Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mike Oldfield's most astounding instrumental work!, 28 May 2001
By A Customer
After having amassed a music collection that includes nearly all of Mike Oldfields CDs, this one is perhaps the best of them all. It is split into two halves, the first four tracks are instrumental and the last four are vocal. The last four, whilst not bad, are not Mike Oldfields best attempts at vocal tracks and pale into insignificance behind other classics such as Moonlight Shadow and To France. The main work of art on the album is, as is to be expected from the title, the first four tracks, which are collectively entitled Platinum. All four are based around accoustic and prominantly electric guitars and the first track introduces the instruments in a bouncy melody that becomes more upbeat as it continues. The melody suddenly changes in the last few minutes to lead in the second track, another melody that incorporates the guitars prominantly but one that is more sombre and moody than the first with a slightly slower tempo. The third track is a return to upbeat - a jovial, almost bouncy and comical affair, completely different from the first two and one that wouldn't be out of place in a circus! Finally, the fourth track is in my opinion the best of them all, a haunting melody that eclipses every other track on the CD and one that could stand on its own quite happily as a solo piece. If you are a fan of Mike Oldfields early instrumental work then this album is a real must...
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Into Wonderland?, 5 May 2007
Though this is a good CD, I can not give it 5 stars as there are low points. The second part of the 4 part epic that is platinum is particularly irritating, guitar drives through you and then some stupid voice. The third part has trumpets outstaying their short interesting welcome and a manic piano scale. Not the thing that is conducive for easy listening. The voices that are the wind are interesting though. It might not all work in my opinion, some parts are good.
1. Airborne/Platinum/Charleston/North Star/Finale 3 stars
2. Woodhenge 5 stars
3. Sally 5 stars
4. Punkadiddle 4 stars
5. I Got Rhythm 5 stars
I love Woodhenge, the feel of it and the images that it conjures. Sally has very good vocals by Wendy Roberts and a very interesting story behind it, if you want to know it? Bang Mike Oldfield in google and pick out the Wikipedia site and click on platinium. You learn something new everyday. Wendy Roberts also supplies the voice on I Got Rhythm, which is a song composed by George Gershwin in 1930 with lyrics by Ira Gershwin
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Variety, 2 Feb 2004
I bought this LP in December 1979 and couldn't stop playing it! I particularly love the contrasting styles used by Mike on each track. On my copy of the LP, the track "Sally" was Mike's original track, and some years later I heard a different recording of same LP, but the track "Sally" had been replaced by a track which was actually titled "Into Wonderland". The latter, though superior to the original, stands out like a sore thumb in context with the rest of Side Two. I doubt the original "Sally" is available on CD, as I have this on CD and the track is definitely "Into Wonderland", the original being something of a rarity now. That said, this is a terrific album and the segue effect is a good tool, and I will keep listening to this album for a long time to come!
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