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Question: Light + Shade :: Total Votes:114 Poll choices Votes Statistics One of his best - a masterpiece 2  [1.75%] It's very good - I love it 28  [24.56%] It's okay - some tracks good/some not so good 49  [42.98%] A bit sub-par really 21  [18.42%] My God it's awful! 14  [12.28%] Guests cannot vote

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tubular_trekkie Group: Members Posts: 366 Joined: Sep. 2005 Posted: Oct. 06 2005, 08:22 Don't think there's actually been a poll for this yet: so what's your verdict on the album as a whole? I really love it, not quite a masterpiece (well it isn't Amarok or Crises) but really really good. Nice one Mike!   -------------- "The concept of progress acts as a protective mechanism to shield us from the terrors of the future." - from 'Collected Sayings of Muad'Dib' by the Princess Irulan Back to top

Deadcalm Group: Awaiting Authorisation Posts: 752 Joined: Nov. 2004 Posted: Oct. 06 2005, 08:42 Well its been in my CD tray for 5 days now !! I like the 2 Disc Feature a lot as well  ..Really Getting into the "Light" CD as well now... Light is sort of a Tres Lunas 2  thing but better I dont mind ive heard a few tunes before as theyve been enhanced ...In fact L&S could be a Triple Album with TRe Lunas being disc 1 ... It seems to all blend nicely ... Seems to me theres various opinions on the Album basically cause we all became Fans at diff periods.. Some Guys are buying the CDs in reverse some randomly and others from the Start..Thank God Im not a Status quo Fan and have a Choice of styles lol Back to top

The Bell(end) Group: Members Posts: 1051 Joined: July 2005 Posted: Oct. 06 2005, 12:41 Quote (Deadcalm @ Oct. 06 2005, 13:42) Seems to me theres various opinions on the Album basically cause we all became Fans at diff periods.. Some Guys are buying the CDs in reverse some randomly and others from the Start. Hands up! I'm one of the random buyers   -------------- When the night's on fi-ya, do you need love's arms to hold yew? :D Back to top

TubularBelle Group: Members Posts: 1487 Joined: April 2004 Posted: Oct. 07 2005, 01:30 I had TB since the start but got it on cd in 91 and then collected everything at random as I could find them. I think Light could have been a double album with Tres Lunas and Shade as a single album. I've been wanting a cd like Shade ever since I heard the TBIII excerpt on the Essential. As modern as it is though, it also sounds a little dated because that style of music wears thin very quickly and moves on to some other form, so I think Shade could have been released a few years ago. I would have voted for 'good' rather than 'very good' or 'okay' if it was an option. -------------- I hate getting up early. I didn't even realise there were two 6 o'clocks in one day! Back to top

Elf Group: Members Posts: 67 Joined: Jan. 2005 Posted: Oct. 07 2005, 05:15 I can see that a lot of people here don't mind Oldfield's use of computers on his latest album. I've nothing against computers myself. In fact most of the music I'm listening to is electronic, but I'm mainly listening to artists who are in control of the machine, something Mike is not. If people here really belive that Mike has done anything new and ground breaking on L&S (I only mention this since some people in The Gate thread said so), they need to broaden their musical horizons a little bit . There is nothing on L&S that wasn't already made in the mid 90s. Vocaloid is nothing more than a software tool for doing the same thing that you can do with a vocoder. I don't mind the vocaloid that much, in fact I think Surfin is a pretty nice track, one of the few songs that I actually liked on L&S. Another thing that bothers some of us old-timers is the fact that we remember a different Mike Oldfield from 1990. A Mike Oldfield who actually did something as silly as living in a tent in his garden to protest against what he called the soulless computerisation of music. This very same person is now doing what he openly blamed other artists for doing fifteen years ago. The computers are now controlling Mike, not the other way around. Most of L&S is sequenced patterns with a little bit of guitar fiddling on top. There's no depth or scope there anymore. Mike used to break new ground. He was first with his ground breaking computer animation videos. He did a video album years before anyone else. He did popular instrumental music years before it became fashionable to do so. He did an album with world music (Ommadawn) ten years before others started doing it (an exception is Vangelis' La Fete Sauvage). He made the very first CD with a CD-ROM track. I have a huge respect for him, and I adore most of his work (check out http://www.lastfm/user/Hogne/ if you don't believe me) but whenever he decides to follow a trend he comes off as and oldie who's desperately trying to hang on to something that was fashionable years ago. He did disco (Guilty) when disco was in going through it's death throes and he now does Eurodance and Chill-Out half a decade after those music styles stranded on the beaches of Ibiza and died. And he does lame games that have graphics that looks like they are at least five years old. I suspect that many of those who love L&S are those who have discovered Mike in the past five-ten years and are comfortable with the style of music he's been doing in this time period. I really wish Mike would let go of the computers. Not because I don't like computers, but because he's not in control of them. They hamper is creativity and makes him lazy. He claimed in an interview that this was "spiritually strongest record." Now that is the words of a true stinking rich new age hippie! Besides, in 1999 he said TMB was the most important record he had ever done, and in 1984 he claimed Discovery was his best album ever. We all know what he thinks of his pop songs from the 80s, these days, don't we? Back to top

