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Post by Pinwig on Dec 18, 2016 23:03:13 GMT
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Post by Philip Ayres on Jan 24, 2017 22:31:42 GMT
Bought today.
Liking what I hear so far
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Post by Pinwig on Jan 24, 2017 22:38:35 GMT
I think it's great. Grass roots Oldfield, back to the 70s style with a bit of the inevitable guitar. Very pleasant listening. He should do more of this kind of thing than albums like Man on the Rocks, which although had a handful of absolutely brilliant songs couldn't quite go the distance.
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Post by Philip Ayres on Jan 30, 2017 23:27:56 GMT
Return to Ommadawn has really clicked with me. Really liking it. Had it looping on my MP3 player for a week now and getting something from it every time I listen.
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Post by Llama God on Feb 5, 2017 22:04:44 GMT
Oh my gods. I was expecting this to suck, given that his output over the last decade... hasn't been great.
And Ommadawn, the original... well it's one of my favourite albums ever. Thanks in no small part to originally hearing the Knebworth concert performance (and which is the only real reason I still possess a VHS player). The raw emotion in it, especially in Part One, just really struck a chord with me.
I was thus expecting his revistation to that classic album to be only disappointing. Especially when I discovered he'd done it all himself (he often needs a decent producer to guide him).
And he does have a tendency to repeat himself. Indeed, the first thing I noticed at the very start was that he was reusing one of the guitar themes from Guitars (I think - I can't be certain because it's generic). I was immediately convinced that he was just trying to cash in on old glories and didn't have much left that was new to offer...
And maybe he is. But I don't care, because Return to Ommadawn is superb.
It's not quite the radical reinterpretation that Tubular Bells II was of the original Tubular Bells, and could be seen to be potentially redundant as a result (much as Tubular Bells 2003 was utterly pointless). He could have also done with using actual vocalists on the album for vocal parts too, instead of his continued insistence on using synthesised vocals, as he started doing on Light and Shade; he's really in danger of becoming the musical equivalent of George Lucas.
But... none of that seems to matter. Because it's brilliant. In terms of production it really does hearken back to his earliest albums. Despite the use of more synthesised elements, it sounds a lot less like his post 1980s albums than a lot of his more recent work. The reinterpretation of the original themes is definitely worth listening to. And this Part Two actually has a greater coherency and works more closely with Part One than it ever did with the original (which was mostly a last minute, panicked improvisation anyway). Indeed, when I say I love the original Ommadawn, what I actually love is the original Part One. (Although I do have a soft spot for "On Horseback". Because how could I not?) But on this album it really is a whole. And despite containing a callback to "On Horseback", the ending is much stronger, and feels like an actual climax this time.
The 5.1 mix is also superb. Originally I was thrown off a bit, with different instruments coming out of distinctly separate speakers - it just felt gimmicky, and like a massive throwback to the first experiments with stereo sound on LPs. But the mix is handled so well that it really works, and serves to immerse you in the music even more so.
And there's that haunting four/five note sequence introduced in Part Two that... well, it strikes something with me. I can't explain it more than that.
And I can't stop listening to this album. It's great.
Hurrah!
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Post by blueshift on Feb 5, 2017 22:12:55 GMT
I do need to get on this. The only musician I actually have an album collection of!
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Post by Pinwig on Feb 5, 2017 22:47:05 GMT
I knew I couldn't be the only Oldfield fan on here! Hurrah indeed!
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Post by Philip Ayres on Feb 20, 2017 12:35:28 GMT
Went and tracked down a copy of Exposed, the Live album I didn't have, for a sensible price.
Had it on this morning while I've been blog writing. Very very good. Onto the Tubular Bells section now and my goodness he's gone to town here, it's almost like a rewrite in places.
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Post by Pinwig on Feb 20, 2017 13:07:15 GMT
*cues up Exposed to play next as the marking continues*
There's some good live stuff on the new deluxe releases of his older albums too. Funny that in a career as long as his, Exposed is the only proper live CD release. Everything else is bonus discs.
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Post by Llama God on Feb 20, 2017 18:24:55 GMT
Yeah, I need to actually pick up some of those deluxe albums, just for the live stuff. Because most of it is quite something.
The best version of Tubular Bells (in my mind) is the stripped down Exposed version that he plays at Knebworth, on the Essential Mike Oldfield. Damn, that needs a DVD/BluRay/something modern re-release...
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Post by The Doctor on Feb 20, 2017 21:46:18 GMT
Serious question: did Oldfield ever release anything other than endless versions of Tubular Bells? That's all I ever hear about regarding him!
-Ralph
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Post by Pinwig on Feb 20, 2017 21:50:01 GMT
Yes Ralph, he did.
