Author Topic: The "I Saw This Bit Of Music On The Net" Thread  (Read 40618 times)

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Online benb61

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Re: The "I Saw This Bit Of Music On The Net" Thread
« Reply #60 on: December 14, 2016, 06:01:53 PM »
It's at the 2 hour and 10 minute mark.  Not bad
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Online ToddF

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Re: The "I Saw This Bit Of Music On The Net" Thread
« Reply #61 on: December 15, 2016, 05:36:34 PM »
Mike Oldfield is another great example.  He built his rep on great instrumental albums then went kind of new age/soft rock with vocals.  I see he's been returning to his roots the past few years.

 ::thumbsup::

Offline Weisshaupt

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Re: The "I Saw This Bit Of Music On The Net" Thread
« Reply #62 on: December 15, 2016, 08:18:44 PM »
Mike Oldfield is another great example.  He built his rep on great instrumental albums then went kind of new age/soft rock with vocals.  I see he's been returning to his roots the past few years.

 ::thumbsup::

Actually Mike's career was a little more varied than that, but this new album is definitely a (second)  return to his roots. However, Mike has been [so successful for his entire career, with multiple gold and platinum albums he simply doesn't need to do another album ever financially.  He lives in Bahamas, has multiple sets grandkids  from multiple sets of wives/partners and is living the good life.  I don't think he has done an album he didn't want to do since Heavan's Open and there are different periods to the music, but in my experience he has constantly been trying new things since he had the financial and contractual independence to do so, with varied success - some things I like more than others, but I don't think Mike has really ever been solidly in the pattern you describe.

The Long Instrumental Period:  Tubular Bells (1973),Hergest Ridge (1974  ), Ommadawn (1975 )   and Incantations (1978 )  were all Long ( LP side length) instrumentals - most of which were multi-track recordings of Mike playing multiple instruments, most of which were acoustic

The Punk Progressive period: Platinum (1997) , QE2 (1980 ) , Five Miles Out (1982), Crises ( 1983) were mixes of long instrumental pieces short pop songs.  The best way I can describe the style is  a mix of Progressive rock ( YES ,Rush) with a bit of punk thrown in. A lot more emphasis on electric guitar and synth, but never dropping the accousitc instruments.

The Progressive Rock period:  Discovery ( 1984) , Islands ( 1987)  dropped a lot of that punkish edge and became pretty solidly progressive rock, but still continued to mix pop songs with longer instrumentals. .


The Unhappy at Virgin Records Period:

Earth Moving (1989)  was the first full  short song, just plain  Pop Rock  album, and this was towards the end of his stint at Virgin records, who where pushing him for more commercial content. I think it suffered because of it. Its very MEH.

Amarok(1990)  was the result of Virgin pushing for a more commercial reprise of Tubular Bells, and Mike basically refused and gave them this - I think it is his BEST work  ever - Its one continuous  track , near impossible to cut up and play on the radio, and probably inaccessible to anyone who doesn't like Mike Oldfield ( a lot) already.  album's back cover reads: " HEALTH WARNING – This record could be hazardous to the health of cloth-eared nincompoops. If you suffer from this condition, consult your Doctor immediately ". It was the first studio  album to not even go silver  You cannot place this in a genre. It is Essence of Mike Oldfield.

But the contract said he owed Virgin  one more. So we get Heaven's Open by Michael Oldfield (  1991).  Its a return to the pop song with a long instrumental format. And while it has its moments, I think its the worst one he ever did. He changed the name I think in part, to distance himself from it.  More Pop rock songs, but the instrumental part is okay.

And then came the " Trying  Different Genre's and Styles , with some mandatory Commercial stuff to keep the Producers/Fans happy" period - which pretty much continues till  this day

Tubular Bells II (1992)  was that commercial revisit of the original 1973 album that Virgin wanted, but Mike did it for Warner Music (5x platnum in ESP, 2x platinum in the UK)  - Probably Best described as  instrumental progressive rock - with  elements from the first album used in new ( and I think interesting ) ways.

