I've received a Blu-spec CD version today.
Sounds great and jacket cover is well-made!

Here's the Japanese bonus track "God Bless The Girl" for your sneak listen.



It is said the song is about Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

I love the album - it's much better than anything he's made since the early 80s. What's good about it is that he hasn't gone for a really obvious commercial sound like he did with Let's Dance. I think this album is a definite grower and will reveal little pearls of mystery with each listen.

I also don't believe, as some people have suggested, that in a year's time it will be filed away as just another Bowie album - I think, with all it's self-referencing and familiar Bowie themes that it will hailed as a classic. Time will tell.

The Next Day on HDTracks in high res : [www.hdtracks.com]

Description is kind of weird though. It's said to be 96kHz/24-bit but then it's written "Recorded at 48/24, mixed analog to 96/24. Tracks 9 and 12 are recorded at 44/24 mixed analog to 96/24. Tracks 5 and 14 are recorded/mixed at 48/24."

Anyhow the dynamics compression is the same as on the CD...

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Toru A
I've received a Blu-spec CD version today.
Sounds great and jacket cover is well-made!

Here's the Japanese bonus track "God Bless The Girl" for your sneak listen.



It is said the song is about Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

Marantz Sacd (used to have one)
big speakers not very waf. which ones ?

"we know it's a bit late but we hope you don't mind if we stay"

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kowalski
The Next Day on HDTracks in high res : [www.hdtracks.com]

Description is kind of weird though. It's said to be 96kHz/24-bit but then it's written "Recorded at 48/24, mixed analog to 96/24. Tracks 9 and 12 are recorded at 44/24 mixed analog to 96/24. Tracks 5 and 14 are recorded/mixed at 48/24."

Anyhow the dynamics compression is the same as on the CD...

On Qobuz they say 24/96 high res.
I bought the deluxe cd. Have you tried one 24/96 song to compare ?

"we know it's a bit late but we hope you don't mind if we stay"

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toomuchforme

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kowalski
The Next Day on HDTracks in high res : [www.hdtracks.com]

Description is kind of weird though. It's said to be 96kHz/24-bit but then it's written "Recorded at 48/24, mixed analog to 96/24. Tracks 9 and 12 are recorded at 44/24 mixed analog to 96/24. Tracks 5 and 14 are recorded/mixed at 48/24."

Anyhow the dynamics compression is the same as on the CD...

On Qobuz they say 24/96 high res.
I bought the deluxe cd. Have you tried one 24/96 song to compare ?

I finally bought the CD after reading the comments on Qobuz saying the high res is the same compression level as on CD. And now after reading HDTracks description this high res release seems even more dubious. By the way I don't have much expectations from the future vinyl release which will probably use the same dynamically compressed 24/96 digital master...

Great album! but very dark. The "poppiest" sounding track on the album, "Valentine's Day", is about a guy thinking of a shooting spree.

...Bowie has a shot at the top spot in sales on the Billboaed album charts....he's neck and neck with Bon Jovi apparently....

I just watched "The Last Temptation of Christ"...

..so..

Jesus is arrested... then this voice... Pilate... I'm thinking... I know that voice.....

I was right.

another review...

[www.nationalreview.com]

(corrected link... thanks kowalski)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013-03-16 18:37 by Natlanta.

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Natlanta
another review...

[www.nationalreview.com]

Good & fair review. Thanks for the link. Be sure to read page 1 though. [www.nationalreview.com]

I finally had a chance to listen to the high res version from HDTracks on a good hi fi audio system (harman/kardon amplifier, Cabasse speakers...).
While it sounds somehow a little bit better than the regular CD edition it's clearly the same ultra dynamically compressed mix/master. The gain is mainly in the bass section with a more "solid" sound. But it still sounds as flat and bland as the CD and the digital compression applied on the mix still makes all instruments sound very unnatural. Plus, with everything put forward, Bowie voice is still buried by the surrounding instrumental parts.
I still don't understand what's the point in releasing a high res version of a highly digitally compressed album. There's almost no gain at all and to my mind it just shows up what's wrong with producing music this way...

