u/Shedsoundsmedia

This is not my favorite KC album by any stretch of the imagination, and to be honest I considered skipping it at first. However, my cohost Jonathan talked some good-natured sense into me and I decided to give it another go.

I'm happy to report, the Atmos mix is a HUGE upgrade over the 2010 5.1 edition. Perhaps the biggest KC catalog leap from 5.1 to Atmos yet, with greatly strengthened bass and drums providing a nice "thump" to the bottom end. Islands is no longer the mellow cousin to Lizard, its now a driving free jazz / rock record with some enchanting passages. It's also an incredibly creative, involving mix that invests me in every nuance - the standout track being "Sailor's Tale" with the multilayered banjo-guitar solo gracing almost all of my speaker array.

Listening to the Summit Studios 1972 quad mix, its clear that's what Islands should've been all along - as this presents the "free jazz" Crimson at high intensity. It's a pity the mix itself is rather conservative and non-involving (if there's any back channel activity at all, it seems to be audience mics to my ears) - but its worth a listen on the basis of the performance alone.

The Elemental Mixes offer something unique here. "Formentera Lady" is completely reinvented as a folk / jazz tune with greater prominence given to the strings and brass. While not all of the Elemental stuff works for me, "Formentera Lady" is a clear standout and it might eclipse the original mix for me. The rest I can take or leave, but be your own judge on this.

I didn't spend 4 1/2 hours going thru the session materials, but I did spot check them. The mastering is a bit loud but its still a fascinating way to deconstruct the album. Check out the early uptempo takes of "Ladies of the Road" for a fascinating glimpse into what might've been, or the boogie warmup jam that precede the "Sailor's Tale" sessions.

Overall, I highly recommend this Complete Recording Sessions / Dolby Atmos Edition of Islands. Its still not my favorite KC record by any means, but I feel I now have a deeper appreciation for this period and where it sits (in between two absolute classics, imo) in the Crimson chronology and Fripp's development as a player. At its core, this release offers "immersion" into this period of KC beyond even what an Atmos mix provides.

Further thoughts in the provocatively titled video!

Freak Out 60th is yet another GREAT box for Zappa fans and I had to stop halfway thru making this video to make a video on Zoot Allures !

I'll go against type and say my favorite version is the 1966 pre-master - it demonstrates Frank's darker vision for the record to me, but the clarity and dynamics are astonishing. It's also great to hear the uncensored parts of the album for the first time. 

In second place, the 2026 Dolby Atmos mix. It's very spacious and opens up the arrangements quite a bit and demonstrates just how layered and complex this album is, which is incredible given Frank was barely in his 20s when he made this record. It does come off a bit bright on my system, which adds clarity to the recordings but takes away the "darker" tonality of the original we know and love. I also think the bass is mixed a little too low in a few songs, particularly "Who Are The Brain Police?" Technically speaking it may be the best presentation on offer here, but I still find the premaster mix the most aesthetically pleasing.

Third place, the 1966 stereo mix. It's just never sounded better than this and if you want the most "historical" representation, you can't go wrong here. Excellent transfer.

Finally, my least favorite is the mono mix. I appreciate how it grounds the bass and drums, but I do detect some degradation from the LP source. Still, it's a thrill to hear some arrangements higher in the mix in some songs, and I swear there's extra rhythm guitar on "Trouble Every Day." Super glad to have it, in any form, but it's the one I will return to the least.

Live stuff is good, though the 1966 mixing choices are a little frustrating. It gets better as you go along and its fun to hear Frank's personality as a bandleader beginning to take shape.

LOVE LOVE LOVE the studio recordings on disc 5, especially the demos. They are a blast to listen to. 

I'm really happy with this set, and the decision to put the high res stereo and mono masters on the blu-ray is a real win to me. Further thoughts in the video!

Zut Alors ! did not expect this to come so quickly hot on the heels of FO60. I actually had to pause editing my FO review video to make this ... has to be the fastest turnaround for FZ album boxed sets yet, in an absolutely banner year for Zappa reissues.

