Crossing [Pure DSD]

"The more I Listen to the CROSSING the more I’m impressed with it, just fabulous, I’m doing a fill in this afternoon for 3 hours of Country Rock and Bluegrass and will be featuring "CROSSING"

"The [Crossing] SACD is brilliantly recorded, the music reminds me a bit of the Transatlantic Sessions (a brilliant BBC series), Folk/Americana, lovely album, the mix makes you feel like you're sitting in amongst the band, with them in a circle around you."

When describing the sound of Elias’ previous Super Audio CD release The Window, I described it as “a reference quality recording”. Crossing is clearly in the same category and some might even say it sounds a bit better. Listening to Crossing on a quality Super Audio CD Surround Sound system is a true pleasure. As with his previous Super Audio CD, Crossing features a mix of soft singing that some have referred to as almost a lullaby style and other tunes that have a more upbeat tempo.

"Listening to Crossing in SACD Surround Sound"
When describing the sound of Elias’ previous Super Audio CD release The Window, I described it as “a reference quality recording”. Crossing is clearly in the same category and some might even say it sounds a bit better.

Listening to Crossing on a quality Super Audio CD Surround Sound system is a true pleasure. As with his previous Super Audio CD, Crossing features a mix of soft singing that some have referred to as almost a lullaby style and other tunes that have a more upbeat tempo.

Elias vocals are mixed to the Center Channel speaker and are presented so clearly that it seems that Elias and his band are literally in the room singing to you. The 5.1 Surround Sound mix places the bass and acoustic guitar in the front channels with the dobro and mandolin appearing in the Left Surround and Right Surround channels, providing nice accents to the performances.

Some of the album highlights include Morning Light/Western Town (track 4) which features a dramatic intro in the front channels before the song begins to unfold, The Riddle Song (track 10) which adds an accordian in the Left Surround channel and If I Had My Way (track 12) which features a pedal steel guitar in the Left Surround Channel. In every case, the recording captures the acoustics of the live performance and the direct to DSD approach to the project offers amazing detail, clarity and sonics. If you want to hear an album that really shows what the Super Audio CD format is all about, Crossing is clearly in that category. As with Elias’ prior SACD release, I can quite confidently predict this will be another “must have” disc for Super Audio CD fans.

"Reviews by their nature often say less about the artist and his/her works than about the reviewer themselves. I would simply like to say that I found David's latest cd " The Window" lived up to the many praises I have heard about it. I thought the recording was very "lifelike ie. I could imagine with my eyes closed while listening to this cd that I was in fact in the room with these talented musicians while the music was being played.This is I think in large part is due to the DSD recording but also due to the arrangements and the use of acoustic instruments more than electric instruments. I also found that David's lyrics to be thought provoking and very accessible/universal. This is an album that I am highly recommending to those who enjoy listening to music that has a down to earth, honest approach, and that celebrates the human condition. ie. love,sadness,hope,joy. rather than much of today's contemporary music that seems to focus so much negativity ie. money,crime,politics,religion, or just singing about cars/sex/partys etc. etc. etc. "

“The remaster to DSD 128 sports more accurate start/stop, attack/decay. The result is fuller reproduction of the music-excited space. Here the imaging is completely spherical, utterly free of any blur, alive as in real life.”

“I consistently prefer the DSD 128 files [over original DSD64], mainly due to your vocals presentation (more defined, less “congested” with a better rendering of the studio space around you) but also because the bass lines are clearer and more integrated as elements of the band’s performance. Also, the overall sound staging is slightly broader and a bit more alive, delicate, ‘airy’.”

“Gooseflesh! Morning Light/Western Town 128 thru Sony's DSD HAP Music Server. Freakin’ astounding. All testing ceased as I cranked the volume and just reveled in the repro, depth, 3-dimensionality, inspired playing, singing, grooving. John [Havard’s Fender Broadcaster solo] is there out front, 3 feet forward of the right speaker. I could reach and touch him. Sheer emotion.”

Here is Desmond Fretz’s assessment of “Crossing” in DSD 128 Multichannel:

“Results are monumental! I am right now enjoying the best reproduction so far on my main system.

Last week I added additional room treatment to stunning effect so that’s in “play” but the presentation is eerily, frighteningly alive. Your Mch mix is so technically masterful that the illusion all us crazy audiophiles so ardently seek is in full, resplendent bloom. Your voice especially is being rendered in the “cocoon” of the studio space utterly detached from speakers and gear. We are there, immersed in music & sound, devoid of artifice.

I could try playing the SACD for comparison but I don’t even want to today, only to revel in what’s happening right now. This is a whole ‘nother order of music enjoyment. That solid but elusive quality of release that I obsessively pursue is overflowing.”

Mind Mending
"David is a bona fide folk music talent in the tradition of popular 70’s artists like Gordon Lightfoot and JimCroce. This track [Mend My Mind] is so damn pleasant to hear and I wish I heard more music like this at OMD’s. The vocals and guitar work are effortless and beautiful and the production is as clean as it gets. The mandolin work on this tune also adds tremendous color and fills in without being overbearing. This is great work by an artist who deserves your attention."

"Doesn't get any better than this. Euphoric! David has hit on all cylinders with this one. May as well be as inviting him and his wonderful band into your living room. Every aspect from composition,personel and end results in the mastering process are as good as these 55 year old ears have heard. I can't wait til the next one." -

Doesn't get any better than this. Euphoric!
"David has hit on all cylinders with this one. May as well be as inviting him and his wonderful band into your living room. Every aspect from composition,personel and end results in the mastering process are as good as these 55 year old ears have heard. I can't wait til the next one." -

What I Need To Hear
"I just wanted you to know that i have been listening to these songs on a regular basis. And it is just absolutely beautiful and moving. The perfect instrumentation for every song just totally gets me. Your voice is lifted to amazing height with this music. And i'm glad because everything you say is what I need to hear. Anyone who hasn't heard this is really missing out. Thank you thank you thank you." - Will

"From the first note, it's apparent that this is an extraordinary recording...This is intelligent and melodic pop folk-rock, and Elias's singing is honest and tuneful." -