Got a message a couple of days ago, saying the vinyl I ordered had been delayed untill March 28th. But I fear that it won't be that much of an improvement over the downloads/CD, but...one never know

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Erik_Snow
Got a message a couple of days ago, saying the vinyl I ordered had been delayed untill March 28th. But I fear that it won't be that much of an improvement over the downloads/CD, but...one never know

The Led Zeppelin's Celebration Day 3-LP set sounds much better than the dreadful CD mix and apparently both were made from the same source in 24bit/48kHz - just like the Bowie. So there's still hope I guess...

Even Mr. Sukita (photographer of Heroes) is saying that he was not informed about the use of his picture for The Next Day.
Where has the copyright policy gone?

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kowalski
I finally had a chance to listen to the high res version from HDTracks on a good hi fi audio system (harman/kardon amplifier, Cabasse speakers...).
While it sounds somehow a little bit better than the regular CD edition it's clearly the same ultra dynamically compressed mix/master. The gain is mainly in the bass section with a more "solid" sound. But it still sounds as flat and bland as the CD and the digital compression applied on the mix still makes all instruments sound very unnatural. Plus, with everything put forward, Bowie voice is still buried by the surrounding instrumental parts.
I still don't understand what's the point in releasing a high res version of a highly digitally compressed album. There's almost no gain at all and to my mind it just shows up what's wrong with producing music this way...

Compared to Boz Scaggs's Memphis, The Next Day has far north sound.
Then,
I tried to encode this CD to 24bit/96KHz Wave files using dBpoweramp as CD Ripper.
I am not testing 32bit/192KHz yet but the sound has changed substantially.
They could give me more warm, transparent and ambient feelings.
They've achieved high SNR and less digitalness.
I know this is a fake high res but I think it is interesting idea to test.

All in all, this new album is a gem.

Frankly speaking this list : [fastnbulbous.com]
looks more interesting than the new Bowie, which I have yet to hear.

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Whale
Frankly speaking this list : [fastnbulbous.com]
looks more interesting than the new Bowie, which I have yet to hear.

What's the connection? And what's the frankness about?

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Erik_Snow

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Whale
Frankly speaking this list : [fastnbulbous.com]
looks more interesting than the new Bowie, which I have yet to hear.

What's the connection? And what's the frankness about?

Maybe "(You Will) Set the World on Fire" ...?

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Erik_Snow

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Whale
Frankly speaking this list : [fastnbulbous.com]
looks more interesting than the new Bowie, which I have yet to hear.

What's the connection? And what's the frankness about?

The frankness just goes to say that it's not my intention to offend people here, but there is so much nice stuff around that you don't know about, and is it really the latest by one of the big names you should be after?
Isn't it much more rewarding to find that obscure record you didn't know about and that is really great? For that, I thought that list was a nice start, even if the list is overly soft machine oriented.
There's so much more exciting stuff than the new Bowie.

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Whale

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Erik_Snow

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Whale
Frankly speaking this list : [fastnbulbous.com]
looks more interesting than the new Bowie, which I have yet to hear.

What's the connection? And what's the frankness about?

The frankness just goes to say that it's not my intention to offend people here, but there is so much nice stuff around that you don't know about, and is it really the latest by one of the big names you should be after?
Isn't it much more rewarding to find that obscure record you didn't know about and that is really great? For that, I thought that list was a nice start, even if the list is overly soft machine oriented.
There's so much more exciting stuff than the new Bowie.

That wasn't much of a point, I gotta say. The list is completely irrelevant to Bowie's new album. You might as well say "Frankly speaking, to ME, my soon-to-come dinnerplate is more interesting than the new Bowie album"
Besides, you don't know what us other listens to even there's no threads about it at IORR

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Whale
Frankly speaking this list : [fastnbulbous.com]
looks more interesting than the new Bowie, which I have yet to hear.

Do not underestimate the power of the force.

Quote
Whale

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Erik_Snow

Quote
Whale
Frankly speaking this list : [fastnbulbous.com]
looks more interesting than the new Bowie, which I have yet to hear.

What's the connection? And what's the frankness about?

The frankness just goes to say that it's not my intention to offend people here, but there is so much nice stuff around that you don't know about, and is it really the latest by one of the big names you should be after?
Isn't it much more rewarding to find that obscure record you didn't know about and that is really great? For that, I thought that list was a nice start, even if the list is overly soft machine oriented.
There's so much more exciting stuff than the new Bowie.

