Ommadawn part 1 (Mike Oldfield, 1975)

Useless to say, Mike Oldfield is one of the best composers when it comes to long and folky suites and I think it's a shame that most of the reviewers out there limit themselves to his first and most celebrated album. Ommadawn part 1 is a 19 minute, deep and dreamy composition lining up a series of heartbreaking themes and fascinating moods. This time Mr. Oldfield didn't play all the instruments, on the contrary there are many guest musicians and a well assorted group of vocalists, including Sally Oldfield. 

 

"Ommadawn" was the third studio album by Mike Oldfield.

Among those contributions the listener appreciates many acoustic and traditional instruments like Pan flute, uillean pipes and cello. Oldfield himself focuses on guitars and keyboards and for sure his acoustic and electric guitars and his trademark mandolins add the usual sweet, airy and intense touch to the suite. Once more, this is high emotional music, flowing like inner waves, but thanks to the well written melodies and the flushing arrangements, it never goes merely ambient. In a word: that's Mike Oldfield, folks!

Let There Be Light (Mike Oldfield, 1994)

This is one of my favourite songs when it comes to athmospheric ones. I also like the entire "The Songs of Distant Earth" album, a concept based on Arthur C. Clarke's SF novel bearing the same title. It's a rather different side of Oldfield we appreciate here, less rich in instruments and more polished in sounds. This arcane and even ambient song is strincly connected to the short album intro titled "In The Beginning", but it surely is a self standing track, with a very beautiful melody and a captivating arrangement. 

 

This is the first single CD cover for UK and Europe markets.

"Let There Be Light" was also released as a single compact disc (a two CD set, more exactly) and was enhanced by a beautiful video, also included in the album CD. I admire the way Mike puts his sung line into a fantastic and ethereal background to create a hypnotic and evocative piece of music. Full of surprises, as usual with this artist.

To France (Mike Oldfield, 1984)

I must admit this song is one of my favourite short songs by Mike Oldfield. Its remarkable balance between pop elements, folk roots and progressive visions gives birth to a delicate and well arranged track. Maggie Reilly's voice is a winning point here, and so are some old fashioned sounds, coming from Oldfield's huge collection.

This song also was a successful single release.



The lyrics about the Queen of Scots Mary's exile in France are also well written, but the sung melody is the actual pearl of "To France", IMHO. Rich and delicate, this theme is like a musical embroidery, a light and bright acoustic drawing. The acoustic instruments are wisely mixed to the electric ones, so that a full-bodied Fender Stratocaster's solo empowers this gentle tapestry. Sure, it's just a song... but oh my, what a song!

Tubular Bells part 1 (Mike Oldfield, 1973)

One of the most controversial tracks in the whole rock history. Some say it's the prog masterpiece, some say it's just a pretentious, messy essay and not even prog at all. Really, I'll let the critics debate this topic, but there is an ascertained point: this suite is unique in its genre and still popular today. Oldfield's attempts to take advantage of this record for a series of sequels ("The Orchestral Tubular Bells", "Tubular Bells 2", "Tubular Bells 3"," The Millenium Bell", "Tubular Bells Remix", "Tubular Bells Re-recorded"...) annoyed many listeners, even so the original record is IMHO one of the finest fruits of its decade.

"Tubular bells" original cover art.

Not only the arrangements are amazing, but also the themes are well found and their rising succession still produces in me a growing feeling of expectation and wonder, reaching its climax when the bells finally ring. Another winning point is in all thos varied moods, from nostalgy to anger and from contry stillness to mystic tension. Strange? Pretentious? Who cares... I like it.