I originally bought the CD of "Crises" in 1992. As well as the CD, I also own a copy of the original UK LP and a repressing from 2013. The newer version sounds so bad I can't bring myself to mention it any further.
When it was released in 1983 this album sold by the hatful because it features the massive hit single "Moonlight Shadow". However I regard the twenty minute title track that opens this album as the highlight. As we drop the needle we hear brooding Solina strings, Fairlight bells and an Oberheim OB-Xa tinkling away. The Solina soon takes centre stage and the whole piece seems to go off like a firework.
My favourite part of this track is the "Watcher in the Tower" vocal section and the superb drumming that features on the final three or four minutes. There's so much to hear on this track I consider it the equal of any of Oldfield's long form pieces. Sadly I can only fantasise about a version of the album that has a "Part Two" on the flip side.
The second side of the record is taken up by four pop songs and a fantastic instrumental. The afore mentioned "Moonlight Shadow" was a massive hit across Europe in 1983 and helped propel this album up the charts. However, this success was a double edged sword as, once Virgin Records realised Oldfield could write monster hit singles, the pressure was on to do it again. There are some other good songs here and "Foreign Affair" is a standout - but the title track is the jewel I can't help coming back to time and time again. 4/5
