CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

Music of the Spheres

by: Mike Oldfield

Release Date March 25, 2008
I like Oldfield, I have all of his albums including this one, but "Music Of The Spheres" is just more of the same. Oldfield has been spinning his creative wheels for over a decade now. I'd say the last Oldfield album I really enjoyed was 1994's "The Songs Of Distant Earth". Since then, Oldfield has been doing variations on the same themes with "Music Of The Spheres" being pleasant, but as another reviewer said, not innovative.

Yes, Oldfield utilizes real instruments and an orchestra and opera singer, but when it's all said and done it's not memorable. Some tracks standout more than others, and for me that moment comes in the middle of the album with "On My Heart" and "Aurora". I know I'm going to be lambasted for what I'm going ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

Tubular Bells

by: Mike Oldfield

Release Date June 29, 1992
Going through the reviews of Bells, I am particularly surpised by the irritation caused by the vocal bit on side two - The so called Klingon vocal. Well people, you simply have no imagination. I've always liked that bit. When it came, me and a friend of mine always had lots of fun, because we envisioned a little dwarf being chased by a pack of wolves. The little dwarf runs for his life, hindered by a full belly due to too much eating and drinking at a party the previous night. He has to puke constantly. Every now and then, he has to stop and lean against a tree to empty his stomach. That's where the SHLAUUUGHHH! noise comes from. meanwhile, you can hear the wolves, who are gaining on him, howl in the background.
By the way, Bells doesn't interest ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

The Songs of Distant Earth

by: Mike Oldfield

Release Date February 06, 1996
I played this recording often during a journey I made with my parents and chinese girlfriend, around south africa. My father was dying of cancer. We all loved the music - cross generational, haunting, seamless and seemingly endless - ideal for a road trip. Several years after my fathers death, I played it again. I noticed my girlfriend crying. I asked why. The music instantly returned her to that wonderful journey and reminded her of my father. Can you ever ask for more from a recording?

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

Ommadawn

by: Mike Oldfield

Release Date July 11, 2000
Mike Oldfield's third studio recording marks the end of the most creative phase of his career. "Tubular Bells" explored an aggressive and improvised world of chaos and turmoil. "Hergest Ridge" presented listeners with the genteel and serene flip side of that world. "Ommadawn" is a step outward into a much larger and all encompassing world. It combines both the energy and serenity of his first two albums, but importantly expresses itself through shifting ethnic backdrops. Oldfield is for the first time acknowledging and utilising a `world music' ethic, with Celtic influences sitting comfortably with African influences.

Many critics have seen the explosive finale to Side One as representing some form of cathartic rebirth for Oldfield, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

Tubular Bells

from: Brilliant Classics

Release Date April 01, 2008
I am struck by the absolute timelessness of this music. We have loved it for 30 years, and now our children all love it too. This version is beautifully played, and having the two versions on the same CD is very interesting. I prefer the total piano version. Its a great record. Greg Yates in Adelaide, Australia.

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

Light + Shade

by: Mike Oldfield

Release Date November 01, 2005
There are several absolutely gorgeous tracks on this album, including my favourite "Sunset". There are some less good too, but worth buying in my opinion,

CD-Charts Position 7
Average Rating:

Tubular Bells II

by: Mike Oldfield

Release Date September 22, 1992
For one summer, in 1993, I listened to this album religiously. It's an instrumental album, carrying the sonic motif familiar to anyone who's seen the Exorcist.

So, I slipped it back into rotation, to see if it was as good as I remembered.

For me, this album didn't ring true to my memories. I had remembered this album as inspiring, but now it seems entertaining, but also somewhat pretentious at times. Ah well...sometimes the memories matter more.

CD-Charts Position 8
Average Rating:

QE2

by: Mike Oldfield

Release Date July 11, 2000
This is Mike Oldfield's best album. I've loved it since I had it on LP. Sheba alone knocks me out. One of the pieces borrows from Mozart. The original Tubular bells is a close second. His Best:
1. QE2
2. Tubular Bells
3. Crises
4. Hergest Ridge
5. Platinum.
A lot of his other stuff is uninteresting. Crisis has 3 great vocal songs by Maggie Riley and Jon Anderson. Hergest Ridge copies Tubular Bells style of long pieces constantly changing.

CD-Charts Position 9
Average Rating:

Tubular Bells

by: Mike Oldfield

Release Date May 22, 1998
I have never been prompted to write a review but this disc is so bad I felt that if I could warn anyone about this travesty then it is worth doing.
If, like me, you grew up listening to Tubular Bells on the original LP you will be shocked at the remastered version. (SACD Stereo layer)
They have taken a classic piece of music and completely destroyed everything good about it. The reproduction is so tinny it actually hurts my ears. There is no sound stage worth speaking of. The instruments sound like they are all synthesized where of course this was a wonder of true acoustic and electronic instruments played by a real human being. The end of side one with all the instruments being presented by Viv Stanshall sounds like an MP3 at 128.
The mix is so bad that I am actually hearing ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

Five Miles Out

by: Mike Oldfield

Release Date August 15, 2000
Born in 85 i wasn't really able to enjoy this music at it's peak, howeve my mom had it on lp and it rocked the house and as i got older i thought that i just have to get this on cd and i was right the whole cd is spectacular my favorite track is of course the 25 minute Taurus II followed by Family man and of course Five Miles Out