MUSIC WONDERLAND

ive loved this since i was a little boy. Now i have searched for the name of the album again, as i cant the CD case anywhere, and somehow still remember the name after so many years (which is unlike me). I was searching for it again as the tracks on this album have some of the greatest riffs ever, and i want to learn how to play them on my guitar.

Oldfield plays Abba

"Wonderland" is a compilation of Oldfield's more commercial works, including a number of successful singles. The opening track, "Arrival", a cover of the title track from the Abba album, sets the mood for much of the rest of this collection being a pleasant short tune.

The various other covers and interpretations of traditional tunes are far removed from the complexities and experimentation of say "Tubular bells", but they still contain Oldfield's distinctive sound and style.

"Tubular bells" and "Ommadawn" are represented in extract format, but this appears to be more in an attempt to beef out the album to a reasonable length. They actually seem somewhat out of place in the context of this collection.

A pleasant if undemanding album, which offers a good way of obtaining some of Oldfield's output which is not otherwise widely available on album.

2 stars. Maybe 1 1/2. Only for collectors, because of three tracks not appearing on albums.

Meaningless, hopeless, miserable collection. It has no album-level composition, just couple of tracks taken from here and there. Now let's use some randomizer, yes, a dice will be all right, okay, compilation ready, let's sell this.

Commercial trash.

Tracks are: three extracts from epics Tubular Bells, Ommadawn and Platinum (pretty random exracts), short tracks from Platinum and QE2, singles Blue Peter and Porthsmouth, and live Guilty. Last track was often performed with Tubular Bells so let's put 6 tracks in between of them.

Poor. Not recommended.

This particular compilation is quite uneven and unusual. It was released in 1981 after more limited copies of "Impressions" and "Airborne".

Pretty bad stuff here, terrible gouging of Tubular Bells and Ommadawn, with several of the mid seventies singles and few poorly picked shorter songs from Platinum and QE2.

Of possible interest to collectors, I am partial to the corny but warm cover in LP format. A better choice would be the XXV compilation, or the preffered route of starting with Tubular Bells and working your way up!