The Songs of Distant Earth (1994)  is the first album that plays with  a New Age sort of pace and sound. I personally liked it quite a bit.. It was also an early experiment with multi media content..(enhanced CD with a simple puzzle that unlocked a music video)

Voyager (1996)  is short instrumentals and entirely Celtic in genre.
 
Tubular Bells III (1998)  is a return to a long instrumental , but  is quite different in structure form  the  other two incarnations of TB. It was again a more commercial effort, in that  Progressive Rock genre - its also the last album he has done to go Platinum  ( which all the records at Warner had done till this point)

Guitars (1999) is just that - Solidly Short Guitar instrumentals. My wife still uses one of the licks as her ringtone.

The Millennium Bell (1999)  was more of that long instrumental progressive rock , but composed mostly for a concert in Berlin on new years eve, 1999

Tr3s Lunas (2002)  is back to being almost new age instrumentals, but they were mixed into a 1st person explorer video game environment as well as in album form. More experimentation  in Media and music ,and it was interesting to wander through-  after investigating certain objects, or performing a task, a new piece of music would be played. I am a little glad this isn't the only way he offered to hear it though.. 

Tubular Bells 2003 ( 2003)  Is Mike channeling  all George Lucas - he returned to Tubular Bells and re-recorded the whole thing on modern tech, 5 channel surround, the works. Sounds great. ( I don't really count this as a "new" album - its so close to the original)  Is this returning to what he  he became famous for?  Not really. e as remastered a number of the old studio albums lately, without re-recording them. This was also the last album he did with Warner..

Light + Shade (2005)  reprises a lot of the work Mike did in Tr3s Lunas,  and I can't help but call this one solidly New Age. All short instrumental pieces.

Music of the Spheres (2008)  Mike goes Full orchestra/classical on this one. I will put this album up against any of the great classical composers - its really that good, and will probably be the Magnum Opus Mike Oldfield is remembered for. It went Silver int he UK, but I have faith it will be "discovered" again  someday

Man on the Rocks ( 2014)  is all short rock songs again ( I posted one from here before)  and its again quite good in my opinion.

And then Return to Ommadawn is finally coming back to rework Ommadawn, probably  in much the same way Tubular Bells II was a rework of its predecessor. Amarok was heavily influenced by Ommadawn in structure, so  I must say I am looking forward to hearing this new one..

Point is, Mike has continuously grown as a musician, continuously tried new things - including multimedia integration and new ways to experience music, and never really stagnated in a style - new or old. I think he drew a good blance between remaining commercially viable and trying new things. .  It could be Return to  Ommadawn is just another commercial product of "give em what they want" so he can put a little more cash in the bank,  but Amorok taught me not to anticipate anything from an Oldfield album. Buy  it, Listen to it, and see what he did now, and then decide if you like it. I hope he does do another classical piece before we loose him,  because I think he really shines when he does.

« Last Edit: December 15, 2016, 08:26:26 PM by Weisshaupt »

Online ToddF

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Re: The "I Saw This Bit Of Music On The Net" Thread
« Reply #63 on: December 19, 2016, 06:21:51 PM »
I was just noting as a very casual fan of his early work, and happened to sample a couple of later efforts.  Funny thing is, I didn't see reboot of Tubular Bells as commercial, just a return to his roots.  I liked it.  Bonus points for getting Alan Rickman to do the vocals.  The budget must have been a little higher, in that regard.   ::thumbsup::

Offline Weisshaupt

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Re: The "I Saw This Bit Of Music On The Net" Thread
« Reply #64 on: December 20, 2016, 07:29:33 PM »
I was just noting as a very casual fan of his early work, and happened to sample a couple of later efforts.  Funny thing is, I didn't see reboot of Tubular Bells as commercial, just a return to his roots.  I liked it.  Bonus points for getting Alan Rickman to do the vocals.  The budget must have been a little higher, in that regard.   ::thumbsup::

