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moonchildhippy Group: Members Posts: 1807 Joined: Dec. 2004 Posted: Oct. 01 2005, 18:29 Quote (Ugo @ Sep. 30 2005, 23:21) Am I the only one in here who absolutely loves Romance, Quicksilver, Slipstream, Surfing, Lakme and almost all of the "Light" CD? I have a very vague suspicion that I am. Definiteley not Ugo .  Shade CD , I love too, this has grown on me.  Surfing,  I wasn't sure of at first, but  with further listens this has grown upon me  .  Quicksilver TOAA, and Resolution I loved from the outset.  Romance has grown upon me too. -------------- I'm going slightly mad, It finally happened, I'm slightly mad , just very slightly mad If you feel a little glum to Hergest Ridge you should come. I'm challenging  taboos surrounding mental health "Part time hippy" I'M SUPPORTING OUR SOLDIERS BRING OUR TROOPS HOME NOW!! Back to top

Ian Too Group: Members Posts: 72 Joined: Aug. 2005 Posted: Oct. 02 2005, 07:14 Right, now I've had a chance to listen to it and at last I can talk directly about the album. In my opinion, Light and Shade is Mike's strongest album in years, possibly since Amarok. I simply didn't realise how thirsty for this type of music I was until I got it in both ears from my trusty Sennheisers last night. Then I preferred Shade, but this morning Light is more convincing. Our Father, Angelique, First Steps, Sunset, Rocky and Blackbird all please in thier differing ways. The piano pieces are a pleasant surprise, because in the past Mike hasn't convinced me on this instrument; he's either been unemotional like in Top of the Morning or just plain dull in Daydream. In contrast, both Blackbird and Rocky work on an emotional level, which isn't to say many pianists could not have played them better, but it is definite progress. Angelique is just beautiful and really convinced me that all that money paid for a dedicated CD player and amp was well spent. Listening to Mike through a computer or poor stereo gives no clue to the aural depth in the recordings. Good Hi-Fi is well worth it. Not being a fan of the late pope, I wasn't sure whether I'd enjoy Our Father; but after a couple of listens, the music is getting through and I find myself able to appreciate its gravitas. Sunset is terrific. It is the perfect track for winding down a really good day and reflecting  on it. For me, the best track on Light has to be First Steps and that is because it has something sadly lacking on recent MO albums: developement. First steps isn't just a tune off Tres Lunas the game; it grows to a satisfying climax and uses interesting rhythms. Mike has never just recapitulated music we've heard before, new versions are always developed in some way. On Shade: Resolution, Tears of an Angel, Ringscape and Nightshade stand out as the best tracks. Some of you have dismissed Resolution as a poor man's version of Pink Floyd's The Great Gig in the Sky and I also found it reminiscent of a Vangelis piece from - if I recall correctly - Heaven and Hell. However, if that is as far as you've got then you're not listening, you're comparing. Resolution has depth and the soaring vocaliod and guitar work complement each other. Tears of an Angel starts off like The Doge's Palace, but then fades and returns with a much more serious and pleasing song and has a stunning guitar solo remeniscent - if we must reminisce - of Earth Moving. The only thing wrong with Ringscape is that it's not long enough, but then again it hits its is emotional stride quite early, before trailing away for a more contemplative period and then returning with the full bore brilliance only Mike can do. If he could make all his music this stunning, he could take over the world. Nightshade is an interesting juxtaposition of a ringing sample and deep throated Spanish guitar and ends the album on a strong note that is very welcome. Most of the people who have criticised this album have done so on the grounds of how it is made. Well frankly, I don't care. I react emotionally to music and this has me reacting more than I have for a long time and on that most important level, Light and Shade is a success. The music is more varied, interesting and Mike is playing his guitar fluidly. This album will be listened to regularly unlike any album since Tubular Bells III. As for Mike's making Techno music; well, he has subsumed contemporary trends before and then moved on. It doesn't seem to take him long to extract the essence from a style and perhaps because genres are inherently limiting for a man who has had plenty of good ideas. Finally, there are the covers, which I find dispoable with the exception of Lakme; in my opinion the most delicious joke Mike has done for ages... Lamke has for years been used by British Airways to lend (and I do mean lend) and air of style to what is the most industrial form of travel yet inflicted on humankind. What a glorious jape then, to juxtapose one of the most delicate pieces of classical music with the most robotic and crass contemporary forms... Maybe I'm wrong, but the idea sure had me grinning so hard my head nearly fell off. This album is definitely an up. Thank you Mike. -------------- (-: Ian :-) Currently reading: What Remains to be Discovered by John Maddox Also doing far too much decorating than is good for one Back to top

