In high places (Mike Oldfield) (LP 3389 - 3394)

Mike Oldfield  Tubular Bells (CD, Virgin Records, 1973) ***  

Mike Oldfield  Hergest Ridge (Vinyl, Virgin Records, 1974) ****

Mike Oldfield  Ommadawn  (Vinyl/CD, Virgin Records, 1975) *****

Mike Oldfield  Crises  (CD, Virgin Records, 1983) ***

Mike Oldfield  Tubular Bells II (CD, WEA Records, 1992) ****

Mike Oldfield  Return To Ommadawn (CD, Virgin/EMI Records, 2017) ****

Genre: Prog rock

Places I remember: Fives, Second hand shops in Caterham, The Warehouse, Real Groovy, HMV, Fopp

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Ommadawn (yes - all of it)

Gear costume: Moonlight Shadow (Crises)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

Active compensatory factors: Long ago and far away, in 1973, I was in the fifth form at school and a football mate gave me a copy of Tubular Bells. I suspect he procured it illegally, and although I was grateful for the gift, I also gave it away soon after. I liked it well enough, mainly for the first section, that finishes with the introduction of the instruments by Vivian Stanshall, but not enough to keep it.

Fast forward many years later and I'd bought and enjoyed a number of his other albums. So, buying a CD copy seemed sensible given you can listen to the whole thing on one disc. 

I haven't really changed my opinion of it that much, after all this time. I am much more likely to play his other albums. Still, it is nice to have it in the collection.

Hergest Ridge was his second album and I only bought this on vinyl from a charity shop while living in the UK a few years ago. It holds together well and doesn't have the confusing addition of Vivian to change the mood. At he time of release, it was overshadowed by the massive seller that was Tubular Bells, but I think it's a better piece of music all round.

Third album, Ommadawn, is for me his best album. I just love the more Celtic leaning sounds, the choral sections, and the unfolding themes and rhythms on Ommadawn. It needs to be heard as a piece, hence me adding a link to the whole album above. I never get tired of listening to Ommadawn as it reveals different things each time.

Crises is his eighth album in ten years - which makes him quite a prolific artist. It starts with the lengthy title track that weaves together some synth ambience with edgier rock bits to good effect. 

The liner notes indicate his desire for some shorter, poppier songs that could even be singles, and there is nothing better in his catalogue along those lines than Moonlight Shadow. Maggie Reilly's vocals and Mike's guitar solos are superb. The 12 inch version on the expanded edition is the best one IMHO.

He returned to Tubular Bells in 1992. Tubular Bells II was again wildly successful commercially and I think it's far superior to the original album. The themes loop around in very pleasing fashion and Mike's playing is beautiful throughout. Alan Rickman takes on Vivian Stanshall's MC role brilliantly.

The final album in this pile is what's turned out to be his latest, from 2017: Return To Ommadawn.

I really love his long form albums, which is how he started out (Incantations is in that extended format, as well as the first three reviewed above. It's an album I don't own but reviewed for MNAC).

Return To Ommadawn takes the first Ommadawn as a launching off point. While I do prefer the first album, it is a fitting way to finish his career, if it indeed becomes his final album.

Where do they all belong? He's made a great body of work that is mostly true to his singular artistic vision. He's also not above considering carefully what kind of music his fans love as well.

Tightropes (Office Dog) (LP 3388)

Office Dog  Spiel (Vinyl, Flying Nun Records, 2023) ****  

Genre: NZ Music, alt-rock 

Places I remember: Flying Nun Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Big Air

Gear costume: In The Red 

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

Active compensatory factors: Office Dog are a NZ trio, originally from Dunedin, with Kane Strang as the main man on guitar and vocals. Spiel is their debut album and it's great!

I love their slightly off-kilter guitar fuzz approach. There is plenty of space around the bass guitar, bass, drums set up and Kane's a strong singer with a real presence.

Where do they all belong? Album number two is Doggerland - which I will investigate.

Rock'n'Roll Star (Oasis) (LP 3379 - 3387)

Oasis Definitely Maybe (CD, Creation Records, 1994) ****  

Oasis (What's The Story) Morning Glory? (CD, Creation Records, 1995) *****

Oasis Be Here Now (CD, Creation Records, 1997) *****   

Oasis The Masterplan (CD, Creation Records, 1998) ****   

Oasis Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants (CD, Big Brother Records, 2000) ****   

Oasis Familiar To Millions (CD, Big Brother Records, 2000) ***   

Oasis Heathen Chemistry (CD, Big Brother Records, 2002) ****   

Oasis Don't Believe The Truth (CD, Big Brother Records, 2005) *** 

Oasis Dig Out Your Soul (CD, Big Brother Records, 2008) ****   

Genre: Brit-pop, rock 

Places I remember: Real Groovy, St Lukes CD shop, HMV (Familiar to Millions/ Heathen Chemistry), JB Hi-Fi

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Wonderwall (Morning Glory), Stop Crying Your Heart Out (Heathen Chemistry)

Gear costume: Acquiese (The Masterplan) 

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

Active compensatory factors: As the countdown has already shown, I have been drawn to the solo careers of Liam and Noel Gallagher thanks to their work in Oasis.