In view of the former how do you know the latter?

David Bowie scores first UK Number 1 album in 20 years


David Bowie puts his stamp on the Official Albums Chart today as The Next Day becomes the fastest-selling album of 2013 to date.

He’s still got it! At 66, British icon David Bowie is back at the top of the Official Album Chart, scoring his first UK Number 1 album in almost 20 years with The Next Day.

The Duke’s much-anticipated new studio album, his first new material in nearly a decade, is his first chart topper since 1993’s Black Tie White Noise, and has this week notched up sales of over 94,000 copies to claim the title of the fastest selling album of the year so far. The title previously held by Biffy Clyro’s Opposites, which sold 71,600 copies during its opening week back in January.

Bowie outsells the second highest new entry of the week – Bon Jovi’s What About Now (Number 2) - by more than two copies to one. The US rockers have two albums in the Official Albums Chart Top 40 today, as their Greatest Hits collection also shoots up 26 places to Number 31.

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georgelicks
David Bowie scores first UK Number 1 album in 20 years


David Bowie puts his stamp on the Official Albums Chart today as The Next Day becomes the fastest-selling album of 2013 to date.

He’s still got it! At 66, British icon David Bowie is back at the top of the Official Album Chart, scoring his first UK Number 1 album in almost 20 years with The Next Day.

The Duke’s much-anticipated new studio album, his first new material in nearly a decade, is his first chart topper since 1993’s Black Tie White Noise, and has this week notched up sales of over 94,000 copies to claim the title of the fastest selling album of the year so far. The title previously held by Biffy Clyro’s Opposites, which sold 71,600 copies during its opening week back in January.

Bowie outsells the second highest new entry of the week – Bon Jovi’s What About Now (Number 2) - by more than two copies to one. The US rockers have two albums in the Official Albums Chart Top 40 today, as their Greatest Hits collection also shoots up 26 places to Number 31.

Well done UK !


EDIT: meanwhile GRRR! is still #68 in the UK albums Top after 18 weeks.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013-03-17 22:08 by kowalski.

Just finally heard the album all the way through on my headphones sitting comfortably on a bus. After a little less than a month, its finally all settling in which is cool to hear. Although this is definitely the first time I noticed the buried vocals thing. Heard it from alot of people, and was immediately noticeable to me this time when I started the title track. Oddly enough, I remember it was perfectly clear for Where Are We Now. Maybe because it was the single and knew people would jump all over buried vocals? Or the album is actually all like that in physical format? Not sure, and don't remember if The Stars Are Out Tonight was the same way as a single.

The Vinyl LP was just delivered to my office!
Can't wait to get home and take it for a spin.

C'mon end of the day...

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Kurt
The Vinyl LP was just delivered to my office!
Can't wait to get home and take it for a spin.

C'mon end of the day...

Let us know how it sounds when you get a chance!

Not sure what the hub bub is about his vocals in the mix. I downloaded from US iTunes at apple lossless, and yeah it is the typical compressed, but I hear his vocals just fine. Sounds fantastic. Sounding a lot like Lodger in places. Especially the first two songs. Especially The Next Day, seems like Repetition part II. Great!

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whitem8
Not sure what the hub bub is about his vocals in the mix. I downloaded from US iTunes at apple lossless, and yeah it is the typical compressed, but I hear his vocals just fine. Sounds fantastic. Sounding a lot like Lodger in places. Especially the first two songs. Especially The Next Day, seems like Repetition part II. Great!

yeah i had no issues with his vocals either

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keefriffhard4life

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whitem8
Not sure what the hub bub is about his vocals in the mix. I downloaded from US iTunes at apple lossless, and yeah it is the typical compressed, but I hear his vocals just fine. Sounds fantastic. Sounding a lot like Lodger in places. Especially the first two songs. Especially The Next Day, seems like Repetition part II. Great!

yeah i had no issues with his vocals either

I didn't until hearing it on my iPod, and I did think it was kind of hard to hear him. I hadn't heard the album on headphones yet, and the only ones that sounded vocals high in mix were the singles. I could be falling into the majority though. I didn't hear what everyone else was for a month.