King Crimson "Red" 40th anniversary edition CD/DVD-A

[rlmacklin]

The King Crimson "Red" 40th anniversary edition  CD/DVD-A
reached me from Burning Shed by Royal Mail and USPS yesterday.

Robert Fripp of King Crimson engaged Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree
to work on the 5.1 surround mixes for this project and at least 2 other
King Crimson albums to re-release shortly.

I have only listened to the MLP 5.1 (48 kHz/24 bit) so far but it is
a shining effort for the 40th anniversary.  IMO, this music still seems
cutting edge/progressive/avant garde today.

There are DTS 5.1 (48/24) and MLP Stereo (96/24) on the dVD-A and some bonus tracks and I think some video also.

The CD has PCM stereo (48/24).

[allenzachary]

Red was issued 35 years ago...

Brilliant album, the last with Wetton and until the '80's reformation adding Belew and Levin. 

Help me understand the appeal of surround sound for 2 channel recordings.  I've always found that 2 channel has all of the musical and directional information, including stuff that comes from behind (see Peter Gabriel's "Us" if you have doubts).  i cannot see how 5.1 would make any improvement.  I certainly can see how a remastering of the original 2 channel would sound better...Red, sonically and recording wise sounds like it was recorded in the mid seventies.

[Carlman]

Sidenote:
That would be PG's 'Up' not 'Us'.
You need to hear what it's capable of now, Allen.  Some of those tracks literally move through you, from the front of the room, to the rear.. and it really sounds like it.  That album rewards a proper setup with surprises I'm still getting.
As to surround music, the only time I think it'd be good is to separate the crowd noise behind you from what's going on on stage in a video.  You know, like some guy vomitting or some annoying wasted chick laughing incessantly.. don't forget ALL the fun of a concert. haha

-C

[allenzachary]

Right..."Up."  Gabriel does that a bunch. His first 4 records were called "Peter Gabriel."  After that came "So," "Us" then "Up." 

I recently gave "Us" another listen and liked it much better than I did when it first came out in 1992 (17 years ago!  Tempus fugit). It still isn't as strong as So or Up, but it stands on its own.  I must've has "Us" on the brain.

[RoadRunner]

Red was issued 35 years ago...

True... Red is from 1974,  but the band did first perform as King Crimson in 1969.   So it looks like their naming logic was  "On our 40th anniversary, this is a reissue/remix of our 35 year old album."