One record at a time: 329. Mike Oldfield - Return To Ommadawn

"Return to Ommadawn" is the final LP by Mike Oldfield and was released in 2017. Here I am playing the standard 180g black vinyl that was available across Europe.

The first I heard of this album was when an excerpt was played on the radio. For some reason the piece that was played featured a VST generated Clavioline playing a tune akin to "Telstar". Whilst this all sounded very cheesy to my ears, I was still keen to hear the finished album as it promised something of a return to Mike's roots. 

Thankfully, when the album was finally released there was no sign of the "Telstar" rip off and only a short section on the second side of the album bore any resemblance to the music I had heard on the radio. This album was actually much better than I anticipated and I have a strong memory of commuting through heavy traffic during the winter whilst listening to it and thinking, "It's good to have Mike back.". Like everyone else, I had no idea this would be the last album we would hear from the great man.

The opening of part one of "Return to Ommadawn" sees penny whistles playing a theme that is soon superseded by a whole raft of ideas and musical passages that contrast in mood. Yes, there are blank spaces and some slightly puzzling pauses, but people have been happy to forgive far worse on previous records (I'm talking about you "Zombies") so I really don't have a problem with this. I adore the theme that develops after about ten minutes, with the only sour note being the use of a reversed sample of the vocals from the original "Ommadawn" which are undoubtedly a misstep.

The reverse of the disc is just as good as the first, but it does take some time to get going. The first glimpse of a leitmotif emerges after about two minutes but it is snuffed out before being fully developed. At 7'43 the "Victory" theme that was originally teased on the radio arrives, but it is much more restrained and mercifully abandons the Clavioline sound. More passages come and go before the main theme returns and signs off with a little jig.

Inevitably people compare this album to the original "Ommadawn" or even "Hergest Ridge" and regard it as somewhat lesser. Personally I consider "Return to Ommadawn" better in many respects and enjoy it immensely. No doubt such an opinion is close to heresy for Oldfield officianodos but I don't have strong bond with those older recordings and this record just sounds good to my ears. 4/5

One record at a time: 328. Mike Oldfield - The 1984 Suite

This rather odd compilation was released in 2016 and I think I have only played it once or twice.

This record seeks to summarise Mike's creative life in the year 1984. What I can't really work out why this particular year deserves a dedicated compilation when none of the other forty nine years in which Mike was active do not.

Most of the tracks on this record are selections from the albums "Discovery" and "The Killing Fields" and were remixed from the original multitracks. One piece, "The Royal Mile" was billed as a 'rediscovered track' but it is simply an alternative version of the b-side "Afghan". Most disappointing of all is an excruciating remix of "Poisoned Arrows" which strips away Barry Palmer's original vocal and replaces it with a terrible macOS "Fred" computer speech about zombies. "It's really for kids and Halloween," Mike says in the sleeve notes. My response being, "It's really not fit for anyone."

There are more disappointments in the new mix of "To France" which focuses on the acoustic instruments and rips out the fabulous Fairlight CMI that underpins the original. On the plus side the versions of "Étude" and "The Lake" are largely faithful to the original but offer enough of a new dimension to make them interesting. Realistically this record is only of interest to Oldfield enthusiasts - but even they have to draw the line at "Zombies".  1/5

One record at a time: 327. Mike Oldfield - Man On The Rocks

We skip a few albums in Mike's back catalogue as some of them aren't available on vinyl ("Tres Lunas", "Light and Shade", "Music of the Spheres", "Tubular Bells 2003") and some I haven't bought because I don't care for them much ("The Millennium Bell", "Guitars").

When "Man on the rocks" was announced towards the end of 2013 I immediately ordered the limited edition coloured vinyl and the three CD box set from the Universal webshop. However, it seems I forgot I had done this and, as two of everything turned up on release day in 2014, I assume I must have duplicated my order at some stage (I paid twice you understand). Thus, I have two copies of the numbered double LP which is pressed on coloured vinyl and limited to 500 copies.

I am not a big fan of this album and I think I know why. I used to work with someone who wrote songs for a hobby and he would pay a company to make professional demonstration recordings from his rough sketches. Whilst most of the songs he created were fairly adequate, the execution of the session musicians rendered them completely dull and soulless. This record is essentially the same thing.