John Cleese played Master of Ceremonies on the TB 2003 release :)   
I get your point though, I am sure Virgin was pressuring him to do the Vocals/Pop songs for commercial reasons-- however it should be noted that his pop songs were very well received outside of the States, and he really is a quite well known and popular artist in Europe, Asia and the rest of the Anglosphere sans America because of his Pop songs.
In college I was playing "To France" and one of the European students came running down to my dorm room  thinking they had identified a fellow traveller :)   Moonlight Shadow and Magic Touch were also quite popular.  Magic Touch actually got to #10 in the States at one point. I remember my sister coming and and saying listen to this- I think you will like it, not realizing that she had told me that se hated  TBI because it sounded like "Chuck Berry walking down a country road"

Which later works did you sample and find wanting? ( I certainly have some that aren't my favorites.  I don't hate them, but I don't spin them up often either)

I personally really liked TBII as well, but it definitely had a different sound to it than the original acoustic albums...more of an updating of roots than a return in my opinion.. and very commercial, which is why  Virgin was pushing him to do it, and why it was the first album he delivered to his new label.  But if you like the long instrumentals, there  are several albums that have really good ones:  Platinum/platinum (Live version) , QE2/Taurus 1, Five Miles out/Taurus II,  Crises/Crises, and  Islands/Wind Chimes part II are all worth a listen from the Pre-TB II time period. And if you aren't a cloth ear'd nincompoop, you can give Amarok a try.

Songs of Distant Earth is overall a good full length instrumental Album, but what makes it good is , you know, all of it. It doesn't work as an excerpt really. But its really more new-age ...

Top of the morning  is my favorite track on TBIII, which is another full length instrumental, most of which is pretty good. Millennial Bell is also in this category. I tend to pull these off the shelf every year or two, and think, wow, this is better than I remember, and then not listen to it again for two years.

And then Music of the Spheres  really is the master work ( providing you LIKE classical music)
« Last Edit: December 20, 2016, 07:58:47 PM by Weisshaupt »

Online ToddF

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Re: The "I Saw This Bit Of Music On The Net" Thread
« Reply #65 on: December 21, 2016, 07:44:28 AM »
I'd say to generalize, Islands (new agey) and Earth Moving (poppy) would best represent that period.

Keep in mind I'm just sampling my mp3's in the evening when the wife is busy and all I have to do is play on the computer sipping moderate quantities of soju.   ::beertoast::

Offline Libertas

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Re: The "I Saw This Bit Of Music On The Net" Thread
« Reply #66 on: December 23, 2016, 11:46:28 AM »
Heck, even I like this! 

https://youtu.be/8q3Lck1dneA

H/T - IOTW

 ::cool::
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Offline AlanS

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Re: The "I Saw This Bit Of Music On The Net" Thread
« Reply #67 on: December 23, 2016, 01:57:16 PM »
Here we have local musician Marc Broussard from beautiful downtown Carencro, LA.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuWPseegaKw
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Offline Libertas

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Re: The "I Saw This Bit Of Music On The Net" Thread
« Reply #68 on: December 23, 2016, 02:14:23 PM »
Swampy, I like it.  I can drink to that!   ::beertoast::
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Offline AlanS

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Re: The "I Saw This Bit Of Music On The Net" Thread
« Reply #69 on: December 24, 2016, 09:58:23 AM »
The video features 2 of my fishing spots. The one on the bus with the swamp in the background is the Atchafalaya Basin. The largest wetland swamp in the U.S.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atchafalaya_Basin

The one where he's standing on the boat dock is Lake Martin. Not much larger than a pond, but decent fishing and excellent gator and bird watching.

http://www.lakemartinswamptours.com/

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Offline Libertas

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Re: The "I Saw This Bit Of Music On The Net" Thread
« Reply #70 on: December 24, 2016, 02:11:40 PM »
The Almighty gave us some gifted people and beautiful scenery to make our time on Earth enjoyable!
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Offline AlanS

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Re: The "I Saw This Bit Of Music On The Net" Thread
« Reply #71 on: December 26, 2016, 05:59:09 AM »
Keeping the Holiday spirit going, Tom Waits "Christmas Card From a Hooker"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sf2nF2QFeWo&feature=youtu.be
"Malo periculosam, libertatem quam quietam servitutem."

