Search - Flaming Lips :: Soft Bulletin 5.1 (W/Dvd)

Soft Bulletin 5.1 (W/Dvd)
Flaming Lips
Soft Bulletin 5.1 (W/Dvd)
Genres: Alternative Rock, Special Interest, Pop, Rock
 
  •  Track Listings (13) - Disc #1

One of the most respected and innovative bands in music, The Flaming Lips scored a major breakthrough with 1999's The Soft Bulletin, the group's most accessible album to that point. Courageous, accomplished and exploding w...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Flaming Lips
Title: Soft Bulletin 5.1 (W/Dvd)
Members Wishing: 6
Total Copies: 0
Label: Warner Bros / Wea
Original Release Date: 1/1/1999
Re-Release Date: 1/31/2006
Genres: Alternative Rock, Special Interest, Pop, Rock
Styles: Indie & Lo-Fi, Experimental Music, Vocal Pop, Progressive, Progressive Rock
Number of Discs: 2
SwapaCD Credits: 2
UPC: 093624876427

Synopsis

Album Description
One of the most respected and innovative bands in music, The Flaming Lips scored a major breakthrough with 1999's The Soft Bulletin, the group's most accessible album to that point. Courageous, accomplished and exploding with intelligence and sonic texture, the album topped more than 60 year-end "best of" lists, helped rank the psychedlic-noise-popsters among the world's most influential bands and led to the best-selling of 2002's Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. The Soft Bulletin, in this ultimate version, is a must-have modern classic. This new CD+DVD edition of The Soft Bulletin features the album in Advanced Resolution Surround 5.1, plus videos, outtakes and other recordings and audio rarities. The extensive booklet features words by Wayne describing his experiences writing through the process of the Lips? various audio and video projects.

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CD Reviews

Soft Bulletin 5.1 - A revelatory experience
J. Brent Uptain | Birmingham, AL United States | 02/06/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)

"I don't review often for Amazon, but I thought I'd review this album because I feel like I can offer up some info...



First, I hope that anyone investigating this album has already heard it - otherwise, please see all the terrific reviews for the ordinary CD version of this album.



In regards to this surround version of the record:

First, I'll say that generally speaking, the surround mix on this reissue is pretty amazing. The enhanced resolution allows the listener to hear things that are rendered unrecognizable by the stereo CD mix.



Fridmann and the Lips were very daring with the mix. None of the standard rules were followed here (i.e. vocals in the center channel, only "effects" in the rear, etc.). Instead, sounds completely envelope the listener from the full 360-degree spectrum.



The rule breaking didn't stop with the mix, though - the album features and entirely different track order, including one additional song that is not on the previously issued album. That song, Slow Motion, is terrific, and makes one wonder why it was chopped from the original Soft Bulletin.



The DVD surround mix is accompanied by an oscilloscope on the TV, which provides a very moody and psychedelic setting for listening to the album.



My only complaint is that the mix was executed as a true 5.1 mix, meaning it was geared toward a system that has 5 equally sized and equally powered speakers and a subwoofer. The liner notes say as much.



However, most 5.1 systems have significantly smaller rear speakers - and mine is no exception. So, the mix often has key elements strongly positioned in the rear speakers, including bassy elements, vocals, and everything else for that matter. And when these elements appear in the rear channels of the mix, they are overpowered by what is happening in the front speakers.

I turned up my rear speakers on the receiver to their maximum setting (+10 db), but still I felt like I was "missing something". This was particularly apparent when an element would circle the room - it would become quieter when positioned over the rear channels, and louder when posistioned over the front channels.



Most standard 5.1 mixes avoid this problem by correctly assuming that most systems have smaller rear speakers.

That complaint aside, this is a revelatory experience, one that I'm sure I will return to again and again...



A CD and a reissue that is so good it makes me want to get larger rear speakers. hahahaha."
Aural Candy
Geoffrey Navone | San Francisco | 03/10/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Flaming Lips have been one of my favorite bands since I discovered then in 1991. They are always keeping their sound,new fresh and different from many "mainstream" bands.I can't believe how popular they've gotten recently,but their popularity is long deserved. This 5.1 version of the soft bulletin is AMAZING. If you like the flaming lips and you have a good surround sound system at home,this is one to have in your library. When I recieved it,I had had a long stressful day.I put this cd in and sat back with a drink and was transported to a happy place.Crank this up and give it your full attention and see how fast you are whisked away from your daily troubles."
Long overdue reissue of the one of the 90's most important r
R. M. Self | Arlington, VA United States | 02/02/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)

""The Soft Bulletin," is a landmark album that sounds more and more important with every year that passes, and this new edition certainly does it justice. The refined audio sounds amazing, and the extras are hefty indeed for the price. Having the bands thoughts on the making of the album was also very interesting to me, as I consider this the only Flaming Lips album that is good from start to finish. An essential buy for any record collection."