Mike Oldfield – Man On The Rocks (2014) [Official Digital Download 24bit/44,1kHz]

Mike Oldfield – Man On The Rocks (2014)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/44,1 kHz | Time – 59:39 minutes | 716 MB | Genre: Rock
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © EMI

Featuring 11 brand new tracks, Man On The Rocks is a deeply personal song-based album that reflects many of Mike’s different influences. Recorded in the Bahamas, Mike’s 25th studio album has been produced by Mike with legendary British producer Stephen Lipson (Jeff Beck, Paul McCartney, Annie Lennox). Man On The Rocks features players such as legendary bassist Leland Sklar (Phil Collins, Crosby, Stills & Nash, James Taylor) and drummer John Robinson (Michael Jackson, Eric Clapton, Daft Punk). Although Oldfield has worked with some of the world’s most famous vocalists in the past, here he has found an incredible young talent to interpret his words, Luke Spiller from the Struts.

Recorded 2013 in Nassau, Bahams; at The Village in Los Angeles, CA; and at Battery Studios in London, UK.

Six years after the classical Music of the Spheres, Mike Oldfield returns to his version of rock. Man on the Rocks is a slick production that recalls the AOR sounds of the late ’70s and early ’80s. He plays many instruments here but concentrates mainly on guitar. Among his collaborators are bassist Leland Sklar, keyboardist Matt Rollings, drummer John Robinson, guitarist Michael Thompson, and the Struts’ vocalist Luke Spiller. Though these songs are housed in tightly written, hooky pop/rock melodies with conscious source checks from Queen and Toto to the Rolling Stones and the Steve Miller Band, they are among — if not the — most deeply personal entries in his catalog. Opener “Sailing” contains pained, troubled lyrics, yet its Celtic-flavored singalong chorus and ringing slide guitar solo add contrast and elevation. “Moonshine” is a poignant Irish immigrant’s song. The opening guitar vamp deliberately evokes U2 (though one can convincingly argue that the Edge got it from Oldfield). A sweet backing chorus carries the refrain as martial snares, fiddles, accordion, pipes, and whistles increase the drama until an epic guitar break carries it out. The title track is one of the set’s finest moments. Enormous drums, a chorale, sweeping strings, washes of organ, synth, and blazing guitars frame Spiller’s anthemic vocal. On “Castaway,” the pulsing keyboards and guitars recall Queen and Oldfield’s guitar blisters, spitting angular riffs, and spiraling prog changes. “Dreaming in the Wind” begins as an acoustic rocker illustrated by strings, guitars, organs, and a fine lead vocal. Oldfield’s guitar transforms it, melding arena rock, folk, and prog to its core. “Nuclear” again suggests Queen, but its thudding tom-toms, guitar layers, and orchestra are classic Oldfield. “Chariots” uses big zig-zagging synths and fat phased guitars working a Bo Diddley beat; it’s where Toto meets Jim Steinman, but the deliberate excess works. This set does run out of steam near the end. The long ballad “Following the Angels” is repetitive and dreary. “Irene,” where Oldfield takes on the Stones, is clever but feels out of place here. The closer, a read of William McDowell’s hymn “I Give Myself Away” strays far too close to CCM. It’s easy to dismiss Man on the Rocks as simply “dad rock,” but it’s more complex than that. These songs, all framed inside classic pop/rock, are beautifully written and played. Their fine lyrics contain complex emotions of crisis, struggle, resolve, and redemption. Oldfield is one of the few remaining musicians with the songwriting, production, and playing chops who could helm a big league session like this, let alone pull it off. Imperfections aside, this is a strange, oddly compelling addition to his catalog.

Tracklist:
01. Mike Oldfield – Sailing (04:46)
02. Mike Oldfield – Moonshine (05:49)
03. Mike Oldfield – Man On The Rocks (06:10)
04. Mike Oldfield – Castaway (06:34)
05. Mike Oldfield – Minutes (04:51)
06. Mike Oldfield – Dreaming In The Wind (05:28)
07. Mike Oldfield – Nuclear (05:03)
08. Mike Oldfield – Chariots (04:38)
09. Mike Oldfield – Following The Angels (07:04)
10. Mike Oldfield – Irene (03:59)
11. Mike Oldfield – I Give Myself Away (05:10)

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