DISCOVERY

Some would say this is not prog at all. If not, what then? Pop? Yes, perhaps, but at least pop-prog. These were different times. In the eighties bands like Saga, Rush, Mike & the Mechanics, Kate Bush, Queen and even Yes, Tull and Genesis reigned big.

They didn't put out albums with epic tracks of 20 minutes but put all the prog endeavours into 4 or 5 minutes, wich at the least, is a very admirable thing to do. Not all progbands succeeded in creating perfect pop-prog (like Supertramp, Renaissance, Camel), but Mike Oldfield succeeded perfectly.

The songs that Mike put out on this record are sublime, perfectly executed, beautifully sung, have lush arrangments, and top-musicianship by Mike and dear friend Simon Philips. I'd dare anyone to play bass, guitar, synths etc. at the level that Mike does it. Nothing wrong with prog being pop. On the other hand I'd rather have these kind of records than have to sit through Tales from Topographic Oceans or Bitches Brew. But it's all a matter of taste in the end.

The only drawback on this album is Saved by the Bell, wich really does nothing for me. Talk About Your Life is sweet and melodic, but I skip it most of the times.

Highlights are the whole of Side 1 and the prog-mini-epic The Lake, wich is an improvement to the Crises-titletrack.

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