An Ancient Muse, gives fans of Loreena McKennitt's "eclectic Celtic" music exactly what they expect, nothing more, but certainly nothing less. McKennitt picks up right where she left off with 1997's The Book of Secrets, this time with her songs inspired by the Silk Road, English poetry and classical mythology.
The sound of An Ancient Muse continues down the path McKennitt started on with 1994's The Mask and The Mirror. While she hasn't completely abandoned her roots in Celtic Folk, the songs are heavily influenced by Mediterranean and Arabic traditions, and feature instruments that many American and Western European listeners would be hard pressed to pronounce, let alone identify.
The worst that can be said about this album is that it doesn't give us any surprises. The songs, for the most part, follow the formula that McKennitt established on her previous two studio albums. Like previous albums, there is an opening piece featuring almost arrhythmic instrumentation and wordless vocalizations by McKennitt. There is the mandatory setting of a classic poem featuring ill-fated lovers that end up dead in the end. There are a couple of lively instrumentals, and the album ends with a meditative ballad. McKennitt's harp is regrettably scarce.
Of course, one of the best things to be said about the album is that it is very much familiar ground. Fans who waited nearly a decade for new material are getting exactly what they've been waiting for. McKennitt has created a genre of music all her own, with elements of folk, classical, world music and pop rolled together and backed by some phenomenal instrumentalists, such as Hugh Marsh and Nigel Eaton on fiddle and hurdy-gurdy respectively.
One of the few, and most interesting changes from past albums is a greater use of the western-style drum kit. The drums add a certain degree of punch to songs like "The Gates of Istanbul" and "Caravanserai".
The tracks
Incantation-An airy, shapeless instrumental that sets the mood and beckons us into McKennitt's world
The Gates of Istanbull-An upbeat and rolling piece, the drum kit gives it an almost reggae-like beat that you can tap your foot to
Caravanserai-Possibly the strongest track on the album, after the typical long intro, it breaks into a powerful, rolling gait, pulling us along on the back of a camel towards the titular caravanserai
The English Ladye and The Knight-A setting of a poem by Sir Walter Scott about, what else, ill-fated lovers. Very pretty, but it drags somewhat compared to the songs before and after it.
Kecharitomene-Another brilliant instrumental that builds slowly and solidly until Marsh's pyrotechnic fiddling puts the last minute into overdrive
Penelope's Song-A piano driven track that takes the perspective of Odysseus's wife, who waited for him at home all those years.
Sacred Shabbat-Yet another quality instrumental, this time with it's roots in the traditions of Jewish music
Beneath a Phrygian Sky-The longest track on the album. A haunting call to arms for the forces of love and unity.
Never-Ending Road (Amhran Duit)-McKennitt sends us on our way with this gentle benediction. About the never ending journey that is life. "Here is my heart, I give it to you/ take me with you across this land"
For more information go to Loreena McKennitt's Quinlan Road site
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Sunday, January 7, 2007
Thursday, January 4, 2007
Music Blog: Chris Batten and the Woods
Chris Batten and The Woods have a mission. They have come to tell us the soul of Rock and Roll is still alive and kicking in New Jersey.
Ever since Bruce Springsteen tore through the disco era with his fuel-injected "Born to Run" more than thirty years ago, Garden State rockers have been more than happy to act as a reality check to the music world. The Woods are a worthy heir to this tradition, their music is unpretentious, soulful and fun. These are the kind of songs that make you want to roll down the window, turn up the volume and hit the accelerator.
In addition to their acknowledged debt to Springsteen, The Woods also draw inspiration from The Stones, Van Morrison, Elvis (Presley and Costello) and Otis Redding, among many others. Batten's songwriting isn't an attempt to do anything radically different with the genre, just an effort to write good rock songs with craftsmanship and heart.
