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SentinelGard Group: Members Posts: 358 Joined: June 2003 Posted: Oct. 05 2004, 04:36 Ive just picked up copy of Voyager and would have to say it is one of the best albums M.O ever done .. -------------- "Onwards & Upwards'" Back to top

Sweetpea Group: Members Posts: 1476 Joined: April 2007 Posted: June 25 2007, 03:44 I've just ordered Voyager the other day. I'd held back due to some negative comments about it, but after researching more, it sounds like something I'd probably enjoy. So, it's nice to see some positive reactions, here. Also, I was ordering Discovery at the time and figured I'd throw this in as well. All part of my masterplan to eventually own each and every MO CD out there. Not really. I still don't have Orchestral Tubular Bells, Islands, Earth Moving, Millenium Bell, or Tres Lunas. And I'm not really sure I need to have all of them. -------------- "I'm no physicist, but technically couldn't Mike both be with the horse and be flying through space at the same time? (On account of the earth's orbit around the Sun and all that). So it seems he never had to make the choice after all. I bet he's kicking himself now." - clotty Back to top

Alan D Group: Members Posts: 3670 Joined: Aug. 2004 Posted: June 25 2007, 04:58 Quote (Sweatpea @ June 25 2007, 08:44) I still don't have Orchestral Tubular Bells, Islands, Earth Moving, Millenium Bell, or Tres Lunas. And I'm not really sure I need to have all of them. You probably do..... otherwise there will always be that 'what if...?' at the back of your mind. Not to have those albums would be to miss one of his finest long instrumentals (Wind Chimes, on Islands); one of his most romantic pieces of near-classical music (Lake Constance, on Millenium Bell; the finest song he ever wrote (Far Country, on Earth Moving); and the album that's essential for anyone who loves MusicVR (Tr3s Lunas). Not sure I can find a particularly good reason for buying Orchestral Tubular Bells, except that it's there. Back to top

Sweetpea Group: Members Posts: 1476 Joined: April 2007 Posted: June 25 2007, 13:47 Quote (Alan D @ June 25 2007, 04:58) Not to have those albums would be to miss one of his finest long instrumentals (Wind Chimes, on Islands); one of his most romantic pieces of near-classical music (Lake Constance, on Millenium Bell; the finest song he ever wrote (Far Country, on Earth Moving); and the album that's essential for anyone who loves MusicVR (Tr3s Lunas). Okay, I'm convinced. *adds albums to shopping list* -------------- "I'm no physicist, but technically couldn't Mike both be with the horse and be flying through space at the same time? (On account of the earth's orbit around the Sun and all that). So it seems he never had to make the choice after all. I bet he's kicking himself now." - clotty Back to top

Sir Mustapha Group: Musicians Posts: 2802 Joined: April 2003 Posted: June 25 2007, 14:39 Quote (Alan D @ June 25 2007, 04:58) Not to have those albums would be to miss one of his finest long instrumentals (Wind Chimes, on Islands); one of his most romantic pieces of near-classical music (Lake Constance, on Millenium Bell; the finest song he ever wrote (Far Country, on Earth Moving); and the album that's essential for anyone who loves MusicVR (Tr3s Lunas). Dear sir, how do you think you're suppose to state your opinions as if they were facts? Since when is music objective like that? You are terribly wrong for trying to control other people's expectations judging solely on your own, personal opinions, and you should reconsider. Anyone who considers his own opinions as universal truths should be banned from speaking them, especially when recommending such awful, hateful crap such as The Millennium Bell. (facetiousness over. Temporarily) -------------- Check out http://ferniecanto.com.br for all my music, including my latest albums: Don't Stay in the City, Making Amends and Builders of Worlds. Also check my Bandcamp page: http://ferniecanto.bandcamp.com Back to top

bee Group: Members Posts: 1227 Joined: Jan. 2004 Posted: June 25 2007, 15:20 Go on Sweetpea, go and get them. The way you write about Mike's music i.e with great interest, makes me think you'll not settle until you have heard everything you can! And I don't blame you. The only album I still to this day have trouble with is Orchestral Tubular Bells which for some reason plunges me into deep sorrow and I simply can't listen to it. But never to hear the others, well I just think you really ought to! Oh, and by the way, don't listen to Sir M's comments about the Milenium Bell.....There are many of us that adore that album. It has an incredible energy and sense of power and happiness (IMO)!! ducks to avoid the object being hurled at her!! Everyone is entitled to their own opinions! I'm full of encouragement, so, go and make up your mind what's next, and let us know what you think, we are looking forward to what you have to say! New fresh opinions are so good to hear. -------------- ....second to the right and straight on till morning.... You heard me before Yet you hear me again Then I die Till I call me again Back to top

