AMAROK

"Amarok" is probably one of the more interesting albums/songs I've ever listened to. If ever there was an artist who could successfully create an hour-long song and still maintain the listener's attention for the entire duration, it is Mike Oldfield. Not only does he compose this elaborate test of dedication with the expected skill we've come to know and love as Mike Oldfield, but he does so with the perfect balance of melodies one might relate to in Thick as a Brick. Besides kill time, this album/song provides a most elaborate escape into the world of music that is quite unparalleled in music that I've listened to. You could listen to this song in fragments like any other album, or you could sit yourself down and listen to the full hour. Either way, Oldfield's got your back. There's just enough random nonsense contained within for it not to be taken too seriously, which I think humbles the music itself. I respect the fact that I can take this music seriously and at the same bask in the silly moments with delight. Definitely one of Oldfield's best, if not his best already and definitely worth checking out if you enjoy his other works.

Also, for some reason I always pictured Meryl Streep as the "woman of endings".