QE2

Taurus1 begins in true new-age fashion with harmless melodicism and elevator musicianship; gradually it becomes more interesting as it harmonizes layers of instruments and melodies. It pales greatly against the classic Oldfield it is modelled after but it sounds fresh and rather inspired. The new-age ethics continue on Sheba, a short track with esoteric vocals and slight influences from minimal composers. Not bad but a bit bland. Conflict is better, Oldfield still struggles to find melodies he didn't do before but at least he achieves some originality in the percussive arrangement.

With Arrival, the album tumbles into one of the deepest cheese pits that have ever been dug in progland. Simply terrible. James Last couldn't bring this any worse. And to do that to one of Abba's finest songs! Shame. Also the other cover/adaptation Wonderful Land fails to climb up along the new-age grease of this pit's foul walls.

Mirage is more fun. A typical Oldfield Celtic folk crescendo, but with a bit more flesh to it then to the rest of the album. The title track is rather uninspired and forgettable. The trumpets halfway in and the folk march that follows are simply dreadful. Celt is the sound of an artist plagiarising himself, the percussion heavy chant is a weak reworking of the magic that was created on Incantations. Molly is harmless and unremarkable.

Overall, this is better then Platinum but there are some particularly nasty traps to watch out for. 2.5 stars.

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