World > European World > Celtic > M > McKennitt, Loreena

Advantages: calm, deep and thoughtful music
Disadvantages: none

...was concealed...and what was the mask and what the mirror? Inspired by an evening wandering around the old Moorish quarter of Granada with Idries Shahs book "the Sufis" as a guide, "The Mystics Dream" is that mix of eastern rhythms and western chant that encapsulates the history of southern Spain. Male Gregorian chant forms a body on which the song builds whilst hand drums create the songs pace and finally Loreena's well-enunciated and crystal clear ...
...that has been created, the mask comes off and the actor is revealed as a mere player, or here the analogy is that the musical artist is merely a storyteller, a conjurer of images. Again an almost totally vocal affair this song is the artist stripped bare and has never sounded better in vocal terms. Whether you want music that helps you relax or are looking for something more in depth, its all here. It can wash all those worries of the day away, ... Read review

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

...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. ...
...of some of Gabriel's band, Book of Secrets is a warm and inviting album, one that washes over you rather than requiring any effort to fully appreciate its worth. People may criticize its production work, it is a very polished album and for many lacks a living and spontaneous quality, but this is music that is a fusion of styles that don't sit easily together and as such may be seen as more the product of the studio than anything else. That said anyone ... Read review

Advantages: Never gets dull, gives you a headache or irritates you
Disadvantages: Some would call it airy-fairy

Beauty personified. If you love fairytales and have been seraching for a music beffiting of that theme, then the search ends here. McKennit manages to blend mythical music, haunting vocals and olde englishe poems into a fantastical mixture of imagination and reality. In several tracks, she turns traditional poems into such music that you actually believe that this way the way in which they were intended by the author. In 'Stolen Child' McKennit ...
...into a faerie song to delight anyone with a good imagination and a love of fantasy. 'Lullaby, meanwhile, has an overvoice of a prologue by William Blake, and you can almost smell the rain in the background. I usually find that my favourite McKennit songs are widely spaced between her collections however, and someone who is already a fan should not be expecting every song to be such wonders as 'The Highwayman', 'The Mummer's Dance' or 'Penelope's ... Read review

Advantages: Beautiful, haunting music.
Disadvantages: None!

This is undoubtedly the best album (in my humble opinion) from everyone's favourite big-haired, harp-playing Canadian eccentric. I discovered Loreena McKennitt when I heard one of her albums being played in a Pagan bookshop and promptly went out and bought her entire back catalogue. The thing I most like about Loreena's music is that she manages to make Celtic music that has depth and meaning (unlike mush of the 'Celtic Lite' music that has flooded ...
...favourite song on The Visit has to be All Soul's Night which is such a joyful song and it always makes me want to dance around in a long velvet frock! Other notable songs are The Lady of Shalott - who'd have thought that setting the whole of Tennyson's poem to music could produce such a compelling song. There is also a haunting, and rather strange, version of Greensleeves. Bonny Portmore (which is about the destruction of forests), Tango to Evora ... Read review

Advantages: Musicality
Disadvantages: None

I completely agree on the review I read in deflamenco.com which, together with a recommandation from a good friend was the reason why I bought this record. The review is so well formulated that I will refer some of it: " El Pele has three very distinct characteristics which set him apart from all other cantaores: 1) he has a very unique voice, something like a fingerprint, which is highly recognizable; 2) he is capable of reaching notes well higher ...
...of melody, which he uses to broaden the possibilities within traditional flamenco." This is a great recording with great artist! If you like flamenco and you like both technic and tempo, accompanied by great emotion, this must be a true hit. Buy it before it is to late. It is very hard to get hold of. ... Read review