I'm always wary of modern adaptations of old books. It's very easy for the person to get carried away with new technologies, and forget the concepts of the original book, in favour of new and 'better' visual or audible effects and impressive special touches. The original story is lost in a myriad of technological advances and the point is lost. Luckily, this didn't happen with Jeff Wayne's musical version of H.G. Wells' The War Of The Worlds. It did happen in the film version, which I hated, but Jeff Wayne has kept faithful to the original story, inflating the story with atmosphere and imagination. It's a popular album, with quite ...  Read the complete review

‘No one would have believed, in the last years of the nineteenth century, that human affairs were being watched from the timeless worlds of space.’ H. G. Wells’ classic novel continues to be revised and updated for modern audiences, from Orson Welles’ unintentionally devastating radio performance in 1938 to the latest Spielberg film, but Jeff Wayne’s 1977 rock opera remains the most interesting, unexpected and perhaps loyal adaptation in the public consciousness. Now re-released on double CD, and available in several different, increasingly dubious forms since its release, ‘The War of the Worlds’ came at a time between the psychedelia, progressive ...  Read the complete review

"No one would have believed in the early years of the 21st century that our world was being watched by intelligences greater than our own; that as men busied themselves about their various concerns, they observed and studied, the way a man with a microscope might scrutinize the creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water. With infinite complacency, men went to and fro about the globe, confident of our empire over this world. Yet across the gulf of space, intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic regarded our planet with envious eyes and slowly, and surely, drew their plans against us..." The War of the Worlds is a 1978 concept album by Jeff ...  Read the complete review

War of the Worlds is an absolute stormer of an album. It belongs up there with 'The Wall' and 'The White Album' as an all time classic; an innovatory idea that I don't believe has ever been topped. Strictly it's not a soundtrack, in that it doesn't accompany anything else. It's a self contained fusion of rock, elctronica and narration which tells the story of H.G. Well's classic novel of the same title. Richard -the Voice- Burton narrates the story of earth's domination by creatures from Mars, composed entirely of brain, and stalking the earth in giant killing machines. There looks to be no hope for mankind, until it turns ...  Read the complete review

Striking fear into a child is easy. Make loud scary noises, confuse them, tell them Michael Jackson is coming to visit their school. Frightening as these things are, they are certainly overcome when you grow up. War of the Worlds however, still scares me to death. I was twelve when I first heard Richard Burton’s dulcet tones announcing an immanent Martian invasion and from then on, every car journey with my dad involved looking to the sky in fright for a fleet of Martian spacecraft. War of the Worlds is a timeless orchestral tale of Martians invading the Earth. Narrated by Burton who doubles as the main character, a journalist caught up in the ...  Read the complete review