Audio CD review:
Mike Oldfield, David Strange, David Bedford, David Oldfield, Mike Bedford, Mike Oldfield, Robert Lucas Pearsall, Lawrence Wright, David Bedford, Leslie Penning, Vernon Handley - Boxed

Mike Oldfield, David Strange, David Bedford, David Oldfield, Mike Bedford, Mike Oldfield, Robert Lucas Pearsall, Lawrence Wright, David Bedford, Leslie Penning, Vernon Handley - Boxed

Band: Mike Oldfield, David Strange, David Bedford, David Oldfield, Mike Bedford, Mike Oldfield, Robert Lucas Pearsall, Lawrence Wright, David Bedford, Leslie Penning, Vernon Handley Title: Boxed Rating: Release Date: 10 December, 2002 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Tubular Bells: Part One 2: Tubular Bells Part: Two 3: The Rio Grande 4: Portsmouth 5: In Dulci Jubilo 6: Hergest Ridge: Part One 7: Hergest Ridge: Part Two 8: An Extract From Star's End 9: Argiers 10: Speak (Tho You Only Say Farewell) 11: Ommadawn: Part One 12: Ommadawn: Part Two 13: The Phaeacian Games 14: First Excursion

Customer Reviews great music bad presentation My disapointment comes in the destruction of the artist concept and display of the product. There is no doubt that the music in this so called boxed set is very good and for further info I humbly refer you to previous reviews. After reading the reviews I realized that most of you recall the album release, the albums came in a box format hence the title. But i do not know if the same people recall the original release of the cd which came in a clam shell box cleverly reproducing the album presentation. What is being past as a box is now a jewel case inside a flimsy slip cover the title should now be changed to Mike Oldfield jeweled cased. A Must for Oldfield Fans I have to say it. . this is one of the best showcases of Mike's earlier work. This remixed version of "Tubular Bells" was created as a way to convince Mike that a quadraphonic mix should be created and released. Mike listened and proclaimed it perfect as was, so it was released. The original version, compared to this remix, sounded cluttered and confused. Also, the original American quad pressing, using the CD-4 system as opposed to the SQ format used in England, was marred by a very poor quality pressing. Contrary to what was said in the booklet accompanying this box set in CD, the recordings held on these discs are, in fact, SQ quad despite claims otherwise. I also have the LP set, and I directly compared them. So if you have a Dolby Pro Logic II setting on your playback system, by all means use it. The mix of "Ommadawn" is the same as was originally released on both SQ and QS quad versions in England, and on SQ here. The first part contains a chant, by Clodagh Simonds, that builds up toward the conclusion. Played back in surround, this chant takes on an etherial quality; Clodagh's voice suspended in mid-air as the additional instruments gradually come in. This is lost in the stereo mix, which I also have on another CD. "Hergest Ridge" features a musical tone poem, as it could be described, of where Mike was brought up. The shorter selections in the "Collaborations" album are also quite good. "In Dulci Jubilo", which is a Christmas song, takes on a highland fling style. As for "Speak", it's a duet with Mike and David Bedford on the vocals. This is a great box set, and I encourage any true Mike Oldfield fan to add it to their collection. Gives a new light on early Oldfield's recordings This is a must have for real Oldfield's fan. . "Ommadawn", "Hergest ridge" and "Tubular bells" are his classic works, here they come along in slightly different versions and unreleased songs. . . The songs are really interesting especially delicate piano tune "Speak. . . " with vocals by Mike and beautifull "first excursion", that signals a beginning of "Incantations" era. . . . "Tubular bells" has a bit different sound from original and it features diffrrent ending - very funny "sailor's hornipipe" version with crazy commentary by Drunken Vivian Stanhall (master of ceremony in part 1) - a very nice suprise. . . If you are a big fan of Early progressive and instrumental music,or just a Mike Oldfield fan this is a must have for you - it is also good for those fans that don't have internet to collect Mike's rare songs. . You can see a complete list of all Mike Oldfield, David Strange, David Bedford, David Oldfield, Mike Bedford, Mike Oldfield, Robert Lucas Pearsall, Lawrence Wright, David Bedford, Leslie Penning, Vernon Handley discography, or go back to the Mike Oldfield, David Strange, David Bedford, David Oldfield, Mike Bedford, Mike Oldfield, Robert Lucas Pearsall, Lawrence Wright, David Bedford, Leslie Penning, Vernon Handley tabs