Mike's Message for the future (The Millennium Bell - Mike Oldfield)

Member Name: SallyP

Product:	The Millennium Bell - Mike Oldfield
Date:	19/06/01 (56 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great World Music

Disadvantages: None

If you have never heard The Millennium Bell you have really missed a treat from the great Mr O. Right from the first track you are taken through a musical journey that encompasses all time and continents.

Peace on Earth: is a modern piece that is reminiscent of a carol. With additional vocals by the London Handel Choir, it is a reflection of how earth would have been in the 1st millennia.

Pacha Mama: has a more primal edge to it and boasts amongst others Miriam Stockley on vocals together with the London Handel and Grant gospel choirs. It is a really haunting but beautiful track that stirs the inner being.

Santa Maria: takes us further through time to the time of the great sea discoverers. The sea shanty type vocals are provided by the Grant Gospel Choir.

Sunlight Shining Through Cloud: tells the story of slavery and its abolishment. You can hear the words of the hymn Amazing Grace in this track performed by the Grant Gospel Choir. This track is very beautiful but oh so haunting and full of hope.

The Doge’s Palace: is very Venician and brings to mind the splendour of Venice. It reminds me of a group that were around in the 70’s called Rondo Veneziano. A truly magisterial piece of music.

Lake Constance: From the splendour of Venice to ultimate romance. This is an orchestral piece with some 60+ musicians from the London Session orchestra. It’s breathtaking.

Mastermind: Here we are taken into the 20th century underworld. This track is sinister and gangsterish. Mr O’s guitar work is outstanding on this track.

Broad Sunlit Uplands: complementing Mastermind, this track is the representation of the organisation of the last world war. It is an orchestral piece with the ticking of a clock through the track, it is a thought provoking piece.

Liberation: There is a spoken piece in this track that comes from Anne Franks Diary. Both choirs mentioned previously accompany vocal
ists Pepsi & Miriam Stockley. It’s a track that gives hope.

Amber Light: Strong on Vocals this track is the retrospect of all of the previous tracks and passes the message of hope for the coming millennium. Some of the lyrics are sung in a South African Dialect. A very moving piece.

The Millennium Bell: A Dance track that encompasses pieces of all of the other tracks Lots of strings and Percussion harnessed with roof raising vocals. It is the climax to the album.

All in all this could be classed as world music as there are so many diverse arrangements that blend together so well. There is something on this album for all ages and tastes of music from Baroque to African beat and vocal to complete orchestral. There is nothing here to offend or assault the senses, just a musical journey that is thought provoking but overall peaceful. Even the album cover is a real work of art. This album might break the mould but it could be one of Mr O’s greatest understated albums.

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