arron11196
Group: Members
Posts: 826
Joined: April 2005 |
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Posted: Oct. 01 2005, 13:47 |
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Hello, one and all.
Righty, here we go.
First up, I'd like to reiterate some of my previous comments - often when I've listened to an album only once or twice, my views will often change. I therefore put in a disclaimer on my views, subject to subsequent change.
Light + Shade.
I completely agree with Alan D that it is rare that you find a CD from an artist that you like where you will like more than 50% of the CD. I guess I have been spoiled by previous CD's of MO's.
Light first - Angelique is beautiful. Sets up the scene nicely. Good going. Blackbird - I'll have difficulty with this as I do all of MO's recent Piano only pieces (e.g. Landfall). I have yet to get with The Gate, I don't yet see the beauty but it may come to me in time. Closer is okay - nothing wonderful on that as yet. First steps, is of course, ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT. To be honest, this track alone probably justifies the purchase. It's just a shame that that nearly turns out to be the case for me.
Rocky - much the same as Blackbird. Our Father - hmm. Not quite sure what to make of this yet.
Shade.
Oh dear oh dear oh dear.
(I reiterate at this point that this is after two cursory listens and is my personal opinion)
I cannot stand techno music for techno musics' sake. To me it conjures up images of the associated lifestyle, which I find personally grotesque. Return to the Origin, with it's hard hitting baseline, which from saying that people may expect me to hate, also has a thing of absolute beauty within it: the composition. And that's what attracts me to Oldfields work, because what I like about it generally, is his music tells me a story - but ambiguous enough to let me make up the storyline. I sort of go into a type of meditation - appreciation I call it - where I let the music describe to me an image from the instruments and nuances playing to me. But Shade...
Oh dear god, I just can't do it. Quicksilver... I couldn't even listen to the end of the track. Sorry guys.
It's one (partial) saving grace: Ringscape. Yes, I thought. YES, this is great. But then... the mixing just let it down. The track finishes so abruptly, and there are several mixing 'errors' within the track itself. I hand it to him now, and bow down in his presence, Brandon Blume, in my humble opinion, with the material that you had, you made a better mix. It just doesn't feel... quite as good as it could have been, like a rough diamond.
I hope for my sake that my opinion of L + S rapidly changes. Even in what I consider to be his worst album that I own (Islands) there are the Wind Chimes, which are brilliant, and Flying Start, which I quite like. But this... whew.
I said in a previous post that if MO was never to make another CD some people might hate him for it. Well I would at this point like to thank Mr. Oldfield very warmly for the fantastic contribution that he has made to my life so far... given me TB I, II, III, TSODE, Crises, Tr3s Lunas, Qe2, and the list goes on. No other artist has before so solely captivated my interest. But this, This Light and Shade, may just be what wakes me from my 2 and 1/2 year reverie of Mr Oldfield.
We shall see.
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Arron J Eagling
Everyone's interpretation is different, and everyone has a right to that opinion. There is no "right" one, I am adding this post to communicate my thoughts to share them with like-minded souls who will be able to comment in good nature.
(insert the last 5 mins of Crises here)
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. I the "voice" does suit the song, the guitar solo reminds me in some ways of Brian May's style of playing, ( I love Queen). Maybe then it's how I'd imagine Mike and Brian to sound if they were to jam together 
She is a big fan and went to their show in Montréal 2 weeks ago. She almost has everything they did. I like the prospect better then facing her younger sister's Hip-Hop collection.
so would be very grateful if any musicians here who do this can help? 