Zoot Allures is not really one of my favorite Zappa records - I miss the "band" feel of the string of records leading up to it. However, its got some *outstanding* tunes (the title track, "Black Napkins," and "The Torture Never Stops" are all classics - heck, I even love "Disco Boy"!) and its an interesting transition period from the Mothers to Frank emerging as a solo artist. The extras are a huge draw for me this time around. Complete Night of The Iron Sausage ? A Zappa scholar's dream! Plus, the 76 Paris concert is up my street since I adore FZ:OZ.

I did have some reservations as to how appropriate this album will be in an Atmos presentation, but after the exceptionally spacious Freak Out Atmos mix pretty much bowled me over, I'm up for anything Karma an Erich have to throw at us. I think "The Torture Never Stops," with all the layers of guitar overdubs, will be worth it alone.

Further thoughts in the video below. Preordered at $85 - I feel they missed a great opportunity to charge us "$69.95, boy!" But I digress...

What a fantastic album this is. I'm loving the new mixes too - it was a well recorded and produced album to begin with, but the Atmos mixes really open the recording up for me in a way that allows me to "walk" within the music. Don't expect any crazy Steven Wilson style panning, its more of a statically placed quad-like affair but for stuff this experimental, I almost think a more active mix would've been too distracting. Drums are up front, clear and punchy. Bass too. Guitars can be in fronts and heights, with some lead work trailing in the back along with the pianos. Nice moment at the start of the album with the double tracked pianos in the heights and rears. I also love hearing the classic Canterbury overdriven bass at the back of my head. Again, it's nothing super sophisticated but it sounds full, natural and punchy - and it gets the job done. I hope Diamond Head and 801 Live albums get this treatment in the coming years. Bring on For Your Pleasure!!!

Following up on yesterday's "Aqualung" video, Jonathan of Immersive Audio Album and I are back to talk about the new Dolby Atmos blu-ray edition of Jethro Tull's "WarChild"!

Step inside the world of Jethro Tull's "Aqualung"! Join Jonathan Cornell of Immersive Audio Album and I as we dive into the new Dolby Atmos blu-ray edition of the 1971 classic.

For me, this mix doesn't really work ... I don't disparage Eber Pinheiro's work, but in my opinion the AI "de-mixing" tech is not really developed enough yet to justify remixing an entire album this way. My other main point of contention is the source issue - I really don't understand why they went back to a CD master from 2009 when obviously a high quality flat transfer of the master tapes must exist in the vault.

What we have here is a mix upon a mix, and a master upon a master. In stereo, I find the rhythm section jarringly loud and the dynamics completely absent. This is improved a little bit in the Atmos mix, which is certainly less bottom-heavy but the apparent processing on the drums gets fatiguing after awhile. I think "The Runaway" is acceptable but unfortunately the mix never rises above 'acceptable' to me, and starts sounding more and more pulled apart, artificial, and even distractingly bright as you approach the final track.

Overall, I know we're in an era where AI tech is new and needs to be explored to find its limits - but its clear to me that using this tech to remix an entire album is well beyond the limits of the current (and possibly future) tech. Best used to patch holes here and there, missing tracks etc but this is something of a failed experiment, imo.

I'm really diggin' it. Bruce continues to bring more "Tull" out of these mixes; like Under Wraps I'm hearing more personality and detail within the performances. The Atmos mixes seem to be better in my estimation than the stereo ones - but that's not a knock against the stereo remixes. I sympathize a little bit with people who want more power out of the "El Nino" choruses but I feel that particular element is improved in the Atmos mix.

The extras are great fun, but "Pipes (Close to You)" is the one I most wish had found its way onto an album. Thrilled to finally have a lossless copy of "It All Trickles Down," its been my Tull white whale for years. The new mix is HEAVY.

The book is small, yet informative. Thrilled to have Martin Webb back as the primary essayist, its a bit short on quantity but its a quality read. Hope this bodes well for future Inside Out owned titles like The Secret Language of Birds, but of course the one title I'm dyin' for a reissue of is Roots to Branches.

