I like Sting. However, I've never been the biggest fan of "Sacred Love". The album does offer a few gems, though. And so for the casual Sting fan like me, I guess that makes the album just good enough if you're desperate to hear some multi-channel music. Barely.
Please note that this review refers to the DVD-Audio release. So the earlier mention of Super Audio CD is more-or-less just advertising. Hey, man, you've got format choices to make when it comes to getting "Sacred Love"!
The Multi-channel Tracks
Concerning the surround sound mix and overall sonics of this album, I suppose it's fair to suggest that it never really offends. It's always pleasant. And, once or twice, it almost impresses. Vocals tend to say up front. In fact, most of the focus is up front. Yet there's still plenty of surround action beyond just just simple reverberations. In fact, there is one particularly dreadful track with loud repetitive percussion in the surrounds----ughhh!!!---but overall the album it is quite tolerable listening since the loud boom boom boom is just on that one song. Well... More or less, that is. So Sting's "Sacred Love" does in fact contain a multi-channel tracklist. No question about it. But like I said, the focus is up front. You won't feel like the mains and surround channels are switched around, if you know what I mean.
My favorite song is the Dave Aude remix of "Send Your Love". The duet "Whenever I Say Your Name" with guest singer Mary J. Blige is pretty nice, too.
The Stereo Tracks
I have only listened to the 2-channel tracks so far as to verify that the advanced resolution listed on the DVD-A packaging label is indeed correct---96kHz/24-bit. I'll leave the merits of the stereo mix to someone else.
Disc Navigation - With The Television Off
The good news is that you can access tracks directly via the number pad on your remote control. So this makes it really convenient to use if you don't want to turn on your television.
The not-so-good news is that the stereo tracks are not accessible by by hitting the "audio" button on the remote. I suppose that means that they are not in the same group as the multi-channel tracks? Anyway, the point is that you'll have to turn on your television to select the stereo version. Not a really big deal if you're buying this disc for the surround sound. Besides, there is a SACD version available which could potentially make this a non-issue.
Disc Navigatgion - With The Television On
The on-screen navigation menu is easy enough to use. So no major complaints. My only minor quibble is that when listening to each track we are always looking at the same boring picture of Sting as he instensely stares down the tracklist of 11 songs. I prefer discs that give me a brand new picture to stare at with each different track.
Extras/Bonus Material
There are three bonus videos: Two straght-forward music videos plus a song promoting one of his live-performance DVDs.
One of the standard, MTV-type music videos is for the original version of "Send Your Love" and the other is for the remixed version of "Send Your Love". The video quality is decent enough, but unfortunately the sound quality offered is merely stereo 2.0-ch Dolby Digital. It is my belief that bonus music videos on DVD-Audio albums should always be available in 5.1 channel surround sound.
Thankfully, the third bonus video does in fact use all available channels to create a wonderful surround mix. It is a short live performance of the song "Whenever I Say Your Name" with a full backing band. Video and audio is top notch as this is a sample of a separate DVD-Video disc available for purchase. And judging from the sample, Sting fans just may want to get it!
Another extra is a special grid of sorts that you can watch whilst listening to the entire album in 5.1-channel Dolby Digital. It's kind of cool! Basically, the screen contains musical notes and lyrics that scroll across the top. (It's kinda like having the bouncing ball tell you what word to sing from the old cartoons.) So that sounds pretty cool, right? Your thinking you're almost ready to buy? But wait! There's more! The grid is also laid out kind of like a mulit-track recording console's computer screen. (Well, I'm actually assuming here as the only multi-track recorder I've dealt with is an analog Tascam product with no screen, but I digress.) The point here is that on the left side of the screen it shows you each and every instrument that has been recorded onto the song. And then to the right of it there are colored bars containing waveform graphics that scroll by indicating when each instrument starts playing, the intensity of the playing, and when it stops playing. Want more? It even tells you the name of each musician playing each instrument! How's that for cool?!
So... How much would you expect to pay for all of this?
A hundred dollars? Two hundred dollars?!!! It's probably worth it, but "No". The truth is that you get all of this and wonderful surround sound for only one easy payment of $14.99!!! **
That's right! Just $14.99 and this can be all yours. They'll even throw in all those intense-looking pictures of Sting for free! And ladies, there's even one of Sting with his shirt off and looking all 'sexy'!
So act now! Make "Sacred Love" yours today! Many stores and Internet retailers are standing by.
DVD-Audio Technical Specs:
96kHz/24-bit Surround Sound
96kHz/24-bit Stereo
Note #1: This particular review wasn't ever one of my favorites when it was originally posted at the Sound & Vision forums. It's a bit strange and whatnot. As such, I tried to clean it up before adding it to my website. Worst-case scenario? The review will still make me look like a baffoon; and that might could be somewhat entertaining, I suppose, if the review proves not to be informative.
**Note #2: I paid $14.99 when this disc was widely available in stores. So it might cost a bit more now that's it's getting scare. Probably not worth $200, though. Maybe closer to $15.99.
--Kazaam
