MIKE OLDFIELD - Tubular Bells 2003
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Artist: MIKE OLDFIELDComposer: MIKE OLDFIELD
Performer: Mike Oldfield
Performer: Sally Oldfield
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2011-10-28
Music Label: Rhino Records
Soundtracks:
- Introduction
- Fast Guitars
- Basses
- Latin
- A Minor Tune
- Blues
- Thrash
- Jazz
- Ghost Bells
- Russian
- Finale
- Harmonics
- Peace
- Bagpipe Guitars
- Caveman
- Ambient Guitars
- The Sailor's Hornpipe
Music reviews of Tubular Bells 2003
Music Review: Mott's Bells ( 2003)
Rating: 5 Stars
Thirty years after it's first spectacular release(1973) upon an unaware public, Mike Oldfield has gone back to his classic debut solo recording and redone the whole thing. This can sometimes be a dreadful mistake, going back to former glories but not in this case , where Mike Oldfield has been able to rework his work of genius ( Even more remarkable considering he recorded the original when he was only seventeen and all the recording was done over a two week period in studio downtime.)
It was Richard Branson's fledgling record label Virgin that gave the young Mr. Oldfield his big break, quite a risk,a small independent record label, for it's first ever release, taking on a teenager ,and letting him release two sides of vinyl with no traditional song structures ,without anything like the sung word featuring. But between them of course they went on to make enough money out of this album alone, to Keep Branson in Hot Air Balloons and Oldfield in ever increasing studios. Tubular Bells has topped the charts all over the world, with over 16 million in sales ,is considered an important historical document, and with a whole generation has reverential status.It's first major breakthrough came when devilishly good horror movie 'The Excorcist' of the same year chose the 'Caveman' section of music to accompany some of the movies most scary moments.
So what has Mike Oldfield done to make his original work of genius even greater? Thereby further lining the well adorned pockets of himself and everyone's favorite British millionaire Richard Branson.
Well for a kick off the whole production is much fatter,and brighter than before, with the bass being mixed far higher up in the mix , giving a great contrast to Mike Oldfield's distinctive guitars which are layered over the top. 'The Caveman' has been properly up dated and is no longer just a musical orgy of grunts and groans ,but is now quite musical, Mike has been helped out here by the addition of some superb harmonizing grunting and groaning from his sister Sally. The bagpipes on the final rampage through the Sailors Hornpipe, have finally been recorded properly with quite startling results, if you go back and listen to the original it is quite obvious even to the untrained ear that perhaps one instrument that Mike had not quite mastered at the time of the original recording was the sometimes uncontrollable pipes. This time though it fair rips along.With today's technology as well ,it is possible to make each instruments , ( As it is he himself a some what older and wiser Mr.Oldfield who yet again plays all the instruments on this epic.) stand out on its own making it fascinating listening ,as you can hear something new each time you play it.
Due to the untimely death of Viv Stanshall who did the original voiced introductions of each instrument during the 'Finale' section,a new voice had to be found, and who better than Basil Fawlty himself, John Cleese? Who steps into the breech with perfect phrasing saving his best "pining for the fjords'' voice for the announcement of the arrival of the " double speed guitar",marvelous stuff.Still bringing a smile to the face after you have listened to the album a hundred times. Best of all though is that you no longer have to get up half way through to turn the album over, as these days a Compact Disc can store all of it's 50 minutes worth of grooves on one side.
There are two ways to buy this album ,as a single disc , or as part of a box set that includes the new 2003 version of Tubular Bells,Tubular Bells 2 from 1992,Tubular Bells 3 from 1998, plus a wonderful DVD Oldfield experience with film to go with the music.( To be fair Tubular Bells 3 is absolute rubbish, but then nobody can be great all the time ,and at only just over forty Baht extra per CD difference between the single CD and the box set you cannot really complain.)
One thing you will not get from this collection is the ability to burn your friends copies of the 2003 edition as that clever Mr. Oldfield has used his studio trickery to make it impossible to burn off spare copies. But if you liked the original recording of Tubular Bells? You will love the new one even more.
Tubed by Mott The Dog.
Belled by Ella Crew.
Description of Tubular Bells 2003
Tubular Bells 2003 by OLDFIELD, MIKEThis product is manufactured on demand using CD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply.
Perfectionist Mike Oldfield (unhappy, apparently, at the odd bum note on the indubitably classic original) utilizes updated studio techniques to re-record his flagship classical/folk/rock instrumental masterwork in its bar-for-bar entirety. It may be true that the Bayeux Tapestry would look pretty good if someone re-embroidered all 230 feet of it on a modern sewing machine, but that's hardly the point. Surely, the original Tubular Bells, which recorded 16 million in sales, has more than enough going for it. Although the production here is fatter and brighter, playing "spot the difference" between this version and the one that continues to pay for Richard Branson's hot-air balloons may require levels of diligence and dedication bordering on pottiness. There are minor distinctions, including louder bass guitar, better sounding bagpipes, Sally Oldfield (presumably) joining Mike for a grunt on the amusing "Caveman" section, and John Cleese playing master of ceremonies on "Finale," saving his best "pining for the fjords" voice for the announcement of the arrival of the "double speed guitar.". --Kevin Maidment
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