The Platinum Collection - Remember The Eighties Review

(Enviado por WorldX)

MIKE OLDFIELD
The Platinum Collection
Remember The Eighties Review
 
Reviewed By Terry Kemp
 
What a strange old fellow is Mike Oldfield. He’s been around since Adam was a boy (well, since 1973 to be more precise), has had more than modest success, has numerous hit albums and well recognised tunes and yet, most of us would be hard pressed to name more than one or two of his ‘songs’ (hits, musical pieces – call them what you will).
 
Most of us would be more than familiar with “Tubular Bells” naturally enough. It was the album that launched Oldfield’s career and supplied the haunting and atmospheric theme to one of the 70’s best remembered horror flicks, “The Exorcist”. The success of this album ensured that the follow up “Hergest Ridge” also reached Numero Uno in the British charts and cemented a thirty-year career that shows no signs of slowing down or ending. Since 1973, Oldfield has produced a string of albums though only “Tubular Bells II” in 1992 managed to snaffle the number one spot on the album charts.
 
Single wise, there are fewer hits, most of which are contained in this three CD collection. The jaunty sea-flavoured ‘Portsmouth’ (1976) and an extended version of ‘Moonlight Shadow’ (1983) with vocals by longtime collaborator, Maggie Reilly, are the two biggies but ‘In Dulce Jubilo’ (1975) also cracked the Top Ten and is included in this set.
 
Also included in this vastly varied collection are some interesting covers such as ABBA’s ‘Arrival’, classical pieces such as the ‘William Tell Overture’ and the theme from “Blue Peter’. For balance, Oldfield’s co-penned ‘Family Man’ (again featuring Maggie Reilly) is included and was later covered by Hall and Oates. Also included are vocal contributions from such luminaries as Jon Anderson (Yes).
 
The collection is presented in chronological order which is important in collections such as these that span more than thirty years. It allows the listener to follow the development of the artist as both a musician and a composer. This collection highlights Oldfield’s ability to tune into popular opinion, but also shows his strength as an innovator and entertainer.
 
There are numerous extended versions included amongst the forty six tracks, and some interesting choices are included. Most are unmistakably dripping in keyboard washes and piano flourishes with vocal choirs and multi-layered arrangements. When you listen to this collection in long sittings it is difficult to believe that it is all the work of one man such is the variety of styles and genres. Far from a bad thing, it keeps one’s interest longer than a collection such as this ordinarily might. I can’t help wonder though, if true reward would not be better received from listening to Mike Oldfield albums as they were originally released, rather than presented as they are here, like a ‘Sampler’ box. Maybe that is true for most artists. Who knows? What is true is that this collection is both full of great pieces and listeners are bound to find tracks to suit any mood.

Source: http://www.remembertheeighties.com/index2.html