Like millions of others, it was Wonderwall that won me over. I had to get the album it was featured on - their second one with Don't Look Back In Anger and Champagne Supernova on it. 

They had me from then on. It was quite a journey as we'll see. Starting with their excellent debut. I came to it after Wonderwall and by then I'd loved Morning Glory's singalong bits, so I tend to think it shades the rawer Definitely Maybe. That said, the debut has some belters of its own - Rock'n'Roll Star, Cigarettes and Alcohol and especially Live Forever.

I was in the queue for their third album, Be Here Now (another George Harrison title) and I am a big fan of this album's guitar blitz approach. Their confidence in their abilities is sky high by this time. Seemingly, they could do no wrong!

By now the band's strengths were fully evident - Noel's pop-smart song-writing, layers of guitars, and Liam's vocals, all together made for a world beating combination. 

I especially like the extra length the band incorporate into Be Here Now's songs. Each one takes on epic proportions. 

Listening to it again in 2025 and I'm stuck by how good the album's lesser known songs are - It's Getting Better (Man!) and especially Fade In Out. 

The Masterplan, a final album on Creation, was a compilation album that neatly collected an album's worth of B sides. 

The quality control on them was set to high - nothing dodgy about any of the tracks. In fact, songs like Stay Young coulda shoulda woulda been hits in their own right, and with key songs like Acquiese regularly making their set list, it adds up to an excellent alternative universe type of album. 

I have written about their singles before, but it's nice having those extra tracks collected together on The Masterplan. A Volume Two wouldn't go amiss.

Standing On the Shoulder Of Giants was the difficult fourth album. It felt at the time as if it was a transitional album between the BIG songs of Be Here Now and whatever was next. Indeed, a few of the songs, like Where Did It All Go Wrong with Noel's vocals on them could have a slot in his Flying Birds albums no problem.

The openly Beatles and The Who influenced songs (check out I Can See A Liar) are pretty obvious still, but it sounds like prime Oasis as well. Those harmonies on Sunday Morning Call are superb!

A live album was next, with songs taken from those first four albums. Like most live albums, Familiar To Millions indicated a pause, a review, and a retooling after four studio albums.

My copy is the highlights version - a single CD, rather than the expansive double CD. It's still quite a long album so I'm pleased with this version.

I bought Heathen Chemistry on sale for 5 pounds, 99p from HMV (I kept the sticker on it - normally 16.99) and it was a great purchase. This album reminds me of visiting Edinburgh in 2003 and loving the HMV there. I got a few bargains including this one. I remember playing this on my discman while waiting for a flight home from Heathrow. It really calmed me down! 

It received some critical bashing at the time and it's apparently Liam's least liked Oasis album, but I really like the overall sound and songs. It unfolds its joys carefully and while never breaking new ground, I can listen to its vaguely psychedelic styled rock with a smile on my face.

Don't Believe The Truth (another weird title) was their sixth album and critics thought it one of their best. I'm not so convinced. It's a pretty straight-forward Oasis album that does everything it's supposed to do, but it doesn't break any new ground in its approach. 

That's why I liked Heathen Chemistry - the power ballad Don't Cry Your Heart Out wasn't something they subsequently tried again with any great success. 

Their final studio album was a terrific way to end. In contrast to Don't Believe The Truth, Dig Out Your Soul sounds forward looking and they appear solid as a band for once - ironically this would all come to an end as Liam and Noel clashed, and the band folded. Terrible cover though, it has to be said.

Where do they all belong? Will they make any more studio albums now that they've regrouped 15 years later, as (ha ha) mature musicians and bandmates? If so - I'll be there.

Turn it up (Ted Nugent) (LP 3373 - 3378)

Ted Nugent  Free For All (Vinyl, Epic Records, 1976) ****  

Ted Nugent  Double Live Gonzo! (Vinyl, Epic Records, 1978) ***  

Ted Nugent  Craveman (CD, Spitfire Records, 2002) *****  

Ted Nugent  Love Grenade (CD, Eagle Records, 2007) **  

Ted Nugent  Full Frontal Nugity (CD, Eagle Records, 2008) *** 

Ted Nugent  Motor City Mayhem (CD, Epic Records, 2009) ***   

Genre: Hard rock

Places I remember: Marbecks Records, HMV

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Stormtroopin' (Double Live Gonzo!)