Alan D Group: Members Posts: 3670 Joined: Aug. 2004 Posted: June 25 2007, 15:21 Quote (Sir Mustapha @ June 25 2007, 19:39) Since when is music objective like that? Ah, you see, that's the interesting thing, Sir M. On June 25th, 2007 the planet Herginum came into a three-way conjunction with the planet Platinest and the planet Ommarok in the constellation of Incantular Tubulations. Now, the Great Prophet Fivemilecrises had written, thousand of years before this event, that for as long as that conjunction lasted - no more and no less - subjective musical opinions about any Mike Oldfield album would become objective fact. This conjunction only lasted for about two minutes, starting at 9.57am and ending at 9.59. So naturally, I seized my moment. Back to top

Sir Mustapha Group: Musicians Posts: 2802 Joined: April 2003 Posted: June 25 2007, 15:34 That's pure speculation! There's no scientific proof to that! Anyone with the slightest sense of scepticism would have to doubt such words, for it's insanity to believe anything that hasn't been properly proved; and of course I don't believe what you say. I believe you are wrong. (yes, in case you're wondering, I really need to exercise my irony today) -------------- Check out http://ferniecanto.com.br for all my music, including my latest albums: Don't Stay in the City, Making Amends and Builders of Worlds. Also check my Bandcamp page: http://ferniecanto.bandcamp.com Back to top

Alan D Group: Members Posts: 3670 Joined: Aug. 2004 Posted: June 25 2007, 15:44 Quote (Sir Mustapha @ June 25 2007, 20:34) There's no scientific proof to that! Ah, you want scientific proof? OK, let's see if we can use the sacred words of the Great Prophet Fivemilecrises to predict something in the future... here we are .... "And on that same day 25th June 2007 there shall be a period where all utterances in relation to these prophecies shall be heavily laden with irony and set about with unreasonable scepticism. And this shall come to pass between the times of 20.33 and 20.35, as recorded on the Mike Oldfield Board of Prophetic Utterance." Wow, how about that! What time is it, someone? Oh dash it, we've missed it - it's 20.42. But wait, wait ..... [looks at the time of Sir M's post.....] Back to top

Sweetpea Group: Members Posts: 1476 Joined: April 2007 Posted: June 25 2007, 16:01 Quote (bee @ June 25 2007, 15:20) you'll not settle until you have heard everything you can! Thank you, bee. I've always thought it funny how one can get a sense of a person from just a handful of posts on a messageboard. I hadn't thought it through before, but I expect you're quite right that I won't "settle" til I've explored as much as I can. In the short time I've been here at Tubularboard, I've come to respect the opinions of many of the posters. I really don't know if Alan D's recommendations are tailored to what he suspects my tastes are, but that doesn't matter since, from what I've observed, he is intelligent and has good taste in music. So, I appreciate his advice - whether objective, subjective, or interjective - in this matter. -------------- "I'm no physicist, but technically couldn't Mike both be with the horse and be flying through space at the same time? (On account of the earth's orbit around the Sun and all that). So it seems he never had to make the choice after all. I bet he's kicking himself now." - clotty Back to top

Alan D Group: Members Posts: 3670 Joined: Aug. 2004 Posted: June 25 2007, 16:16 Quote (Sweatpea @ June 25 2007, 21:01) I really don't know if Alan D's recommendations are tailored to what he suspects my tastes are Well, I confess that I did consult the writings of the Great Prophet Fivemilecrises before making my recommendations .... Seriously though, Sweatpea, the only thing I can claim about my taste in music is not that it's good, but that it's mine. And the only point I really wanted to make is that there are things on all those albums you mentioned that aren't difficult to enjoy, and some of them are old favourites that I'd be sorry to have to manage without. And, wobbling back finally on topic before the Admins start to shout at us, there are even some things to enjoy on the Voyager album. Listening to it in the Scottish Highlands was something of a revelation for me. Back to top

Sir Mustapha Group: Musicians Posts: 2802 Joined: April 2003 Posted: June 25 2007, 18:35 Quote (Alan D @ June 25 2007, 15:44) "And on that same day 25th June 2007 there shall be a period where all utterances in relation to these prophecies shall be heavily laden with irony and set about with unreasonable scepticism. And this shall come to pass between the times of 20.33 and 20.35, as recorded on the Mike Oldfield Board of Prophetic Utterance." Wow, how about that! What time is it, someone? Oh dash it, we've missed it - it's 20.42. But wait, wait ..... [looks at the time of Sir M's post.....] Yes, but that... um... yeah, but... err, this is... uhm... LALALALALA, I'M NOT LISTENING, LALALALALA (okay, getting into the actual topic) I'm not sure if it's possible to give precise "pointers" on what one fan has to acquire and what he hasn't. What I say, though, is that there's points of interest in all of his albums - even if it's just being a practical definition of "bad Oldfield", which, of course, varies from person to person - and getting his albums should only be limited by your own personal will and money. And I can't say Voyager is among his worthless albums. It does have a handful of good songs. I don't like the album (or almost every other Oldfield album) when it gets unnecessarily overblown, and "Dark Island", "Women of the Ireland", among others, don't do so. -------------- Check out http://ferniecanto.com.br for all my music, including my latest albums: Don't Stay in the City, Making Amends and Builders of Worlds. Also check my Bandcamp page: http://ferniecanto.bandcamp.com Back to top