All of the songs here are all fairly standard AOR fair and demonstrate the level of competence you would expect from a seasoned songwriter. Yet, for the first time Mike chose to allow a group of session musician to play the music. Not even the brilliant production skills of Stephen Lipson could rescue these lifeless recordings and I would question just how enthusiastic Mike was about this whole project. For me it feels like there is a gap between the composer and the performers that robs the material of any zest, feeling or emotion. 

The vocalist for all of these songs is a man I had never heard of before called Luke Spiller from the band The Struts. Luke does a good job, but he was essentially a session musician and doesn't sound invested in the songs to my ears. Another element that feels at odds with the material is Luke's age. When the singer belongs to a completely different generation to the composer, it seems inevitable that lyrics lose impact.

Songs like "Moonshine" and "Sailing" are undoubtedly catchy, but they lack any kind of spark that would make you want to listen to them again. By some fluke (or exchange of cash) the song "Nuclear" made its way onto the trailer for the video game "Metal Gear Solid V", but no matter what exposure it had, this album was never going to sell well given its lacklustre realisation. The album struggled to number 12 in the charts and not even me buying it four times could get it any further. 

This album is an anomaly in Mike's back catalogue and its lack of success must have contributed to his decision to move further away from the music industry (I suspect he was already halfway out of the door when this record was made). Interestingly the CD box set features a disc of demos where Mike sings all of the songs himself. Now, by his own admission Mike is not an accomplished singer, but these version sound more earnest and credible than the contents of this LP. 1/5

One record at a time: 326. Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells III

I originally bought this album on CD in 1998 but it wasn't made available on vinyl until this version came out ten years ago. This pressing is OK, but like all Mike's albums that were repressed in 2014, it is rather quiet and reveals background noise when played at higher volumes.

Material from "Tubular Bells III" had been teased on the compilation "XXV" in 1997 and this out-take suggested the album would be more electronic than previous efforts. To some extent this change was to be expected as Mike was living in Ibiza at the time and was known to occasionality frequent the island's nightclubs.

Yet, when a single from the album was issued the following year it sounded nothing like the dance-floor beats we heard on "XXV". In fact, "Man In the Rain" was more akin to "Moonlight Shadow" and, whilst the song was undoubtedly catchy, it harked back to the sound Mike employed fifteen years before. Clearly this album was going to be eclectic and not conform to the template employed by the other two albums in the series. Yes, there are a number of tracks that draw on the themes from the original, but Mike has done this many times before ("Crises", "Wind Chimes", "Tubular World" etc.) and didn't find the need to include the parent album in the same canon. So if I had to guess I would say that the only reason for including this album in the "Tubular Bells" series was to boost sales.

The opening track "The Source of Secrets" is a different mix of the "Tubular Bells III" excerpt from the "XXV" compilation. This piece offers a variation on the piano theme from the original "Tubular Bells" and throws a four on the floor dance beat under it. Eventually things develop into a full-on "hands in the air" crescendo replete with "Insomnia" inspired pizzicato string riffs and TR-909 snares. Phew.

We change pace for "The Watchful Eye" which features a haunting and strangely beautiful motif that will be resurrected throughout the album. Elsewhere the Flamenco of "Serpent Dream" shows the influence of Ibiza extended beyond nightclubs and dance music. "The Inner Child" finishes the first side with a chilled out vibe to accompany a Cafe Del Mar sunset.

"Man In The Rain" opens the second side of the record but it sounds strangely incongruous plonked in the middle of the album. As I have said previously, there is no doubt this is a good song, but I just don't think it fits this album. One of my favourite pieces is "Top of the Morning" which has a strong melody played out on the piano and develops into the most marvellous piece that must rank amongst Mike's best work.

As the album progresses we hear beats on "Jewel in the Crown" that are reminiscent of those created by fellow Ibiza resident Curly MC and "Secrets" is yet another stab at reinventing the "Tubular Bells" piano riff in a dance style. The final piece on the album "Far Above The Clouds" is truly the zenith where the titicular bells are finally heard alongside the familiar bassline from the first album in the series. As Mike's searing guitar solo comes to and end we are left with nothing but the sound of bird song allowing us to reflect on the thrilling, if slightly broken journey we have just been on. 4/5

One record at a time: 325. Mike Oldfield - Voyager

I bought "Voyager" on CD when it was released in 1996 but soon realised that, stylistically at least, it was not a follow up to its predecessor "Songs of Distant Earth". This record is actually more of an album of folk music executed in a vaguely Celtic style. 

