RockBox - [Request] Mike Oldfield - Return To Ommadawn (2017)

[Request] Mike Oldfield - Return To Ommadawn (2017)

Progressive/world/folk rock from United Kingdom, latest full-length album released in 2017.

Michael Gordon Oldfield - Born 15 May 1953 in Reading, Berkshire, England

Mike OLDFIELD took up the guitar at seven and was composing instrumental pieces by age 10. With his sister Sally, he secured a record deal under the name SALLYANGIE and released the folkish album "Children of the Sun" in 1968. He then landed a position playing first bass and later guitar with WHOLE WORLD, led by ex-SOFT MACHINE co-founder Kevin Ayers. During the next few years he also served as a studio musician at Abbey Road, where he experimented with a wide range of instruments. He gradually built up a home studio and began working on a large-scale project, playing all of the parts himself. This was the prototype for "Tubular Bells", but OLDFIELD had no success generating label interest until he met with future Virgin Records founders Simon Draper and Richard Branson. They loved his ideas and gave him plenty of freedom to record in their state-of-the-art The Manor studio, and ended up releasing "Tubular Bells" on their brand new label when no other record company showed interest. The record shot to first place in the UK and elsewhere, attracting the attention of director William Friedkin, whose use of the intro segment in "The Exorcist" generated widespread recognition (OLDFIELD was not pleased by the association, however).

Retreating from his newfound celebrity, OLDFIELD recorded several more critically acclaimed albums, similar in scope and approach but constantly developing new instrumental and compositional skills. In 1979 his single "Guilty" showed that shorter vocal-based pieces and more recent music styles were beginning to creep into his work; he also returned to touring in 1979 after undergoing therapy to combat his reclusive, solitary tendencies. His work in the 80s included such far-ranging releases as "Crises" (including vocals by Jon ANDERSON), the soundtrack to the film "The Killing Fields", and a song called "Family Man" which became a hit for HALL & OATES. Known for consistently offering a visual spectacular in his live performances, he also developed an interest in video artistry, including a video album called "Wind Chimes". The 90s saw a return to longer symphonic-style works, including "Amarok" and "Tubular Bells II", for which he departed the increasingly commercial Virgin Records for the smaller WEA label. His "Songs of Distant Earth" album was the first CD ever to include CD-ROM content, as well as album notes by legendary sci-fi author Arthur C. Clarke. "Voyager" showed his appreciation for Celtic folk influences, and he plays tribute to his first musical love on "Guitars". The huge surge of appreciation for electronic music from the 90s dance community led to renewed interest in OLDFIELD's work, and the third instalment of the "Tubular Bells" series shows a definite influence from the house music culture that surrounds his new home in Ibiza.

Multi- instrumentalist, visual performance pioneer, symphonic rock master - all of these apply to the prodigious career of Mike OLDFIELD.

Mike Oldfield Official Website

2017 Return To Ommadawn

Tracklist:

1. Return To Ommadawn, Part I (21:10)
2. Return To Ommadawn, Part II (20:57)

Label: Virgin EMI

Traditional rock music and social media have not always been an easy match. Mike Oldfield, though, has used it in the way it was intended, drawing inspiration from his fans for a new album. A quick survey of opinion found what they would like to see most was a return to his acoustic roots, the eyes clearly misting over at the prospect of more music in the style of the 1970s.

The clincher for Oldfield was a comment from Jean-Michel Jarre, who referred to him as an ‘acoustic’ musician, in the process reminding him of those roots. Jarre was absolutely right, for even though Tubular Bells is electronic in sound it is deeply acoustic in concept.

Oldfield, then, travelled back in time, arriving at the Ommadawn record of 1975. Here he was unwittingly mirroring the work of Brian Eno, whose Reflection, released earlier this same month, drew on its makers Discreet Music, also of 1975. As you might expect though, the two resultant instrumental records are chalk and cheese, Oldfield’s inspiration being an album notable for its frenetic activity.

The original Ommadawn was an extended love letter to the influence of Celtic instruments and melodies on English music, and it integrated those instruments seamlessly into an album of progressive folk-rock that united UK musical styles. Northumbrian pipes, guitars and drums mixed seamlessly.

Fast forward 42 years and here we are again with Return To Ommadawn, Oldfield perhaps unintentionally reuniting the music of the countries in their current, more divisive political position. Once again he takes the ‘two sided’ approach, doffing a cap to the continuing popularity of vinyl, and once again Celtic musical language and instruments form the basis of the ‘new’ material.

Oldfield plays all the instruments himself, keeping a fiercely protective arm around his music, meaning we will almost certainly never experience it live. This is a shame, for it forms the soundtrack to an invisible film, uplifting music given with its creator’s passionate input.

Perhaps the most striking moment comes three-quarters of the way into Part 1, where the music takes a brief opportunity for reflection before moving on to a powerful drum track and distant vocal, the only instance where voices are heard.

It is these moments of punctuation that make the listener sit up. Ten minutes earlier in Part 1 there is a really nice episode where the texture is pulled back a bit, the drums soften and the melody makes itself known in more plaintive form – a more obvious reference to traditional folk music. This is however spoiled a little by a very keen guitar solo, an instance of where less could have been more.

The cheery flute that starts the second part heads for the same emotional plateau of the first, celebrating the outdoors. Both parts are more or less the same length, giving pleasing symmetry – and once again half way through Part 2 there is a gear change. More percussion are added to the lower end of the texture, before a shrill pipe comes out with another bright and breezy melody, taken up by the rock guitar. This is crowned by a big unison statement of another traditional theme, the emotional strong point of the album.

Oldfield’s style is quite twee at times, and it does ramble on occasion, but the rambles are never anything less than pleasant. There are however some points where it feels like too much music is going on, an overabundance of melodies that are usually crowned by a heroic electric guitar solo.

Yet in the wake of some very difficult times for Oldfield, capped by the tragic sudden loss of his son in 2015, Ommadawn seems to have put him in a happy place. Towards its close it is easy to imagine being in the wide open, ultra-green expanses of Ireland with a strong wind blowing on your face. It is an image contrary to that of the glowering cover as the album pulls to a jubilant, slightly mischievous close.

As its title implies, Return To Ommadawn is nothing new of course, but it is a happy reunion that will please Oldfield’s fans greatly. It may not necessarily introduce him to a new audience, but it leads those in the know to a familiar place they know well.

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As requested by a fellow member unclejim from Scotland!

Progressive

Progressive / World / Folk Rock

320 k

96.44 MB

2 files

21/01/2018

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20/06/2025 02:52:38