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Carly Simon: No Secrets

Warner Bros. // DVD Audio // November 11, 2002

List Price: $24.98 [Buy now and save at Dvdempire]

Review by Aaron Beierle | posted January 7, 2003 | E-mail the Author

The Music:

1. Right Thing to Do
2. Carter Family
3. You're So Vain
4. His Friends Are More Than Fond of Robin
5. We Have No Secrets
6. Embrace Me, You Child
7. Waited So Long
8. It Was So Easy
9. Night Owl
10. When You Close Your Eyes

The DVD

SOUND: "No Secrets" is presented by Rhino/Warner in 24bit/96khz DVD-Audio 5.1, DVD-Audio 2.0 and DVD-Video compatible Dolby Digital 5.1. Although I was fairly unimpressed with some of the early DVD-Audio releases, several recent releases to the format have not only impressed me, but brightened my outlook on the format. "No Secrets" is a very pleasant repurposing of this 1972 album, with an enjoyable remix of the original elements, which sound better here than I would have expected from a recording of the era.

This is a simple but effective 5.1 presentation that spreads out the music quite nicely, with distinct instrumentals in the surrounds. Nothing gimmicky or even too remarkably advanced is done with the music - the surrounds generally seemed to offer the same material, while there thankfully wasn't any movement of instrumentals between speakers or unnecessary vocals in the rear speakers.

What surprised me most about this DVD-Audio presentation was the audio quality. For a 1972 recording, the instrumentals, vocals and general clarity, while not exactly modern sounding, was closer to that level than I'd expected. Simon's vocals are clearly and crisply heard from the center channel, while the drums on "You're So Vain" pounded with respectable authority and force.

The stereo DVD-Audio presentation on this album is actually a 192khz/24-bit presentation, which offers somewhat stronger audio quality than the 5.1 version, although of course it lacks the open and enveloping quality of the surround presentation. Listening to the Dolby Digital 5.1 presentation, I was surprised to find that, while lacking the clarity and detail of the DVD-Audio 5.1 & 2.0 presentations, stood up fairly well on its own and would make a perfectly acceptable option for those who want to experience this fine album once again in a fresh, enjoyable new way.

Final Thoughts: "No Secrets" is an excellent DVD-Audio production that offers exactly what a DVD-Audio title should: a high-quality DVD-Audio stereo mix for those uninterested in added surround use, a DVD-Audio 5.1 presentation for those seeking a fine way to experience this album in a new way and finally, a Dolby Digital 5.1 presentation for those without DVD-Audio capable players. The 5.1 presentation is tastefully done and the audio quality is unexpectedly rich and full for the age of the album. A definite recommendation for fans.

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