Voyager - Mike Oldfield

A very laid back instrumental album, beautifully played, but in an emotional vacuum.

The trouble with Mike Oldfield is that, although a brilliant instrumentalist, his music has become somewhat shallow, as his lap of luxury lifestyle has cushioned him from the slings and arrows of life. So whereas his early work had a real edge shaped by an unhappy childhood (his mother suffered from mental illness and became addicted to tranquilizers) ...
...than cut his long hair) his more recent CDs could easily be mistaken for elevator music.

This CD opens with the slightly nautical lilt of "The Song of the Sun" (reminiscent of Oldfield's "QE2") followed by "Celtic Rain" which although pleasant is like Test Card* music and not very Celtic... unlike "The Hero" which sounds uncannily like incidental music from the film "Titanic" (The album ... more

A very laid back instrumental album, beautifully played, but in an emotional vacuum.

The trouble with Mike Oldfield is that, although a brilliant instrumentalist, his music has become somewhat shallow, as his lap of luxury lifestyle has cushioned him from the slings and arrows of life. So whereas his early work had a real edge shaped by an unhappy childhood (his mother suffered from mental illness and became addicted to tranquilizers) and a stroppy adolescence (he left school at 15 rather than cut his long hair) his more recent CDs could easily be mistaken for elevator music.

This CD opens with the slightly nautical lilt of "The Song of the Sun" (reminiscent of Oldfield's "QE2") followed by "Celtic Rain" which although pleasant is like Test Card* music and not very Celtic... unlike "The Hero" which sounds uncannily like incidental music from the film "Titanic" (The album came out before the film, by the way, not that I am implying anything you understand). The wistful mood continues with "Women of Ireland" - I was looking forward to hearing MO's version of this Irish standard and I wasn't disappointed - it's a great tune (previously recorded by the Chieftains and used by the Christians on their single "Words"). Another beautiful Irish folk standard follows the title track (which sounds like track one with Celtic drums added) "She Moves Through The Fair" is a delicate, magical song when performed by the likes of Fairport Conevention or All About Eve, but this version reduces it to a 'nice' tune.

"Dark Island" develops the themes of (or, less charitably, is more of the same of) tracks one, three and five, but with a jig in the middle. "Wild Goose Flaps Its Wings" is more interesting; darker and melancholic. But then comes "Flowers of the Forest"... aaargh bagpipes!

"Mont St. Michel" is a beautiful finale though - soft acoustic guitar melodies accompanied by pipes. Like the whole CD this is excellent musicianship, as you would expect from Oldfield, but many would dismiss it all as background music.

* N.B.
for the benefit of youngsters, the test card was shown on BBC & ITV when they shut down during the daytime. Seriously. They really did. No Richard & Judy, no Neighbours, nothing. Just a pretty pattern and some bland music. Imagine instrumental versions of Westlife songs playing over a shopping centre tannoy.
 

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