axious
Group: Members
Posts: 6
Joined: Sep. 2005 |
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Posted: Sep. 27 2005, 11:32 |
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Quote (Groovy Granny @ Sep. 27 2005, 04:34) | I'm very glad to know that at least you're willing to listen to Light and Shade again. And after that may still think it's not to your taste.That's ok,nobody can demand you've got to like it,just think the word "crap" you used was a bit steep and insult to a man who,IMO will go to great pains to make sure anything he releases,wouldn't sound as dire as this word suggests,that's just my opinion isn't it,and if anyone else chooses to agree with this,then fine-if they don't,they don't.
I will always be perfectly honest ,and far from being a person Anyway,will look forward to hearing what you think of the new album after you've given it another go my friend.
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Ok here is my new review. I have had several chances to listen to the complete cd again, daytime and evening time. I am trying
to be as honest as I can here, so don't shoot the messenger. This is my opinion of the cd and I would ask that you respect my
views, like I would respect yours. Remember, just because you like it all, doesn't mean everyone else has to!
Here goes:
CD One: LIGHT
1. Angelique Tr3s Lunas (game)? The voices almost sound like thiey're saying "Burger meat, burger meat" lol. Anyways, I've heard this before and hmmm, I don't really like it all that much. Sounds a bit "weak". I wasn't moved enough with this.
2. Blackbird Whilst this is nice in a "cutsie" sort of way, I feel this is lacking something...somewhere. I listened to this in the evening, and during the daytime, and I preferred it more during the day. It could be used as a bit of a relaxation tune, but something was missing. However, I feel this could "grow on me" if I listened to it more.
3. The Gate Sorry, this is horrible. That awful, "ooohoooohooooyarrr" synthesised voice is awful. The track is tuneless, repetitive and boring. I don't like it.
4. First Steps This track I remember from Tr3s Lunas (game?) so I am pretty used to it. I do think that Mike should have left it in the game though. Again, it just seemed "flat" to me. A non entity. Something is missing from it, and I just don't know what. It just doesn't move me at all.
5. Closer The moment I heard the first few bars of this, I immediatly thought "Tattoo" from TBII. Just add bagpipes and you'd be well away with "Tattoo reprise" or something. Noting new in this for me.
6. Our Father This track sounds familier to me from somewhere, thought I not not where. An old MO tune from the past maybe? Is this just a rehash of something? I can't put my finger on it. Anyway, I listened and thought...."meh, same ol' same ol'". I'm starting to think this album could be a bit of a mistake. I'll keep listening.
7. Rocky Ok. This track, hmmm, it could be used in the middle of a film somewhere possibly. This is the best track so far, and in all honesty is too short really. It was relaxing, and nice. But then, this was just piano and not all that ott electronic stuff. I bet that suprised you?
8. Sunset Again, this track sounds like it could be used as part of a movie score perhaps, or maybe a tv theme? Yes, that's it. It reminds me of a tv theme. I could imagine it being used for some tv show/soap with the opening credits showing images (flying over) the Scotish Highlands! Not bad. I suppose, in a tv theme sort of way.
CD Two: SHADE
1. Quicksilver Right. This track starts of the first few bars as the boring electronic piano sound then builds up into a sort dance mix with that guitar and electronic piano breaking in. Whilst you could have this track playing in the background, I would imagine it would get on your nerves after a while. I got bored of it after about 5 minutes and wanted it to end.
2. Resolution There's those horrible electronic voices again.Why is he using them? Sorry, I don't particularly like this track. Whilst it is nice to hear what sounds like "real" drums, and a "real" guitar, those voices spoil it for me. If I could get rid of them, I could put up with this track more.
3. Slipstream I was expecting this track to build up to some real (hardcore) dance music, but it just seemed to stagnate somewhere near the startline and not quite get going. Some of it could be ok at a rave full of smackheads off thier faces who wouldn't care what they were listening to! Bits are ok, and other bits are lame. "Meh" is all I will say on this one.
4. Surfing There goes those bloody electronic voices again. Grrrrr. I hate them, I really do. Let the voice be natural, don't screw it up with a computer. The track was tedious and boring and lacked any va va vooom for me. I was bored rigid and put off by 2 minutes 40 secs. I listened to the end though and thought, "na, not liking it much". If I let this one go by me, would I notice it was even there?
5. Tears Of An Angel This track started then stopped and went into what sounds like the first few bits of "Philadelphia" by Sprinsteen, (a track that I think is wonderful). However, the bloody electronic voices kicked in and spoilt it! Mike, what is it with this fascination with vocoding voices? Natural man, natural! The guitar was ok, nothing special, but at least the solo at 3:25 actually sounds like the old Mike Oldfield guitar. Then it stops! It was starting to sound ok and it stops! It's almost as if he's chaning his mind all the time. "Yep, I'll do it like this, no, I'll do it like this instead". Nothing special, but had potential.
6. Romance The dancey one. This is the one I heard a snippit of before I heard the full track and thought it had potential. I like this kind of dance music, good deep keyboard sounds etc. I have to aks where the bloody hell have I heard the tune before? It sounds so very familier. I know it's staring me right in the face but I cannot think where! lol. This is the best one so far on Shade. Parts of it sounds almost, Jarre like in a remote sort of way. I could play this nice and loud in the car and have my fingers tapping away to it. Perhaps another couple of minutes longer would make it even better.
7. Ringscape Ok, another Tr3s Lunas (game?) track. Heard it all before. "Meh"
8. Nightshade Hmmm, what can I say? It was ok I suppose. Nothing too special, but I'm sure I could get used to it, if I tried hard enough.How one reveiwer could say it is "much akin to Wish you were here era Pink Floyd" is beyond me! see here The one and only similarity between "Wish you were here" and this track is the fact that an acoustic guitar was used! And if you thought of it in that way then the whole album is akin to Barry Manilow because it used drums!
Cd 1 & 2 bonus tracks
Lakme - Fruity Loops - UK Bonus Track Pres De Toi - UK Bonus Track
Not heard them yet.
Ok, overall I would say I was looking forward with excitment to Mike Oldfields new album (as I always do), but I felt almost let down by it. An anti-climax you could say. Whilst I agree there are some elements that could shine through over others, given a bit more chance, the album as a whole did not move me like I have been moved before by some of Mikes work.
I think this will possibly be one of those albums that would sit in my collection waiting to be played, but only when I haven't heard it for along time.
I have been as honest as I can in my review of this album, and I know some of the more "ardent" fans may like to call me a traitor to Mike and say I'm being disloyal, or whatever, but you need to remember, that music needs to move you, inside your heart and your mind. And while the bits that had potential to do that, failed, it just never reached that point overall where I could say to myself, "That was brilliant, I'll listen to that again".
I can listen to TB or Ommadawn or Hergest Ridge, and even TBII or III over and over and not get bored, but I feel if were to listen to this over and over, I would find myself switching it off fairly quick.
Sorry everyone. And Sorry to Mike. I think he needs to change direction again, and get back to doing what he does best, using musical instruments, and not computers.
Oh yes, one more thing. I'll take it back...it's not "crap" as I orginally said. It's "dissapointing"...to me.
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