Earth Moving

Earth Moving
Studio album by Mike Oldfield
Released	10 July 1989 (1989-07-10)
Recorded	circa. 1988–1989
Genre	Pop, rock
Length	41:15
Label	Virgin
Producer	Daniel Lazerus, Mike Oldfield
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

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

Earth Moving is the 12th record album by Mike Oldfield, released in 1989. Unlike Oldfield's previous albums at the time this contained only pop and rock songs.

Album analysis

Oldfield used several vocalists on the album, including his then girlfriend, Anita Hegerland. The album's music was performed mainly with synthesizers. It was the first time Oldfield recorded an album without an instrumental piece; each track being vocal-based pop and rock songs. Oldfield's only other songs-only album to date is 2014's Man on the Rocks.

The final track, despite appearing to be a lengthier piece, consists of two short, apparently unconnected songs, 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 demanded he create more commercially-oriented material than his previous albums. After recording Earth Moving Oldfield wanted to move away from 'computerised music' and return to real musicians and instruments; this is evident in his next album, Amarok.^[2]

Promotion

According to an interview Mike Oldfield and Anita Hegerland gave on the television programme Good Morning Britain, the song "Innocent" was inspired by their young daughter Greta, who appears in the song's music video. In the programme, Oldfield and Hegerland performed an acoustic version of the song, Hegerland singing and Oldfield playing the guitar.^[3]

Equipment

Earth Moving is the first album on which Oldfield used PRS guitars, having previously used 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, an Ampex Grand Master tape and ATC SCM200 monitors.

Track listing

All tracks written by Mike Oldfield.

Side one

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

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

Personnel

• Mike Oldfield – guitars and keyboards
• Max Bacon – vocals ("Hostage", "Bridge to Paradise")
• Adrian Belew – vocals ("Holy"), guitar solo ("Far Country")
• 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")

References

External links

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