ATC
10-19-2004, 03:58 AM
THE BOOK OF SECRETS- LOREENA MCKENNITT
TRACK LISTING
1.PROLOGUE
2.THE MUMMERS DANCE
3.SKELLIG
4.MARCO POLO
5.THE HIGHWAYMAN
6.LA SERINISSIMA
7.NIGHT RIDE ACROSS THE CAUCASUS
8.DANTE'S PRAYER
Some things are out of this time and are meant to transport you somewhere else, to a different reality. This album is one of those. Its lush and gorgeous and reminds you of the nature and thebest of all that has been, the rippling brook, the sensual forests, the ethereal night. A heady mix of Celtic and Oriental sounds. This album is her most expansive and accessible album, with beautiful melodies accentuated by her incredible voice. Every song is well...different and i'd reckon you havent heard much similar to them. The depth, creativity and the maturity of her work will be enough to get you hooked. Though the absence of any pop hooks will make it hard
to sustain interest for a thousand listens.
This is new age music, one that you can do your tai-chi to as well as dance or make love to (trust me on this one). The atmosphere.
PROLOGUE is a pretty instrumental, Celtic written all over it. Its haunting and wistful, like a lot of her songs tend to be. Its a good lead in to...
THE MUMMERS DANCE after you've heard this, you will definitely want to find out what a mummer is. I knew but i've forgotten. if i hadnt, i wouldnt tell you anyway. This was,i believe, her only major radio hit and what makes it unique is that its nothing like any radio hit. Its an ode to nature and its revellers.
Who will go down to those shady groves
And summon the shadows there
And tie a ribbon on those sheltering arms
In the springtime of the year
SKELLIG is a lovely ballad about a monk and him bequeathing his books to an apprenctice. Its very very beautiful. I just love the way the celtic flute, i think its called, is used. Melody is the key word about this album and this keeps the flavor just fine.
MARCO POLO is a middle eastern instrumental. It reminds me of a starry night with a belly dancer around a campfire after a long day spent in a crowded arabian town. Loreena's wordless singing and the sheer sensuality of this is something i ve come to love. enough about my fetishes. heh
THE HIGHWAYMAN was an Alfred Noyes poem that i had to read back in school ages ago. A ballad about the love of an outlaw for
a rich man's daughter is what this is about. Art it was as a poem, but i doubt that everyone would want to read it, but after what she has done
with this, the poem is made so much better. Her voice is elegance personified as she brings alive the tale, the tension, the love, the anticipation.
LA SERENISSIMA is one of those gentle songs that remind you of a peaceful time, perhaps long ago in Merrie England, where you sit with a loved one by a brook looking into their eyes. Feck, i didnt mean to get carried away. It was the harp, i swear it. Either ways, its a lovely song.
NIGHT RIDE ACROSS THE CAUCASUS There is something inherently beautiful about violin solos and riding songs. Its, imo, the weakest track
on this album though.
DANTE'S PRAYER is unmistakeably brilliant. Very sparse in its instrumentation compared to a lot of her songs, this is from Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy, i m guessing. Its wistful and sensitive with soothing piano and strings. Its gorgeous in the way it never gets old and its always sensitive.
All said, this is a damn good album, one that anyone that likes true alternative music must possess. Its one of those albums that are underrated and unheard of, but can inspire a religious like experience. I've only recently seen the CD even though its been out for ages and had downloaded every track almost 2 years ago.
i'd give it a 4.5/5
TRACK LISTING
1.PROLOGUE
2.THE MUMMERS DANCE
3.SKELLIG
4.MARCO POLO
5.THE HIGHWAYMAN
6.LA SERINISSIMA
7.NIGHT RIDE ACROSS THE CAUCASUS
8.DANTE'S PRAYER
Some things are out of this time and are meant to transport you somewhere else, to a different reality. This album is one of those. Its lush and gorgeous and reminds you of the nature and thebest of all that has been, the rippling brook, the sensual forests, the ethereal night. A heady mix of Celtic and Oriental sounds. This album is her most expansive and accessible album, with beautiful melodies accentuated by her incredible voice. Every song is well...different and i'd reckon you havent heard much similar to them. The depth, creativity and the maturity of her work will be enough to get you hooked. Though the absence of any pop hooks will make it hard
to sustain interest for a thousand listens.
This is new age music, one that you can do your tai-chi to as well as dance or make love to (trust me on this one). The atmosphere.
PROLOGUE is a pretty instrumental, Celtic written all over it. Its haunting and wistful, like a lot of her songs tend to be. Its a good lead in to...
THE MUMMERS DANCE after you've heard this, you will definitely want to find out what a mummer is. I knew but i've forgotten. if i hadnt, i wouldnt tell you anyway. This was,i believe, her only major radio hit and what makes it unique is that its nothing like any radio hit. Its an ode to nature and its revellers.
Who will go down to those shady groves
And summon the shadows there
And tie a ribbon on those sheltering arms
In the springtime of the year
SKELLIG is a lovely ballad about a monk and him bequeathing his books to an apprenctice. Its very very beautiful. I just love the way the celtic flute, i think its called, is used. Melody is the key word about this album and this keeps the flavor just fine.
MARCO POLO is a middle eastern instrumental. It reminds me of a starry night with a belly dancer around a campfire after a long day spent in a crowded arabian town. Loreena's wordless singing and the sheer sensuality of this is something i ve come to love. enough about my fetishes. heh
THE HIGHWAYMAN was an Alfred Noyes poem that i had to read back in school ages ago. A ballad about the love of an outlaw for
a rich man's daughter is what this is about. Art it was as a poem, but i doubt that everyone would want to read it, but after what she has done
with this, the poem is made so much better. Her voice is elegance personified as she brings alive the tale, the tension, the love, the anticipation.
LA SERENISSIMA is one of those gentle songs that remind you of a peaceful time, perhaps long ago in Merrie England, where you sit with a loved one by a brook looking into their eyes. Feck, i didnt mean to get carried away. It was the harp, i swear it. Either ways, its a lovely song.
NIGHT RIDE ACROSS THE CAUCASUS There is something inherently beautiful about violin solos and riding songs. Its, imo, the weakest track
on this album though.
DANTE'S PRAYER is unmistakeably brilliant. Very sparse in its instrumentation compared to a lot of her songs, this is from Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy, i m guessing. Its wistful and sensitive with soothing piano and strings. Its gorgeous in the way it never gets old and its always sensitive.
All said, this is a damn good album, one that anyone that likes true alternative music must possess. Its one of those albums that are underrated and unheard of, but can inspire a religious like experience. I've only recently seen the CD even though its been out for ages and had downloaded every track almost 2 years ago.
i'd give it a 4.5/5