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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
It seems that MO's music can divide opinion amongst his fans like few others. One mans poison (Millenium Bell) is another mans perfume (QE2). I think this LP is, pending future releases, his last great one. After this he starts continually revisiting old ground, and looking outside his head for inspiration. That's a shame though, because his music is always at it's best when he's concentrating on just that - the music. Recent album have had tacky "themes" to give them direction but if his music is on par with his best, it doesn't need that.
Islands is in my opinion the last time he was able to let the inspiration guide him but ultimately still allow the music to take it's own course. The all instrumental side one is thematic (but all his best work is) and uses a recurring melody but is still organic and innovative enough that you never lose interest.
The second "pop song" side is a little less inspiring but has it's moments (especially the bonus "When The Nights On Fire") and the female vocals compliment the arrangements perfectly, particulalrly Anita Hegerland. Male vocal choices (Jon Anderson, Max Bacon) are typically iffy, but at least he didn't sing them himself..
But that's just my opinion, others may think it's trite, over-produced sentimental rubbish!
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I love this CD in parts, I find it so moving in parts. Then there is the opposite with a few tracks. But you can, if needed skip them, but if possible you should play it all away through at least every other play.
1.The Wind Chimes: It is a good long meandering piece that has lots of different sounds and feels to it. From the beautiful to the punchy bits. It has the plinkity pluck trade mark of Mikes acoustic guitar and the electric guitar sound you can recognise at a split second. Love parts, like it overall, maybe not to what it deserves. Forgive the old cliche, but you do hear bits you have either forgotten or had not heard before. This is the third time I have played this track, one after another. I am saying I love it in parts and overall I love it, there are just the odd.......
2.Islands: Bonnie Tylers voice is at it's gravel best, she can stone wash your jeans just by singing. A great song, nice powerful beat drives it. Should be on a radio 2 playlist. Good.
3.Flying Start: This is the first of the crap, do not like this one little bit, lyrics are childish. Sort of Roger Whittaker done to an up tempo beat, thank god no whistling, quickly becames irritating. Good point is if you want a sing a long this is the one and it only lasts 3mins 37. But there again if you want a singalong what are you listening to Mike oldefield for?
4.North Point. Love this track, a great tune and lovely lyrics, haunting.
5.Magic Touch: European trash, visions of bad hair and shoulder pads, 80's at it's worst!
6.The Time Has Come: Overblown? If it is? I still love it, the great voice of Anita Hegerland is back again. This is all what is good about the 80's big production, lovely emotional ride.
7.When The Nights On Fire: Again big production number, ghostly Celtic feel with the pomp and greatness that is Mike Oldfield. And it's two can and not Toucan.....
This is Mike Oldfield going through his pop/rock stage, platinium, QE2 and this are prime examples. Just bear with him as there are some great tunes. Especially the Ommadwan type music on Wind Chimes part 2.
1.The Wind Chimes: It is a good long meandering piece that has lots of different sounds and feels to it. From the beautiful to the punchy bits. It has the plinkity pluck trade mark of Mikes acoustic guitar and the electric guitar sound you can recognise at a split second. Love parts, like it overall, maybe not to what it deserves. Forgive the old cliche, but you do hear bits you have either forgotten or had not heard before. This is the third time I have played this track, one after another. I am saying I love it in parts and overall I love it, there are just the odd.......
2.Islands: Bonnie Tylers voice is at it's gravel best, she can stone wash your jeans just by singing. A great song, nice powerful beat drives it. Should be on a radio 2 playlist. Good.
3.Flying Start: This is the first of the crap, do not like this one little bit, lyrics are childish. Sort of Roger Whittaker done to an up tempo beat, thank god no whistling, quickly becames irritating. Good point is if you want a sing a long this is the one and it only lasts 3mins 37. But there again if you want a singalong what are you listening to Mike oldefield for?
4.North Point. Love this track, a great tune and lovely lyrics, haunting.
5.Magic Touch: European trash, visions of bad hair and shoulder pads, 80's at it's worst!
6.The Time Has Come: Overblown? If it is? I still love it, the great voice of Anita Hegerland is back again. This is all what is good about the 80's big production, lovely emotional ride.
7.When The Nights On Fire: Again big production number, ghostly Celtic feel with the pomp and greatness that is Mike Oldfield. And it's two can and not Toucan.....
This is Mike Oldfield going through his pop/rock stage, platinium, QE2 and this are prime examples. Just bear with him as there are some great tunes. Especially the Ommadwan type music on Wind Chimes part 2.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
As a huge fan of Oldfield I think that the previous reviewer is a little harsh.True, this album is not in the same league as 'Songs Of Distant Earth' or 'Amorak', but is still worth having in your collection.
The opening instrumental 'Wind Chimes' is marvellously uplifting and varied and compares very favourably to any of his work.Admittedly the songs are not as catchy as those on some other albums,'Discovery' for example.The title track however 'Islands' is a fine song, well delivered by B.Tyler. and the others balance the album well.
Altogether a good buy for the 'real' Oldfield fan!
The opening instrumental 'Wind Chimes' is marvellously uplifting and varied and compares very favourably to any of his work.Admittedly the songs are not as catchy as those on some other albums,'Discovery' for example.The title track however 'Islands' is a fine song, well delivered by B.Tyler. and the others balance the album well.
Altogether a good buy for the 'real' Oldfield fan!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Islands, drifting... drifting....
Islands is a quite enjoyable pop album but the more I listen to it, the more uninspired it becomes. The album suffers from a certain un-finshed-ness. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Dave M.
lost opportunity but...
This gets 3 stars for 'The Wind Chimes', which has a sprinkling of the faery dust which Oldfield fans love so much. Read more
Published on 2 Sep 2008 by Dr. Robert A. Josey
Excellent Piece Of Work
This is a fantastic album from Mike Oldfield every track is great with lots of singing by various artists on it,dont expect instrumental work here. Read more
Published on 31 Mar 2008 by AJ
One of the better albums, to me...
'The Wind Chimes' (instrumental)- great opening piece (Part 1), followed by an unfocused Part 2, which perhaps could've done with a song section, like on Taurus II from Five Miles... Read more
Published on 5 Sep 2007 by C. Gudgeon
Full of colour - a fine album
I was very unsure of this album on first play. However, I should have known better, as so much of Oldfield's music reveals its quality only after repeated listening. Read more
Published on 30 Nov 2004 by J. Smith
Right Up There
Well, I must say (although I have been an Oldfield fan for what only two years and now own 27 of his 30 released albums) this is one of the best he's produced. Read more
Published on 20 Jan 2004 by "freya_san"
prime Mike Oldfield
For those who like Mike Oldfield, Islands is money very well spent. Everyone else, just wander off and listen to Kylie Minogue or something. Read more
Published on 28 Nov 2003 by vfrickey
Mike Oldfield tries to do pop and fails
With the success of Moonlight Shadow and Family Man (by Hall & Oates) Mike obviously thought he could be a pop song writer. This album disproves that and how! Read more
Published on 16 Jan 2002
Sublime
Although he will always be remembered for Tubular Bells, I believe it is works like this that make Oldfield a truly magnificent composer. Read more
Published on 4 Feb 2000
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