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Korgscrew Group: Super Admins Posts: 3511 Joined: Dec. 1999 Posted: July 06 2002, 18:24 They're listed as separate tracks on the cassette and LP versions. Them being placed in one track on the CD is indeed rather odd. Back to top

TOBY Group: Members Posts: 1562 Joined: May 2002 Posted: July 12 2002, 16:34 I remember everyone rubbishing it when this album came out but it seems streets ahead musically than any of his recent work, Tre3s Lunas accepted. Its very of its time but then again all 80's stuff is. Earthmoving itself is still a cracking song though if only he had teamed up with a decent lyricist. Back to top

raven4x4x Group: Members Posts: 1535 Joined: Jan. 2002 Posted: Aug. 06 2002, 05:35 It certainly has a distinct mood to it, which is probably summed up by the watery, relaxing artwork. Even the more rockier songs such as Hostage are quite pleasent when listened to as part of the whole album. I'll say again that Far Country has an amazing guitar solo, so realxing and at the same time powerful. Far Country and Hostange are my favourite songs off the album. -------------- Thank-you for helping us help you help us all. Back to top

Ken Unregistered Posted: Sep. 16 2002, 08:38 For me, Mike Oldfield will always be, first and foremost, an instrumentalist. Every non-instrumental piece he has done has been (to my ears) twee, trite or just plain awful. EM was a huge disappointment; a nondescript mishmash of second-rate vocals and bland musical arrangement. It kind of runs contrary to the whole fundamental MO thing; a bit like using scissors and paste in Origami. Ken Back to top

TheMan Group: Members Posts: 105 Joined: July 2002 Posted: Oct. 31 2002, 04:08 I don't like this album for many reasons, but sure, there are some moments [as on all MO albums]. The guitar playing is overall brilliant!!! I like NothingBut a lot, nice harmonics and the guitar/keyboard feeling ... And the guitar on BlueNight is just lovely. However: the drum machines are TERRIBLE TERRIBLE TERRIBLE CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP, WHY NO REAL DRUMMER [READ SIMON]!!! ALSO: The single version of EarthMoving is 1000 times better than the album version! A lot heavier, with a extremely angry guitar, a song a lot more distinct than ANY other track on this album. One of the best MO songs ever! And why listing NothingBut/Bridge as a single track? Please fans, do not come with some silly explaination now, this is a Virgin trick to sell the album to diehard fans as well [looking at the track listening is seems as there is one long instrumental in the end! (although not very long).] Back to top

Baggiesfaninessex Group: Members Posts: 682 Joined: Mar. 2002 Posted: Oct. 31 2002, 13:25 Well, I like this album - the songs are good solid pop songs. But there is nothing special here - Mike simply proves he can do what the majority do; there is no classic MO on this album. My favourite tracks are the eponymous track (great melody and powerful vocal) and 'Holy' (Adrian Belew's vocal - restrained when compared to his King Crimson output and a fab guitar solo). I must disagree with Mat C on one point - the ending to Amarok is truly appalling. The last five minutes ruins the whole album which I prefer to listen to as one continuous piece (as it is meant to be). But after the first half a dozen listens, I fould myself switching the CD off as soon as Janet Brown commences her mock Thatcher speech. I've been able to keep my opinion on this to myself up until now but no longer. He turned what in my opinion is a work of true genius with some of his best playing, into a joke. This is why Amarok will never be at the top of my MO list   As for MO endings in general - TB1 side 1 gets it right as does The Wind Chimes, but so many of his endings are mediocre and one can get the impression that occasionally, he literally runs out of ideas. -------------- “A dog is not intelligent. Never trust an animal that's surprised by its own farts.” - Frank Skinner Back to top

TheMan Group: Members Posts: 105 Joined: July 2002 Posted: Nov. 04 2002, 05:47 Quote (T4 @ Oct. 31 2002, 13:25) As for MO endings in general - TB1 side 1 gets it right as does The Wind Chimes, but so many of his endings are mediocre and one can get the impression that occasionally, he literally runs out of ideas. OK this is supposed to be about EM, but I have to comment the lines above! What a strange point of view Mr. T4! What about the ending of    - Crises? [title track]    - Ommadawn?    - Incantations?    - Platinum? [title track]    - Taurus II?    - The Lake?    - TBIII?    - TSODE [Ascension]? If these are 'out-of-ideas' then I belive there is not much hope for you. TheMan ps. It wouldn't surprise me if you answer 'I actually havn't heard these tracks yet, I'm just 17 years old". Back to top

TOBY Group: Members Posts: 1562 Joined: May 2002 Posted: Nov. 04 2002, 15:04 Everyone's tastes are so different. Personally I think the end of Amarok is one of the greatest endings ever written by anyone ever. Concievably only beaten by Mike himself on TB part 1. People seem to forget that just because it's funny doesn't mean to say it's not high art. Look at MonyPython! Lasty. I allway's thought there were very few people writting music who could write an ending like MO could. His songs and his recent stuff aside I'm surprised to hear fans complain about his endings. Each to their own though. Back to top

TheMan Group: Members Posts: 105 Joined: July 2002 Posted: Nov. 06 2002, 09:00 Quote (TOBY @ Nov. 04 2002, 15:04) I'm surprised to hear fans complain about his endings. Mike was always particularily good at beginnings and endings. I have never heard anyone complain about this before ... Back to top

chtimi Group: Members Posts: 9 Joined: Nov. 2003 Posted: Dec. 04 2003, 16:59 I don't really understand the lyrics,  I'm french... and I'm more interested in the music. I love this record. It's one of the first MO CDs I bought, and it made me feel like discovering the other records from Mike. The song "Earth Moving" is really great. The singer is not very good, but the music is really great. -------------- The Watcher and the Tower Waiting hour by hour Back to top

