue. 

 

Anyway, sorry to rain on the hype train. I'm just not terribly interested in this.

Interesting take (and certainly can respect 'enough is enough' when it comes to buying more material).

 

Have you heard the 2011remaster?  Much better sounding.  The original mix was always 'old' sounding, I even remember the first time I heard Animals and thought "Oh, this much be one of those Syd albums from the 60s".  It's a fragile, gutless sounding recording.  The 2011 remaster does solve some of that veil effect tossed over everything.

 

Animals in the past about 20 years has become my favorite PF album as well.  Beautiful songwriting and big, sweeping instrumental sections.  Not my current cup of tea music, but still resonates with me regardless.  Road trip coming up soon and, no lie, my GF said Animals and Operation Mindcrime were already on her playlist for the long drive.  And probably some Johnny Cash, because Nevada desert.

 

When I get my copy I'll report back on what, if anything, improves on the 2018 mix.  In the meantime, I fully recommend  the 2011 remaster:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Animals-Pink-Floyd/dp/B004ZN9UZO/

 

Edited by stoopid
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, stoopid said:

Interesting take (and certainly can respect 'enough is enough' when it comes to buying more material).

 

Have you heard the 2011remaster?  Much better sounding.  The original mix was always 'old' sounding, I even remember the first time I heard Animals and thought "Oh, this much be one of those Syd albums from the 60s".  It's a fragile, gutless sounding recording.  The 2011 remaster does solve some of that veil effect tossed over everything.

 

Animals in the past about 20 years has become my favorite PF album as well.  Beautiful songwriting and big, sweeping instrumental sections.  Not my current cup of tea music, but still resonates with me regardless.  Road trip coming up soon and, no lie, my GF said Animals and Operation Mindcrime were already on her playlist for the long drive.  And probably some Johnny Cash, because Nevada desert.

 

When I get my copy I'll report back on what, if anything, improves on the 2018 mix.  In the meantime, I fully recommend  the 2011 remaster:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Animals-Pink-Floyd/dp/B004ZN9UZO/

 

I'll have to check somehow what edition my CD copy is. It could be the 2011 remaster, but I'm not sure.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, Entre_Perpetuo said:

Animals is my favorite Floyd album...but I don't know, is it too much to ask for a disc of bonus material? I'm not enough of an audiophile to care about 5.1 mixes (really I just don't have the equipment for it), and until I read otherwise, I don't know if a deluxe remix is really going to bring out new essential layers in the music, enough to make me buy it again anyway. Like, I already own it on CD and vinyl, and both sound great to my ears. If Roger already posted liner notes on his own website (because of course at the age of who knows how old they somehow can't let go of their massive egos over some paragraphs about how great the music they made was), that's not really enticing me to spend the money just to read more about a very well documented release anyway (and sorry, I'm sure David's approved notes are just as fascinating, but to get mad about the original liner notes focusing on the concept of a concept album because you're not the one who came up with it... come on man). So anyway, even if they're like Rush and cutting room floor stuff either doesn't exist or is so embarrassingly underdeveloped it will never see the light of day, how about some live shows? I don't care if they've been released before, the tour is part of the album cycle, and therefor just as relevant to a deluxe reissue. 

 

Anyway, sorry to rain on the hype train. I'm just not terribly interested in this.

 

i'm with you EP i LOVE this record but this is not worth it.  and i've never cared for special mixes....not really anyway,.

 

Mick

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the excitement is for a definitive high resolution and surround version of the album.  If they also improve on the overall fidelity, which is very likely since they're utilizing the discrete studio master tracks for the remix and surround mix, then it's going to be well worth $25.  "Remasters" only take what was already released and run the final mix through some improved tools and adjust EQ, etc.  There's only so much that can be improved upon in a remaster.  Remix, whole different ballgame.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I likely won't buy this new one, even though I love Animals, but this whole thread is a reminder I've got to stop listening to so much .mp3 music on my phone. I've forgotten what real dynamic music sounds like, probably.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, stoopid said:

I think the excitement is for a definitive high resolution and surround version of the album.  If they also improve on the overall fidelity, which is very likely since they're utilizing the discrete studio master tracks for the remix and surround mix, then it's going to be well worth $25.  "Remasters" only take what was already released and run the final mix through some improved tools and adjust EQ, etc.  There's only so much that can be improved upon in a remaster.  Remix, whole different ballgame.

