Mike Oldfield - Ommadawn
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Free Music Notes for Ommadawn
Free Music Review: One of Oldfield's best works to date
Hit: 5 Stars
Ommadawn, like all classics, is timeless. It is a unique work that well over a decade later the composer himself still hasn't quite managed to match. Lovers of 'New Age' music will praise it for the atmospheric nature. Lovers of rock will admire the guitar work. And lovers of great music no matter what marketing label is slapped on it will marvel at the wondrous aural tapestry that 'Ommadawn' produces. One word of caution for 'New Age' music fans... 'Ommadawn' is mostly in minor keys. The result is something that seems very chilling and mysterious. Further, there are many passages that almost demand your attention, so this isn't exactly 'relaxation music.'Similar in structure to classic symphonic works, 'Ommadawn' is built around a handful of themes and motifs that keep resurfacing throughout the recording. Both Parts One and Two build to remarkable climaxes that send chills down my spine while listening to 'Ommadawn' in the dark. The music remains taut and edgy in feel throughout the piece, even when it gets somewhat upbeat during a section of Part Two that echoes traditional Irish music.
'Ommadawn' is a near-perfect example of what a talented composer can do with modern instruments. Even the odd little untitled folksey song that rounds out the album is remarkable in its instrumentation and use of a vocal harmonies.
Free Music Review: Third time's the charm...
Hit: 5 Stars
On "Tubular Bells", Mike Oldfield set the stage and a new standard for rock instrumentals with his album-length suite. Then the follow-up, "Hergest Ridge", seemed to let things drop a bit, appearing (to me, at least) to be a hodgepodge of sketch ideas from the previous work as well as precursory bits to the follow-up. Well, this is the follow-up, and what an effort it is! Oldfield here has apparently perfected his hypermultitracked methods which debuted on "Tubular Bells" to create a work of amazing compositional cohesiveness, drama, and sweeping lyricism. Melodies here all have a beautiful, singing quality to them, even when there are no lyrics. And when the lyrics do appear, as mysterious, looping incantatory chants (from which the title comes), the work takes on a...something...that just goes so much farther than Oldfield had gone before. More ethnic elements get in here, as well, notably his use of African drumming and Oldfield's own newfound prowess on pipes. Closing it out is an endearing folkish piece, "On Horseback", that is much more of a rounded work than the little "Sailor's Hornpipe" toss-off that closed "Tubular Bells". A genuine pinnacle work, perhaps only surpassed in Oldfield's 1970s output by "Incantations".Free Music Review: Experience a Symphonic Masterpiece
Hit: 5 Stars
This is one of those albums which lives up to the hype. I had gotten a scratchy copy of this on vinyl from the library in the 1970s then tried to buy a copy only to find it was out of print. Many years later, it finally showed up on CD. It was worth the wait. This is even better than I remember it. This is one of those rare special albums which you must experience and feel rather than merely listen to. It's really hard to describe in words, but I'll try with the advance warning that words fall far short. Imagine Jean-Michelle Jarre's synthesizer sound combined with incredible melodic electric guitar, bagpipes, and other folksy instruments performed with Celtic, African, and World influences. A series of seamlessly blended, ever-changing, ever-evolving beautiful melodies are woven together with the numerous intruments weaving in and out of the mix at various times, all building upon each other to create 2 grand symphonic suites. To descibe this as "new-agey" would be an insult as it in no way resembles the light-airey-soft-modern-jazz-soulless-elevator-music quality of most new age music. It's just great, timeless music which sounds as fresh, interesting, and exciting as it did almost 30 years ago when I was lucky enough to experience it for the first time.Free Music Review: One of the best instrumentals ever recorded . . .
Hit: 5 Stars
After having "Tubular Bells" in my cassette and CD players for roughly 13 years straight, I figured it was time to give some more of Oldfield's works a try. Upon reading the Virgin Record's bio, the first artist written about naturally was Mike Oldfield. Branson talked about "Ommadawn" being his best album, so I decided to try it for myself. Needless to say, this is slowly becoming as addictive a listen as TB was. Oldfield has way better production here and explores dynamics of minimalist structures leading into his signature layering. The writing is just as haunting here as always, with the arrangements switching notes at the drop of a hat, strings and synths weaving in and out. My favorite part of the 19 minute first song is the guitar break about ten minutes in. Listening to Oldfield work some fretboard magic makes this worth the price of the CD alone. The whole thing sounds like Debussy going mad with some Oberheim boards and a guitar. The end folk piece, loosely written around Pachabel's Canon, is amusing if not repetitious, but overall this is a stunning album that is essential to anyone starting off with Oldfield's earlier material.Free Music Review: 22-Year Old Prodigy Strikes Again
Hit: 5 Stars
Mike Oldfield had only just turned 22 when he made "Ommadawn", an album of such incredible musical depth and innovation for its time that I'm forced to wonder who he was in a past life. The symphonic rock style of "Tubular Bells" and "Hergest Ridge" is reinvented here, and although some may call it "New Age", little in that genre has produced anything as exciting or uplifting as "Ommadawn". Oldfield certainly had a knack for hummable melodies, which he would then repeat and augment with chanted vocals, African percussion, Irish folk instrumentation, acoustic and electric guitars, or anything else that fit his fancy; the backwards sound mosaic that opens side two has an especially moving pull to it. By the time it's over, Oldfield leaves you breathless; then, you're swept away by "On Horseback", a singalong which sounds like Sesame Street on acid. This album will make you feel young, old, wise, innocent, spirited, and spaced out all at once. File under "symphonic-space-folk-world-newage-pop-rock" and just listen.