YES News: Relayer goes 5.1 Next(Steven Wilson)

[Crystal Plumage]

Don't get me wrong, will buy this one.

[Frumious B]

If Elmer Fudd did remixes they'd call the album Wewayaw.

[Grimjack]

I don't see where anybody is forcing anybody else to buy anything. The 2003 versions are also still available (cheap in fact...7 bucks) so choices are there for those who want to purchase. And for those who prefer older or different masterings, there are no shortage of those titles available in the used marketplace. Hell even on Spotify <gasp> you can hear Close to the Edge in its original Atlantic form, its expanded Rhino incarnation, or the mastering as part of the recently released "The Studio Albums 1969-1987". Plenty of choices abound, and I don't see where the "integrity of the art" is in any way compromised here. The Wilson remixes are an alternative interpretation and one that the artists themselves clearly support...that's why Robert Fripp, Steve Howe and Ian Anderson spend time in a studio with him giving him direction. Again, no one is forcing you to embrace it. But for what it's worth, I think Wilson is doing a superb job and his mixing choices are more pleasing to my ears than what came before.

I suppose I'm less of a stickler for "charm", "authenticity" and "accuracy" in the case of Relayer. As far as I'm concerned, Wilson can act as a producer/engineer 40 years after the fact and remix the living hell out of it, remix/rebalance/reposition everything so that it loses the thin, shrill production qualities of the original and make it sound as huge as I believe the band was aiming for at the time, but to my ears didn't quite get there.

I don't see any factual basis in the claim that the integrity of history is somehow being violated (especially when the artists themselves are involved), and the notion that "the money is all that matters here" doesn't hold much water either. I'm not suggesting there isn't a profit motive...of course there is. This is a business. But nobody is gettin' rich off the backs of a few thousand prog fans. These are labors of love...don't kid yourselves into thinking that some major music company is cackling madly, wringing their hands and rubbing cocaine-tinged hundred dollar bills all over themselves as they plot the reissue of 'Fragile'.

[Fracktured]

I'm definitely intrigued by this but apprehensive also.

[trurl]

I don't see any need to be apprehensive... if it's amazing I'll get it and if it's not no harm no foul; we just keep listening to it the way we have for 40 years. All these are academic exercises in my mind anyway. This music is hammered into my brain having a certain sound and I'll probably never get away from that. Hearing it in alternate mixes can be like listening to isolated tracks. It offers a unique perspective on the music but not one I would necessarily prefer.

[Facelift]

"the money is all that matters here" doesn't hold much water either. I'm not suggesting there isn't a profit motive...of course there is. This is a business. But nobody is gettin' rich off the backs of a few thousand prog fans. These are labors of love...don't kid yourselves into thinking that some major music company is cackling madly, wringing their hands and rubbing cocaine-tinged hundred dollar bills all over themselves as they plot the reissue of 'Fragile'.

Nobody said that money was all that matters. I said that they keep coming out because they sell. If they didn't sell, they wouldn't be making them, after the first few. We're in an era when less and less people are buying physical media. There are a couple of generations of people, however, who will still buy physical media, if you give them a reason to. And whether or not the reason is just a gimmick is immaterial - if something makes people re-buy what they already have, it's a no-brainer for those in charge to keep making more of them. It is called the entertainment *industry,* after all. If I was working at a record company, I'd be making sure I could find a way to slap Steve Wilson's name on everything prog-related in the company catalog. I mean, somebody stumbled on a way to get people to buy Fragile again? In 2014? Give that man his bonus and crank more out.

[jim1961]

Asked and answered in other threads. In short - I have not heard all of his work but don't generally like his remixes, based on what I have heard. I find that they often sound artificial and sometimes don't honor the music being re-mixed.

The albums of original music that he produces often sound overdone and lifeless, IMO. I'm far from alone in this, as the audiophile community is not at all unified about the quality of his work, either in the remixing or mastering. The main audiophile guy on this board (Carney?) doesn't ususally like work either, based on what I've read.

Anyway, in the case of Relayer, I'd be open to trying him again, since I think that there's a lot that could be done with the album to improve it.

I agree with you and Jeff concerning his work. Not a big fan here. But also agree Relayer might benefit from Wilson's approach. What Wilson subtracts from the recordings is already basically gone in Relayer (ambiance/life). So we will see.

[Rand Kelly]

The article states as plain as day this: "Both cd/dvd-a/blu-ray editions will contain the original mix in hi-res stereo and 5.1 and bonus tracks with details available shortly" So, it seems to me to be geared for all possible fan variations who may be interested. I for one,for example am planning on buying the Blu-Ray to get the album in 5.1 surround sound. The high-resolution stereo mix will be a curiosity at best. The original mix in stereo, I will surely check it out and will probably be in contention with the 2003 Rhino. If you're happy with the cd or lp you have then don't buy it.

