Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mike's Best Work Ever?, 7 Sep 2006
You are either a big fan of Mike Oldfield or you probably haven't heard of him. When he dies he will be remembered for his concept debut album, Tubular Bells and this album won't get a mention.
But I believe this to be his finest hour. Mike has gone on record (excuse pun) that he was never completely satisfied with Tubular Bells so who am I to complain?
SoDE is a unique album. Never before nor since has he managed to create such variety and depth in a jam packed recording.
The album has 17 tracks but ostensibly they run on giving an uninterrupted listening experience.
The album starts off fairly quietly and finishes up with a bang. As usual, Mike likes to build up his music so that his best efforts are usually at the end. Like watching a thriller movie, the climax is realised and you want to come back for more.
Some people view this album as a chill-out recording. Indeed, one of the tracks, "Crystal Clear", has in fact a voice taken from psychology, and is the second best track.
The penultimate track, "Ascension" is a sort of reprise of all that has gone before and mixed wonderfully as only Mike can.
Mike the perfectionist musician meets Mike the perfectionist audio engineer. How can he fail?
Throughout SoDE there are many varied voices to be heard with just a smattering of lyrics. This is Mike's trademark. There are actually no "songs" on this album. This is an instrumental piece of work. But the voices are also instruments and can vary from actual "live" recordings to haunting melodies and also the surreal. But it never sounds weird. Just brilliantly timed to fade in and fade out with Mike playing a myriad of instruments.
The whole album oozes perfection from start to finish and at times Mike's guitar work is exciting and breathtaking.
A chill-out album it may be but after you have heard it all you will be left with an afterglow feeling that only this New Age type of music can achieve.
If you only buy one album by Mike Oldfield, make it this one.
Wear the cans, crank up the volume and chill out man!
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19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mike's Absolute Best., 4 Dec 2001
By A Customer
Forget Tubular Bell's in all it's incarnations, they were very good but this is one of the best records I have ever heard, and it is Mikes absolute masterpiece. I originaly heard this 7 years ago when it was first released and I can say it moves me as much today as it did then. It is probably the most consistant record in my collection, there's not a crap track anywhere here.
Apparently it was inspired by an Arthur.C.Clarke Novel of the same name and space travel is the constant theme throughout. The album starts with 'In the begining' and includes the reading of Genesis ch1 v1 from the Apollo 8 mission in orbit around the moon in 1968. You get a real feeling about the begining of time with this track, with it's sampled whale cries and simple melody. The track that realy stands out though is 'Magellan', from it's magestic Synth and Bagpipe opening to it's simple and ethereal piano, guitar and choirs. Brilliant tune, mate. Another personal favourit is 'The Shining Ones' (title taken from the David Edding's novel?), but it's unfair to single out single tracks because every one inspires. There's choirs, lot's of interesting synthesiser passages, unusual and freaky samples and sound effects, lots of great and strong melodies and of course Mike's inimitable guitar playing styles.
This record apparently sold like hot cakes in Spain but for some perverse reason only reached the far end of the top 40 album chart here. A shame, this Album's a M.O Megaclassic.
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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Unbelievable! An absolute gem from out of the Blue!!!, 17 Nov 2000
By A Customer
What an amazing recording this is! This is not standard Mike Oldfield fayre. Even die hard fans night have been thinking he was beginning to go through the motions, then from nowhere came this exceptional album. The inspiration is obviously the Arthur C. Clark novel of the same name - but my reaction on hearing this for the first time was "where did this come from?". True dyed in the wool Oldfield fans might find this too far removed from the likes of Tubular Bells and Hergest Ridge etc., and if this is your first Oldfiled purchase, there is no guarantee you will like any of his other work. But "The Songs of Distant Earth" is a magnificent, magnificent album. Certainly an album of its day, with ambient moods and gentle melodies, but one which will surely go down as one of the great albums of the genre, and one of the best albums ever produced! I kid you not - it really is that good! Believe me, if you don't like this, then the problem is you, matey!! A BIG five stars for the Old Man of New Age (sorry Mike!!!)
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