Alan D Group: Members Posts: 3670 Joined: Aug. 2004 Posted: June 26 2007, 04:15 Quote (Sir Mustapha @ June 25 2007, 23:35) What I say, though, is that there's points of interest in all of his albums Yep, couldn't agree more. Quote And I can't say Voyager is among his worthless albums. It does have a handful of good songs. I don't like the album (or almost every other Oldfield album) when it gets unnecessarily overblown, and "Dark Island", "Women of the Ireland", among others, don't do so. One person's 'overblown' is another person's 'magnificent', of course, as we've discovered so often. I can see why some folk would shudder at the over-the-top Hollywoodised romanticism of Mont St Michel (which I've always thought seemed curiously out of place on the Voyager album), but I've always enjoyed it. It's partly because MO is being a bit self-indulgent, piling on the syrupy strings like that - and I feel inclined to indulge him: 'well, OK, if you want to heap on the syrupy strings, Mike, you've earned the right to do so'. But also I like the way it unashamedly flaunts its roots - something like 'Elgar and Vaughan Williams with lots of sugar and a dash of Sibelius'. I'd add 'Wild Goose Flaps its Wings' to your list, first, for its sheer imaginative power, and second, for the marvellous control in the guitar playing. Back to top

Alan D Group: Members Posts: 3670 Joined: Aug. 2004 Posted: June 26 2007, 11:14 Quote (bee @ June 25 2007, 20:20) The only album I still to this day have trouble with is Orchestral Tubular Bells which for some reason plunges me into deep sorrow and I simply can't listen to it. I mustn't drag this thread off topic yet again, but I do want to respond to this comment - so I've done so here. Back to top

Sweetpea Group: Members Posts: 1476 Joined: April 2007 Posted: July 03 2007, 02:15 My copy of Voyager arrived along with Discovery, and - on the whole - I like Voyager much more. Nothing on it comes close to the wonderfulness of Discovery's "The Lake", but I really enjoy the peaceful beauty throughout Voyager. This might be my new CD of choice for stress-reduction purposes. -------------- "I'm no physicist, but technically couldn't Mike both be with the horse and be flying through space at the same time? (On account of the earth's orbit around the Sun and all that). So it seems he never had to make the choice after all. I bet he's kicking himself now." - clotty Back to top

Sweetpea Group: Members Posts: 1476 Joined: April 2007 Posted: July 03 2007, 02:33 Alan's mention of 'romanticism' has got me thinking on whether or not most of MO's work could be considered 'romantic'. I certainly feel that all of Voyager is, with Mike pulling out all the stops on "Mont St. Michel". Not enough mental energy, at the moment, to pursue it tonight. Plus, it's probably already been discussed - perhaps in the 'Mike's Styles' forum? -------------- "I'm no physicist, but technically couldn't Mike both be with the horse and be flying through space at the same time? (On account of the earth's orbit around the Sun and all that). So it seems he never had to make the choice after all. I bet he's kicking himself now." - clotty Back to top

Alan D Group: Members Posts: 3670 Joined: Aug. 2004 Posted: July 03 2007, 03:41 Quote (Sweatpea @ July 03 2007, 07:33) ... thinking on whether or not most of MO's work could be considered 'romantic'. I suppose I introduced the dreaded 'R' word without thinking too carefully about it - because of course it has a number of meanings, and so people are likely to interpret it in different ways. Looking at the dictionary definition of 19th century Romanticism - "characterized by an emphasis on subjective emotional qualities and freedom of form" - I'd say most of Mike's music falls within that definition (except for the 19th century aspect! ). When I was writing about Mont St Michel, though, I had a looser definition in mind - again, consulting the dictionary for one of the other definitions of 'romantic', I get 'marked by the imaginative or emotional appeal of what is heroic, adventurous, remote, mysterious, or idealized'. It was in that sense that I was using it when I was talking about Mont St Michel; or at least, the 'remote, mysterious, idealized' part. Back to top

Sweetpea Group: Members Posts: 1476 Joined: April 2007 Posted: July 05 2007, 01:09 Alan, I've started a topic on Romanticism in MO's music in another forum.   -------------- "I'm no physicist, but technically couldn't Mike both be with the horse and be flying through space at the same time? (On account of the earth's orbit around the Sun and all that). So it seems he never had to make the choice after all. I bet he's kicking himself now." - clotty Back to top

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