Crises (Mike Oldfield album)


Crises is the eighth studio album by English multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Mike Oldfield, released on 27 May 1983 on Virgin Records. It marked the continuation of Oldfield's change in musical direction that had started with his previous album Five Miles Out, signified by more commercial and straightforward rock and pop songs. The album contains the hit singles "Moonlight Shadow" featuring Maggie Reilly on lead vocals and "Shadow on the Wall", sung by Roger Chapman. Oldfield supported the album with the Crises Tour across Europe in 1983 that featured most of the musicians that played on the album.

Background and recording

By the 1980s, Oldfield had shifted musical direction from the longform compositions that he had become known for throughout the previous decade, towards more commercial and straightforward rock and pop songs. By the time he had finished the 1982 world tour in support of his previous album Five Miles Out in December of that same year, Oldfield had already started work on a follow-up. Crises sees Oldfield explore heavy metal elements which he had been a fan of for some time and enjoyed playing. Oldfield described side one as material that he had wanted to write and perform "for personal satisfaction", while side two is "very commercial, full of singles". He added: "It's a case of keeping everybody happy."
The album was recorded from November 1982 to April 1983 at Tilehouse Studios in Denham, Buckinghamshire, using an Ampex ATR 124 tape recorder, a Neve 8108 with Necam console and Westlake Monitors. Oldfield used a Gibson SG Junior for overdriven guitar sounds and a Fender Stratocaster for clean sounds. Tama drums were Simon Phillips' brand of choice for drums on the album; Phillips also did some production work. Oldfield makes extensive use of Oberheim and Fairlight keyboards.
Asked how he recruited Chapman and Anderson in an interview, Oldfield answered "we just hang out in the same bar". The "Moonlight Shadow" single from this album includes the rare track "Rite of Man". The North American version of the album has a different running order and includes the single "Mistake".

Songs

Side one

The title track of the album is a twenty-minute-long piece, featuring a small amount of vocals, sung by Oldfield. The beginning and end of the track are driven by a synthesised lead passage, stylistically similar to the opening theme to Oldfield's Tubular Bells.

Side two

The album also features the massive hit "Moonlight Shadow", sung by Maggie Reilly, who also sang and co-wrote "Foreign Affair". "In High Places" has lyrics by Mike Oldfield and Jon Anderson. "Shadow on the Wall" has vocals by Roger Chapman. The album includes "Taurus 3", a short fast-paced guitar piece unlike the previous two long multi-themed "Taurus" tracks featured on QE2 and Five Miles Out respectively.

Artwork

The album's cover art was by Terry Ilott. Oldfield makes reference to the artwork with the line, "the watcher and the tower, waiting hour, by hour". In the interview mentioned before, Oldfield stated that "I'm the man in the corner, and the tower is my music".

Charts

It spent 19 weeks on Norway's album chart, peaking at No. 1 for two weeks, and is Oldfield's best selling album there. The album also topped the charts in Germany and Sweden.
Chart
Position
Australia 17

Certifications

Track listing

UK version

Side one

  1. "Crises" – 20:40

    Side two

  2. "Moonlight Shadow" – 3:34
  3. "In High Places" – 3:33
  4. "Foreign Affair" – 3:53
  5. "Taurus 3" – 2:25
  6. "Shadow on the Wall" – 3:09

    North American version

Side one

  1. "Mistake"
  2. "In High Places"
  3. "Foreign Affair"
  4. "Taurus 3"
  5. "Shadow on the Wall"
  6. "Moonlight Shadow"

    Side two

  7. "Crises"

    Personnel

Crises was re-issued by Mercury Records on 2 September 2013, along with Five Miles Out. It is available as a single CD, a 2CD Deluxe Edition, a vinyl LP and a 5 disc boxed set. The boxed set also includes a 32-page hardback book. There will also be a 500 copy limited edition vinyl available on transparent green vinyl. The re-issue is also available as digital download in 16 and 24 bit 44.1 kHz FLAC/ALAC and 320kbit/s MP3 in two versions. The super-deluxe edition contains the tracks of discs one through three, the LP contains the tracks of the single CD.
This reissue reached #30 in Germany's Media Control Charts in September 2013.

Track listing

Single disc edition

  1. "Crises" 20:57
  2. "Moonlight Shadow" 3:38
  3. "In High Places" 3:33
  4. "Foreign Affair" 3:53
  5. "Taurus 3" 2:25
  6. "Shadow on the Wall" 3:10
  7. "Moonlight Shadow " 3:35
  8. "Shadow on the Wall" 3:21
  9. "Mistake" 2:56
  10. "Crime of Passion" 4:10
  11. "Jungle Gardenia" 2:46
  12. "Moonlight Shadow" 5:15
  13. "Shadow on the Wall" 5:09

    Deluxe Edition

; Disc 1
; Disc 2
Live Highlights from Wembley Arena 22 July 1983 Crises Tour
  1. "Taurus I" 9:14
  2. "Taurus II" 23:08
  3. "Crises" 23:15
  4. "Moonlight Shadow" 5:28
  5. "Shadow on the Wall" 6:26
  6. "Family Man" 4:14

    30th Anniversary Box Set

; Disc 1
; Disc 2
Live at Wembley Arena 22 July 1983 Crises Tour
  1. "Woodhenge" / "Incantations Part Three" 8:09
  2. "Sheba" 3:23
  3. "Ommadawn Part One" 8:52
  4. "Mount Teidi" 4:10
  5. "Five Miles Out" 5:03
  6. "Tubular Bells Part One" 18:44
; Disc 3
; Disc 4 - DVD
  1. "Crises" 22:35
  2. "Tubular Bells Part One" 19:10
  3. "Moonlight Shadow" 3:42
  4. "Shadow on the Wall" 3:08
  5. "Moonlight Shadow" 3:15
  6. "Crime of Passion" 3:42
; Disc 5 – DVD
2013 Remaster / 5.1 Surround Sound
  1. "Crises" 20:38
  2. "Moonlight Shadow" 4:00
  3. "In High Places" 3:53
  4. "Foreign Affair" 4:13
  5. "Taurus 3" 2:50
  6. "Shadow on the Wall" 5:13

    Charts

Chart
Position

Cover versions

A number of songs from Crises have been covered by numerous acts, with "Moonlight Shadow" being the most popular. Dance act Groove Coverage took their cover of "Moonlight Shadow" to number 3 in the German charts. A 2009 cover version of "Foreign Affair" by Belgian dance band Sylver spent 8 weeks in the top 10 of the Belgian single charts, peaking at #3.
American rapper Kanye West samples Oldfield's song "In High Places". West incorporated the song's chorus into his song "Dark Fantasy" from his 2010 album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.