Comments for Oldfield, Mike, Heaven\\\'s Open

That's what I thought too, until I bought (wait for it) My New Stereo ! Turn up the volume on Heaven's Open (the song, not the whole album) and revel in what this man can do to fill a soundstage. If ever I need to remind myself why I paid for my hi-fi, this track does it for me ! The instrumental is interesting too; a departure from his usual instrumental vein. Brian Smith

From a point of view it's an experimental album, I think, where unusually he sings the vocals of the songs, a little different from the previous ones, and proceeds along the path of electronic music in the instrumental track, with "bursts" of rock music and atmospheres that remind "The killing fields". The last Virgin album. G.L.

I think he tries too hard. I quite like the title track, and "No Dream" isn't bad, either. However, I can't really bear to listen to the rest of the album. The vocal songs are nothing like the days of "Five Miles Out", "Crises" or "Discovery". They just don't seem to flow naturally (the same applies to "Earth Moving", although "Holy" and "Bridge to Paradise" are great). And, dare I say it, the subject matter (Christian/Gospel themes) get a little boring. I was happily surprised to see him redeem himself with the excellent "Tubular Bells II" and "Songs of Distant Earth".

Mmm. I think I'll have to disagree with most of the previous entries. Yes, this is an experimental album and yes some of the production and mixing could have been done a little better (Both 'Heaven's Open' & 'No Dream' have recording levels that almost reach saturation in a few places which does spoil the soundstage), but Music from the Balcony is BRILLIANT! The SFX and mixing is superb, the soundstage huge Whoa! Just buy a great hi-fi & TURN IT UP. There is so much stuff going on quietly in the background on this track. Wonderful!

Yes, we have to say this isn''t Mike at his best, but it does a nice noise for a while. Specially "Heaven''s Open", this is one of his best pops attemps. Anyway, I prefer Earth Moving in the direct sense of pop. (By the way, "Music from the Balcony" is weird as charming). Carlos Martinez.

Yet another pop attempt from M Oldfield that fell flat on itsface.