by Jeff Wayne List Price:$24.00 Our Price:$22.00 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Product Details
Media: Audio CD
Release Date: Tuesday, July 05, 2005
Label: Sony
Average Customer Review: 5 Based on 2 reviews.
Sales Rank: 149
Tracks
1.
Red Weed, Pt. 2
2.
Spirit of Man
3.
Thunder Child
4.
Red Weed, Pt. 1
5.
Horsell Common and the Heat Ray
6.
Forever Autumn
7.
Eve of the War
8.
Epilogue, Pt. 2
9.
Epilogue, Pt. 1
10.
Dead London
11.
Brave New World
12.
Artilleryman and the Fighting Machine
Top Customer Reviews
Rating:
5 Forever Autumn No Longer
Praise be, they FINALLY re-released Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of the War of the Worlds!!Obviously, it's release is meant to coincide with the release of Spielberg's new movie, so thanks to him for making the movie just so we could have this masterpiece in a wonderful new release.The packaging on this excellent remastered edition is superb and the sound quality outstanding. This is a perfect gem all the way round.As for the music itself....... there's nothing else quite like it and very few albums that exceed it's satisfying blend of sound and fury. Think Alan Parsons meets Edgar Winters Frankenstein.Do yourself a favor and buy this CD. Turn the lights down low, spin the dial and be transported into Jeff Wayne's vision of the Alien Apocalypse. A truly epic journey into a mind altering experience awaits you.
Rating:
5 One Of Rock's Greatest Concept Albums
A double album *rock musical* version of H.G. Wells' sci-fi classic, "The War Of The Worlds"? Many people would laugh at such an idea. But in 1978, musician/songwriter/producer Jeff Wayne actually did it, and created one of rock's most supreme concept albums. Although the album has always been much more popular in Britain and other parts of Europe (even having a multi-year UK album-chart run rivaling Pink Floyd's "Dark Side Of The Moon"), it nonetheless has a strong cult following here in North America, myself proudly included. I first became aware of the "War Of The Worlds" album sometime in the late 80's, when I discovered that Justin Hayward, the lead singer for The Moody Blues (one of my all-time favorite bands) was singing on it. Curious, I picked up a vinyl copy of the album at a used record store, dropped the needle on Side One, and I was instantly hooked. I'd never heard anything like it before. The way the Martian-invasion narrative is brilliantly sustained from beginning to end, and, of course, Jeff Wayne's incredible music score that matches it. And, completing the "War Of The Worlds" package, there's the elaborate artwork that accompanies & illustrates the album---simply marvelous to look at. No question about it, "The War Of The Worlds" is quite an acheivement. Nearly three decades later after it's initial release, the album still sounds just as fresh & exciting now as it did back then. Besides the legendary, commanding voice of Richard Burton as the album's narrator, Jeff Wayne's stunning music rocks ("Horsell Common & The Heat Ray"), rouses ("Brave New World"), has incredible beauty ("Forever Autumn"), and, at turns, is effectively eerie ("The Red Weed"). The musicianship that Wayne has ensembled for the album is first-rate, from great singers like Justin Hayward, David Essex, Thin Lizzy's Phil Lynott & Julie Covington, to incredible musicians like Jo Partridge, Herbie Flowers, Chris Spedding, and Jeff Wayne himself. The album has amazing moods, atmospherics & sound effects, and the surprise twist at the album's end still gives me goosebumps to this day! There's no doubt in my mind that H.G. Wells himself would've been very happy indeed with this powerful musical treatment of his story. Although Jeff Wayne's "War Of The Worlds" has never been staged, I was very fortunately blessed to see a Laserium presentation of the album at the London Planetarium back in July of 1990. They presented the *whole* double album, complete with lasers, slides, & pyrotechnics. There was even an intermission after Side Two! It was a truly spellbinding show, and a great tribute to the album's timeless appeal. The point of mentioning it is that Jeff Wayne's "War Of The Worlds" succeeds not only as a rock album, but as a storytelling album that lends itself quite well to visual presentation. I can easily see a touring "rock concert" presentation of "War Of The Worlds" someday, complete with rock band & orchestra, singers, slides, lasers & pyrotechnics. Maybe Jeff Wayne could try to hook up with someone in the theater world and mount such a production? One can dream....In the meantime, buy the CD, and discover for yourself what all the fuss is about. Jeff Wayne's "War Of The Worlds" is truly a rock musical masterwork. (NOTE: This is a slightly-revised version of the review I wrote for "The War Of The Worlds" five years ago, as the old CD version is now out-of-print. But I stand by every word of it, 'cause I love this album. Thanks.)
