Search - Mike Oldfield :: Platinum

Light At The End of The Beginning

C.T. Chase | Arlington, VA USA | 04/26/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"After my initiation into the Mike Oldfield Fan Convergence with the original release of both TUBULAR BELLS and HERGEST RIDGE, I became ravenous for all things Olfield. OMMADAWN only slaked my thirst temporarily, but it was finally quenched at last with the songs featured here, only as a "different animal." This was previously released here in a "special edition" vinyl LP (which I still own, thank G*d!) which was called AIRBORN. This album included the title track, plus "Platinum," "Charleston," "North Star/Finale," (co-written with Philip Glass,) "Into Wonderland," "Punkadiddle" and "I Got Rhythm." "Sally" and "Woodhenge" are the replacements for "Wonderland," I take it, which was a kind of lilting, silly, Mike-channeling-McCartney-at-his-loopiest sorta thing.



AIRBORN was a two-album set, (anybody remember those?) which also offered some 'preview' cuts of EXPOSED, with live-edit versions of "Incantations," "Tubular Bells" and "Guilty."



The editing on the U.S. version was so well-done, I now consider the first four songs as a suite (or sweet, just as apropos), that chronicles Mike's wonderful journey out of the weightier themes and concepts of his first three albums, into something a little more accessible for the casual listener as well as the die-hard Oldfield fans. A little more commercial than some would probably like, but the indelible Oldfield stamp is there, with enough razor-sharp guitar hooks and fills to keep it substantial.



I haven't heard this version yet, but I look forward to see how it compares to the "other" version."