Kategorie: CD-Reviews | Genre: Artpop/Pop | Heft: Jahrgang 2014, eclipsed Nr. 159 / 4-2014 | VÖ-Jahr: 2014 | Wertung: 6.5/10 | Label: Virgin | Autor: WS
Mike Oldfield's back. On the once-hated Virgin label. And the rock. The cover isn't so wrong. It symbolizes the state of mind of the English master guitarist. There, plagued by the shadows of his past, he is still kept in a dark cave and looks out to the sunlit Caribbean Sea, which has become his refuge in his late years. The album is an unabashedly blunt return to his pop rock of the eighties, but this time committed to completely straightforward rock without a proggy longtrack instrumental that balances sophisticatedly. Singer Luke Spiller from The Struts is doing his job well. The bad thing first of all: Almost half of the songs are expendable. For example the all too chummy "Sailing", the hawkish Folkpop in the tradition of "Moonlight Shadow", but at least suitable for radio. Three tracks are chilly folk rock, nice but insignificant. "Following The Angels" is the worst slip, whose unbearable backing songs remind us of the crimes Oldfield committed on "Islands". On the credit side, there are three Slowburner, above all the bravura title track, typical elegiac Oldfield rock with a grandiose fade-out solo. Also the Celtic "Moonshine" builds up slowly, in order to unfold very pleasant vibes. In "Castaway" you will find the best this album has to offer, namely the fascinating guitar work of the virtuoso. The remaining three tracks are all veritable straight rockers: "Nuclear", an aggressive anti-war song; "Chariots" with an upbeat frontal guitar, which is most likely to tie in with Oldfield's once twisted sounds; and "Irene", where he gives free rein to his love for the Stones and reminds us of the Dire Straits. A late work that only gives pleasure in parts.
Top track: Man On The Rocks
