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 An Ancient Muse :: 0374404755
Description
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| It's been nearly a decade since Loreena McKennitt's last studio album, The Book of Secrets, but An Ancient Muse picks up the caravan exactly where she left off on her mystical journey through the cultures of the Middle East and northern Sahara. The Canadian singer opens this album the same way as she did her last two recordings: with an incantation, calling out in a wordless voice across an echoing space, cleansing the air and the mind. What follows is a lot like those albums as well, a pan-global excursion centered on Middle Eastern themes and instruments cast into a dramatic exotica. Oud, dumbek, kanoun, hurdy-gurdy, duduk, nyckleharpe (a Swedish-keyed fiddle), and other ancient sounds from the region and beyond ornament her music, though "ornament" might no longer be accurate. With the exception of Hugh Marsh's gypsy violin solos and a handful of other players, it's the Western instruments that serve as ornaments on An Ancient Muse. McKennitt long ago evolved the Celtic sound that launched her career. She's virtually abandoned the harp, which hasn't appeared on her CDs since 1991's The Visit. The lone uillean pipe on "Beneath a Phrygian Sky" sounds like an echo calling from the McKennitt's past. Nevertheless, the Celtic ballad form remains central to her music, and she still draws inspiration from ye olde writers of the British Isles. Lyrics from Sir Walter Scott adorn "The English Ladye and the Knight," recalling "The Lady of Shalott." But despite McKennitt's soaring alto, the tale drags under the dirge-like meter and ponderous arrangement. The epic track of this album is the aforementioned "Beneath a Phrygian Sky," with distorted electric guitar accents and an acoustic guitar melody carrying McKennitt on another journey into her romanticized version of the ancient world. --John Diliberto Editorial Descriptions are usually submitted by the manufacturers, publishers and authors. Contact us if you are one of them, and wish to change the above description. |
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Author: Guest
This is the first time I was anxious to lay my hands on a CD on its release day. I wasn't disappointed. Nor was I blown away.
Loreena's singing and music are strong as usual. I particularly liked the melody of the opening invocation: the voice seems to emerge from the darkness, unbound by tempo or harmony, open-ended, formless, profound. The instrumentation in "Caravanserai" is amazing, as is the poised tempo. "The English Ladye and the Knight" is a lovely rendition of Scott's ballad and my favourite track on this album--not as dynamic as "The Highway Man", perhaps, but infinitely rich and moving with the dirge-like tempo, etheral choral background and Loreena's heartbreaking, soaring voice.
The other songs, however, are a bit on the conventional side and appear to recycle former materials. "The Gates of Istanbul" reminded me of "Marrakesh Night Market", "Penelope's Song" of "The Two Trees", "Beneath the Phrygian Sky" of "Night Ride Across the Caucasus", "Never-Ending Road" of "Dante's Prayer", except the precursors tended to be stronger. The album is still worthy of Loreena McKennitt--only that I think she could use a breakthrough, like the one she achieved moving on from "The Visit" to "The Mask and the Mirrors".
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Author: Guest
I like it, even though it doesn't have the excitement of previous Loreena's CDs. It's been a long time for something from Loreena McKennitt, and I was hoping for something that would jump at me like most of the songs in the Mask and Mirror. Still, I absolutely believe this CD is worth buying and buying on release day. It is quite enjoyable, though I can see why some would think something is missing. I'm giving it 5 stars because even though not as dynamic as previous offerings, it is still very good music and not a bad song in it.
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Author: Guest
I don't like to be that guy who gives a less-than-stellar review to a recording from an artist who hasn't released something in a while. Usually those sort of people are just the ones who aren't going to be satisfied no matter how great the new release.
However I do feel this recording is a little on the weaker end of things. Even the packaging is sparse - it lacks that beautiful illuminated feel of her previous releases, with their myriad of artworks and deep, thought provoking liner notes. With this disc all we get is a simple cover that looks no better than a greeting card, and a small short booklet with lyrics and a few thoughts. It's so very utilitarian. I don't feel like I'm being taken away into a misty, romanticized ancient world. I feel very much here and now. Which is not what I want or expect from a Loreena McKennitt record. Compared to the packaging and presentation of The Visit or The Mask and Mirror, An Ancient Muse feels like an EP release.
The music is good. Not great. Just good. It's very standard Loreena, albeit with a few twists such as the use of a more electric guitars and rock drums. But in the end that only serves to give it a somewhat pop feel. It kills the misty, dreamy world of atmosphere that used to seperate Loreena's music from other artists. Now she just ends up sounding a bit too polished and mainstream. She's almost heading in a somewhat (dare I say it) "easy listening" direction.
I never support the idea of an artist having to stay with a certain formula. I deeply appreciation mutation and innovation. But I don't sense either on this record. It's just the same old stuff with a few new twists here and there. And it doesn't measure up. Maybe, hopefully, she won't make us wait more than a year or two for her next recording...and that one will present a more compelling example of her great talents.
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Author: Guest
Ever since my first time listening to BOOK of SECRETS five years ago, I've been mesmorized by Loreena's beautiful voice and her creative style for poetic classics like Lady of Shalott and The Highwayman. Now after an almost ten year pause, Loreena delivers her angelic vocal and music talent vibrantly in AN ANCIENT MUSE with everything I've come to expect and hope for.
Listening to these pieces feels exactly as Loreena describes making them; like being on a journey through distant lands and ancient times. Among my favorites are CARAVANSERAI, THE ENGLISH LADYE AND THE KNIGHT (a brilliant recreation of Sir Walter Scott's poem of love and war through the Crusades), BENEATH A PHRYGIAN SKY, and NEVER-ENDING ROAD, a beautiful finishing piece that leaves you yearning for more as did DANTE'S PRAYER
in BOOK OF SECRETS.
Thanks again Loreena for sharing your beautiful talent with the world. I highly recommend this to anyone with an appreciation for great quality music.
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Author: Guest
"The Gates Of Istanbul" is my favorite track - the rhythm is fascinating. The entire cd has some brilliant moments. The music is fragile and at the same time anchored in rock. The tracks are varied and unique from one to another but are all still ethereal. Instruments vary with greater emphasis on Middle Eastern strings and less of her characteristic harp. The Celtic sound is part of the rhythmic foundation but this cd is very diverse meditation music.
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