Following a long-established production pattern,
Mike Oldfield
assembled some relatively simple
pop
- and
rock
-flavored numbers following one long introductory piece on his 1983
Disky
release,
Crisis
. The 20-minute opening title-track is a quintessential
Oldfield
texture study that consists of sparkling synth washes with edgier material weaving in and out. A fine setup, this track cleanses the aural pallet, preparing the listener nicely for the tunes that follow.
Yes
fans who can adjust to the sugary highlight
"In High Places"
will enjoy
Jon Anderson
's springy vocal work on the track. The energetic guitar romp
"Taurus 3"
will also appeal to most
prog
and
art rock
fans. Those in search of more ethereal
material should be aware of this record's
leanings, but open-minded listeners will have a good time exploring
, one of
's better releases of this type. ~ Vincent Jeffries