Dopo aver corteggiato a lungo le musiche pop più semplici con vari singoli pubblicati alla fine degli anni '70, Oldfield riesce a scalare le classifiche con "Moonlight Shadow" nel 1983 e allora perchè cambiare strada, infatti "Discovery" che vede la luce nel 1984 riprende il lato più facile proposto da Oldfield nel precedente "Crises" dedicando gran parte del lavoro alla forma canzone trascurando la parte prettamente strumentale relegata alla sola "The Lake".
Registrato sul lago di Ginevra Oldfield si avvale delle voci della Reilly e di Barry Palmer e alle percussioni di Simon Phillips, le canzoni che prendono vita non emozionano , sono esercizi Pop, che molto spesso saccheggiano cose già proposte da Mike, "To France" è praticamente la copia carbone di "Moonlight Shadow". Anche "Crystal Gazing" con il suo andamento monotono ricorda troppo il tormentone di "Foreign Affair", "Poison Arrows" è gradevole nulla di più, "Tricks Of The Light" è pessima Muzak lontana anni luce dalla freschezza compositiva di Oldfield. La voce di Maggie Reilly in "Talk About Life" ricorda vagamente quella di Annie Haslam dei Renaissance, anche la canzone parte molto bene, con un'apertura che rimanda proprio alle atmosfere tipiche dei Renaissance, peccato che poi tutto si spenga banalmente in una scontata melodia, "Saved By The Bell" tratta la passione di Mike per le stelle ma non si solleva dalla mediocrità generale del disco. Grazie al cielo arriva "The Lake a rendere meno anonimo il lavoro, un brano strumentale molto bello e ben eseguito, un Oldfield equilibrato, molto lineare nel tessere la melodia portante di tastiere e basso iniziale, bello anche l'innesto delle percussioni che conduce al tema portante di chitarra suonato magistralmente dal solito Mike, questo è il vero mago delle campane tubolari non l'artefice di banali brani POP sentito precedentemente.
Questo rimane uno dei lavori meno interessanti di Oldfield, il successivo "Islands" regalerà dei brani migliori come "North Point" è sarà il disco in cui l'equilibrio suite canzone funzionerà meglio.
Elenco tracce testi e samples
01 To France (04:39)
Taking on water, sailing a restless sea
From a memory, a fantasy
The wind travels into white water
Far from the highlands
Don't you know you're...
Never going to get to France
Mary Queen of chance will they find you
Never going to get to France
Could a new romance ever bind you
Walking on foreign ground like a shadow
Roaming in far off territory
Over your shoulder stories unfold
You're searching for sanctuary
You know you're...
Never going to get to France
Mary Queen of chance will they find you
Never going to get to France
Could a new romance ever bind you
I see the picture
By the lamp's flicker
Isn't it strange
Those dreams fade and shimmer
Never going to get to France
Mary Queen of chance will they find you
Never going to get to France
Could a new romance ever bind you
I see the picture
By the lamp's flicker
Isn't it strange
Those dreams fade and shimmer
Never going to get to France
Mary Queen of chance will they find you
Never going to get to France
Could a new romance ever bind you
Never going to get to France
Never going to...
02 Poison Arrows (03:57)
Silence in the air
Is anybody there
Searching every sound
Walking un quiet ground
Chorus:
Somebody's out to get you
Hiding in shadows - poison arrows
Somebody's out to break you
Hiding in narrows - poison arrows
When you gonna brake
Watching every move you make
And every thing you do
Evil eyes'll be on you
Repeat Chorus
Don't give in, don't come any closer, no sir
Keep running, coming in closer, closer
Don't give in don't come any closer, no sir
Keep running coming in closer no sir
What you gonna do
Time is running out on you
Anywhere you choose
Anyway you're gonna lose
Repeat Chorus
03 Crystal Gazing (03:02)
Watching For A Spot, It's A Moonlight Show.
Reaching Through The Dark. Do You Have To Go?
Try To Put A Message Through To Your Sweetheart.
Won't You Like To Know The Secrets Of The Heart?
Whatcha Gonna Find In Crystal Gazing?
Crystal Gazing, Crystal Gazing.
Whatcha Gonna Find In Crystal Gazing?
Chorus
Crystal Gazing, Crystal Gazing.
Voices In The Dark And The Lights Turned Low.
Teachers Of The Art That You Never Know.
Try To Put A Message Through To Your Sweetheart.
Won't You Like To Know The Secrets Of The Heart?
Pictures From The Night, Won't You Be My Guide?
What You Talk About On The Other Side.
Carry You A Message Back From Your Sweetheart.
Won't You Like To Know The Secrets Of The Heart?
Chorus
Crystal Gazing, Crystal Gazing.
Voices In The Dark And The Lights Turned Low.
Teachers Of The Art That You Never Know.
Try To Put A Message Through To Your Sweetheart.
Won't You Like To Know The Secrets Of The Heart?
Watching For A Spot, It's A Moonlight Show.
Reaching Through The Dark. Do You Have To Go?
Try To Put A Message Through To Your Sweetheart.
Won't You Like To Know The Secrets Of The Heart?
Watching For A Spot, It's A Moonlight Show.
Reaching Through The Dark. Do You Have To Go?
05 Discovery (04:35)
When you want the score,
When you need a helping hand.
When you find closed doors,
When you're back where you began.
Keeping those secrets,
Telling those lies.
Can anybody tell me what's the big surprise?
[ Chorus ]
Discovery.
Who has the chance to know it all?
Discovery.
Give me some truth and stop makin' me cry!
Discovery.
How can you sleep?
How can you turn away?
Thinking so cheap,
Someday you're gonna pay!
You're keeping secrets,
I can see in your eyes.
Can anybody tell me why the big disguise?
[ Repeat Chorus ]
[ Repeat Chorus ]
Please, give me some chance.
Give me some confidence.
Would you please set me free?
Oh, someone, deliver me!
Who's keeping secrets?
I got my spies.
Does anybody think we live in Paradise?
[ Repeat Chorus ]
[ Repeat Chorus ]
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