Ghostmojo
Group: Members
Posts: 94
Joined: Mar. 2009 |
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Posted: April 06 2009, 19:11 |
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Quote (Korgscrew @ Sep. 25 2005, 14:31) | To be honest, I don't like the tone being used in some of the posts here. If someone doesn't like it, he/she doesn't like it. It's not narrow minded, and it has nothing to do with knowing what one is talking about. If the reviewer has heard the whole album, and the review is genuine opinion, then it's valid.
By all means question people's way of thinking, but I don't think anyone here is in a position to be able to say that someone who doesn't like the music is wrong. When facts are stated, that's a different matter, they can be verified (whether Mike has done it just to make money or not, for example, can actually be verified, though good luck getting an honest answer...). It is of course nice when the opinions presented are considered, and not just knee jerk reactions. |
I do agree.
I'm glad so many people like it.
I'm just not one of them.
However, each to his own.
It just seems such a fall from the inspired and complex brilliance of Tubular Bells; Hergest Ridge; Ommadawn; TSODE & Amarok to be doing such forgettable minimalist ramblings as these.
A better title for this album might be Sketches - because that's what they remind me of - not fully fleshed out pieces of music.
I also prefered the Oldfield of the many instruments - none of which were digital. Such a masterful guitarist; inspired bassist; tasteful keyboardsman and clever composer comes up with this sort of thing in his sleep. I'd like to see something now when he's woken up again.
OK - it's great to explore and NO artist ever gets it right all the time (except perhaps Jack Bruce) but now - following an extended period of digital cyber-noodling, and recent fully-fledged orchestral material; perhaps it would be a good move to rediscover his roots and give us something to rival (or at least compliment) the five great albums I mention above.
I love MO's music. It is and always has been very important to me. However, I don't l feel any less of a fan for being constructively critical. I have always been a big fan of Eric Clapton. He has produced a lot of dross over the years to tax even the most diehard fan - and he knows it, and has admitted it - but he remains in my eyes the world's greatest white blues-rock guitarist. He deserves that accolade because we know what he is capable of. Very much the same logic applies to Mike Oldfield.
No artist should be told what to do by his fans. He is the creative master of his own destiny - but if Mike was looking in, and was remotely curious about what some of his strongest fans feel and think - one new project which I don't think he has tried would be a completely acoustic album - acoustic guitars, basses, pianos, flutes & other woodwind etc. No electric instruments at all, and certainly no sampling or other digital virtuality. Now that would be something...
-------------- " ... if you feel a little glum - to Hergest Ridge you should come ... "
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