NATASHA

Sally Oldfield

Crossover Prog

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'Natasha' is a beautiful album, close to her best, partly due to the fact that she wrote all of the songs (on her previous album 'Instincts', the three that she wrote were far and away the standouts-the rest was fairly mediocre). The passionate 'Break Through the Rock' begins the album very well, with powerful drumming and emotional vocals, along with her unique songwriting, setting the bar high for the rest of the album, which delivers very nicely. 'Clear Light' which blends into 'My Drumbeat Heart', reminds me of the 'Water Bearer' album, an album many consider her finest, and 'Song of the Mountain' recalls a theme from that album's title track. But it's 'In The Presence of the Spring' that brought tears to my eyes. The lovely chorus is among the very finest things that she has done. 4 and a half stars for this gem.

Report this review (#699169)
Posted Thursday, March 29, 2012 | Review Permalink

kenethlevine
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Prog-Folk Team

It's been said by at least one person whose insights I value that artists who lost their way in the 1980s often found the plot again in the 1990s. Unfortunately, once the audience skedaddles it's hard to recover their trust. For SALLY OLDFIELD, "Natasha" seems self aware in its circling back to matching generally mystical lyrics with more suitable arrangements and production, including the return to her hypnotic repetitive figures best exemplified in "In the Presence of the Spring", her best track in a decade.

Even on the opener, with all its technological flare, the percussion and shout-chanted vocals seem to correct the errors of the prior two or three releases, with even her silky voice on the rise. The dreamy ballad "Natasha" is by several accounts an ode to herself as she is sometimes known by this name, perhaps a clever alteration of her middle name "Patricia". "Clear Light" is a trance like brief incantation, so by the time we get to the ripoff of a tune from her first album, it's obvious that at least some of what's here is in the same league.

Slipping in at just under 3.5 stars, "Natasha" is a mature effort that suggests this experienced singer, songwriter and musician has found inspiration in sincere self reflection.

Report this review (#3186400)
Posted Wednesday, May 14, 2025 | Review Permalink

SALLY OLDFIELD Natasha ratings only

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brotherjohn (john white)
cirrusbay (bill gillham)
Psychedelic Paul (Paul)
puzart (Artur)
Floydoid (Mike)
stefanbedna (STEFAN)
-Zero- (R�gis R S)
R4yka (Rayka)
ahmetbolanyig (Ahmet BOLANYIG)

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