Favorite Mike Oldfield albums

Discovery is his album I listen to the most from the 80's. It's mostly pop songs and I think they're better than the songs on his previous albums.

richardh wrote: Jared wrote: AFlowerKingCrimson wrote: I'm also familiar with Islands which has a great 20 minute track but mostly average pop songs on the other side. I also have his only classical album called Music From The Spheres which is actually rather nice but only listened to it once so far I think. The great 20 minute track followed by 'average pop songs' routine is a blueprint for a number of his albums, esp Crises which has a great A side and fairly woeful B side. Personally, I think The Wind Chimes is a bit lacklustre by his standards, but I still own it. Music of the Spheres is a beautiful piece of music and a little underrated here; I play it quite often. Re Crisis I enjoy Moonlight Shadow and Shadow On The Wall. Taurus 3 is also cool instrumental. In High Places is okay as is Foreign Affair. IMO

Doesn't "In High Places" feature Jon Anderson on vocals? I'm pretty sure some rap/ hip hop act sampled that one too.

Edited by AFlowerKingCrimson - August 07 2025 at 21:16

^ Don’t forget (One Glance Is) Holy from Earth’s Moving, which features Adrian Belew on vocals.

^ interesting you mention the version of Hergest Ridge from 1976 that was released on 'Boxed'. That was the first time I heard that album and I liked the stripped down feel of it. The version of TB on Boxed also includes the essential original version of Sailors Hornpipe with a very sloshed sounding Viv Stanshaw from the Bonzos all over it. Love it!