Bones Group: Members Posts: 38 Joined: Oct. 2003 Posted: April 29 2004, 18:13 I think Earth Moving is just a bit of musical fun.  Lighthearted, cheery music.  The words dont have to make sense.  Its a very enjoyable album i find, and great to sing along too.  Thats all that really matters in this case in my opinion anyhoo -------------- Amarokin' All Over the World "Music is at its best when listened to in the dark" Back to top

Sir Mustapha Group: Musicians Posts: 2802 Joined: April 2003 Posted: April 30 2004, 08:27 Quote (T4 @ Oct. 31 2002, 13:25) He turned what in my opinion is a work of true genius with some of his best playing, into a joke. This is why Amarok will never be at the top of my MO list   It's funny how people's tastes vary. To me, Mike's ability to deflate his ego and laugh at himself was one of his best, most admirable abilites, and that's what puts him above snobs like Keith Emerson. In the recent years, Mike completely lost that ability. That's why none of his 1992-onwards albums will be even close to the top of my MO list. -------------- 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

raven4x4x Group: Members Posts: 1535 Joined: Jan. 2002 Posted: June 14 2004, 07:39 I too like a bit of humour in music, which is part of the reason why Amarok is the most fantastic album I could ever hope to listen it. It is also sort of connected to why Earth Moving, along with Islands, are not so good: they take themselves too seriously. The song Innocent is a particularly good example, it could have been a fun (ish) tune like On Horseback, but he expects us to take it as a serious song? Same with a lot of the songs on Islands, the quality of the music does not allow me to take them as seriously as Mike expects. Of course, is the music is a good as TSODE or Tubular Bells then there does not need to be any humour in order for me to like it, and no I do not see the humour in Tubular Bells at all, I just see it as great music. And yes, Sir Mustapha, it is funny how tastes vary. We agree that Amarok is unbelievably good, and that Yes and Pink Floyd are briliant bands, but we totally disagree on some others. To you Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da by the Beatles is "a ridiculously catchy and fun piece of ska-like pop", while to me it is probably the most annoying song of all time. It's just nothing to me, a useless waste of disk and of my listening time. Just like some of those songs on Islands and Earth Moving now that I come to think of it. -------------- Thank-you for helping us help you help us all. Back to top

Navaira Group: Members Posts: 481 Joined: Jan. 2005 Posted: Jan. 27 2005, 15:22 I love Earth Moving; it's one of my favourite pop albums of all times. Yes, pop. I love pop music when it's good (Pet Shop Boys, Saint Etienne and Texas are pop groups too; it's not only B***ney or Agui***ra) and this is pop music at its best. "Earth moving", "Holy", "Hostage" and "Innocent" are among my Oldfield favourites. -------------- http://www.raygrant.com :: My album 'Exorcism' is out on iTunes now Back to top

Ugo Group: Members Posts: 5495 Joined: April 2000 Posted: Jan. 27 2005, 17:56 Yeah, Navaira. Even Oldfield can do pop. Can't he? -------------- Ugo C. - a devoted Amarokian Back to top

Navaira Group: Members Posts: 481 Joined: Jan. 2005 Posted: Jan. 28 2005, 08:30 That depends on what you mean. If you mean "can" as in "is able to" the answer is yes. And if you mean "can" as in "is allowed to by fans", the answer is clearly no -------------- http://www.raygrant.com :: My album 'Exorcism' is out on iTunes now Back to top

Sir Mustapha Group: Musicians Posts: 2802 Joined: April 2003 Posted: Jan. 28 2005, 08:31 Quote (Navaira @ Jan. 28 2005, 08:30) That depends on what you mean. If you mean "can" as in "is able to" the answer is yes. And if you mean "can" as in "is allowed to by fans", the answer is clearly no That post is worth gold. -------------- 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

Ugo Group: Members Posts: 5495 Joined: April 2000 Posted: Jan. 28 2005, 19:53 Okay, okay. I simply meant "He is able to". Who the heck are we fans to 'allow' him to do something or not? -------------- Ugo C. - a devoted Amarokian Back to top

raven4x4x Group: Members Posts: 1535 Joined: Jan. 2002 Posted: Jan. 28 2005, 19:59 Well, I can only speak for myself, but the reason I don't like Earth Moving is not that it's pop, but that it's bad pop. Well, I think it's bad. I'm certainly not complaining about the pop songs on Crises or Discovery, because I like them. What I'm trying to say is that I wouldn't mind Earth Moving if it was pop songs done well, but for the most part I don't think they are done well. -------------- Thank-you for helping us help you help us all. Back to top

TubularBelle Group: Members Posts: 1487 Joined: April 2004 Posted: Jan. 29 2005, 02:46 I love Pop music but I don't think Mike does it very well. There are more talented Pop Artists than Mike but I don't think that there is a more talented instrumentalist. And I don't think Mike would want to be seen as a Pop Artist because there is too much competiton and most of the competition is way more hip than Mike will ever be in this particular genre, he's too old! There I said it, and Mike if you are reading this, I'm sorry, I love you. I love all your music, but there will NEVER be another Incantations etc. -------------- I hate getting up early. I didn't even realise there were two 6 o'clocks in one day! Back to top

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