Man From The Moon Group: Members Posts: 36 Joined: Aug. 2005 Posted: Oct. 07 2005, 05:33 Well, I have some "BUT" about 2 tracks - Quicksilver and Slipstrem. They are to modern for me, these beats are "to strong" in my opinion. I like them, but considering that they are MO tracks, i must say, that they are not very good. And one "LARGE BUT" - "Romance". Beautiful tune, destroyed by very aggressive arrangement. Rest of the album is Absolutely Great, so I really Love "Light And Shade", ist's brilliant. Turn off the lights, open the window, and let the universe speak to you by Mike's music. Fantastic sounds! I adore this kind of hypnosis, and I admire Mike's talent once again. I voted for a "mastrpiece" option. In spite of 3 sins, "L&S" is exactly what the Moon inhabitants Love! Back to top

tubular_trekkie Group: Members Posts: 366 Joined: Sep. 2005 Posted: Oct. 07 2005, 06:27 Talk about polarised opinions. Seems like this is an album that you either love or loathe. I also, like Elf, wonder whether 'newer' fans have a greater appreciation of L+S than 'older' ones. I suppose I'm one of the 'newer' ones - having only gotten into MO within the last five or six years. But I do have all his albums and I like them all (okay, with the possible exception of TKF, which doesn't do much for me to be honest). I love Ommadawn, Incantations, Crises and Amarok, but I also love Islands, Earth Moving, Heaven's Open and Tr3s Lunas. Maybe I'm just weird or something... Anyway, I still think MO is continuing to produce exciting, interesting and uplifting music regardless of whether he's using computers or not. I don't particularly care that to some people some of his music may seem 'cheesy' or dated; it's all about that special MO 'adrenalin rush' - and L+S has it in abundance.   -------------- "The concept of progress acts as a protective mechanism to shield us from the terrors of the future." - from 'Collected Sayings of Muad'Dib' by the Princess Irulan Back to top

TOBY Group: Members Posts: 1562 Joined: May 2002 Posted: Oct. 07 2005, 13:35 I may be wrong about this but I've always thought that broadly speaking there are three types of MO fan spanning recent years anyway. The first lot were the one's that kind of thought about giving up on him when TB2 was released and then completely gave up on him with TSODE. These fans still pay attention to what he does but have never really held much hope that he might do another Amarok ( I know of a few people in this category) The second and probably younger category of fan  discovered Mike where the other lot left off ie they love TB2 and TSODE and pretty much like every album since then. And finally our last category, which includes myself, loved to varying degrees all his Virgin era stuff felt pretty bemused by TB2, liked TSODE and then felt bemused again by every release since but stayed with Mike hoping one day for a real return to form. With L+S I have a theory that the people that are liking it are mainly younger and not British. Like it or not we Brits do have a different taste in music to the rest of Europe. The word Eurotrance has been used to describe some of L+S and I'd say thats a spot on definition of it.   There are also possibly younger fans who are forcing themselves to like it simply because it's a new MO album and therefore 'should' be liked. I know this because I've forced myself to like albums by Mike in the past, certainly TB2 would fit into that category. Also I was so looking forward to Voyager, I return to folk after the Si-Fi of TSODE, but I couldn't believe how disappointed I was with it, there must be something wrong with me I thought, but no it was just a very mediocre collection of bad cover versions for the most part. But it would certainly be interesting to see the breakdown of fans that like L+S and their geographical location. As far as posts on these boards are concerned my perspective on it is that its mainly the UK fans that arn't 'getting' it. Not that I think there's much to 'get' but obviously thats just me. Back to top