[JeffCarney]

Personally, I take issue with the idea that anyone's work should be immune from judgment.

As a consumer, I have every right to accept or reject Wilson's remixing. Not just in terms of a purchase, but in terms of critical analysis.

Of course, as we await this release, comments to this point can only reflect the standards by which he has become known. I'm certainly open to the idea that this could be a pleasant surprise and an anomaly betwixt a somewhat dismal arsenal of remixes with Wilson's name attached.

[sergio]

Maybe SW will employ some drum replacement software.

I do agree (can't remember who said it) that I'd like to hear a more radical remix. Something completely different that would likely annoy some Yes purists. And throw in the normal type of SW remix as well (since I'm just writing on a forum and can so easily demand having my cake and eating it too with little consideration for practical realities).

Gates would benefit from edgier/crunchier modern guitar tone and hard hitting your diaphragm drums. But I'm afraid this isnt going to happen. The whole lot of bottom end Hz is missing in the original mix, plus that hum in left channel. But I'll grab a copy as I'm curious what the end result would be.

[Grimjack]

Nobody said that money was all that matters. I said that they keep coming out because they sell.

You said as long as it sells, that's all that matters. I appreciate the clarification and as such stand corrected, but that was what was implied pre-clarification.

If I was working at a record company, I'd be making sure I could find a way to slap Steve Wilson's name on everything prog-related in the company catalog.

If it were only that simple.

[Facelift]

You said as long as it sells, that's all that matters. I appreciate the clarification and as such stand corrected, but that was what was implied pre-clarification.

OK, well then I'll also clarify that it was never my implication that the industry was getting rich off Steve Wilson remixes. But the reason why we're still getting them is because they sell well enough. And *anything* that sells in the physical media world of recorded music is big news.

[cavgator]

It might have helped the sound of the album to not record it in Chris Squire's garage, with an increasingly unreliable Eddie Offord using a new-to-him mixing desk.

This is easily my favorite Yes album, but unless there's interesting bonus tracks, I won't bother buying this. It's never going to sound recording-wise as good as Fragile or Close To The Edge, to pay the money just to hear the drums which are buried in the mix at the end of Sound Chaser .0001% better isn't really worth the money to me.

I agree. The original is good enough. Relayer was never a fave of mine anyway. Too noisy.

[Hobo Chang Ba]

I'll wait for reviews to come in, but I suspect this will be the first SW redo job I buy.

[rickm]

Any speculations about how the cha-cha-cha...cha-cha will come? Each one from a different speaker? Moving from right to left or from left to right?

[Dave (in MA)]

From the old Prog Memes thread:

[g.bremer]

I don't know how I missed that thread. Now I'll have to waste even more time here...

[Oreb]

Is this available for pre-order yet?

[gilawi]

It is always good news to hear a remix done by Steven Wilson, but I think I'll pass in this one. Relayer may the more complex record done by Yes, but not the most musically satisfying, for me. As one previous poster said, it is too noisy (except To be Over and Soon). Waiting anxiously for TFTO, though.

[Rand Kelly]

Is this available for pre-order yet?

Details about this soon at www.yesworld.com stay tuned.

[Dan Roth]

Is this available for pre-order yet?

Is this a limited edition? Are they only pressing limited quantities?

[calyx]

Is this available for pre-order yet?

http://stevenwilsonhq.com/sw/product...album-remixes/

[tormato]

I'm thinking that the album could really benefit from the 5.1 treatment and maybe open it up a bit.

It is always good news to hear a remix done by Steven Wilson, but I think I'll pass in this one. Relayer may the more complex record done by Yes, but not the most musically satisfying, for me. As one previous poster said, it is too noisy (except To be Over and Soon). Waiting anxiously for TFTO, though.

[bondegezou]

Is this a limited edition? Are they only pressing limited quantities?

I'm not aware of any limited-ness to the release, thank gods. I hate limited editions. All those Crimson limited edition sets? Why? Well... I know why, to drive up sales, but still annoying.

Henry

[zorknapp]

I'm not aware of any limited-ness to the release, thank gods. I hate limited editions. All those Crimson limited edition sets? Why? Well... I know why, to drive up sales, but still annoying.

Henry

To be fair, I think with items like the Starless box, they print the amount they think they can reasonably sell. Doing another print run on monsters like that, TRTR, and the Larks' box, you have to do at least 500 to make it worthwhile, and it may not actually be the case if they don't all sell.

But, yes, when something is limited for the sake of it being limited, that is annoying...

Mike