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Oldfield. Sally Oldfield. Apologies for an introduction that sounds like "Bond. James Bond." But comparisons are necessary, since most of us at The Phantom Tollbooth may not be familiar with Sally Oldfield. Internationally, we know the name "Oldfield" very well. Sally's younger brother Mike Oldfield is best known for his contribution to the movie The Exorcist from his landmark recording Tubular Bells way back in 1976 (for which Sally contributed vocal support). Sally's sibling Terry Oldfield is a successful recording artist in his own right as well. Sally has recorded wonderful spiritual music since collaborations with her brothers and her own Water Bearer breakthrough project in 1978. I was immediately drawn to her "ethereal" vocal quality some 23 years ago and have followed her music since that time, mostly via recordings imported to the United States.

To end the historical viewpoint of Sally's music, she made a big splash just a year ago with a dance remix of "Mirrors," perhaps her best-known solo recording which has been re-released in a new recording, Flaming Star.

Do you enjoy a music sound that meshes Western and Eastern cultures, full of spiritual exploration in lyrics? If so, Flaming Star is a recording you must hear. The title track sounds like a meshing of Ofra Haza and Deep Forest, an incredibly enticing lead to this entire recording. All in all, this project is more aptly in sync with Wendy Carlos, Suzanne Ciani, and Greece's Keti Garbi. There. We've nailed down this particular style. I'm tempted to think Sally Oldfield is developing her own new genre with these influences, along with what she's already been doing for many years.

Sally Oldfield's voice is the most beautifully unique I have ever heard besides the United Kingdom's Judie Tzuke, and Flaming Star is Sally's best yet.

What I don't like about Flaming Star is that it relies on too much electronica and a fast-burning-out new age trend. "Incantation" is a bridge between the title track and "Samurai of the Sun," which includes very sweet guitars to complement Sally's voice, with a light dance beat.

"Don't be afraid of the light if your heart is dark" are the lyrics that comprise the theme from "Samurai of the Sun." That's a good example of the lyrical content of Flaming Star. It's a good theme that anyone who believes in a higher power can plug into easily. This particular song merges easily into "Bird of Paradise," which includes Spanish lyrics.

Flaming Star flows very smoothly until the final track, "Mirrors." As a long-time fan of Sally Oldfield's music, I am very disappointed with this new age version of her song which made its debut on Water Bearer (not on the United States release on vinyl). This version runs for almost ten minutes. I wish the dance version were included in this project.

This project is wonderful for Sally Oldfield, but it's just a little too late. I've heard it before, with Boheme from Deep Forest. I expect Oldfield to continue to move ahead from Flaming Star as a good jumping-off point to surpass what she did with her own classic recording Water Bearer. Merging her past with her present is the key that will make much more pleasing recordings from Sally Oldfield, who has one of the most unique voices in contemporary international recordings.

Olin Jenkins  9/13/2001