Further thoughts in the following video.

For Your Pleasure is one of my FAVORITE albums, and yeah - I'll be buying. Probably both versions because I'm an absolute freak for this era of the band and its my favorite RM album.

I question, however, the release strategy of leaving the Blu-ray as an SDE exclusive instead of adding it to the box. It forces me to purchase both versions, whereas I'd have been happy to drop a nice chunk of change on the box with the surround mix. I wish they'd taken the Frankie Goes to Hollywood route of including the blu-ray in both the box AND as an SDE exclusive. As it stands, its nice to have some extras on the SDE blu-ray but bafflingly its missing the song "In Every Dream Home a Heartache" from the 73 Peel session. Am I happy there's extras on the BR at all? Certainly - none of the other RM blu's have included extras. I'm also excited that we have two immersive mixes on offer.

In the following video, I explain the differences between the two versions, elaborate further on my concerns and attempt to provide some buyer's advice and guidance.

Its time for our FALL 2026 Surround Release Preview!

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

00:23 8/7 - Refestramus “Morri’s Rock Boutique”

02:24 August (TBA) - Elder “Through Zero”

04:33 8/7 - Quadio Batch #13 (titles announced after recording)

06:23 8/14 - Jethro Tull “J-Tull Dot Com”

12:33 8/21 - Simple Minds “Once Upon A Time”

16:59 8/28 - Steve Hackett & Steve Rothery “The Roaring Waves”

19:17 9/11 - Quiet Sun “Mainstream”

22:06 9/11 - Jethro Tull “Aqualung” and “WarChild”

22:57 9/18 - Phil Collins “Face Value”

29:32 9/25 - Tina Turner “Private Dancer”

32:21 9/25 - King Crimson “Islands”

38:26 9/25 - Suede “Coming Up”

43:52 9/25 - Dukes of Stratosphear (XTC) “Psurroundabout Ride”

48:35 9/25 - Talking Heads “Fear of Music”

51:01 9/25 - Mothers of Invention “Freak Out”

58:55 10/2 - The Beatles “Rubber Soul”

01:07:01 10/9 - Genesis “From Genesis To Revelation”

01:09:57 10/16 - Rick Wakeman “Return to The Red Planet”

01:11:12 TBA - Steven Wilson “Requiem for a Village”

01:13:02 TBA - The Pineapple Thief "Far and Wide" (announced for Oct 9 - after recording)

01:14:25 TBA - Tears For Fears “The Seeds of Love”

01:16:49 TBA - Dire Straits “On Every Street”

01:17:47 TBA - Roxy Music “For Your Pleasure”

01:23:18 TBA - Pink Floyd?

You've listened to our reviews of major surround and Dolby Atmos mixes - now it's time to hear what WE can do!

For the past couple of months, Jonathan and I have been working on a new immersive edition of Refestramus' "Morri's Rock Boutique." Refestramus are a Chicago-based progressive rock band that I handle production, mixing and mastering duties for. During the entire process, I had surround sound in mind, even placing a few nods to the format in my original stereo mix.

So, what did it take to translate a "too big for stereo" prog rock album to immersive? Join Jonathan Cornell (Immersive Audio Album) as we break down the new mixes, discuss the "mixology" and challenges and talk about bringing this unique album to Dolby Atmos.

If you purchase "Morri's Rock Boutique" from IAA, please let us know in the comments below what you think! Also, don't forget to subscribe to both of our channels so you don't miss our interview with the band (coming to the IAA official YT channel) or any future surround mix discussions and reviews.

