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'Undrentide' is a superb piece of work - mellow, surprising, diverse and in many ways more sophisticated than their earlier work. The tracks on the album are largely in Middle English, which as a language has an odd sound - it is a fair bit like the English we use today sometimes, but brighter, ... Read review
A tasty third album from the baebes who brought us Salva Nos in 1997 and Worldes Blysse ... more
the following year. Undrentide mixes old poetry with new sounds, relinquishing all aspirations of appealing to historical purists. Indisputable outsiders on the Period Music scene, the Mediaeval Babes keep proving that artists and audiences connect differently these days. The "Baebes" tour their revivalist compositions to S/M clubs and graveyards as well as to Cathedrals, and in its trendy packaging, what is really just another girl choir (though well hyped and well produced), their concept looks set to hit the spot with new audiences. Originators Kathryn Blake and Dorothy Carter lead the way, and with unassailable 90s-chick self-assuredness protest the right to do their take on the Anonymi. With John Cale on board as producer, "moderntide" saxes and synth pads effortlessly philander dulcimers and recorders. The result is a kind of soft paced neo paganism, unobtrusive and atmospheric, tastefully arranged.The singing is pleasant and well instructed, with impressive purity, but not with quite enough guts to carry off the power of seduction inherent in the carefully chosen texts. However, these young maidens maintain a charming informality throughout, as if the recording was made sitting round the Maypole. You do want some of this. --Yngvil V G
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A tasty third album from the baebes who brought usSalva Nosin 1997 andWorldes Blyssethe ... more
following year.Undrentidemixes old poetry with new sounds, relinquishing all aspirations of appealing to historical purists. Indisputable outsiders on the Period Music scene, the Mediaeval Babes keep proving that artists and audiences connect differently these days. The "Baebes" tour their revivalist compositions to S/M clubs and graveyards as well as to Cathedrals, and in its trendy packaging, what is really just another girl choir (though well hyped and well produced), their concept looks set to hit the spot with new audiences. Originators Kathryn Blake and Dorothy Carter lead the way, and with unassailable 90s-chick self-assuredness protest the right to do their take on the Anonymi. With John Cale on board as producer, "moderntide" saxes and synth pads effortlessly philander dulcimers and recorders. The result is a kind of soft paced neo paganism, unobtrusive and atmospheric, tastefully arranged.The singing is pleasant and well instructed, with impressive purity, but not with quite enough guts to carry off the power of seduction inherent in the carefully chosen texts. However, these young maidens maintain a charming informality throughout, as if the recording was made sitting round the Maypole. You do want some of this. --Yngvil V G
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Advantages: Musically very interesting Disadvantages: none
Once descibed as 'the thinking man's spice girls' Mediaeval Baebes are quite unlike anyone else I can think of. Twelve young women with a shared passion for ancient music is a rare find, and their increasing willingness to experiment is making them very interesting to follow.
A bit of background - their first album, 'Salva Nos,' came out in 1997, consisted largely of singing with some accompanyment in the style of the older songs. ... ...
'Undrentide' is a superb piece of work - mellow, surprising, diverse and in many ways more sophisticated than their earlier work. The tracks on the album are largely in Middle English, which as a language has an odd sound - it is a fair bit like the English we use today sometimes, but brighter, there's something clearer about the timbres it requires, which I think gives the music some of its otherworldliness.
Once descibed as 'the thinking man's spice girls' Mediaeval Baebes are quite unlike anyone else I can think of. Twelve young women with a shared passion for ancient music is a rare find, and their increasing willingness to experiment is making them very interesting to follow.
A bit of background - their first album, 'Salva Nos,' came out in 1997, consisted largely of singing with some accompanyment in the style of the older songs. (The odd drum and flute)'Worlde's Blysse' followed in 1998.
'Undrentide' is a superb piece of work - mellow, surprising, diverse and in many ways more sophisticated than their earlier work. The tracks on the album are largely in Middle English, which as a language has an odd sound - it is a fair bit like the English we use today sometimes, but brighter, there's something clearer about the timbres it requires, which I think gives the music some of its otherworldliness.
The use of voices is on the whole excellent - 12 voices give you a great deal of scope, from the full rich sound of unison singing to the contrast of a lone voice. There are a good many harmonies employed, some round singing - they really explore what you can do with just voices, which is wonderful given how modern popular music tends to use the voice only in the most simple of ways. The singing is of a good quality, but remains just unpolished enough to feel 'real' rather than too much like church or classical music. There are odd rough edges still, which I think gives that band a good deal of its charm.
Perhaps the most significant development on this album is the use of instrumentation. While some tracks retain the more authentic sound captured on earlier albbums, there is a significant input from one John Cale, which has made the whole thing a lot more eclectic.In some tracks, the mixing of old and new, the adding of modern drum beats and synth sounds really breathes life into the older peices and gives them a conenction to the contemporary world. It doesn't always work, there is one track for me that misses the mark, with the backing and the singing seeming unrelated. On the whole though, this new sound is very interesting.
You can put the cd on as pleasnat wallpaper, but it is well worth listning more closely.
I feel special mention must be made of the inlay - which gives the words both in their original language as sung, and a line by line translation into modern English. This is both useful and fascinating.
If you like a dash of the unconventional and find singing in languages not quite like modern English appealing, then give this a go.
Advantages: new sound and great voice arrangements Disadvantages: none
They’ve come a long way, Baebey. With Spring in the air, frisky young maidens the Medieval Baebes are back on the scene with a new album (‘Undrentide’) a new producer (John Cale – yes, as in The Velvet Underground), a new label (RCA Classics) and a new, souped up sound.
With three years and much celebrity between them and their sparse, rough-around-the-edges first album, Salva Nos (1997), the Baebes offer up a collection of songs on the theme of ... ...developed the instrumental side of their work considerably – adding drum machines, guitars and recorders to their signature sound of olde worlde girly singing. The result is a fascinating fusion of pseudo-medieval and twenty first century aesthetics. The girls’ singing capabilities have come forward in leaps and bounds since Salva Nos: Whereas the majority of their debut album and its 1998 follow up Worldes Blysse consisted of all twelve girls singing ...
juliebushnell 29.09.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Undrentide - Mediaeval Baebes
Advantages: very different and exciting Disadvantages: background experiments with music can detract from the lyrics themselves.
A far cry from their first album, Salva Nos, this album is more focussed and more entertaining. The idea of mixing modern sounds with old lyrics does not seem very workable, but it is this willingness to experiment which makes it such an inspiring album. I love the idea that they include new works in that style (ie The Maypole Song from The Wickerman) which proves that they do not lack originality. The use of lyrics which are Old French or italian ... ...Old English though there could be more brought in from the British Isles. By that I mean Welsh, Gaelic, Cornish, etc.
I personally only have one other fault with this album. I do think that the backing music on some of the songs (ie Omnes Gentes Plaudite) can detract from the lyrics and it can be annoying. Other than that i cannot find anything else wrong with it and am happily playing it regularly as it is very summery in tone and I can write essays ...
ceirdwyn020 23.06.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Undrentide - Mediaeval Baebes
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