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TODDLER

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Posted: January 13 2014 at 10:45

zravkapt wrote:

TODDLER wrote:

Try listening to Ommadawn in a relaxed state.

Xonty

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Posted: January 13 2014 at 12:02

Ommadawn isn't really "special" for me. Though its my 2nd favourite Oldfield album (after Tubular Bells), it doesn't really just out at me. Good but not great, and a bit muzak-y in the second half. It has some pretty nice little passages, but on the whole not entirely consistent. "On Horseback" is a brilliant album ending, but a little out of place. The intro is promising but the whole album doesn't keep up.

Overall, the album is great but nothing that special IMO, not "a gem" like most of the others on this thread. Only really works in the right relaxed mood as already mentioned, but yeah Smile

richardh

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Posted: January 13 2014 at 16:41

Stool Man wrote:

What's so special about Ommadawn by Mike Oldfield?

the first five minutes Cool

after that its just merely brilliant

Dellinger

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Posted: January 13 2014 at 20:33

I really love this album. Specially side one, which is just about perfect. Just among my very favourite pieces of rock/pop/prog. There's something really special going on there. The 4 albums Oldfield did in the 70's are in a league of their own.

Stool Man

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Posted: January 20 2014 at 05:40

What's so special about Rock Bottom?

rotten hound of the burnie crew

Guldbamsen View Drop Down

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Posted: January 20 2014 at 06:37

The frail and gentle mood it conveys very aptly illustrates the hurt and fears experienced by a man who used to play the drums, and now after having fallen out a window has had to rethink everything he did musically.

Edited by Guldbamsen - January 20 2014 at 06:37

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Xonty

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Posted: January 20 2014 at 13:13

Rock Bottom is very emotional and unique as an album, nothing quite like it. I love the combinations of the sort of jazz/fusion side with a sort of sophisticated psychedelic rock thing going on, a beautiful lyrical themes carried on throughout. Alifib and Alife are just so extraordinary musically and lyrically, you can't help but keep listening to and love it. I forget which song it is (definitely on the 2nd side) but there is some of my all-time favourite bass playing by Hugh Hopper, and the final song (can't be bothered to type it out Tongue

) explores more and more genres/directions. Also Mike Oldfield's guitar appearance is great, with little excerpts of Tubular Bells hidden away in there. Also love the original cover - like Pawn Hearts, the further away the better for me (not in a cruel way in case you were wondering) Smile

It really shows what Robert Wyatt can do, even after such as emotional trauma. What a masterpiece! Big smile

richardh

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Posted: January 21 2014 at 01:24

Dellinger wrote:

I really love this album. Specially side one, which is just about perfect. Just among my very favourite pieces of rock/pop/prog. There's something really special going on there. The 4 albums Oldfield did in the 70's are in a league of their own.

Indeed and with Incantations being a double then Oldfield produced 5 masterpeices in row Wink

I am a fan of Platinum as well. Oldfield pulled off the change of direction brillilantly and carried on making great albums until Discovery where I think he perfected his song writing. After that it gets a bit patchy perhaps.

dr wu23

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Posted: January 21 2014 at 10:14

Stool Man wrote:

What's so special about Rock Bottom?

http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=5370

Now that's an interesting album choice.............I had never heard that one when it first came out but found a used vinyl copy about 25 years ago. I like Soft Machine and Wyatt's work with them but this album never clicked with me...not sure why.

Haven't played it in a long while.....time to put it on and see what's up.

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TODDLER

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Posted: January 23 2014 at 07:57

dr wu23 wrote:

Stool Man wrote:

What's so special about Rock Bottom?

http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=5370

Haven't played it in a long while.....time to put it on and see what's up.

Rock Bottom is very strange and beautiful. Maybe it just hits me in a spot that matters. It is very Jazzy in sections and creates this kind of atmosphere for me personally. It was like sitting down to watch an underground film for me. There is also something within the music that might be just a little Pink Floydish , but I can't point it out because it's just a vibe I get from the overall production. The album creates a visual for me.