#dolbyatmos #surroundsound #progressiverock #refestramus #podcast

As usual with these Zappa sets, I'm all in. With other artists I can be more selective, but Frank is one of the handful of artists I enjoy digging into the alternate mixes, outtakes and live tracks many, many times. Each one of these sets serves to fill in gaps and complete the picture for Zappa archival nuts like myself. Obviously I'm most excited to hear the Dolby Atmos mixes - these can be a wealth of enjoyment and close study for me particularly because Karma and Erich's work honors the originals while revealing the depth of complexity. The right team is behind these reissues and that's why I order with confidence. Further thoughts in the video, with a particular emphasis on what separates this release from the previous MOFO box.

YES and Rhino Records have finally liberated 3 "box-locked" Dolby Atmos titles - "The Yes Album," "Fragile," and "Close to the Edge." So, in our opinion, are these worth picking up if you own the old 5.1 mixes?

Join my friend and colleague Jonathan Cornell and I as we guide you through the Yes catalog in Dolby Atmos and surround sound formats!

#Yes #dolbyatmos #stevenwilson #blurayaudio #fragile #theyesalbum #closetotheedge

SWT is a great engineer indeed, but this is one of the few cases where I emphatically prefer the original mix.

The new mix relies a bit too much on reverb to my taste and comes across a bit congested to my ears. It restores a lot of the deleted orchestral parts which is an interesting idea in theory, but the result is that Chris and Bill sound a bit distant. I think its an interesting alternative for people who love the album but the original mix with dry drums and bass up front and orchestra used decisively in the background works better for me as a "Yes man's solo album." Placement wise - I'm happy to report the Atmos mix is quite creative, with Chris' vocals spread around your height and rear arrays and lower drums and some of the orchestra and lower brass occasionally trailing behind you. Overall though, I think I prefer the character of the older 5.1 mix despite some nasty cymbal frequencies now and then.

Lastly, while I assume this is an issue that couldn't be dealt with, I find the ending with the missing bass solo to be lacking in context and a bit confounding. My advice is to listen for yourself (on streaming) and decide if this is for you. Thanks to Immersive Audio Album for helping out with this review of the new edition of Chris Squire's Fish Out of Water.

Join my colleague Jonathan Cornell and I as we discuss the ROXY MUSIC catalog in surround sound. In the following podcast, we dive into the following albums "Flesh + Blood," "Avalon," and "Roxy Music" discussing contrasting mixing styles and approaches. We also address the rumors of a forthcoming "For Your Pleasure" boxed set.

Which Roxy Music album would you like to hear in surround the most?

#roxymusic #dolbyatmos #fleshandblood #avalon #bobclearmountain #stevenwilson #review #podcast #discussion

FINALLY, Jethro Tull and Rhino / Parlophone have announced a release date for the Aqualung and WarChild Dolby Atmos editions. In the following video, I'll explain what's included in these new editions and why I think they are worth double dipping if you already own the boxed set editions.

The 5.1 mixes were originally made over 10 years ago. That's nearly an eternity in music technology years - plugins have evolved a lot since then, but also Steven Wilson has had over a decade of experience since he last worked on them. His more recent mixes have tended to be warmer, more adventurous and also somehow *more* faithful to the originals. Plus, the old DVD versions are lossy - the new versions would be presented in true lossless for the first time. I'm so happy that these mixes are being released on affordable, single disc blu-ray editions instead of repressing the large boxed sets. However, I do have some reservations about the lack of bonus material on WarChild.

Personally, I've been waiting for these for some time and I hope we get more Jethro Tull Atmos mixes in these affordable, standalone Blu-ray editions. Are you as excited for these as I am? What would you like to see next from the Tull Dolby Atmos series? Let me know in the comments below.

#jethrotull #warchild #aqualung #dolbyatmos #stevenwilson #reissue #blurayaudio #physicalmedia

Eager to get started on your multichannel and immersive music collection? This video will guide you in making informed decisions, featuring entirely in-print, affordable and acclaimed surround mixes from across a variety of genres.

Don't forget to like and subscribe to both of our channels. If you're an established multichannel collector, which of these titles would you recommend to a surround newcomer? If you're just building your collection, which intrigues you the most?

#surroundsound #dolbyatmos #recommendation #beginners #EntryLevel