The band's lineup consists of Chris Batten on the lead vocals, guitar, piano and harmonica, Dustin Packard on guitar and backing vocals Richie Pearce on drums and Al Radice on bass and backing vocals. Pearce and Radice work together to provide a solid rhythm section, holding the songs together nicely. Pearce's drumming is particularly well suited, being varied enough to provide texture and the occasional pleasant surprise, but not so busy as to distract the listener from the other three quarters of the band.
The dual guitars of Batten and Packard provide a loud, full sound that is well suited to The Woods' particular brand of roots-rock, but things really get going when Batten sits down at the piano. They keyboard fills out the sound nicely, and gives an extra lift to the faster songs and a degree of sensitivity to the slow ones.
Batten's lyrics reflect life in the shadow of New York City. They range from the narrative ("Riot in the Streets", "Swagger") to the confessional ("Driver","By Your Side"). They're full of places, names, and descriptive metaphors. They often reflect on a sense of loss or missed opportunity and offer up some great twists of phrase, such as in "Old Soul Station":
"And some will run from love, but they just fall into the pocket of some inattentive stranger"
Chris Batten and The Woods are definitely worth checking out, live or on the web. They're frequently on tour throughout the Northeast, and make semi-regular appearances at New Brunswick's Court Tavern. They've got plenty of songs to hear on their web site and on their Myspace page.
In a music scene dominated by artists that seem to be trying to one-up each other with cleverness and cynicism, it's refreshing to hear some good solid rock like The Woods. Somewhere in the wilds of Jersey, they remind us, there are a few honest souls who are not interested in re-inventing Rock and Roll, they just want to actually play it.
Chris Batten and The Woods can be found online at www.andthewoods.com or on Myspace at http://www.myspace.com/chrisbattenandthewoods
Ever since Bruce Springsteen tore through the disco era with his fuel-injected "Born to Run" more than thirty years ago, Garden State rockers have been more than happy to act as a reality check to the music world. The Woods are a worthy heir to this tradition, their music is unpretentious, soulful and fun. These are the kind of songs that make you want to roll down the window, turn up the volume and hit the accelerator.
In addition to their acknowledged debt to Springsteen, The Woods also draw inspiration from The Stones, Van Morrison, Elvis (Presley and Costello) and Otis Redding, among many others. Batten's songwriting isn't an attempt to do anything radically different with the genre, just an effort to write good rock songs with craftsmanship and heart.
The band's lineup consists of Chris Batten on the lead vocals, guitar, piano and harmonica, Dustin Packard on guitar and backing vocals Richie Pearce on drums and Al Radice on bass and backing vocals. Pearce and Radice work together to provide a solid rhythm section, holding the songs together nicely. Pearce's drumming is particularly well suited, being varied enough to provide texture and the occasional pleasant surprise, but not so busy as to distract the listener from the other three quarters of the band.
The dual guitars of Batten and Packard provide a loud, full sound that is well suited to The Woods' particular brand of roots-rock, but things really get going when Batten sits down at the piano. They keyboard fills out the sound nicely, and gives an extra lift to the faster songs and a degree of sensitivity to the slow ones.
Batten's lyrics reflect life in the shadow of New York City. They range from the narrative ("Riot in the Streets", "Swagger") to the confessional ("Driver","By Your Side"). They're full of places, names, and descriptive metaphors. They often reflect on a sense of loss or missed opportunity and offer up some great twists of phrase, such as in "Old Soul Station":
"And some will run from love, but they just fall into the pocket of some inattentive stranger"
Chris Batten and The Woods are definitely worth checking out, live or on the web. They're frequently on tour throughout the Northeast, and make semi-regular appearances at New Brunswick's Court Tavern. They've got plenty of songs to hear on their web site and on their Myspace page.
In a music scene dominated by artists that seem to be trying to one-up each other with cleverness and cynicism, it's refreshing to hear some good solid rock like The Woods. Somewhere in the wilds of Jersey, they remind us, there are a few honest souls who are not interested in re-inventing Rock and Roll, they just want to actually play it.
Chris Batten and The Woods can be found online at www.andthewoods.com or on Myspace at http://www.myspace.com/chrisbattenandthewoods
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