Album Club: 15.11.11: Mike Oldfield - The Songs Of Distant Earth (1994)

[Welder]

Deeply disappointed mate
You’ve totally bottled it on this one

You out of anyone here probably, could have dug up something that left us all stunned and reaching for some paracetamol

Nah, teasing, good pick I’ll have a listen. I haven’t heard this for a while.

[Reid Malenfant]

Ah yes, I forgot the bagpipes Track 3 or 4 I think Not my favourite either...

However, I remember being the last person at work at Chloride Electronics one evening & the security guard got his bagpipes going Sounded incredible in a big factory I can tell you

[Reid Malenfant]

You out of anyone here probably, could have dug up something that left us all stunned and reaching for some paracetamol

There is always another time John... I can lure you in & then hit you with the headf*ck stuff

[Tim]

Ah yes, I forgot the bagpipes .......... one evening & the security guard got his bagpipes going Sounded incredible in a big factory I can tell you

That's just the thing Mark, I really love bagpipes played well, incredibly stirring and a wonderful instrument. But with pop music (as I think this is rather pop at the mo) they don't often work for me and this is a good example.

[Audioman]

This one strangely passed me by unoticed at the time. Came between his rehashes of Tubular Bells which received much more publicity. Rare and virtualy unobtainable on used vinyl but now very cheap on CD. I have seen a lot of praise for this elsewhere and the Amazon reviews are more than positive. I have ordered this as I like much of Mike Oldfield's earlier work. Looks like a good and less obvious choice Mark. - Especially after last week

[aquapiranha]

I have been a Mike Oldfield fan for many years, and despite preferring his older output I like this too. I have given it an 8

BTW, I will have to change my choice now, I was going to do Five Miles Out

[WAD62]

It gets an 8/10 from me as 1. I already own it & 2. I do have better stuff

That's a bit confusing Mark...why not then go with the better stuff?

I hope you're not trying to be popularist...like Alex

[sparrow]

My late Dad got me this on it's release and I love it. It is one of the very few albums that my wife & I both enjoy. I do find some parts a wee bit boring but this is one of Mikes better albums....I gave it a 10 but maybe 8 is more realistic.

[Welder]

I’ve listened to this a couple of times now.

It’s difficult to be critical of the album with regard to the recording, arrangement and even the theme.
The problem is I just don’t like it.
I’m listening to one of Marks other favorite’s atm Steve Roach, Dreamtime Returns and for ambient/electronic/whatever I much prefer this.

[Alex_UK]

Listened this morning, and kept thinking "where's the bagpipes?"

Then realised I'd accidentally selected the wrong album!



Still, I can recommend Music of the Spheres if you enjoyed Songs of Distant Earth, and it doesn't have bagpipes!

I'll get back to SoDE later...