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Topic: Man on the Rocks preview clips on bol.com< Next Oldest | Next Newest >
falk Offline




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Posted: Mar. 06 2014, 06:34

still have enot recived the album, but i take it, that it is a good record. looking forward to get my hands on ti
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nickko Offline




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Posted: Mar. 06 2014, 11:18

After a few listenings, this album is really good, there certainly is nothing totally amazing, but no filling either. Some titles as Moonshine or Nuclear I thought secondary are quite impressive. Ok, risk is minimal, but totally in the spirit "I pleased myself" that Mike would be in. Note that after listening to the album on a 5.1 system and headphones, you lose a lot on headphones, especially Chariots which no longer has any relief.

In short, the album turns again and again since yesterday, and it's not so common to me. Demo versions, I love Mike's voice so much, it's unfortunate that he's not highlighted at all, and instrumental versions are all but useless, it is perfectly possible to listen with great pleasure to the instrumental version, Mike remains a master in composition. (sorry if there are mistakes, I'm French)
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MikeArnold Offline




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Posted: Mar. 08 2014, 01:46

Good news on Wednesday when I returned home from work.  The package had arrived.
Just love that first disc, and Luke Spiller's vocals are excellent and really compliment this album.  Okay, so this latest release is not an instrumental opus, and it's about as different as Platinum is to Hergest Ridge, or Crises is to Incantations.  But, that's cool.  It's always what I've liked about Mike's music.  He always said he didn't want to go around repeating himself, and it's fine to hear that he has found a different inspiration, and it's really obvious that this latest release comes from the heart.  
Admittedly, the second disc, the instrumentals, are a bit "karaoke-Mike".  It's the only unfortunate point, because if the vocals had been replaced by guitar and keyboard, it would have made the disc quite a bit more interesting to listen to.  
Disc 3, Mike's own vocal demo versions are pretty good.  A bit limited in range at times.  But, I honestly need to give this a closer listen to.
Four alternate mixes of "Sailing", "Dreaming in the Wind", "Following the Angels", and "I give Myself Away" round out disc 3.  Not terribly different from the main disc, but good to have all the same.
Favourite tracks to date from the main course:
Probably "Moonshine".  Not so sure why so many are down on "Sailing" though, it's really just meant to be a fun track and I love it just for that.
"Nuclear" seems to have a bit of "No Mans Land" (from "Tres Lunas") woven into it.
"Dreaming in the Wind" has a bit of a Chris Isaak/Mark Knopfler feel to it.
"Following the Angels" inspired by Mike's involvment with the Olympics ceremony in London is awesome, and "I Give Myself Away" seems almost a bit McCartney-esque.
Love this album!
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christopher Offline




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Posted: Mar. 09 2014, 22:46

I think this is the first time, in what seems like eternity, people on here are actually loving an album with very little complaint!  I love this!!  Even my opinion has been altered as I've listened to the album enough times to make someones head pop off.  Tracks like Dreaming, I thought were just useless throwaways, but I was SO WRONG!!  Every song on this album has it's own unique touch and flare.  There is not a bad song on this album!!  As I've said I'm not a fan of Christian music, but this reworking of "I Give Myself Away" has me wrapped up in it!!  Truly a wonderful song :)  Following the Angels (Alt mix) is perfect... just as I believe it should have been mixed on the actual album!!  My hope still is that Stevie Nicks or if Fleetwood Mac ever gets back together to do an album, she/they cover Minutes.  

Now, we just have to wait another year or so, and I'm sure Mike will be bringing us Amarok remixed/reworked and what will hopefully not be a prequel to Tubular Bells, but something with a different name and hardly to no references.  However, it's not my music and I have no right to dictate.  Just my opinion.  Anyway, keep up the positive reviews :)  This will invigorate any artist!!
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Gilles Offline




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Posted: Mar. 11 2014, 17:31

Well... MOTR album is boring, and confirms that MO has lost his inspiration. Of course, he is still a good guitarist and a good sound engineer. But I think that the same singer for all tracks is a big mistake.

So, I will return to Mike's best period (1973 - 1982), and forget the rest.
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Matt Offline




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Posted: Mar. 11 2014, 19:01

Quote (Gilles @ Mar. 11 2014, 22:31)
So, I will return to Mike's best period (1973 - 1982), and forget the rest.

You don't like Amarok (June 14th 1990)? :O


--------------
"I say I say I say I say, what's got three bottles and five eyes and no legs and two wheels"
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Olivier Offline




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Posted: Mar. 11 2014, 20:56

Quote (Gilles @ Mar. 11 2014, 14:31)
So, I will return to Mike's best period (1973 - 1982), and forget the rest.

You like QE2 and not Crises?
Do you include FMO (1982) in the golden years?

It's a funny exercise though, if I had to pick a period, I'd pick 1973-1998 (including TB3). That's cruel though, that's what is so tough about being an artist, you have your best years and craziness at the beginning while for most other professions, you get wiser and better at it with time, so getting old is tolerable.
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Gilles Offline




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Posted: Mar. 12 2014, 02:47

Well, I'm a big fan of all the albums ranging from TB to Discovery (so 1973-1984, I apologize), my top favorite being Five Miles Out.

Concerning the following records, I do like some parts of albums like Amarok, TSODE, Earth Moving, bits and pieces of most recent work but, for me, the 10 first years are the best, period.

I think a lot of artists have creative up and downs, especially musicians, and when the inspiration is gone, they should stop. But this is all personnal taste.

The main flaw of MOTR are the vocals, and the very generic style. May be some songs could be better rendered with different singers (as Earth Moving).

Rgds, Gilles.
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qjamesfloyd Offline




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Posted: Mar. 12 2014, 05:30

I like the period 1973-2014 Mike has something to like on every album he has released.
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equinoxe Offline




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Posted: Mar. 12 2014, 06:42

Quote (qjamesfloyd @ Mar. 12 2014, 05:30)
I like the period 1973-2014 Mike has something to like on every album he has released.

And i even like the "Ballons", "Branches" and a few more tracks from the "Children Of The Sun" album, so for me there is a wide range of years from 1968 to 2014 :). Just love every little guitar sound Mike ever done :)
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qjamesfloyd Offline




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Posted: Mar. 12 2014, 08:15

Exactly, I wish people would celebrate Mike's music more than they are negative towards it.
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Black Bunik Offline




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Posted: Mar. 12 2014, 09:11

Quote (qjamesfloyd @ Mar. 12 2014, 08:15)
Exactly, I wish people would celebrate Mike's music more than they are negative towards it.

I have no problem with appreciation towards all the albums MO has done. All are very different and will certainly attract different people.

What i do not understand however is glorifying MotR beyond any reason. I mean it is a nice album, I like it, I listen to it a lot these days, but it is nothing that spectacular. I take it for what it is and I hope I grasped what the author meant by it. Also I think there is some missed potential in it that could have made it so much better, like some female vocals, or more ideas that could make it stand out.
Among negativity and unbelievable bias a honest opinion is a treasure.
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falk Offline




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Joined: Dec. 2012
Posted: Mar. 13 2014, 12:12

i like mr. Oldfields music from 1973 and up until year 2000, with 1973-78 aand 1992-1999 standing out. i regard his 80´records, mayby except earth moving, as a little below in oldfieldterms, but great in the time, they were made. I mean Moonlight Shadow was my single of the 80´s and crises one of the albums, even if Mike oldfield had done better before.
Passing year 2000 he might not had been all the way up there in his own standards, but still better than a lot of other people. Turning a new way ( my local retailer still haven´t got the record for me) might be interestering, and thats what keeps me hanging on. You never know, do you?
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