Earth Moving

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Earth Moving
Studio album by Mike Oldfield
Released	10 July 1989 (1989-07-10)
Genre	Pop
Length	41:15
Label	Virgin
Producer	Daniel Lazerus, Mike Oldfield
Professional reviews
Allmusic link
Mike Oldfield chronology
Islands (1987) Earth Moving (1989) Amarok (1990)
Singles from Earth Moving
"Earth Moving" Released: 1989 "Innocent" Released: 1989 "(One Glance Is) Holy" Released: 30 October 1989

Earth Moving is the 12th record album by Mike Oldfield, released in 1989.

[edit] Album analysis

The songs are sung by various singers that Oldfield hired, including his then-wife, Anita Hegerland. The album is made mostly with synthesizers, many synthesizer parts not being played with keyboards at all. It is notable for being Oldfield's first album without at least one instrumental piece; each track is a more conventional pop song.

The end track, despite appearing to be a lengthier piece, consists of two shorter songs of no apparent connection combined into one track, with a noticeable pause in between. According to Oldfield, the album was made with the full understanding of his recording company, Virgin Records, which at the time was demanding he create more commercial material. After recording Earth Moving Oldfield felt like he wanted to move away from 'computerised music' and rely on real musicians and instruments; this culminated in his next album, Amarok.^[1]

[edit] Promotion

According to an interview Mike Oldfield and Anita Hegerland gave in the breakfast time TV-program Good Morning Britain the song "Innocent" was inspired by their young daughter Greta; who also appears in the music video for "Innocent". In the program Oldfield and Hegerland gave an acoustic version of the song, Hegerland singing and Oldfield playing the guitar.^[2]

[edit] Equipment

Earth Moving is the first album on which Oldfield began to use PRS guitars, mainly in place of sounds which he used to achieve using Gibson guitars. Synthesizers on the album include a Fairlight Series III and various instruments made by Roland and Korg (including an M1). The album was recorded using an Atari 1040ST with C-Lab Notator software, a Harrison Series X console, a Studer A8800 tape deck with Dolby SR noise reduction, a Ampex Grand Master tape and ATC SCM200 monitors.

[edit] Track listing

All tracks written by Mike Oldfield.

[edit] Side one

1. "Holy" – 4:37
2. "Hostage" – 4:09
3. "Far Country" – 4:25
4. "Innocent" – 3:30
5. "Runaway Son" – 4:05

[edit] Side two

1. "See the Light" – 3:59
2. "Earth Moving" – 4:03
3. "Blue Night" – 3:47
4. "Nothing But" / "Bridge to Paradise" – 8:40

[edit] Personnel

• Mike Oldfield – guitars and keyboards
• Max Bacon – vocals ("Hostage", "Bridge to Paradise")
• Adrian Belew – vocals ("Holy"), guitar
• Nikki 'B' Bentley – vocals ("Earth Moving")
• Anita Hegerland – vocals ("Innocent")
• Carol Kenyon – vocals ("Nothing But")
• Raf Ravenscroft – saxophone
• Maggie Reilly – vocals ("Blue Night")
• Phil Spalding – bass guitar, vocals ("Bridge to Paradise", See the Light", "Holy")
• Chris Thompson – vocals ("Runaway Son", "See the Light")
• Carl Wayne – vocals ("Earth Moving")
• Mark Williamson – vocals ("Far Country")

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Mike Oldfield Discography - Earth Moving at Tubular.net
• Earth Moving lyrics at Tubular.net