Gear costume: Street Rats; Dog Eat Dog (Free For All). I still love this song!

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

Active compensatory factors: Right winged. Motor-mouthed. Obnoxious. Offensive. Loud. Crass. Ted Nugent is all of those things and more, but I guarantee he doesn't give a damn.

My introduction to his music came via 1ZM's Barry Jenkins playing Dog Eat Dog on his music show in 1976. Woh!! I was sold! Buying the album Free For All (Ted's second solo album after leaving The Amboy Dukes) was a no brainer after that first taste and I wasn't disappointed.

Three singers are featured on the album: Ted Nugent on one song, Derek St Holmes on two (he had briefly left the band) and a pre-Bat-Out-Of-Hell Meatloaf on the other six.

It's an album full of tuneful hard rock, with Ted's lead guitar leading the charge. Meatloaf does a good job given the short notice and this not quite being his thing. I was impressed enough to grab the double live album next.

Double Live Gonzo! showcases the Nuge in his element - LIVE and in yer face! The album cherry picks the best versions from 1978 gigs and so presents some definite versions of his early seventies' songs - most notably stonking versions of Great White Buffalo and Stormtroopin'. There are some tedious moments as well - the lengthy Hibernation - a 17ish minute version is just too long, and I can live without the puerile Wang Dang etc.

I bought Craveman for one pound from HMV and didn't have too much hope for it. It was twenty years since his seventies' heyday; it has a terrible cover and title. 

Plus, along the way I'd bought and then sold Cat Scratch Fever, Scream Dream and Intensities in 10 Cities. His relentless sexual poses turned me off, so I bought Craveman mainly because it was so cheap.

When I dropped Craveman into the CD player a blast of noise hit me and I couldn't stop smiling! Woah. He's amazing on this album! This was a revelation, and the fact it only cost me a pound doubled my enjoyment.

He appears to have adopted the metal approach of all those bands he influenced on this album. It's heavy! It's rocking! It's raw! It's got the songs! It sounds fresh, still. One caveat - do NOT listen to this on Spotify. It's a crap reduction in power. Instead - grab the vinyl or CD and crank it up (like I'm doing right NOW!!!!!!).

The band are tight as a drum - kudos goes to his power trio, and less-is-more approach - with Marco Mendoza on bass, and Tommy Clufetos on drums. Woah!! A real peak. I love this record!! 

My hopes were high for the follow-up, but, unfortunately, Love Grenade is weak. Instead of Craveman excellence we are served up a large helping of sleaze in weaker songs and the music doesn't excite either. It's a real turn off. 

This crude aspect to his personality/music also featured on Craveman but the innuendo wasn't excessively outrageous, plus the rawness of the music and the infectious riffs saved the songs. That's not the case for Love Grenade.

The live albums have too much focus on his motormouth, but when he shuts up and plays his guitar, he delivers. Stick with Double Live Gonzo if you want a taste of the live experience.

Where do they all belong? That's enough of the Nuge. I remain a fan of those early seventies' albums, and Craveman is exceptional.

P.S. Fitting that I share this post while visiting the United States this week - there are plenty of places my wife and I have visited that feel like Nuge territory! Wango Tango!

In the white air (Nosound) (LP 3368 - 3372)

Nosound  So129 (CD, KScope Records, 2005) *** 

Nosound  A Sense Of Loss (CD, KScope Records, 2009) **** 

Nosound  Afterthoughts (CD, KScope Records, 2013) *** 

Nosound  Scintilla (CD, KScope Records, 2016) *** 

Nosound  Allow Yourself (CD, KScope Records, 2018) *** 

Genre: Ambient, prog rock, post rock  

Places I remember: HMV, Fopp, JB Hi Fi

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: In Celebration Of Life (Scintilla)

Gear costume: This Night (Allow Yourself) 

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

Active compensatory factors: Nosound (sometimes styled as nosound or even NOSOUND) is an Italian prog/alt/post rock band from Italy, created by Giancarlo Erra in 2002. He contributes lead vocals, lead guitar and keyboards.

The debut album So129 is a good start but it's mostly a solo project by Erra who writes everything, plays everything and is the engineer/producer. A lot of the music is more ambient in approach but there are hints of gently floating soundscapes that would come to define the nosound sound.

