Blue Man Group and Polyphonic Spree
[Artists - Album]
My short review of this album would be “Insanely creative”. This amazing Niagara of energy is probably very different than anything you have heard so far. Some of the tracks were composed with 15 different instruments including PVC pipes and homebrewed hybrid instruments! If you have seen their off-Broadway show, you will probably appreciate this music even more. This show is definitely one of the most creative, energetic, artistic and amusing I’ve ever been too. On other note, they have second album called Complex. In sharp contrast, this album, apparently containing many vocals, comes nowhere close to their first. This album is available in full-blown multi-track surround DVD-A format however it doesn’t contain LPCM stereo tracks, which might force you to by normal CD for MP3 extraction.
To give you a highlight, this group is composed of 20 members including 9 dedicated just for choir, humming and making noises. They are also the only one I know of using French horn. The combined effect of this huge mix and diverse instruments is just majestic while recording quality of vocal is not as good but you probably won’t care for the kind of upbeat energy it pours in. While anyone would agree they sound amazing in live concert than on recorded media, I still believe Trans-Siberian Orchestra has still maintained its “absolute best” position with me as far as large bands are concerned. Unfortunately Beginning Stages isn’t available in surround DVD-Audio format. However their second album Together We Are Heavy is indeed available in incredible crystal clear DVD-A surround format but it is probably half as good :(.
These albums are available on Rhapsody, although not in surround sound.