He may have reprised TB half a dozen times in various forms, but he has a huge library of studio albums in very diverse styles.
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Post by Philip Ayres on Feb 20, 2017 21:50:37 GMT
Oh yes. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Oldfield_discographyThe early parts of this thread are about a recent, non Tubular Bells album. He is responsible for the version of the Blue Peter theme tune you're most familiar with. The three mean Tubular Bells albums are very very good though.... "Grand Piano" |
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Post by Philip Ayres on Feb 20, 2017 21:51:58 GMT
*cues up Exposed to play next as the marking continues* There's some good live stuff on the new deluxe releases of his older albums too. Funny that in a career as long as his, Exposed is the only proper live CD release. Everything else is bonus discs. One side of four in The Complete Mike Oldfield is live. Very good Mount Teide in there which you need to hear if you haven't. |
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Post by blueshift on Feb 20, 2017 21:58:54 GMT
Serious question: did Oldfield ever release anything other than endless versions of Tubular Bells? That's all I ever hear about regarding him! -Ralph Omg You have heard Moonlight Shadow of course!!! My favourite is five miles out. I'd post YouTube links but I'm on mobile |
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Post by Pinwig on Feb 20, 2017 22:00:05 GMT
I think that was the album that introduced me to him actually. My Dad got the LP and I completely fell in love with it. I have since pinched it from him.
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Post by The Doctor on Feb 20, 2017 22:00:51 GMT
Serious question: did Oldfield ever release anything other than endless versions of Tubular Bells? That's all I ever hear about regarding him! -Ralph Omg You have heard Moonlight Shadow of course!!! I thought that was Cat Stevens? -Ralph |
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Post by blueshift on Feb 20, 2017 22:02:44 GMT
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Post by blueshift on Feb 20, 2017 22:05:09 GMT
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Post by Andy Turnbull on Feb 20, 2017 22:18:26 GMT
Moonlight Shadow was my first exposure to Mike Oldfield.
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Post by blueshift on Feb 20, 2017 22:21:11 GMT
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Post by Llama God on Feb 20, 2017 22:32:52 GMT
The Songs of Distant Earth is one of his best, non-Tubular albums. In my opinion.
It's a soundtrack to accompany an Arthur C. Clarke novel. What's not to love?
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Post by Pinwig on Feb 20, 2017 22:43:55 GMT
I've been sitting here for the last half hour trying to think how you encapsulate non-Bells Oldfield in a couple of tracks and I keep coming back to Songs of Distant Earth.
But wow is it hard to just pick a few tracks and say 'This is Oldfield'.
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Post by Pinwig on Feb 20, 2017 22:47:14 GMT
Actually, you know what? I've never even had to before now. I've never encountered anyone else who even gives a flying fig who Mike Oldfield is. Yet here, among a load of Transformers fans, I also find a shared interest in one of my favourite musicians. So many of the things that thrill me are shared here. The Hub truly is a wondrous place filled with magical people. You all rock!
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Post by blueshift on Feb 20, 2017 22:57:56 GMT
And yet on the other side of the coin, Ring Raiders  |
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Post by Philip Ayres on Feb 20, 2017 23:17:05 GMT
I've been sitting here for the last half hour trying to think how you encapsulate non-Bells Oldfield in a couple of tracks and I keep coming back to Songs of Distant Earth. But wow is it hard to just pick a few tracks and say 'This is Oldfield'. The word "Eclectic" may help..... |
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Post by Philip Ayres on Feb 20, 2017 23:18:44 GMT
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Post by Pinwig on Feb 20, 2017 23:20:54 GMT
Just a bit.
How about Platinum? The theme to the quiz show First Class? That was another Oldfield inroad for me.
I have a feeling we've mentioned that in another thread somewhere.
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Post by Philip Ayres on Feb 20, 2017 23:22:28 GMT
Moonlight Shadow was my first exposure to Mike Oldfield. Mine too. Led me to buy a copy of Complete * which is a good selection and that In turn led me to the Tubular Bells albums. Loved II when it came out and the climax to III, Secrets and Far Above The Clouds, is amazing. * on tape. Friend nicked Tape 1 and NEVER returned it. |
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Post by The Doctor on Feb 21, 2017 17:46:21 GMT
Actually, you know what? I've never even had to before now. I've never encountered anyone else who even gives a flying fig who Mike Oldfield is. Yet here, among a load of Transformers fans, I also find a shared interest in one of my favourite musicians. So many of the things that thrill me are shared here. The Hub truly is a wondrous place filled with magical people. You all rock! I...I...don't think his stuff is very good. Forgive meeeee. -Ralph |
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