arron11196 Group: Members Posts: 826 Joined: April 2005 Posted: Oct. 02 2005, 09:13 Quote (Alan D @ Oct. 01 2005, 15:36) Quote (Cinos @ Oct. 01 2005, 19:10) Drop the prejudice that "techno" (it's not techno, it's trance) is always bad, and listen to the music instead. Float along instead of judging. I don't think it's prejudice that's the problem. I'm very well aware that to enter and engage with the art with any depth you must not judge, but be open. I've made it almost into a personal basic principle. But I'm experiencing the same difficulty as arron over these trance/dance tracks. In my case it arises from an almost painful physiological intolerance for that pounding mechanical repetitive beat. I mean - maybe I'm just too old now, because after two minutes I'm unable to listen to any musical content because I just want that mindless thumping to stop. And after two listenings it seems as if 'Shade' is full of the stuff. It may be very good music of its kind. But what worries me is that I think I may not have the will power to listen to it many more times, and that's not easy to accept. That's the one. It's like, I know there's something in there I could like but I can't even hear it for the beat. There are some tracks where the beat is part of the effect - such as Viper or Arrival - but Romance? It feels as though the music was put over the beat as an afterthought rather than the other way about. (even though that probably isn't the case) Ho hum. -------------- 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) Back to top

Alan D Group: Members Posts: 3670 Joined: Aug. 2004 Posted: Oct. 02 2005, 09:46 Quote (arron11196 @ Oct. 02 2005, 14:13) It's like, I know there's something in there I could like but I can't even hear it for the beat. Oh yes, yes, arron, I know. When 'Quicksilver' starts, it is SO promising, and I love the tune .... and then the thumpetythumping begins, and then more of it, and that flickering kind of rhythm comes in on top going diddlediddlediddlediddle all the time. But there's some really interesting stuff going on there, and what sounds like a couple of fragments of great guitar and I so much want to listen to them - but it's like trying to listen while someone is beating me around the head with balloons. I'm playing it again as I write, now - about 2 minutes in, and already I'm just wishing, wishing.. please Mike, please, turn off the bloody synthetic drums or bongos or whatever they are! Back to top

Marky Group: Members Posts: 390 Joined: Sep. 2005 Posted: Oct. 02 2005, 10:07 A momentary diversion. Light and Shade highlights a trend in Mike's music. At first he did long instrumentals both sides. Then we got one long instrumental with either songs or short instrumentals on the other side.  There were a couple of 80s albums with mainly songs. And now more often he is producing albums of mainly short instrumentals. QE2 was his first short instrumental album, Killing Fields could be categorised like this but perhaps is better not classified given its specific purpose, Voyager (in 96, 17 yearsafter QE2) is the next, then a quick succession with Guitars (99), Millennium Bell (99, arguably anyway) Tres Lunas (02) and now Light and Shade (05). That would be 5 of his last 7 albums in the short instrumental format.  This seems more significant than the dance/trance/disco/ambient/techno thing. If one exempts the Tubular Bells variations (98 and 2003), it has been 11 years since Mike has attempted a newly inspired longer form instrumental - Songs of Distant Earth in 1994. And one might almost say that contains interlinked short instrumentals as opposed to being a single piece of music. I am not being critical here, just pointing out something that was in my head but which hadn't really crystalised before. I just wonder if he's lost a bit of interest in longer instrumentals, whether he's been asked not to do them, or whether he finds them harder now. It would be somewhat ironic if the longer form instrumentals were the reason he was regarded as the basis for him being important to ambient music, and yet his current interest in it manifests itself in shorter work. Back to top

arron11196 Group: Members Posts: 826 Joined: April 2005 Posted: Oct. 02 2005, 13:47 I seem to remember hearing him say that long instrumentals were too 70's for him now. To my knowledge, he hasn't really ever cared about public opinion before, so why does he now? Hmm, interesting point Marky. -------------- 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) Back to top