I mean I get all that, but my copies are good enough I think, considering it’s already fantastically clear and crisp record to begin with, it’s not like I’ve been suffering waiting for a proper redux to “fix” it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, bluefox4000 said:

 

i'm with you EP i LOVE this record but this is not worth it.  and i've never cared for special mixes....not really anyway,.

 

Mick

Yep. It’s not the first album that comes to mind as far as things that would greatly benefit from a remix, anyway.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's tough to make any calls on whether this is worth it without hearing it first.  The fact it's selling on a lot of different online stores is a sign there will be plenty of copies available after release day, so from a logistics standpoint there's not a lot of need to get in queue for this.  There will be copies available in October.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

34 minutes ago, stoopid said:

It's tough to make any calls on whether this is worth it without hearing it first.  The fact it's selling on a lot of different online stores is a sign there will be plenty of copies available after release day, so from a logistics standpoint there's not a lot of need to get in queue for this.  There will be copies available in October.

That's kinda the thing with these kinds of releases though. If the main draw is supposed to be the improved mix and dynamic and such, things that don't always come through very well over streaming, then you kinda have to base your decision to buy on whether other people thought it was a significant enough improvement to recommend buying. Now if I didn't already have Animals on vinyl, I might be considering this, because then the new mix would be more like a bonus on top of the fact that I'd be adding Animals to my record shelves. But seeing as I already do, the reviews would have to be pretty unanimously stellar for me to consider a second copy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Animals 2018 remix is out.  Waiting on my 5.1 surround bluray to arrive, but have heard the stereo 2018 mix and it's vastly improved on the original.  It sounds like a proper 'modern' recording (and it's not over compressed), and now is one of PF's best sounding albums instead of one of their worse.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

41 minutes ago, stoopid said:

The Animals 2018 remix is out.  Waiting on my 5.1 surround bluray to arrive, but have heard the stereo 2018 mix and it's vastly improved on the original.  It sounds like a proper 'modern' recording (and it's not over compressed), and now is one of PF's best sounding albums instead of one of their worse.

Wait since when is Animals one of their worst sounding recordings?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Got my Bluray last week - had a proper listen to the high res and 5.1 over the weekend.  FANTASTIC.  The music speaks for itself, but this new mix is crystalline.  The 5.1 is so nicely textured.  Especially on those longer instrumental sections (Dogs barking in rear speakers, etc.)  It's immersive.  Excellent! 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have given it a "spin" one time, though just on streaming - I'm currently away from my turn table, so will be buying the vinyl at some point soon.

 

It is definitely a "clearer" mix...I didn't have the patience to A/B the entire thing, but did jump back and forth a couple times when I first started.  The guitars off the top of Dogs sound more like "real" acoustics...there's a clarity there that is more present than the original mix...but I don't know if that adds up to "better" or not yet.

 

The vocals have had some work done on them, removing reverbs seems to be the main thing.  They feel more present, perhaps more in line with the vocal quality on The Wall.  I think some other choices have been made as well - I believe the kind of prechorus on Pigs (You're nearly a good laugh...) used to have a double tracked Roger vocal, or perhaps a tape delay that was stereo panned to give a double track effect.  It sounds like that has been altered...I don't know if maybe the time of the delay has just been shortened so it has a different sense of separation or something.  Curious to really dig into that and figure it out.  They also brought up Gilmour's back ups in the song.  I'm not sure I ever really registered that it was him singing on the chorus, but now I can clearly hear that it's him.

 

Over all the bass seems bigger and the overall separation of the instruments is greater, so there are a few keyboard things that I had never noticed before which was nice.  I will have to live with it for a while to determine if it's "better" than the original or not...

 

Edited by Timbale
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was very much thinking along the lines of EP - what I really wanted from an expanded Animals Anniversary release is a full live show that was either multi-track recorded or a hq board tape - not sure if either exists in RW or DG vaults. But I really like this album, probably my fave PF album and a superior sounding and 5.1 mix sounds enticing. If there's no live material in any of the versions I'll try to bargain hunt

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Finally had a chance to run through the surround mix last night.  It's really really really good.  A lot of detail brought out, vocals are very clean/present, bass guitar jumps out in a good way, more synths than on the original.  Everything this album could have been has been realized now.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...