Sally Oldfield Three Rings

This double-disc is a very solid collection of Sally Oldfield's recordings for the CBS subsidiary Bronze (don't laugh, Uriah Heep was on there too). Before her brief resurgence in the '90s, Oldfield's recordings were new age before there was such a term. She brought not only a songwriter's sense of elegance to tape, but also an instrumentalist's sense of silence and dynamic. Brother Mike Oldfield helped out on "Waterbearer," perhaps he best-known offering here, as well as on some of the subsequent tracks on later records. Oldfied was the real precursor to people like Enya and Loreena McKennitt, marrying a classicist's sense of arrangement and dynamic to a mystic's heart and a Celtic woman's abiding folk history, myth, and legend. These two discs are impeccably remastered and offer a wonderful introduction to a talent who, at least on this side of the pond, never got her proper due.

The sister of the Tubular Bells composer Mike Oldfield, Sally Oldfield had contributed to many of her brother's recordings before releasing her solo debut in 1978.
Though Sally Oldfield's second album still contains some of the prog rock elements that made her debut so memorable, it also includes its fair share of pop gems, such as the ethereal, silvery harmonies of "You Set My Gypsy Blood Free" and "The Boulevard Song," which both conjure a distinct, romantic European atmosphere. The title track, with its shimmering vibes, is pure laid-back easy listening, and the darkly mysterious "Hide and Seek" is a rare experiment in folk-disco.

The sister of the Tubular Bells composer Mike Oldfield, Sally Oldfield had contributed to many of her brother's recordings before releasing her solo debut in 1978.
Strange Day In Berlin is her 5th studio album. Here Sally has eschewed her folktastic past for a more electronic very mid 80s approach.

The sister of the Tubular Bells composer Mike Oldfield, Sally Oldfield had contributed to many of her brother's recordings before releasing her solo debut in 1978. Celebration (1980) is her 3rd studio album.
An euphoric collection of songs from Sally Oldfield, the soprano voiced, new-age trailblazer, and she even plays many of the instruments herself. Masterfully produced by Tom Newman, who also worked on Sally's cult-classic Waterbearer record, here is an exquisitely detailed tapestry of sounds. To start, a spell is cast with the steadily rising incantations of Mandala. This rhythmic style returns with Blue Water, which soon takes flight for a progressive folk epic - eight minutes of swirling bliss, a tribal pulse made for dancing ( love those conga drums ) and virtuoso vocals. Meanwhile, Woman of the Night is slow-tempo, aural seduction. A timeless album from Sally Oldfield.

The sister of the Tubular Bells composer Mike Oldfield, Sally Oldfield had contributed to many of her brother's recordings before releasing her solo debut in 1978. Playing in the Flame (1981) is her 4th studio album.
With "Playing in the Flame", Sally Oldfield moves further to the mainstream, perhaps influenced by Kate Bush's contemporary success, while trying to repeat some of the "Celebration" formula.
Compared to "Easy" and "Water Bearer", the compositions are pretty more simple here (we are talking about dilution)and there are less instruments involved. All those little percussions (small bells for instance) are less present. There is rather a basic bass and drums. Sally's lead vocals are fortunately still outstanding.

The sister of the Tubular Bells composer Mike Oldfield, Sally Oldfield had contributed to many of her brother's recordings before releasing this solo debut in 1978. With her mellifluous vocals and a similar multi-instrumental ability to her brother, Oldfield spins a series of Tolkien-esque tales that set her firmly in the vanguard of 1970s prog rock.