Jeff Wayne's Musical Version Of The War Of The Worlds
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Free Music Notes for Jeff Wayne's Musical Version Of The War Of The Worlds
Free Music Review: The perfect "Third Choice" for Rick Wakeman and Alan Parsons fans... Theatrical/Progressive Rock Masterpiece!
Hit: 5 Stars
If, like me, you became a Prog/Symphonic Rock fan after listening to "Tales Of Mystery And Imagination-Edgar Allan Poe" by the Alan Parsons Project, and "Journey To The Centre Of The Earth" by Rick Wakeman, you certainly got crazy for getting Jeff Wayne's musical version of "The War Of The Worlds" when it was issued as a double-LP album back in 1978.
(Hey, if you haven't noticed it, all three above albums have been inspired on the most "raw" science-fiction literary works published in the 19th century, all of them were certainly "best sellers". But... Their musical versions recorded by Parsons, Wakeman and Wayne, certainly rival the literary heights reached by E. Allan Poe ["Tales..."], Jules Verne ["Journey To..."] and H.G. Wells' "The War Of The Worlds".)
This album, is worth to remember, was also released in the middle of the "Space Fever" caused by STAR WARS the movie (so I think it's not a matter of coincidence, that some chords in this album at not doubt, will make you remind immediately on the wonderful musical score produced by John Williams for "Star Wars"). I find that this fever was even more weird, than the other 'fear fever' caused by Orson Welles and his infamous radio broadcast, of a supposed ferocious Martian invasion to the territory of the United States back in the 1930s...
Jeff Wayne produced this now almost classic album of Symphonic/Prog Rock, with the help of the latest technology available for sound effects. He also got the support of talented musicians and selected voices: no one less than Sir Richard Burton himself as the storyteller, plus Justin Hayward (leader of The Moody Blues), the late Phil Lynnot (vocal master of Thin Lizzy), David Essex and even Julie Covington (who played Eva Peron in the first recorded edition of the super-famous Rock Opera "Evita").
There's not much more to say about this superb musical production. If you haven't heard it yet, DO IT RIGHT NOW! The SACD Hybrid remastered version sounds really wonderful! Of course, if you haven't read previously the wonderful story told by H.G. Wells in the original book, it is worth to do it just before you listen to this album! You can also get the book in Amazon.com at a really cheap, cheap price!
Free Music Review: This has stunded everyone I have ever played it for.
Hit: 5 Stars
I first heard this while sitting in a bar with some friends in Germany in 1978 while serving there in the U.S Army.
I had been a fan of the story since I was a kid of 12, which is when I first read it. So as I am sitting in a bar with friends, I hear this music playing. At first I did not pay much attention to it, but it caught my attention very quickly. The owner/bar tender was a German friend of mine, so I asked him to start it over and turn it up. I spent the next 90 min or so enthralled sitting at the bar ignoring my friends. I was totally blown away by it. The next day I went to downtown Heidelberg and walked into a local music store and bought this album. I still have it along with the CD copy I bought years later when it came out.
I have played this for many good friends and they have all loved it. On a whim I took it along with me to a romantic weekend in the mountains with my then girl friend (now my wife). The weekend turned out to be stormy with some heavy thunder. I thought this would be a perfect time for her to listen to it for the first time. So we had a few glasses of wine and I put it on. We laid back in front of the fire place and just listened. She was not familiar with the story at all, but she just listened to it with no questions. At one point during the song "thunder child" I looked over at her and she was crying. I knew this woman was the one for me.
So, this album has a great many memory's for me, and it will always be one of my favorites!
This is one of those lesser known albums here in the U.S. But if you love a good story set to some great music, this is the one to buy. And then you to can become one of the lucky few who has had the pleasure to listen to one of the greatest story's ever written, to the sound of beautiful and stirring music.
Free Music Review: Chilling stuff--absolutely beautiful
Hit: 5 Stars
I knew of this album for many years, but never quite had the wherewithal to buy the CD. All I ever really heard of it was "Forever Autumn," when that track was included on the Moody Blues' box set Time Traveller. "Forever Autumn" certainly stands on its own well enough--it certainly doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that he's singing to an absent (possibly deceased) loved one through painful memories and aching loneliness.
Put into the context of The War of the Worlds, however, gives the song a whole new depth. So I knew I'd eventually have to track down a copy of the album, but it remained out of print until last year. Then, coming off having seen the new film with Tom Cruise, and wanting to expand my collection of SACDs (I'm a Surround Sound fanatic now), I decided to pick it up. In short, the experience was worth every penny. (And I realised that, save from changing the locale of the story to New York City, upstate New York, and Boston, the filmmakers had stayed true to the original story; H.G. Wells would have been proud...of both the film and this album.)
Justin Hayward has long been one of my favourite singers, and I think Phil Lynott really shines as Parson Nathaniel. (Phil, you are most definitely missed.) Richard Burton's narration proves that he was one of the finest actors of our time. The surprise twist at the end also gave me goosebumps, as it did another reviewer...what frightening possibilities! By all means, pick this up and don't pass it by.
Free Music Review: The greatest "dumb" album ever written
Hit: 5 Stars
This new SACD re-release sounds great!!! I'm hearing things I could never audibly discern on my very old vinyl copy which prior to getting this, was the only recording I had. I coincidentally only rediscovered this about a year ago, finding the vinyl album in amongst relics of my past that needed to be sorted out for moving. Fortuitously I also found my beat up old turn table and listened to this album for the first time in about 20 years. I was charmed by some of the dated sounds (the disco beat and synthesizer effects etc etc.) I'm afraid I wasn't emotionally bowled over by it as I was at 12 years old. I can finally put it all in perspective. Music aside, this is a pretty dumb album. Looking back objectively I suspect Jeff Wayne is a self-indulging, egotist. The biography section in the liner notes has been expanded from the 1978 album gate sleeve. Jeff Wayne's biography is now practically a book initself, full of utterly boring trivia about his tennis exploits??? he also writes of his various music projects and collaborations none of which seem to have EVER taken off. Jeff Wayne is simply NOT a household name when it comes to rock music. This album proves that he is a great arraigner/composer. There is some excellent and very powerful music on WotW, but the concept is utterly stupid. Mr. Wayne owes thanks to Steven Spielberg for making his equally dumb movie which re-ignited curiosity (if only briefly) in Jeff Wayne's enigmatic prog-rock opera.Free Music Review: Entertainment Of The First Order
Hit: 5 Stars
Being a fan of The War Of The Worlds story, when i heard about this I was a little skeptical. But having purchased it and listened to it I must say it is one of the best adpatations of the novel and one of the best things I have listened to.
In terms of being faithful to the novel, this is almost completly faithful. There are some details changed and some of the events have been rearranged to better fit into the format, but besides that it is pretty faithful.
In terms of the actual songs, this is one of the most unusal mixes I have ever heard. Richard Burton, one of my favorite actors, does incredibly well in the role of the narrator (known as the Journalist). The rest of the cast/singers are excellent as well and they make many of the songs memorable and addictive.
The music is one of those things that seems out of place at first listening, but one gets used to the rock music in this Victorian era story. The rock music overtones of tracks like "The Eve Of The War", "Thunder Child", and "Brave New World" are perfect examples of how well Jeff Wayne's music works.
The album can best be described as a classic novel read mixed with a fine actor reading passages, the best singers in Britian circa 1977, and 70's rock music put together into one of the most intriguing things you are ever likely to listen to. If you're a fan of the classic Wells novel or 70's rock this is a must-have.