Review of Music In High Places: Wynonna, Live In Venice

Introduction

Music In High Places is an international television and Internet series which broadcasts on the
MTV networks. It was also used in Radio Shacks in the US to demo High Definition TV.
The series featured artists like Alanis Morissette, Brian McKnight, Collective Soul, Wynonna, Joy Enriquez and Shawn Colvin performing unplugged in various worldwide location of cultural or spiritual significance. So, it`s MTV Unplugged meets Wish You Were Here.

Wynonna (Judd) is the sister of actress Ashley Judd and started her musical career at 18 singing with her mother in the Country duo "The Judds". However, for 5 albums she has been carving her own niche with a mix of Country, Rock, Gospel and Pop. In fact, while she is still considered a Country artist this isn`t accurate - her music is no longer even loosely anchored to Country. She just does what she does and it`s very, very good.

In this Music In High Places programme, Wynonna visits Italy and sings some of her best songs in various picturesque settings. She also ruminates on Italy, her career and her faith.

Video

Video is letterboxed at 1.85:1 and looks pretty decent for what is obviously an NTSC TV source. Some artefacts are present but they don`t detract from the rich, detailed and colourful image. The interview footage with Wynonna is artfully composed in front of "fricking" castles and pillars. The Italian architecture, especially Venice, is shown off to good effect. Performance footage is understated but effective. The only criticism I would have of the visuals is that they confine themselves to urban (albeit historic) locations and rule out any of Italy`s rural splendour.

Still, this is one of the better travelogues-set-to-music I have come across.

Audio

Audio is a bit of a mixed bag. Actually, it is a mixed bag of mixed bags.

The main feature is presented in both DD 5.1 and DD 2.0 mixes. Given the simple acoustic nature of the music there is little scope to make full use of the full channels of the DD 5.1 mix. However, it sounds very pleasant - not authentic - but pleasant. A fair amount of reverb and echo has been added to the mix to pull the rears into service and the result is a warm and fortunately detailed sound. But it doesn`t accurately represent a small acoustic performance on a pier in the open air. The DD 2.0 sounds much the same without the reverb.

However, it isn`t all rosy because the same reverb and echo is applied to the interview segments and this leaves Wynonna sounding muffled and distant.

The "Just The Music" version of the songs sounds totally different. This feature allows you to view the full performance of the songs without any intercut interviews or ambient effects (like boats going past). The audio here is only DD 5.1 and has lost the reverb. This gives a more natural and detailed sound. For example, the interplay between Wynonna and the backing vocalists is much more audible (where in the feature, Wynonna was more prominent in the mix). But at the same time, some of the warmth has been lost, leaving us with a drier sound. Both sound very good, so it`s down to personal preference. One nasty flaw is that the "Just The Music" version is much softer than it should be. Therefore, you crank up the volume, forget to turn it down and then get deafened when you watch something else.

The performances are singularly excellent. I have loved Wynonna`s voice for years and it is well reproduced here. She various growls and swoops and soars. The backing vocalists are in fine voice also and create what can best be described as a joyful sound. The songs are well chosen, with the standouts being "New Day Dawning" and "My Angel is Here". New Day Dawning, especially, will cause your stomach to do little flips as Wynonna`s voice effortlessly swoops around the lovely melody.

Very enjoyable.

Features

The extras are very generous, in terms of quantity at least. The highlight is the option to watch the performances out of the context of the programme. We also get to see the full versions of the interview with Wynona (32 minutes) and the location footage. Also, there are a few short behind the scenes sequences and some promo spots for the Music In High Places series. Finally, there is a text based biography of Wynonna.

Conclusion

As a long-time Wynonna fan, I`m a bit biased, but this should be an enjoyable experience for any music fan. Her stylistic range is so wide that there will be something for everybody. The Italian visuals are well chosen and nicely shot making for a pleasing audio and visual experience.

The only downside is that Wynonna occasionally reveal a little too much about her life and problems than a reserved British/Irish audience might find comfortable. On more than one occasion, I though, "Whoa, too much information". Still, it`s heartfelt stuff.

The music only versions of the songs have proved very rewatchable. This is an interesting variation on music DVDs. Recommended.