Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
It's the same - but it's not the same!, 30 May 2003
When I read that Mike Oldfield was re-recording Tubular Bells, I had mixed feelings. If it ain't broke, don't fix it came to mind. But I guess I'm not Mike Oldfield and not knowing the original the way he would, you've got to see why he decided to re-record it. I don't think it's cashing in on a guranteed seller, I think it's how he would have liked it to sound in 1973.
Well, I've got the new disc, and I have to say I like it. It's a far more polished recording, sometimes so polished it maybe lacks a little of the charm of the original. However it certainly has the "feel" of the original, the music is flawless and hasn't been tampered with to the point of making it unrecognisable. Some parts are very much improved, some are just as good and some are not quite as good as the original. There are subtle changes to some of the melodies, mostly in their timing, but this is no bad thing. It's more likely how it was meant to be played - Can we have a new sheet music release please?!The mix and production is nice and clear, far far better than 1973's methods! The most famous piece, Introduction, is well done, and sits nicely with the first recording. The rest of Part 1 is also stays faithful to the original, improving but never spoiling it. Part 2 starts off very strongly, and doesn't let up - it's a great listen all through. The bizarre Caveman track is just as manic and unexpected as it was the first time round!
All in all, Mike Oldfield has done an excellent job of recreating a very complex piece of music, and while I wouldn't class it as a replacement for the original, it stands proudly next to it. I'll be playing it on my old tin box for a good while yet!
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
To be played on NEW tin boxes only, fitted with anything!, 29 May 2003
As a lover of the original Tubular Bells and knowing it like the back of my hand I was delighted to hear that Mike was bringing out a re-recording of the original. Although the idiosyncracies of the original many will argue are what conjured up its appeal (me included) this presents itself as a new slant on the original but still reflects those characteristics unique to its predecesor. This is quite a fete considering it's a re-recording from scratch, and in some areas the similarity makes it hard to differentiate. The progress of this album is almost exclusively in its sound quality, it's sharper, clearer with a much fuller sound, due to new Dolby digital 5.1. Although it does lack some of the Mike's raw energy of the original it's tidier and softer around the edges. 'Latin' and 'Jazz' are considerably improved and 'The Caveman' has Sally Oldfield grunting along with Mike and John Cleese makes an intriguing MC with his military style 'Mandolin!' echo.
Overall the album is clever, compared to the original that was innocently brilliant, and this album bounces along nicely and achieves most the appeal of the original and adds something in the bargain.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A masterpiece just got a polish, 8 Jul 2006
Some people might argue that what Mike Oldfield has done is sacrilege - why remake an album almost note for note? It can be argued by purists that this new album has lost some of the emotion, the soul, and the spontaneity and 'earthiness' of the original album, and that it now more antiseptic and clinical. However, although I always loved the original album, I always found it "rough around the edges" with the screech of Mike's fingers sliding over some of the guitar strings, the lackluster bass, and off balance mixing detracting from the music rather than adding to it...and it appears Mr Oldfield agreed. This album isn't THAT different from the original, apart from the inclusion of John Cleese, and a reworking of the Caveman song, but for me it's clearer and more polished...think of the 2003 CD as a studio version, and the original as the live version, with all the "noise and atmosphere" that comes with it.
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