The Sallyangie "Children of the Sun" (UK Folk 1968)
featuring Sally and Mike Oldfield

This album presents a historical curiosity in that it is the first released recordings of Mike and Sally Oldfield. Mike of course went on to international success as a concept musician and Sally became a pioneering flautist and singer connected with the new age movement. back in 1969 they were teenagers with a prodigious talent who were attracted to the folk music of Pentangle. Mike played guitar as did Sally who also contributed lead vocals and flute. Recording rapidly for the legendary Transatlantic they were complemented by occasional hand percussion from Terry Cox there by cementing the Pentangle admiration. The album is naive, innocent and whimsical. It has all the hallmarks and tweeness of hippy optimism but has enough individuality and talent to sometimes break through to something quite interesting and enjoyable. 'Lady Mary' seems to prefigure the medieval music that Amazing Blondel and John Renbourn would go on to make with it's baroque strings and harpsichord. 'Children Of The Sun' has a spooky spoken word start and a chorus that says that 'Allah is sending Children of the Sun', it's like some weird cult that possesses children such as that in the Quatermass Conclusion is singing out. 'Love In Ice Crystals' is an acid casualty ballad with psychedelic echo in the chorus. The death of the hippy dream is told surreally in 'Murder of the Children of San Francisco' which may be connected with the Manson killings in theory or in the hippy shootings. Some of the other songs get the technique and sound right but don't have such strong melodies, but they are never less than listenable. This edition adds some of Mike Oldfield's instrumentals that has been unreleased and some demos across two CDs. There are similarities to The Moths and especially to The Natural Acoustic Band, it may have been disowned by the artists when they moved on but it is within a context and era, and accepted as such works well. So it's an excellent package and much more enjoyable and of higher quality than you might imagine.