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Offline Libertas

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Offline AlanS

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Re: The "I Saw This Bit Of Music On The Net" Thread
« Reply #73 on: December 26, 2016, 09:36:03 AM »
Dayum, Libertas! When did you start listening to Albert King?

I'm gonna have to start a blues thread now.
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Offline Libertas

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Re: The "I Saw This Bit Of Music On The Net" Thread
« Reply #74 on: December 26, 2016, 09:46:59 AM »
I have a ton of blues in my collection...from Muddy Waters to newer fellas like Kenny Wayne Shepherd. 

I got little bit of almost everything.   ;)
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Offline Weisshaupt

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Re: The "I Saw This Bit Of Music On The Net" Thread
« Reply #75 on: January 31, 2017, 07:04:09 PM »
So got the new Mike Oldfield, Return to Ommadawn.  I actually like the 5.1 mix better,  which is the first time I can say that.  The others were so -- gimmicky.  Mike just uses the extra speakers to create a larger sound stage and separation between instruments,  which I felt was to  good effect. Musically this is classic Oldfield,  very much a return to his roots, so for those looking for that,  you will be pleased I think. Its a little bit raw in places - notes not sync'd with other tracks, some harshness from buzzing frets, it feels  more like a live performance, but its hard to tell if that is  intentional or simply a fact of Oldfield being 63 and maybe not being able to play as well as he once could. Either way, I likes the feel of it. 

In preparation for this arriving I took Ommadawn back off the shelf.. I had never thought much of the album-- there wasn't a hook in it - a bit I wanted to play over and over. But damned if I didn't find myself humming different bits of it for the next couple of weeks after playing it this time.  I suspect Return to Ommadawn will be much the same way .. I like a lot of it, but nothing stands out as "this is the bit"  -  but overall I bet I end up humming different sections for weeks from this one too.  This one very much feels like an older, wiser man coming home.   "On Horseback? I  would rather be here. "
« Last Edit: January 31, 2017, 07:27:36 PM by Weisshaupt »

Offline Libertas

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Re: The "I Saw This Bit Of Music On The Net" Thread
« Reply #76 on: February 13, 2017, 11:14:01 AM »
From what I heard on morning shock jock news the Gram-Me's sucked even at a music-only level!  Lady Gaga & Metallica...and the idiot Obama-gendered loser doing the into didn't even mention Metallica...Lady Gaga & Metallica?!

 ::facepalm::

http://deadline.com/2017/02/grammy-awards-ratings-adele-beyonce-metallica-james-corden-cbs-1201910147/

Ha haaa!

 ::mooning::
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Online ToddF

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Re: The "I Saw This Bit Of Music On The Net" Thread
« Reply #77 on: April 24, 2017, 08:00:56 PM »
! No longer available

Looks like videos aren't loading anymore, whether it's https or http.


Offline Libertas

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Re: The "I Saw This Bit Of Music On The Net" Thread
« Reply #78 on: April 25, 2017, 07:08:17 AM »
Link works though...and the comments are a good!

Michael Horton10 hours ago
Watching this makes me wonder if Netflix was worried they had too many subscribers...?

Bret Leback11 hours ago
This is EXACTLY why Trump won. Exactly why.
People are sick and tired of this perverted Progressive mental illness bullsh*t that is the Democrat party.
Smash Cultural Marxism.
Smash Progressive Religion/Ideology.

TwentyPercentDash8 hours ago
Bill Nye, using some slutty dancers to tell everyone to try anal, give strangers a hand-job, and basically f**k everyone. The only "science" going on here is the cluster of diseases you'll get if you follow this dance routine's advice.?
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Online ToddF

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Re: The "I Saw This Bit Of Music On The Net" Thread
« Reply #79 on: April 25, 2017, 06:56:46 PM »
I'm still trying to wrap my head around the cultists who see Bill Nye MCing a Sonny and Cher like variety show featuring tranny entertainers.  We're finally getting to a point where my mind isn't totally processing the given inputs.

Some ear candy is deserved, after that crapfest.  Here's something from the recently departed Allan Holdsworth, inspiration to a lot of popular guitar players, including Eddie Van Halen and Alex Lifeson.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIcU--oNKQ4