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Posted: January 23 2014 at 09:49

there all classic album. of amazing music from the great musicians of those band`s.

Friedrich Nietzsche: "Without music, life would be a mistake."

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Keep Calm And Listen To The Music…
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TODDLER

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Posted: January 23 2014 at 11:19

"Sea Song" from Rock Bottom and a few other tracks produce a particular style of composition that is very English and musically childish.. derived from the English style of writing "Children's songs". It's a combination of a distinctive vocal phrasing used in many children's songs and the writing of a strange melody. Often you can hear the style in Syd Barrett's solo work or the early Pink Floyd. Obviously...if you're not thrilled with a style like this ...you may dislike the album.

Edited by TODDLER - January 23 2014 at 11:20

Kazza3

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Posted: January 26 2014 at 20:40

Thanks for bringing up this album... hadn't heard of it before, or any Wyatt, or any Canterbury, but your descriptions got me interested, and it's a wonderful album indeed.

Stool Man

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Posted: January 27 2014 at 03:23

Kazza3 wrote:

Thanks for bringing up this album... hadn't heard of it before, or any Wyatt, or any Canterbury, but your descriptions got me interested, and it's a wonderful album indeed.

Thanks for helping to make this topic worthwhile. This is exactly why we do it.

What's so special about Hot Rats?

rotten hound of the burnie crew

TODDLER

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Posted: January 27 2014 at 10:56

Hot Rats was groundbreaking/influential to artists globally particularly in the instrumental department. Although Captain Beefheart sings "Willie the Pimp"....the idea to produce more instrumental pieces within a style of Progressive Rock/Jazz Rock with long jams became more popular after the release of Hot Rats.

Xonty

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Posted: January 27 2014 at 11:44

Hot Rats - has a great blend of genres and techniques. To think that it was the 60s, it seems very ahead of its time. Love the jazz and comedy stuff in it as well. Overall though, I feel it's a little overrated in general, and goes on a bit in the improvisations of the long pieces. Still love it though - my favourite Zappa album and definitely special Smile

Peaches En Regalia is my favourite Zappa song, maybe even all-time opening song on any album, Captain Beefheart's appearance on the 2nd track is excellent, and there's some great melodies in the other tracks. It doesn't really maintain its strength towards the middle/end of the album for me, I tend to lose concentration Ermm

Maybe I just haven't heard it enough, and I should really listen to it more

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Posted: January 27 2014 at 12:28

Stool Man wrote:

What's so special about Hot Rats?

Kinda jazz, kinda rock, kinda a few other things usually not heard in music. This was pretty novel in 1969. Some call it the first jazz rock album.

That said, I'm not nuts about it myself. I know that's unheard of coming from a lifelong Zappa fan such as I, but the three long tunes just don't delight me that much. I do love "Peaches", "Umbrellas", and "Camel" however. I would never deny that it's a special album though. I would probably go so far as to say at least half of Zappa's albums fit my definition of "special".

Edited by HolyMoly - January 27 2014 at 12:29

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Stool Man

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Posted: February 03 2014 at 08:21

what's so special about The Silent Corner And The Empty Stage?

rotten hound of the burnie crew

Xonty

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Posted: February 03 2014 at 14:48

Well, I can definitely appreciate it and it's clearly more than decent but special? Not so much really, doesn't quite meet up to the standard of his VDGG albums - doesn't have that little spark that "H To He", "Pawn Hearts", and "Godbluff" (maybe "Still Life") do. Maybe I just need a couple more listens; I did for the others Smile

Doesn't really jump out to me as a great album that I'd have on the tip of my tongue (as those ranked around that 4.4 level on here), although on paper (musically) it should be up there? Ermm

I'd still buy it if I saw it going at a decent price though Tongue

HolyMoly

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Posted: February 03 2014 at 14:49

The album cover looks like a giant butt.

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