I missed the follow up (Lightdark) so their third album is next - A Sense of Loss. This is much more of a band album although Erra still writes and produces everything. It's very much his vision and approach, with additional musicians.

Alex Henderson of AllMusic sums up that approach well when he says that bandleader Giancarlo Erra "finds a lot of beauty in his melancholia, drawing on influences that include Pink Floyd, Brian Eno... Tangerine Dream, Porcupine Tree and Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark (OMD)." 

Afterthoughts is their fourth album, and it's largely a continuation of their previous album. Maybe the title gives it away, even though it was four years later.

Scintilla (their fifth album) does introduce some new textures and also includes a harder tone. That may be because of Chris Maitland's arrival on drums (although he was also on Afterthoughts).

The final album in my list, Allow Yourself, is their latest. They are still a touring band by the look, but no further studio albums have been released since 2018.

This one continues the Nosound sound with some experimentation of beats and approach (first song Ego Drip is almost trance).

It's hard to single out one of their albums as the best. I like this one for its ability to mix it up a bit, but I also like A Sense Of Loss for its uniformity of mood.

I do have a compilation album, Introducing Nosound from 2015 which includes highlights from their first four albums. It's a double so it's pretty expansive and is a good place to start for the newcomer.

Where do they all belong? Most of these albums (CDs) come with DVDs of other songs, different mixes etc - so you do get value for money. Plus, the packaging is superb - excellent photographic booklets, lyrics and great covers.

Sinister jazz (No-Man) (LP 3367)

No-Man Wild Opera (CD, KScope Records, 1996) ***  

Genre: Alt- pop 

Places I remember: Fopp

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Radiant City

Gear costume: Dry Cleaning Ray

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

Active compensatory factors: No-Man is a collaboration between Steven Wilson and Tim Bowness. Of all of Steven Wilson's collaborations, this is the one I am the most ambivalent about. Blackfield and Porcupine Tree? Love everything they've released. Bass Communion and his solo career? Although not strictly collaborations - love them to bits.

But No-Man? Mmmmm. Not too sure.

Wild Opera was their third album and its focus is more on trip hop and dub than prog rock - which is where my diffidence comes from, I guess. Plus, Tim Bowness' vocals are an acquired taste at times.

Where do they all belong? I do get value for money with Wild Opera as the re-released version I have comes with an odds and sods mini-album collection called Dry Cleaning Ray. Furthermore, the DVD set I have (called Mixtaped) is a live gig that comes with a documentary called Returning.

Just a girl (No Doubt) (LP 3365 - 3366)

No Doubt Tragic Kingdom (CD, Interscope Records, 1995) *** 

No Doubt Return to Saturn (CD, Interscope Records, 2000) *** 

Genre: Alt-rock

Places I remember: Hope collection (definitely Ashleigh's I would say)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Don't Speak (Tragic Kingdom)

Gear costume: Just A Girl (Tragic Kingdom)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

Active compensatory factors: I like the infectious pop/punk sound of Gwen Stefani and No Doubt. It often reminds me of the B52s (high praise).

Tragic Kingdom was their third album and went mega with seven singles emerging from it. The hits just kept on coming!

Return to Saturn was their fourth album and first after Gwen's older brother, Eric Stefani, left the band. I like it for it's more mature sound and approach - sounds more grown up and coherent as an album. In fact, it probably edges Tragic Kingdom, even though it had all those hits.

Where do they all belong? A nice pop/punk corner that I should explore more, but two No Doubt albums is probably enough.

My broken heart (Noah and the Whale) (LP 3364)

Noah and the Whale  The First Days of Spring (CD, Mercury Records, 2009) ****  

Genre: Indie folk

Places I remember: HMV

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: The First Days of Spring

Gear costume: Blue Skies

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

Active compensatory factors: This is a great album for either spring or autumn I've found. This was the group's second album. It largely deals with the break-up between lead singer Charlie Fink and former member Laura Marling, which is why she's not on this album.

Charlie is the main man in this group of four guys and his vocals are always interesting - doing justice to the tender and introspective lyrics. Musically it moves between lush soundscapes and folksy melancholy. It rewards repeat listens, and I'll come back to it (in spring).  

Where do they all belong? The deluxe edition comes with a film (also called The First Days of Spring), which I don't have but would be keen to find.

I'll fly away (Don Nix) (LP 3360 - 3363)

Don Nix  In God We Trust (Vinyl, Shelter Records, 1971) ****  

Don Nix  Living By The Days (Vinyl, Elektra Records, 1971) ****  

Don Nix  Hobos, Heroes and Street Corner Clowns (Vinyl, Enterprise/Stax Records, 1973) **** 

Don Nix  Gone Too Long (Vinyl, Cream Records, 1976) ****

Genre: Country rock, Southern soul and rock

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: She's A Friend Of Mine (Hobos...)

