White Rock

Artist: Rick Wakeman
Label: A&M
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Format: Soundtrack
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1
EAN: 4988005341747
ASIN: B0000AFOHH

Release Date: 2006-10-03

White Rock

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Tracks:

White Rock
Searching for Gold
Loser
Shoot
Lax'x
After the Ball
Montezuma's Revenge
Ice Run

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Album Description

Limited Edition Japanese pressing of this album comes housed in a miniature LP sleeve. Universal. 2006.

Album Details

Japanese Limited Edition Issue of the Album Classic in a Deluxe, Miniaturized LP Sleeve Replica of the Original Vinyl Album Artwork.

Customer Reviews:

Finally re-released!.......2004-06-30

Melvin H. Wilson, Jr. on 15/07/1997 [Other reviews by Melvin H. Wilson, Jr. ]

Although it is the sound track from the movie of the Winter Olympics, "White Rock" is much more than just a sound track album. It is an emotional trip through feelings of triumph and defeat. The title track, "White Rock", is a busy romp with Rick playing wonderful leads accompanied by grooving percussion. "Searching For Gold" is a very beautiful, haunting piece that brings on the feeling of hope and achievment. "After the Ball" a classical movement with touches of sadness and perhapes loneliness; and "Ice Run" that sounds very similar to a "Yes" song. This album is definitely a BUY IT.
.

Worth the Wait!.......2004-01-08

I've been waiting for this to be released on CD for almost 20 years (I wore the vinyl out years ago). This remastered reissue is definitely worth the wait. To me, this is right there with Six Wives as Wakeman's finest work.

Simply superb.......2003-11-01

I haven't heard this album in over 20 years, since my vinyls were stolen back in the 80s. I'd forgotten just how very, very good it is. I think in retrospect it's even better than 6 Wives, which used to be my Wakeman benchmark. But White Rock is so brilliant in themes and tones - there's not a bad track on the disc and it's tight and energetic and fresh.
The opening title track is a gorgeous piercing Moog extravaganza as only Wakeman can play, not a strong emphasis on melody but a brilliant layering of colours and a thumping rhythm driven by Tony Fernandez on percussion which gets into the bloodstream.
Track Two, Searching for Gold, is my favourite. Rick brings in a lovely, haunting theme on Moog and then repeats it with a boy soprano solo. The orchestrations throughout are excellent and the piano running through this, and all the other tracks, is Wakeman at his most inspired.
Lax'x is a departure with some discordant percussion and synthesizer which grows on you after a while - the best way I can describe it is like a circulatory system slowing down! Then the whole thing kickstarts again and repeats the earlier signal theme of the album. There is some fabulous organ on this track.
Montezuma's Revenge is a fun and pacy interpretation of the famous Hungarian track. After The Ball is a Lizst's Liebestraume-like grand piano treatment, all slow tempo and lush chords.
All the tracks are pictorial in that you can close your eyes and imagine ski jumps, skating solos, downhill runs etc. I'd love to see the movie this came from but I imagine it's long gone now. The emotion of competition is brought out very strongly throughout - the high of winning or bringing off that perfect jump - or the pain of crashing out and another dream gone for four more years. It's a pity you can't experience the film and music together, it would add so much more, particularly since this type of musical treatment in a sporting film is so rare.
I think I like this album so much because it seems uncluttered but there are many layers to explore each time you listen. The final track, Ice Run, has a beautiful little oboe melody at the beginning which I think is one of the best themes Rick has ever written.
All in all, a delightful mix of instruments from classical to choral to synthesizer, with that glorious Moog cutting through everything else, just to remind you who is playing it. However I think I love Rick's piano on this album even more. All the instruments complement each other so well - even though Rick seems to be using a hundred different sounds, they never get in each other's way and it all ties together superbly - a very satisfying experience technically and emotionally.

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