Sir Mustapha Group: Musicians Posts: 2802 Joined: April 2003 Posted: Oct. 07 2005, 13:58 Well, surprisingly, I'm positive on the album. At least, the first CD. In Light, I discard only "The Gate" and "Our Father" - which leaves 6 good songs. And I mean good as in fully likeable. Not addictive, but likeable. "Angelique", "Blackbird", "First Steps", "Closer", "Sunset"... pretty solid stuff. Only "First Steps" is a major reprise, of course, and "Closer" is a cover. And now that I think of it... "Rocky" has a bit of an Amarok vibe. It reminds me of the "Boat" section - a dèja vu, yes, but a pleasant one. "Shade"? Only one song I like, and it is "Ringscape". The rest can go to sleep. "Resolution" and "Romance" are Hell on Earth, and "Quicksilver", "Slipstream" and "Nightshade" are just totally dismissable. "Surfing" and "Tears Of An Angel" might stick around, when I'm feeling very, very generous. -------------- Check out http://ferniecanto.com.br for all my music, including my latest albums: Don't Stay in the City, Making Amends and Builders of Worlds. Also check my Bandcamp page: http://ferniecanto.bandcamp.com Back to top

TOBY Group: Members Posts: 1562 Joined: May 2002 Posted: Oct. 07 2005, 14:20 The other thing I've noticed though is that very few people can actually agree on what they either like or dislike about L+S. For example Tears of an Angel is the ONLY track that has any edge to it for me yet others like yourself Sir M dislike it. Personally I really, really can't get my head around Sunset in any meaningful way, I mean its pleasant enough in an utterly unengaging musak kind of way yet others think its superb. And again I've read posts by fans saying how much they dislike most of the albums direction but quite like Mike's cover version of Lakme and yet for me this track is, and I'm not exaggerating here, the single worst piece of music he's ever put his name to. At least Speak Thou You only Say Farewell had nice 'I was pissed/stoned when I came up with this idea' feel to it. I think trance cover versions of classical pieces should be outlawed by European law. I'm still floored that Mike could do something so low as this. Back to top

The Bell(end) Group: Members Posts: 1051 Joined: July 2005 Posted: Oct. 07 2005, 15:06 Quote (TOBY @ Oct. 07 2005, 19:20) I think trance cover versions of classical pieces should be outlawed by European law. I'm still floored that Mike could do something so low as this. It makes the original sound like buisiness class material     , you could hate it, but it's a positive tune just like Portsmouth or Punkadiddle, it always cheers me up. So I thank Mike for a track like this -------------- When the night's on fi-ya, do you need love's arms to hold yew? :D Back to top

Alan D Group: Members Posts: 3670 Joined: Aug. 2004 Posted: Oct. 07 2005, 16:26 Quote (Elf @ Oct. 07 2005, 10:15) And he does lame games that have graphics that looks like they are at least five years old. Ah, like Rembrandt painted lame portraits that look like they're at least 300 years old? I think you've entirely misunderstood the nature and strength of the games. If they were updated with bang-up-to-the minute graphics, then that might be very nice (though it equally might not, depending on how it was done); but I fancy it would make very little difference for most of the people who already love the games for what they are. Back to top

Alan D Group: Members Posts: 3670 Joined: Aug. 2004 Posted: Oct. 07 2005, 16:36 Quote (Sir Mustapha @ Oct. 07 2005, 18:58) "Angelique", "Blackbird", "First Steps", "Closer", "Sunset"... pretty solid stuff. Only "First Steps" is a major reprise, of course, and "Closer" is a cover. And now that I think of it... "Rocky" has a bit of an Amarok vibe. I agree with Toby that it's extraordinary how opinion is polarising in such unpredictable ways. For example, looking at Sir M's list from 'Light', I'm with him all the way with Angelique, First Steps, and Sunset. I love these tracks. Yet Blackbird and Rocky (an Amarok vibe???) are very tedious for me, with piano playing that seems desperately plodding and basic; and Closer would take its place alongside the worst, most irritating tracks on Voyager. There's no making sense of these varied responses it seems. Back to top

The Bell(end) Group: Members Posts: 1051 Joined: July 2005 Posted: Oct. 07 2005, 17:22 Quote (Alan D @ Oct. 07 2005, 21:36) Closer would take its place alongside the tracks on Voyager. Amen to that!   -------------- When the night's on fi-ya, do you need love's arms to hold yew? :D Back to top

