Vh1 Storytellers: Meat Loaf DVD Review

With this originally being recorded for American TV it should come as no real surprise that the image here is full screen framed at 4:3. The picture is a little soft and sepia tones abound with a distinct lack of any other real colour being displayed. There is also a touch of grain at times. Nothing to write home about then, but not at all bad either.

Two audio tracks are included; Dolby Digital 5.1 448Kbps (default) and Dolby Pro Logic and both flag up as German - I assure you that Meat Loaf speaks and sings in English at all times! The DD 5.1 track has been nicely mixed with plenty of rear speaker involvement for a music DVD - just take a listen to Bat Out Of Hell - and I regularly felt like I was sat slap bang in the middle of Meat Loaf and his backing singers. The front three channels could have done with a little more separation, although main vocals are always held firmly within the centre speaker. There were times that the audience's clapping sounded a little compressed, but overall this is a fine recording.

Only biographies, liner notes, which is a re-hash of the booklet notes, and song lyrics for those that like to sing along!
I really enjoyed this instalment of VH1's Storytellers series. Meat's voice is not what it used to be and he regularly strained only to hit bum notes, but this has its own attraction - there's something about a singer putting their heart and soul into a song only to come up a bit short and there's no miming going on here - Meat Loaf is the real deal!