TUBULAR BELLS

I know many progheads that have this album in their 'Personal Progrock Album Top Five Of All Times' and I know many progheads that hate it, using words like "crap", "boring", "nerve-racking" and "it makes me puke"! This evening I played it for the first time after many years and I still find it difficult to listen to it for the whole running time. It has some very strong and beautiful parts like the sequencer-like melody and the work on instruments like the mandolin, fuzzed guitar, Farfisa organ and Spanish guitar. And the musical idea behind this album is so unique and creative. But at some moments it sounds too fragmentic to me and my attention slips away. This happen both on side one as on side two. Nonetheless, I regard this album as an essential one, despite my critical remarks because I have such a huge respect for the way Mike Oldfield has recorded "Tubular bells", what an innovative progrock effort!