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Elf Group: Members Posts: 67 Joined: Jan. 2005 Posted: Feb. 25 2014, 10:36 The newest issue of Classic Rock Magazine's sister mag Prog has been out for a while, but I only downloaded it today. And lo and behold: They have reviewed Man on the Rocks! Some excerpts: "Man on the Rocks is his most unashamedly commercial, accessible, collection of songs since 1991's Heaven's Open." "Fans of Oldfield's more adventurous output might consider this album the creative antithesis of his 1970s pomp, but the simple approach seems to have reinvigorated his songwriting. Because even if Sailing's broad strokes and singalong chorus might cloy on the palates of some, there's no doubt that its a hit waiting to happen" About Luke Spiller: "His versatility is well-showcased on the title track, where the contemplative acoustic opening verses build into a sky-scraping crescendo, with Spiller howling as Oldfield's wall of guitars and a gospel-style choir lift the whole affair into stadium rock territory" He wraps it up with: "Such is its instant accessibility and MOR stylings, you're bound to question whether this album even belongs in a magazine dedicated to progressive music." "What really counts is that he's done it as well as he's done anything in the past 30 years." Back to top

qjamesfloyd Group: Members Posts: 1351 Joined: April 2001 Posted: Feb. 26 2014, 09:23 Past 30 years? So, that includes Amarok, Songs of Distant Earth, TB2? or is he just talking about songs? Back to top

MasterGeek.MX Group: Members Posts: 47 Joined: Sep. 2012 Posted: Feb. 26 2014, 13:14 I think MOTR will be like Earth Moving. Not much relevat compared to the rest of the Mike's work, but remarkable. -------------- Hailings from a Mexican Mike Oldfield's fan. Y chingue su madre el que no le guste Campanas Tubulares! Back to top

Platinumpty Group: Members Posts: 173 Joined: May 2011 Posted: Feb. 27 2014, 08:29 There's a less generous review here too: http://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/mike-oldfield-man-rocks But it does conclude: "The quality of that guitaring though is impressive enough to keep listeners coming back; the old master may not be as abundantly creative as he once was but there’s life in the old fart yet." Back to top

Argiers Group: Members Posts: 9 Joined: Aug. 2012 Posted: Feb. 28 2014, 13:15 My deluxe box set arrived yesterday. Surely a cock up by Universal? In short, I love it. It has taken me back to the 80's songs period. You simply can't compare and contrast Mike's work with itself. The man's ability to come up with spine tingling melodies continues to astound me and I've been addicted to his music since four years old. I'm now 39. I think at the moment I almost prefer the demo version. It's great to hear him sing something new rather than replaying Heaven's Open. I await the coloured vinyl with excitement. Also, hopefully, a couple more reissues later too. Discovery and Killing Fields or Islands....? Thanks Mike. -------------- Buggered if I know... Back to top

Elf Group: Members Posts: 67 Joined: Jan. 2005 Posted: Mar. 02 2014, 03:54 The latest edition of Classic Rock Magazine also has a review of the album. Excerpts: "Predictably, perhaps. a fair portion of Man on the Rocks sounds exactly like what it is - rich man's yacht rock. While the playing is never less than exemplary, the reliance on mid-tempo numbers, usually designed to lock into a thrusting chorus, means that it suffers from a lack of urgency. And Spiller's voice, though decent enough, is hardly a revelation, which only adds to the routine feel of songs like Minutes and Following the Angels. Still, there's enough to celebrate too. Not least Castaway, and impassioned mini-epic that finds Spiller tearing open his heart like a young Freddie Mercury while Oldfield rams up the drama with a guitar solo as brutish as it is articulate All in all, Man on the Rocks is a passable, though risk-free, return to work" Back to top

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