TOBY Group: Members Posts: 1562 Joined: May 2002 Posted: Oct. 02 2005, 14:16 I would certainly put TSODE in the short instrumental category. I'm not sure whether Mike doesn't write long instrumentals because his attention span for developing tracks isn't what it used to be. I doubt it has much to do with commercial pressures from the record company these days like it did in the 80's, I'm sure they just let him get on with it.   Its unfortunate that we do live in an age of short attention span media these days generally. Everything out there it would seem is designed to grab our attention quickly and with the least amount of effort, its all very vacuous stuff, the MTV influence taking over. I guess Mike is just being influenced by this way of doing things. I don't know how Mike forms his opinions over what sounds 70's and what doesn't and who he's trying to appeal to, if indeed that sort of thing crosses his mind. He has said in fairly recent interviews that he's surprised by how 'out of vogue and uncool' he's perceived as being so there  quite possibly is a fairly strong desire to be popular and accepted by the record buying public beyond getting fatter royalty cheques. I'm just not at all sure what musical direction L+S is actually pointing with a view to him being accepted again. Back to top

Cinos Group: Members Posts: 68 Joined: Aug. 2005 Posted: Oct. 02 2005, 15:31 Look... electronic music is not the way to go if you want to be popular and liked, it's too "underground" still. So either... 1) Mike is stupid. Or 2) He's not trying to be popular. Back to top

TOBY Group: Members Posts: 1562 Joined: May 2002 Posted: Oct. 02 2005, 15:36 You've got to be kidding me, eletronic music not popular???? I don't know what country you live in Cinos but here in the UK and quite a few other European countries eletronic music in various guises makes up the majority of what's in the charts and played on the radio. Back to top

Cinos Group: Members Posts: 68 Joined: Aug. 2005 Posted: Oct. 02 2005, 15:37 Quote (TOBY @ Oct. 02 2005, 15:36) You've got to be kidding me, eletronic music not popular???? I don't know what country you live in Cinos but here in the UK and quite a few other European countries eletronic music in various guises makes up the majority of what's in the charts and played on the radio. What kind of electronic music? Please notice that generic pop shouldn't be classified as electronic. And rock is still more popular... by far. Back to top

TOBY Group: Members Posts: 1562 Joined: May 2002 Posted: Oct. 02 2005, 16:06 Even if we weren't talking about generic pop music dance/eletronica is still very popular. Although the dance music bubble may have well and truely burst there is still a broad liking for dance music. Mylo's recent album did very well both here in the UK and the US. At any given moment there are constantly 'best of' dance compilations being advertised on the TV and doing well in the charts. They certainly arn't generic pop music and they certainly arn't underground. I agree that rock is still as popular as ever but eletronic music is everywhere. Look at hip-hop, rap, R+B, garage, and the general miriad of dance music sub genre's. Back to top

Da--- Group: Members Posts: 4 Joined: Feb. 2005 Posted: Oct. 02 2005, 17:08 Some people say that Light+Shade is near Jean Michel Jarre's style. I don't think so. Jarre is an electronic musician, he knows how to use sequencer, analogue synthesizer, etc. Is Mike trying to be an electronic musician? hum, I remember he used to make fantastic instrumentals with his acustic style, employing some electric procedures, guitar, vocoder, fairlight, etc. But today Mike's electronic "songs" are differents, he spent the time editing and editing and making all the music with computer software (presets, instructions like copy, paste, fade in, fade out, reverb ...) typical 90's simple piano and the guitar. Not using electronic instruments, not using acustic instruments, not using instruments at all. Not today, but in the past Jean Michel employed instruments. He was en expert processing electronic music, editing -with instruments- fantastic drum, bass session, and the result was really good and organical .... natural, near the acustic. And I think electronic music must be "acustic" to be good. Back to top

raven4x4x Group: Members Posts: 1535 Joined: Jan. 2002 Posted: Oct. 03 2005, 01:35 Quote (TOBY @ Oct. 03 2005, 03:16) I would certainly put TSODE in the short instrumental category. What? It's one continuous track for about 55 minutes. How can that possably be a short instrumental album? Are you refering to the fact that it's split up into tracks? On that logic TB2003 would be short instrumentals. This makes no sense to me at all I'm afraid. As for Mike trying to be popular, is that really such a big surprise to everyone? Isn't it natural to want your music to be enjoyed by people? -------------- Thank-you for helping us help you help us all. Back to top

