Release Date: April 11, 2022
Label: Elflock Records
Website
https://soundcloud.com/oliverwakeman/albums
While I have been aware of Oliver Wakeman for a long time, I have not listened to his music, but this changed a while back when I obtained a box set of 3 cds, Tales By Gaslight, which was a collaboration with Clive Nolan from the band, Arena. Now, I have been presented with another box set from Oliver, specifically called Collaborations which brings Oliver together with Steve Howe (Yes) with an album called The 3 Ages Of Magick, with Gordon Giltrap on an album called Ravens And Lullabies and a third disc, From A Stage, a live album, which pulls together music from Giltrap/Wakeman concerts.
The first disc, The 3 Ages of Magick, was originally released in 2001 and the Yes guitarist, Steve Howe worked together with Oliver. Oliver then joined Yes, I believe replacing his father, Rick, in the line-up, from 2008 to 2011. At that point, Oliver began working with another guitarist, Gordon Giltrap, resulting in the release of Ravens and Lullabies.
The 3 Ages of Magick contains 16 instrumental tracks with a total playing time of just over 74 min (74:04) with track 13, “Hy Breasail”, the longest at 8:36 min and track 12, “Through The Eyes of a Child”, the shortest at 2:13 min.
The opening track on this album is “Ages Of Magick” (5:49) and starts with some very atmospheric keyboard swathes and great guitar work before some amazing violin work leads into a gothic style choir. The guitar and keyboards carry the track onwards, featuring some excellent piano work and a very melodic keyboard passage that moves the track towards the finale. The choir re-joins the proceedings and the guitar of Steve and the keyboards of Oliver merge to take the track out. An excellent opener which should draw the listener into the tracks that follow.
Track number 10, “The Enchanter” (6:04) is another stunning track which again starts with the keyboards and there is a very classical feel to the music before the rest of the musicians join in. There is a keyboard passage which leads into a slow section where the guitar of Steve appears. From this point, the keyboard and guitar play little themed sections which should bring a little smile to the listener. This is the result of two excellent musicians being "in tune" with each other and enjoying themselves.
Ravens and Lullabies comprises 17 tracks with a running time of just over 71 minutes (71:13), with track 7, “Is This the Last Song That I Write?”, the longest at 10:02 min and track 12, “One For Billy”, the shortest at 2:11 min.
This album is very different from the first disc and although we have the same main instrumentation with keyboards and guitars, the feeling of the music varies. The opening track "Moneyfacturing” (4:10) begins with some excellent acoustic guitar from Gordon, soon to be joined by the rest of the band. This album also features Paul Manzi on vocals, and he possesses a very powerful, versatile voice. The lyrics themselves are very interesting and the track is filled with those little "hooks" that are not easily forgotten. One listen to this album and I guarantee that you will be singing along on the next play.
Track number 3, “From The Turn of a Card” (3:47), is another example of a piece of music littered with “hooks”, whether they be a repetitive lyric line or a little theme from the guitar or keyboard. It may be only 3:47 minutes in length, but it is a very enjoyable experience.
From A Stage has 15 live tracks with a total playing time of just over 68 min (68:06), with track 8, “Dodo’s Dream”, the longest at 8:09 min and track 4, “Glimmer of Light”, the shortest at 3:11 min.
Track number 14 from this album is one of the tracks from Ravens and Lullabies, “Ravens Will Fly Away” (4:51) and starts with some superb acoustic guitar from Gordon, soon to be joined by the voice of Paul Manzi. This is a very melodic track which has Oliver providing an “orchestral accompaniment” as the track approaches the four-minute mark and then flows onwards to the finale.
The final track on the album is “Heartsong” (4:21) which comes from the album Perilous Journey by Gordon released in 1977 and is an excellent instrumental highlighting the musical skills of both Oliver and Gordon and is a fitting finale to the live album and indeed the Collaborations box set.
The Collaborations box set is a very good package, bringing together the musical skills of Oliver and Steve, Oliver and Gordon and a live Giltrap/Wakeman band retrospective. I will admit to enjoying the smooth melodic music produced across all 3 albums and suggest that people grab a listen to this release as it might well surprise people.
Jim “The Ancient One” Lawson
May 1,2022
Track Listing
The 3 Ages of Magick:
1. Ages Of Magick
2. Mind Over Matter
3. The Forgotten King
4. The Storyteller
5. The Whales Last Dance
6. Time Between Times
7. Flight Of The Condor
8. Lutey And The Mermaid
9. Standing Stones
10. The Enchanter
11. The Healer
12. Through The Eyes Of A Child
13. Hy Breasail
14. Hit 'n Myth
15. The Faerie Ring
16. Dream Weaver - (The Storyteller Demo)
Ravens & Lullabies:
1. Moneyfacturing
2. Fiona's Smile
3. From the Turn of a Card
4. LJW
5. Maybe Tomorrow
6. Wherever There Was Beauty
7. Is This the Last Song I Write?
8. A Mayfair Kiss
9. Anyone Can Fly
10. A Perfect Day
11. Credit Carnival
12. One For Billie
13. Ravens Will Fly Away
Bonus tracks
14. Praeludium (from the Well Tempered Clavier)
15. The Forgotten King
16. Roots
17. The Wedding Approaches (Instrumental version)
From a Stage:
1. Nature's Way
2. Wherever There Was Beauty
3. Elizabethan Pirates
4. Glimmer of Light
5. Isabella's Wedding
6. Maybe Tomorrow
7. If You're Leaving
8. Dodo's Dream
9. Picture of a Lady
10. Anyone Can Fly
11. Lutey and the Mermaid
12. Roots
13. Mother's Ruin
14. Ravens Will Fly Away
15. Heartsong