Whist this description might not sound appealing to a lover of electronic music, there is just enough synth and effects being thrown around keep me interested. I must enjoy the album to some extent as I bought this LP ten years ago when it was released on vinyl for the first time - but I think I have only listened to it once.

There is a mix "traditional" and original compositions on the record with the title track and "Women of Ireland" being two of the best. Unlike many of Mike's albums, this is one you can dip in and out of and not feel like you are missing out on a wider experience. This is just as well as there a quite few songs that are prime for skipping.

"The Hero" is pretty lifeless and "Mont St. Michel" tries too hard to be atmospheric and ends up being boring. I think the fact that there is relatively little synth on this record means I don't enjoy large chunks of it. A mixed bag with slightly more disappointments than delights. 2/5

One record at a time: 324. Mike Oldfield - The Songs of Distant Earth

Having enjoyed "Tubular Bells II" in 1992, I was keen to hear Mike's next album when it was released a couple of years later. I originally bought the CD of "Songs of Distant Earth" and fell in love with it immediately. This album is, for me at least, Mike's best work and in my top ten favourite albums by any artist. 

I bought this repressing of the LP in 2014 as I couldn't resist owning one of my favourite albums on vinyl. Lots of people seem to enjoy this pressing but my copy suffers from static induced crackles and flaws in the vinyl cause loud clicks. Things get better as the record progresses, but the first fifteen minutes of each side can be hard to listen to.

The album opens quietly and slowly (well quietly from a digital source anyway) before launching into the beautiful "Let There Be Light". This track is driven along by a beat Enigma would have been proud of and sprinkled with vocal samples that augment the amazing guitar work. The music segues seamlessly into the next track "Supernova" which builds the most wonderful atmosphere. As the music flows along we reach another of my favourite moments "Only Time Will Tell" which has some amazing guitar melodies amongst the aural fireworks. 

The second side features the inevitable homage to the "Tubular Bells" theme but the music on "Tubular World" is so good I don't care if it is recycling the idea. Equally I like "Crystal Clear" so much that I don't care if it uses the ubiquitous (and slightly cliched) "When the Levee Breaks" loop. Like "Tubular Bells II" this album is best when given your full attention and heard from start to finish. This is amazing stuff and I hold this album dear - just not this particular vinyl. 5/5

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For a few years Mike seemed convinced that the future of music lay in interactive CD ROM experiences. As a first foray into this field, later pressings of this album on CD were capable of generating images to accompany the music. Unfortunately this functionality used QuickTime video and was reserved for users of the Apple Macintosh computer. As ~90% of computer users at the time (myself included) couldn't view the content, it's easy to see why this idea never took off. 

Today we may scoff at the notion of a Mac only CD ROM being the future of music, but Mike also said this back in early 1995:

"We should have a 'pay to play' entertainment system where you can download whatever you need — music, films, interactive — from a central media library over a telephone line or something similar. I don't know how the billing will work yet, but everything points to that being the system of the future."

Maybe he did know what he was talking about after all.

One record at a time: 323. Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells II

This might not be the worst sounding record I own, but it is most definitely the quietest. I need to turn the volume on my amplifier up to about 50% to even hear what is playing on this vinyl. 

Unfortunately turning up the volume means that the crackles (few), pops (more) and rumbling noises (lots) present on this pressing are also amplified. This 2014 version was released alongside a few other albums from Mike's back catalogue and they all sound pretty disappointing - I would avoid them if I were you.

I originally bought the CD of this album in 1992 and enjoyed it immensely. In fact, it's a good job CDs don't wear out as my original copy would be on its last legs by now. 

There's something magical about the music on this album and the fairy dust added by Trevor Horn elevates it to a new level. There's a great atmosphere to this recording and the ideas are strong - there are no samples of screaming monkeys or General MIDI telephone noises used this time around. "Sentinel" and "Sunjammer" are two of my favourite sections but I have always been a little bit disappointed by the climax of the fist side titled "The Bell".

There are plenty of highlights on the second side with synth heavy "The Great Plain" and the atmospheric "Maya Gold" rising above the rest. Today I am slightly less tolerant of elements such as the bagpipes on "Tattoo" and the banjo driven bluegrass of "Moonshine", but nothing that would drive me away permanently. This isn't not an album you can dip in and out of; this is a journey you should take from start to end. An hour lost in "Tubular Bells II" is time well spent. 4/5