arron11196 Group: Members Posts: 826 Joined: April 2005 Posted: Oct. 03 2005, 03:21 Not as such, it's just that in the past, I've always had the impression that he simply hasn't cared what other people think. Such a dramatic change... where has it come from? -------------- 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) Back to top

timeslip Group: Members Posts: 18 Joined: Feb. 2004 Posted: Oct. 03 2005, 04:30 Funnily enough after bitching about the guitar loops on L&S Resolution (the one with the blatent guitar loops) is probly my fav track on the new album. Also finally got around to D/Ling Tr3s Lunas 2 - Very good - Far better than the offical album (altho To Be Free Is my fav MO single ever) Back to top

Navaira Group: Members Posts: 481 Joined: Jan. 2005 Posted: Oct. 03 2005, 08:19 Hah, To be free is my least favourite MO single ever there are as many tastes as there are people, I guess. I edited the L+S albums to one 9-track CD that runs for about 50 minutes. That's about all I really like in that album. But still more than enough to buy it. "Angelique" is my current favourite MO track, I just want to play it all the time on repeat. Addictive stuff! -------------- http://www.raygrant.com :: My album 'Exorcism' is out on iTunes now Back to top

ommadawn69 Group: Members Posts: 94 Joined: June 2002 Posted: Oct. 03 2005, 09:05 Well first off, I would rather go out and buy a copy of the cd then just listen to it off the internet, before making my mind up whether I liked it or not. I find it sad that some view their opinions when they haven't even purchased the cd. Now I know some have heard it, but it was downloaded right?. I don't know, I would think to make a good review you should actually listen to how it was intended, the cd. When I first heard it, I fell in love with it.  Someone said it was to repititive and sounded like stuff they already heard, which is quite funny really when then they went on to say they wanted Mike to go back to his roots. Like going back to the things we already heard, contradictory really. LOL. But okay, people have a right to their opinions. I think if Mike really cared he would actually ask the fans what they wanted him to do. Hence he didn't, he does what he feels at the time. If people don't like it, then there will be those who do. He can't please everyone. Now I haven't been a huge fan of some of his music, but I say my piece and I move on. I give it plenty of listens and make my decision. But I still play the stuff, as there will be some good songs on them. Light and Shade for me, is unbelievable. I loved it more than Tres Lunas. Right up there alongside Songs of Distant Earth as one of my favourite. The music is really addictive, even if it sounds like other stuff. There are plenty of great beautiful songs on Light, and up tempo dance songs on Shade. Great stuff Mike. Love the sound on both cd's. I can't get enough of playing Light and Shade. Take care. Craig. -------------- http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/TheAlternativeMikeOldfieldGroup/ Back to top

Chicular Group: Members Posts: 240 Joined: Sep. 2004 Posted: Oct. 03 2005, 09:07 I've heard both Light and Shade and i like the album alot!   On the Light side the standouts are Angelique, Blackbird, the Gate and First Steps.  Our Father is growing on me and Sunset is nice. On the Shade side Resolution is my fave followed by Surfing and TOAA.  I think it's a very solid album with some excellent Electric Guitar work. Back to top

TOBY Group: Members Posts: 1562 Joined: May 2002 Posted: Oct. 03 2005, 12:47 Just a quick word about TSODE in reply to Raven4x4x. True, it is one continuous piece of music, well except being split in half. However if you listen to each track they pretty much without exception have a definite beginning, middle and end, it does sound very much like they were thought of and worked on as seperate tracks. TB2003, and TB2 for that matter, do not have that same definite beginning and end feel. Personally I always objected to breaking down TB into seperate sections for the CD generation anyway. Back to top

hiawatha Group: Members Posts: 2391 Joined: Mar. 2004 Posted: Oct. 03 2005, 13:08 Quote (TOBY @ Oct. 03 2005, 12:47) Personally I always objected to breaking down TB into seperate sections for the CD generation anyway. There have always been natural breaks in TB. Why not have CD breaks that correspond to them? They can always be ignored if you want. Not everyone has "Amarok Player" and can zero in on any part in the CD they want to. -------------- "In the land of the Dacotahs, Where the Falls of Minnehaha Flash and gleam among the oak-trees, Laugh and leap into the valley." - Song of Hiawatha Back to top

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