Gear costume: Olena (Living By The Days) - sidebar: Tommy and Jimmy from Headband used the tune and rewrote the lyrics for I Get High (Olena)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

Active compensatory factors: Don Nix is a very under-appreciated writer and musician. Maybe because he was on a variety of labels, his early career was as a session musician, or his sound is not a million miles away from Leon Russell's, he tends to get ignored.

A huge shame because Don Nix is well worth rediscovery and appreciation. Maybe his time will come. Do yourself a favour!  

His first solo album was In God We Trust - an excellent collection of Southern soul songs, mostly written by Don. Although there are still elements of Southern soul on his second album, Living By The Days, he starts to forge his own sound.

Olena is a great rock song, and She Don't Want A Lover is an excellent Stonesy blues with hints of a shaggy dog story, 1971 style.

His third album, for a third record label was Hobos Heroes and Street Corner Clowns, partly recorded in London at Apple Studio, no less! By this time Don had met George Harrison and helped out with organising the backup singers for the Bangla Desh benefit concert. Klaus Voormann's appearance continues the Fab links.

It all sounds so easy and effortless - so that means a lot of work went into making it sound that way. His voice is so great, and he's ironed out the Leon-isms by this point.

Gone Too Long was his fourth album released in 1976 and his most comprehensive statement to that point. Hobos etc. uses strings (well) but I prefer the more rock'n'soul approach of Gone Too Long. Side one has the faster songs, but it's side two I listen to more (even with some judicious strings). It features more mid paced, reflective songs that I tend to appreciate more.

Where do they all belong? He released a number of albums post 1976 (a further four) which I'll keep an eye out for because he's hugely under-rated. More of Leon (and the Shelter people) is coming.

Negative creep (Nirvana) (LP 3357 - 3359)

Nirvana  Bleach (CD, Geffen/Sub pop Records, 1989) ****  

Nirvana  Nevermind (CD, Geffen/Sub pop Records, 1991) ***** 

Nirvana  Incesticide (CD, Geffen/Sub pop Records, 1992) ****

Genre: Grunge, Alt-rock

Places I remember: Music shop in Nelson, a Record Club purchase, Real Groovy Records (in that order)

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Drain You (Nevermind)

Gear costume: Blew (Bleach), Turnaround (Incesticide)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

Active compensatory factors: My first taste of Nirvana was a track from Bleach on a compilation that my neighbour in Wakefield shared with me. At that point (1989-1990) Nirvana were just another of the grunge bands on the compilation, but I instantly liked what I heard and later bought a copy of Bleach (in 1992 after being totally won over by Nevermind).

Nevermind happened in 1991 and the music world changed tack. Grunge had exploded as a genre into the mainstream consciousness - with Nirvana leading the charge - but I had also bought Pearl Jam's first two albums on cassette (some of Vs was used on NZTV as a soundtrack for the FIFA Euro '92 competition) and the Singles soundtrack from 1992 was an important sampler for me. A great introduction to Mother Love Bone et al.

Anyway, back to Bleach. Chad Channing was the drummer on this one and he does a reasonable job to my ears. There are some great songs on the album but it is also a bit inconsistent - a typical first album in many ways as the band limber up. Kurt Cobain's riffing and singing are right in your face. Although his vocals are kind of buried in Negative Creep, the power is still there. Just needed a better producer (and Dave Grohl).

And then along came Butch Vig and Dave and Nirvana became like no other. The sound is crisper but still rocks hard (i.e. Territorial Pissings) thanks to Dave's drums and Novoselic's bass (now distinguishable from the murk). The album became a huge seller and Kurt's (short) life would never be the same again.

You can read more about their finest hour and their singles below, if you have a mind.

The follow-up to Nevermind was an odds and sods collection called Incesticide that included their 1990 non-album single Sliver, B-sides, demos, outtakes, cover versions, and radio broadcast recordings. Yes, it's uneven, obviously, but it's a fair reflection of the schizoid nature of the band and I really like it!

Where do they all belong? Other Nirvana stuff: I've tried a few times with In Utero - I had a cassette of it for many years but it's gone and I'm not tempted to get the CD version. The singles set does it for me. Nor am I that much of a fan of the Unplugged set. I have it on DVD but I'm not drawn to play it. I do have a Nirvana compilation - the one with the black cover just called Nirvana, and that's a good summary of their career.