| Cinema Cynergy November 2004
Reference Music Recordings on DVD-Video
I have long believed that one of the
best ways to show off a good home-theater system is with multichannel music. And while
there are many excellent-sounding DVD-Audio and SACD titles out there, most people find
that their lack of video content (except for a few pictures that might be included on
DVD-A) makes them less than ideal demo material for a video-oriented home-theater system.
The problem is that most music on standard DVD-V titles has
less than stellar sound. It isn’t so much that they’re presented in compressed
audio formats such as Dolby Digital, but rather, it seems that little care is taken in the
production and recording of the audio tracks. Even if the recording is of relatively high
fidelity, often the soundstage -- especially in the multichannel surround mixes -- is
muddled and does little to enhance the onscreen images, which are also frequently of
dubious quality.
Here are some stellar music DVD-Vs that I use to demo my
system and evaluate review equipment:
My most recent discovery, and perhaps my current favorite,
is An All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson. This gem has exceptional sound quality and
performances to match. The guest artists and Brian Wilson, backed by a talented band that
Wilson admits is better than the Beach Boys ever were, put on an incredible show. With
Wilson’s long absence from the music scene, people often forget what a profound
influence he had on popular music; but one look at the list of artists at this tribute and
you get an idea of the respect Wilson has earned from his peers. They’re all here,
from pop legends Paul Simon, Carly Simon, Elton John, and David Crosby to today’s
hottest stars, such as Ricky Martin and Darius Rucker (Hootie), as well as Billy Joel,
Aimee Mann, Vince Gill, the Go-Gos, and Ann and Nancy Wilson (Heart).
 The sound is
not as good as on Wilson’s wonderful-sounding Live at the Roxy DVD-A, but An
All-Star Tribute is still an excellent-sounding live recording. The soundstage is
huge, with the band’s tight playing and the backing vocals complemented by some
superb performances by the guest artists. "Good Vibrations" is introduced by
legendary Beatles producer George Martin as Brian Wilson’s "greatest
production," and Ann and Nancy Wilson absolutely nail it, with the Boys Choir of
Harlem and classical baritone Jubilant Sykes providing brilliant vocal support. The many
other standout performances include Vince Gill’s heartfelt "Warmth of the
Sun," Elton John’s duet with Wilson on "God Only Knows," Carly Simon,
Jimmy Webb, and David Crosby harmonizing on "In My Room," and the entire
all-star ensemble performing "Fun, Fun, Fun."
The fine recording quality is consistent throughout nearly
every track, with a tasteful use of the surrounds, mostly for ambience. The vocals are
exceptionally clear for a live recording, as are the percussion and all of the instruments
-- especially the electric guitar, which totally rocks. This is a fabulous concert
DVD with great music, great performances, and great sound.
The Police’s Every Breath You Take: The Singles
has been released in two versions on CD (three if you count the DTS version) and as a
multichannel SACD, but it’s also available as a collection of videos on DVD-V. All of
the band’s classic songs are here, and although the video quality is a little soft,
the multichannel DTS sound is fantastic. This version of Every Breath is not quite
up to the standard of the SACD release, but it’s noticeably better than the CDs,
which sound muted and flat in comparison. The videos look somewhat dated (especially the
earlier ones), but "Every Breath You Take" and "Wrapped Around Your
Finger" are still mesmerizing, and even the remixed multichannel versions of such
older tracks as "Roxanne" and "Don’t Stand So Close To Me" sound
wonderful. If you don’t have the SACD (or even if you do), this is a great way to
enjoy Every Breath You Take: The Singles in multichannel sound.
 One of the first concert
videos available in DTS multichannel sound on DVD-V was Roy Orbison’s Black and
White Night, which was overshadowed by the Eagles’ incredible Hell Freezes
Over, released around the same time. But Black and White Night holds up well.
It’s exciting to see Orbison onstage with Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Tom
Waits, Jackson Browne, and "backup" singers k.d. lang, Jennifer Warnes, and
Bonnie Raitt. Some might find the surround channels a bit too prominent, but
Orbison’s falsetto vocals sound wonderful on such classics as "Only the
Lonely" and "Crying." As the title suggests, the concert was filmed in
black and white; it looks fine, but the camerawork and editing are a bit choppy, which
sometimes makes it difficult to follow the flow of the music. Still, this is a terrific
concert video.
The Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense is
arguably one of the best concert films ever made. The razor-sharp direction by Jonathan
Demme (The Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia, The Manchurian
Candidate 2004) captures the striking visuals of this imaginative band, which consist
of nothing more than creative lighting and staging, simple choreography, and a few props.
David Byrne’s tour de force performance is inspired -- from the opening acoustic
version of "Psycho Killer," accompanied by only a drum track on a boom box, to
his spastic animated twitching on "Once in a Lifetime." The beautifully spare
arrangement of "Heaven," with only Byrne on acoustic guitar and Tina Weymouth on
bass, the frenetic version of "Life During Wartime," and the big suit on
"Girlfriend Is Better," are just a few of the highlights. Two Dolby Digital
5.1-channel mixes are provided: the "Feature Film" mix gives you the
audience’s perspective, with a more wraparound soundstage; the "Studio Mix"
gives a cleaner but less dimensional presentation. Although this 20-year-old recording
shows its age, both remixed 5.1 soundtracks are very good, and help make Stop Making
Sense an exciting aural and visual experience.
 Peter
Gabriel’s Growing Up Live is another exceptionally good-sounding live concert
that seems to have benefited from judicious remixing, evident in the discrete use of the
surround channels. Individual instruments occasionally swirl around the room as they move
smoothly across the front channels and then to the surrounds. Purists might object to this
type of artificial soundstage, but it’s preferable to the murky sound of most rock
concerts. You need only listen to "In Your Eyes" to appreciate the care that was
taken in re-creating the essences of these songs, if not the exact sound of the live
performances. "Mercy Street" sounds incredible; the vocals dominate this
melancholic track, which has a wide, deep front soundstage. Turn off the TV and listen to
the song without video, and you can still picture Gabriel standing on stage, the
instruments filling in the acoustic space behind him. I often find it more enjoyable to
listen to this track without the visuals, which says a lot about the quality of its sound.
There are other great-sounding music DVD-Videos out there
that many of us at Home Theater and Sound use as reference discs: the Eagles’ Hell
Freezes Over, James Taylor Live at the Beacon Theatre, Peter
Gabriel’s Secret World Live, and, more recently, Diana Krall’s Live In
Paris, to name a few. Not only do these discs provide first-rate material for
demonstrating your HT system, but also emotional musical experiences that can rarely be
equaled by a movie soundtrack.
...Roger Kanno
roger@hometheatersound.com |
