The Foo Fighters new album is all over the map. It's everywhere! And I don't just mean musically. Yes, there are two discs that pretty much cover the musical spectrum: The first being more electric and harder; the second being more acoustic and softer. But take a look at all the various formats and recording rates found on the deluxe DualDisc version and you'll see what I mean. It's like they couldn't make up their minds, so they gave us a little bit of everything!
DISC 1: THE ELECTRIC/HEAVY TRACKS plus DOCUMENTARY
DVD-Video and DVD-Audio players:
Music = 48 kHz / 16 bit LPCM stereo. No surround.
Documentary = Dolby Digital 5.1 at 448 mbps for surround; or...
Documentary = 48 kHz / 24 bit LPCM stereo.
(Seriously, 48/24 LPCM for a documentary; but NOT the music!)
DISC 2: THE ACOUSTIC/SOFTER TRACKS
DVD-Video Players:
Dolby Digital 5.1 at 448 mbps for surround sound;
48 kHz / 16 bit LPCM for stereo
DVD-Audio Players:
96 kHz / 24 bit PPCM for surround sound**
96 kHz / 24 bit PPCM for stereo**
For purposes of this review, I am going to focus on Disc 2---the acoustic tracks---since that is the only one which contains surround sound in high-resolution DVD-Audio. Do I think it's odd that the first disc lacks DVD-Audio? Yes... It is pretty strange. But then again it's a bit odd to have found a release from SonyBMG that contains true DVD-Audio at all. (Most SonyBMG dualdisc releases only contain Dolby Digital for their surround presentation.) So I'm not complaining. In fact, I'm quite thrilled! It's even an Elliot Scheiner surround mix.
I'd say it's a subtle, yet effective mix. The focus is up front and the surrounds enhance everything. There is some discrete information, but it is tastefully done. Mostly, though, it just creates a nice solid, if not quite seamless, blend of room-filling sound. Listening to these tracks, I can't help but to think that this is what some folks probably wanted for DVD-Audio when they suggested the need to avoid some of the gimmickry that was a supposed pitfall of Quadraphonics. (I say supposed because I like a little bit of gimmickry on occassion. There is room for all kinds of surround mixes in this world!)
Overall, the surround mix sounds pretty darn good on a full-sized setup. It's too bad that Disc 1 lacks high-resolution DVD-Audio---or any surround at all (for music). But that's OK. What we've got here is still progress and I'm happy. So maybe next time, right? ***
**Note: You won't find any mention of DVD-Audio on the back cover of the DualDisc version. Instead, it only mentions that the acoustic tracks are available in 5.1 Surround Sound. However, the acoustic tracks on Disc 2 are indeed available as true DVD-Audio. However... Disc 1 does NOT contain DVD-Audio or surround sound.
***It's been quite some time since I originally wrote this review. I'd say we're still waiting. :(
