PICTURES IN THE DARK

Working off the huge success of "Moonlight Shadow" and its less well known testosterone laden child, "Crime of Passion", "Pictures in The Dark" completes the trilogy of mid 1980s Celtic rock singles from Mike Oldfield. However, this one is far from a copy of "Moonlight Shadow". It's a bigger bolder production with richly layered vocal harmonies and several choruses that keep coming at you.

The voices of Barry Palmer, Anita Hegerland and child star Aled Jones play perfectly off each other. The shifting melodies of the verses and choruses allow the 5+ minutes to pass by fluidly, never lingering long in one place but with enough repetition to stick. Of course a signature Oldfield guitar solo completes the picture. Whatever dated 1980s influences might be present are merely surface next to profundity of the musical derivations themselves.

The second side of the EP features the excellent but too short celtic instrumental "Legend", which somehow manages to be a suite in 2:24, and the brief but too lengthily banal "The Trap".

If you enjoy quirky pop with progressive and ancient roots, the possibility of your liking this 12" single would be more than a shot in the dark.