Elf Group: Members Posts: 67 Joined: Jan. 2005 Posted: Oct. 08 2005, 04:40 Quote (Alan D @ Oct. 07 2005, 16:26) [/quote] Quote [quote=Elf,Oct. 07 2005, 10:15]And he does lame games that have graphics that looks like they are at least five years old. Ah, like Rembrandt painted lame portraits that look like they're at least 300 years old? Well, with the difference that Rembrandt didn't claim that he had to wait so long for his paintings to be published because people's hardware wasn't good enough to show them. That was Mike's excuse for taking so long with his game, and when he finally released them they looked ancient. I'm sorry, but when a game looks as dated as that, you're asking for low sales. And what is most troubling is that Mike seemed to think that the graphics were state of the art. Quote I think you've entirely misunderstood the nature and strength of the games. If they were updated with bang-up-to-the minute graphics, then that might be very nice (though it equally might not, depending on how it was done); but I fancy it would make very little difference for most of the people who already love the games for what they are. His games are for people who don't like computer games. No misunderstanding on my part. Back to top

Alan D Group: Members Posts: 3670 Joined: Aug. 2004 Posted: Oct. 08 2005, 04:58 Quote (Elf @ Oct. 08 2005, 09:40) His games are for people who don't like computer games. Well, you may well have got close to the truth of it there (but for possibly the wrong reasons). I think your adverse judgement arises from a category error. They're only 'lame' (as you put it) if you think they're supposed to be computer games in the usual sense (just as someone might call Picasso 'lame' if he thought painting should be about the accurate depiction of the visible world). But they aren't computer games in the usual sense. That's what I mean about the misunderstanding. Back to top

Holger Group: Members Posts: 1506 Joined: Feb. 2003 Posted: Oct. 08 2005, 06:31 Is it any good? Yes. Back to top

TOBY Group: Members Posts: 1562 Joined: May 2002 Posted: Oct. 08 2005, 11:27 I think people who criticise the graphic qualities of MVR miss the point that it is a very, very home made effort on the part of Mike and his small team of two. I agree that Mike did partly play up the size and scope of the game, technically speaking, by saying stuff like 'its only now home computers are ready for this' when in fact MVR was, graphically speaking, laughably backward in some places, some of the graphics looked like they were done in the 80's. In other places though the graphics weren't to bad, again judged as a home made effort. However were MVR was not backward was in its freedom to move about and roam where ever you want. In that respect it did push things and credit should be given for what it accomplished there. I did hugely enjoy MVR, I certainly wouldn't begrudge Mike doing another, if it helps give his music some direction. I think though if he wants it to take off beyond the fan base this time he has to collaborate conceptually as well as technically. Meanwhile back on topic Back to top

Trinidad Group: Members Posts: 295 Joined: Mar. 2005 Posted: Oct. 10 2005, 07:09 Well, I said once that I was going to buy it, but, as I never had good vibrations with it, I decided to download it and have a few listens before buying. So I've listened it twice so far, and I'm a little disappointed, even though I didn't expect much when I read "simple melodies and atmospheres", "Fruity Loops" and "Vocaloid". I think many tracks are very simple for Mike; I'm sure he could have done something in the same mood, but more elaborated, specially regarding those background loops. And many times I have the sensation of having heard something before, like watching a movie and knowing what's going to happen next. Anyway, I still like some tracks, and really love a pair of them, so I'll listen it a few more times to see if it touches something on me, and decide if buying or not. Please, note that I'm not ranting on about it, and that, because I don't know about music, I may be saing stupid things. But those are my feelings. Back to top

dreamweaver Group: Members Posts: 81 Joined: Feb. 2004 Posted: Oct. 10 2005, 08:16 For my part this is definately a 'grower'.  It doesn't have the same 'wow' factor that TB did and still does... but as Mike gets older his music seems to be mellowing too.. I've been playing the album in my office for a few days now, and it's been loved by everyone coming in and I've even had a few of my workmakes boogie-ing on down to Fruity Loops.... a sight for sore eyes   -------------- I sent my Soul through the Invisible, Some letter of that After-Life to spell: And by and by my Soul return'd to me, And answer'd "I Myself am Heaven and Hell:" Back to top

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