Tubular Bells [2009 Remaster]

very simply an excellent recording and most enjoyable

I brought this as a kid on vinyl and wanted the CD to play on my modern kit.Not disappointed it’s still a classic.

Great

And so, having listened to, and given my reviews of the 2010 re-mixes of Hergest Ridge and Ommadawn (and still lamenting the abysmal butchering of the opening several minutes of HR) I thought it time to turn my attention to my least favourite of Mr Oldield's first thee albums, his first (and most well-known by the general public) album, 'Tubular Bell's in this, it's 2009 're-mix' incarnation.Firstly: thankfully he hasn't tinkered too much with it! This still CAN be called Tubular Bells 1. However, secondly, I'm sorry to have to say that I'm not at all impressed with the sound quality. Yes, sure enough, it's clear and, considering the age of the masters, it would, if I didn't already own the original cd and the additional hdcd that was issued several years ago, be acceptable.... but, because I do own those originals (and the hdcd in particular) this 2009 version seems to be 'flat' at key important places and not least at perhaps THE most important place, where the Tubular Bells themselves are struck - they just don't 'ring out' on this 2009 re-mix! If you have read my review of Ommadawn you will already know that the 2010 re-mix of Ommadawn suffers from this same 'flatness' problem as pointed out here. This leads me to conclude, in the third place that, by all means get this version if you don't already have a copy of TB's but, if you do already own the original (or the hdcd) you can do without this (sorry Mr Oldfield but I now view your 're-mixing' ventures of these 'classics' to be nothing more than you making money from re-hashing (and largely, spoiling of - see my other reviews of HR and Ommadawn) your earlier masterpieces)) 'version'.I've given three stars for this version because this version is at least easily available and therefore still means that a younger generation can have ready access to this (in its time) ground-breaking album, and thus judge for themselves just why this album WAS such a phenomenal bestseller in its day. The booklet that comes with this 2009 re-mix is noteworthy - it's particularly nice - good photos and lots of interesting background information.

Good

Some tracks were boring, used for personal entertainment.

Blimey i can only imagine what listening to Tubular Bells was like at the time,i wasn't born till 79.Images of laying on an extremely comfortable bean bag,headphones on,vinyl seductively turning as a mass of pungent smoke emitts from a jazz cigarette abounds.Alternatively i imagine a circle of cool students with flairs and long hair,vinyl and the same unmistakable aroma.Tubular Bells is an ALBUM.A journey into {coughs....trail of smoke}the cosmos of the interior space of your mind.Man.Far out.How strange to look back as listening to an album as a quaint pursuit,but this is what your mums and dads did.Nowadays as we know with everything being reduced to a switch of a button,ipods,ipads,iphones,itunes the album as a form is drowning along with the physical act of reading books,introspection,empathy,possesions being Ikead....culture smells like warm bag of garbage....So with relish i turned my bedroom lights off,put the headphones and put my Tubular Bells cd on.And it ruled.From the inimitable opening bars to acoustic detours its brilliant stuff.This Mike Oldfield chap certainly must've inhabited a vivid artistic netherworld whilst recording.Tubular Bells reminded me of the relaxing nature of music,i had to chuckle as i heard pan pipes.You see i thought i would never listen to something with pan pipes....but you get older,chubbier.Life changes.As an album correct me if i am wrong this surely invented "ambient" music or chill out,i view it in many ways as a formative dance record.The album ebbs and flows,you know i don't know if Oldfield is considered cool but in my books he is.When my daughter grows older i will sit her down..and play Tubular Bells.Then give a lecture on the importance of The Album.I am sure she will enjoy it.In the meantime i shall recoil from the horrors of the modern world.......

Mike Oldfield is acknowledged as a unique one-man-band. His original "Tubular Bells" was & remains a popular masterpiece. Maybe later in his career Mike actually saw things in "T.B. one" that looked as if newer technology could deliver a major & significantly version. Maybe he needed to get something into the marketplace. Maybe he should have left it alone. The new disk does introduce some insights & perhaps we should be grateful for this. I felt this mix was too far forward - too "present", too "just listen, wasn't it in your best interests that my original masterpiece be enhanced?" I much prefer the original, because it has an immediacy, an urgency, energy & sophistication that this one ( it seems to me) lacks.