The Jazz was nice, but it's time for a little "Opera"................ :music-rockout:
............. :bow-blue:
Tommy -- 2 SACD Deluxe Edition
The Who
1969/2003 Decca/Geffen Records
A Review From Someone With SACD Player..., December 30, 2003
By A Customer
This review is from: Tommy (Deluxe Edition) (Hybrid SACD) (Audio CD)
okay... i normally don't review too many albums on amazon, but was i amazed to read all these reviews from people who chat about the album but then go on to say "but i haven't heard it on SACD yet." so i thought someone might benefit from reading about the surround mix in SACD...
well, it is simply amazing, especially for having been mixed by the near-deaf townsend (surely its a joke!).
the most amazing thing about the 5.1 surround mix is how present and powerful keith moon's drumming is. i have always pointed to "quadrophenia" as the shining example of his frenetic hammering of the drums. but now i can more fully appreciate his drumming on "tommy." the drums sound amazing on this SACD surround mix. no other words can describe it.
one of the reasons for the drums being more powerful is the ability to follow keith's "live in the studio" drumming more closely. you see, all the "accentuating" drum parts (tympani, gongs, cymbal splashes) are all separated from keith's drums in the mix... it wasn't as clear in the stereo mix which drums keith is playing, and which drums are over-dubbed elements.... but here, they are coming at you from different sides of the room. this makes for some amazing parts, particularly during "sparks" and "overture", where keiths keeps pounding out a rhythm, then the tympani drums build up to a crescendo.
also, pete and roger's vocals are sometimes separated in the mix. pete's first words on the alubm came as a shock. he sings, "captain walker didn't come home. his unborn child will never know him." and he's coming from the rear right speaker (mostly) and roger and all come in later, together chanting "a son, a son, a son" from the front speakers. its pretty powerful stuff from the get-go.
i could go on and on. but the most amazing thing truly is the fidelity... i hear things i've never heard before, and i thought i was prety intimately familiar with the album. subtle touches now are given such depth and prominence... and the separation that is achieved with surround sound allows the listener to follow a particular part or a particular instrument...
you can hear pete breathe in before singing... you can hear the sound of his pick against the acoustic guitar. you can hear a few of keith's dud hits on the snare (thought they are few, and always charming to hear).
another reviewer said, "reason alone to buy a SACD player."
i agree.
thanks for reading.
Track listing
All songs written by Pete Townshend, except where noted.
Side one
No. Title Length
1. "Overture" 3:50
2. "It's a Boy" 2:07
3. "1921" 3:14
4. "Amazing Journey" 3:25
5. "Sparks" 3:45
6. "Eyesight to the Blind (The Hawker)" (Sonny Boy Williamson II) 2:15
Side two
No. Title Length
1. "Christmas" 5:30
2. "Cousin Kevin" (John Entwistle) 4:03
3. "The Acid Queen" 3:31
4. "Underture" 9:55
Side three
No. Title Length
1. "Do You Think It's Alright?" 0:24
2. "Fiddle About" (Entwistle) 1:26
3. "Pinball Wizard" 3:50
4. "There's a Doctor" 0:25
5. "Go to the Mirror!" 3:50
6. "Tommy Can You Hear Me?" 1:35
7. "Smash the Mirror" 1:20
8. "Sensation" 2:32
Side four
No. Title Length
1. "Miracle Cure" 0:10
2. "Sally Simpson" 4:10
3. "I'm Free" 2:40
4. "Welcome" 4:30
5. "Tommy's Holiday Camp" (Keith Moon) 0:57
6. "We're Not Gonna Take It" 6:45
Deluxe edition
In 2003, Tommy was released as a deluxe edition on a Hybrid SACD and DVD-Audio. The two formats featured the original album remixed into 5.1 surround sound and both featured a bonus disc of "out-takes and demos". The DVD-Audio edition also includes a bonus video interview with Pete Townshend plus a demonstration of his remixing the original recording into 5.1 sound.
Bonus disc
The first twelve tracks are out-takes and demos and the last five are stereo-only demos.
"I Was" – 0:17
"Christmas" (out-take 3) – 4:43
"Cousin Kevin Model Child" – 1:25
"Young Man Blues" (Version one) (Allison) – 2:51
"Tommy Can You Hear Me?" (alternate version) – 1:59
"Trying to Get Through" – 2:51
"Sally Simpson" (out-take) – 4:09
"Miss Simpson" – 4:18
"Welcome" (Take two) – 3:44
"Tommy's Holiday Camp" (band's version) – 1:07
"We're Not Gonna Take It" (alternate version) – 6:08
"Dogs (Part Two)" (Moon) – 2:26
"It's a Boy" – 0:43
"Amazing Journey" – 3:41
"Christmas" – 1:55
"Do You Think It's Alright" – 0:28
"Pinball Wizard" – 3:46
A cover of "One Room Country Shack" was also recorded and considered for inclusion but was scrapped from the final track listing as Townshend could not figure out a way to incorporate it in the plot of "Tommy."
