The Book of Secrets - Loreena McKennitt

Advantages: beautiful music, inspiring
Disadvantages: none

...out yet another fantastic album: The Book of Secrets explores new celtic influences, as the celts were more widespread across all of Europe, than most people'd expect (This being witnessed with Nightride through the Causasus). Again, her voice takes on many shapes and colours. From etherical to earthy, angelic to human. She pulls it off, and all in one album. The prologue, first piece of this album, is a calm but promising intro to a true Book of ... Read review

Advantages: voice, melodies, travel through music, relaxing
Disadvantages: none

...I discovered Loreena McKennitt few years ago, absolutely by chance. At that time, I was really attracted by Celtic music and I went to a huge shop to purchase a cd called "a woman's heart" (a compilation of beautiful songs performed by Irish female singers). Just before going to the check-out, I noticed a really beautiful and relaxing music playing in the shop. Exactly the kind of music that keeps you in, with a little voice in your head telling you : DON'T return in the stress of the town outside .... I asked a guy from the shop what it was, and he gave me the title of the album and the name of the singer. It was "the Book of Secrets" by Loreena McKennitt. Finally, I bought an extra cd that was'nt planned at first on my shopping list, but I have never regretted that purchase. Once, I lent this cd to my "stretching" teacher... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Opens up emotions in me.
Disadvantages: May not be your cup of tea.

...I saw this category on Ciao and thought it would be a good opportunity to share my secrets with my friends. A lot of the way I feel about life lies within the songs of Loreena McKennitt. Her voice is haunting, and on this album, there are some of my favourites that take you into a deep and mellow place where thoughts conjure up pictures of Irish countryside, and magic and dreams. Loreena McKennitt has been on the music scene for a long time, although it is only recently that I bought this album, but it is fast becoming one of my favourites of all time. The first song is Prologue and this is a really haunting experience. When you listen to it, Loreena's voice is so clear and vibrant and takes you into a world of wonderment. I live in a very celtic part of France where music such as this is very popular and when you listen... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: a fantastic collection of interwovenstyles
Disadvantages: a time and a place type of music

...Loreena McKennitt is not a household name for many, though she has been creating a very unique brand of music for many years, her first album, Elemental was released in 1985. The cover of 1997's release, Book of Secrets, does suggest something of what you are going to find inside. The artist herself stands framed in a sunburst of vivid reds, oranges and gold's, which itself blends into a tapestry like appearance as it reaches the edge of the cover. And this in a way is a good metaphor for the contents, a vivid tapestry, interwoven ideas and a collection of stories and themes that cross both geography and time itself. Book of Secrets forms the last part of a musical travelogue that Loreena began with 1991s, The Visit and is consistent in its musical conclusion to those songs found there. There are many similarities to be drawn between... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful