~~ War of the Worlds (the highlights) ~~

I found this CD in my collection, if I remember correctly my husband brought it for me because I had lost my copy of the Original War of the Worlds, actually I think I lent it someone and never got it back. He saw this and thought I would enjoy it, I do, but it's not the full length version. So a little about the album, please do not get it mixed up with the films, it does follow the storyline but it is the musical version.

~~ A Little History ~~

We can trace the story of War of the Worlds back to its author H.G.Wells who published his book in 1898. He was a science fiction writer and his book was about the Martians invading England.

We now jump to 30th October 1938 when Orson Wells, read the story live on radio, sending some poor Americans into a state of frenzy running out of their homes, calls came in to local police stations, broadcasting centres from frightened people seeking advice on what to do. I was always fascinated by this story, it never failed to amaze me that people got so caught up in the story to think it was a real event, but, I will say Orson Wells has a very convincing air about him, if anyone could make it believable it would be him.

In 1953 the first film version was released at the cinemas, this has since been brought to our television screens and put into DVD format. Sadly they did not follow the book to the word instead they romanticised the storyline. Still it was a cinematic breakthrough of its day with its special effects.

In the 70's Jeff Wayne released his fantastic musical version of the book, narrated by the late great Richard Burton. The Album was released on vinyl in 1978, in this year I bought my first copy and my love affair with War of the Worlds began, I have gone on to having 3 copies on vinyl and 4 copies on CD, I'm not greedy just too generous in lending them out and never getting them back, but I think all the children now have a copy so I may hang on to the one I have for a bit longer.

Anyway back on thread since the album was released they have made a new and more up-to-date film version, which seems to have a bit of the book, a bit of the original movie and a bit of the album all thrown in and mixed up to get the new version.

I do wish they would make the musical version and follow the album; the artwork that comes with the album is absolutely outstanding.

~~ The Album ~~

The Highlights from Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds (a long title isn't it), has been digitally re-mastered from the original tapes and includes 2 bonus tracks.

So how can they highlight such a classic album without spoiling the storyline, well lets have a look shall we.

~~ Tracks ~~

1. The Eve Of The War - starts off just the same with Richard Burton narrating the story of the night before, the wonderful orchestral music starts up and wow I am away with the fairies listening to the fantastic music, Justin Hayward comes in his pitch matches the vocals to perfection, with 'the chances of anything coming from Mars are a million to one against'. I said perfection, but you can tell that this has been digitally re-mastered, he vocals seem sharper, a fraction higher perhaps, I am just a layman not a musician so I cannot put my finger exactly on the difference but it is there. (5.04mins)

2. Horsell Common And The Heat Ray - so far we are following the first two tracks of the double album War of the Worlds. We are listening to the music that takes us over Horsell Common, the pace has picked up, but only slightly to give you a sense of their apprehension on what they are looking at and what will happen next. This is one of the long instrumental sections you find on the album. (4.44mins)

3. Forever Autumn - we have skipped our meeting with the artilleryman and gone straight to a lovely romantic song by Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues. It is a rather sad song, our narrator Richard Burton plays a journalist who has gone to find his true love, only to find that she's not there. The song reflects this and how he feels. (4.33mins)

4. The Fighting Machine - from the original we have jumped back a track and anyone that knows War of the Worlds, knows that they Jeff Wayne does repeat tracks within the story. This track starts off very different with a rather more upbeat funky kind of sound, I think with a drum beat and a clicking sound (Nar need your expertise here), then it moves on to repeat track 2. (4.26mins)

5. Thunder Child - we have caught back up and are now back on track with the original album. Thunder Child is sung by Chris Thompson also from the Moody Blues, he tells us the story of how our Journalist sees his beloved Carrie on a Steamer which is being defended against the Martians by the war ship Thunder Child. (5.08 mins).

6. The Red Weed - starts with the narration by our Journalist with him walking around seeing the land covered in Red Weed, we move on into an instrumental with the wind instruments, it is a nice peaceful piece of music, depicting the isolation and the vastness of the Red Weed covering everything in sight. (6.08 mins)

7. The Spirit of Man - Phil Lynott (Thin Lizzy) as Nathaniel and Julie Covington (Don't cry for me Argentina) as Beth, Nathaniels' wife. Nathaniel has lost his mind and plays the part well, he wants to give himself to the Martians and Beth tries to be optimistic and restore his faith and his life. A lovely yet tragic ballad, Phil Lynott and Julie Covington compliment each other, they both have very strong and husky voices. (6.45 mins)

8. Dead London - again like the earlier track I mentioned the instrumental at the very beginning sounds somehow different but I cannot put my finger on what it is, this track is a mixture of quite sedate yet slightly rocky music and narration from our Journalist as he looks over Dead London and describes what he is seeing. There is a lot of piano/keyboard in this piece and a lovely guitar piece in here too. (5.33 mins)

9. Brave New World - the wonderful husky tones of the very sexy David Essex, he is singing and telling us of how he is going to build a new world underground. This tune has an optimistic uplifting feel to it, a sort of soft rock number, which David Essex was known for in the 70's. (5.20mins)

10. Bonus Track - The Eve of the War (Remix 89) - this has a dance beat, which I have to say has totally ruined it, but that is just my opinion, from my research it was very popular in disco's when it came out. The basic tune is still there, but it is played to a dance beat, I've seen my hubby do this kind of thing with his keyboard change the back ground beat then play the keyboard to it. This is a similar thing, they have speeded it up as well. Definitely not for the better. But you may disagree with me on that one.

11. Bonus Track - Forever Autumn (Remix 96) - Justin Hayward - Again like the previous track they are playing the original against a different backing track, changing the beat making it less of a ballad move of a dance number. To me it just does not work, why mess with perfection and plagiarise it.

~~ My thoughts ~~

I have to say I missed the storyline, the main thing that attracts me to the original War of the Worlds is that you can sit down close your eyes and imagine you are watching a musical; you have the story unfolding as you listen, with the help of wonderful music and songs. With this album it follows the story but in a shortened version; it is like watching the best bits of the film without the backbone. It doesn't have the same stature.

In regards to the changes in the music, some I like as they are so subtle they are non offensive, whilst other changes have just killed two lovely pieces of music.

~~ Finally ~~

A little spot of Trivia for you - the original album stayed in the album charts for 6 years.

If I have got any of the instruments wrong I apologise now, I do not claim to be in anyway musical, but I know what I like and what I enjoy.

Would I recommend you buying this album, to be honest no not really, but I would recommend you buying the original, simply because the story is told in full complete with superb music and totally more enjoyable. I will give this album 8/10 loosing 2 marks because of those awful remixes. It did what it said on the can it was highlights.

This was my first CD review, I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading it, I do hope I did the CD justice.