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Rezi Profile
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Registered: 04-2004
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Autumn Sky - Blackmore's Night


I thought I'd edit the bits I did on my 'live review' of the new Blackmore's Night album and compile them here. So:

The first song, Highland, reminds me of Shania Twain, don't know why! Very different to anything BN has done before. The same goes for RB's guitar sound, even the runs are quite different to his usual style. Must be because the composition doesn't really remind me of any song RB has recorded in the past. But then it's not his composition, either. In all, a strange but truly pleasant experience. Like the track a lot.

Track #2, Vagabond: More traditional BN style. This might be described as a "sister track" to Queen for a Day. Not as strong though - I heard the latter live first, and I was humming it after the show. It was that good.

#3 Journeyman (Vandraren): Another cover, and very much in the tradition of the BN cover 'policy' since the first album (Wish You Were Here). Candice has written English lyrics for this Swedish song (by Nordman, a band that mixes rock, pop and folk...). RB's guitar break is the synth stuff we're so familiar with. I've always liked the original song, this is very faithful to it. This will be played on FM radio in several European countries, I'm sure.

#4 Believe In Me A straight, slowish pop tune. If sung by someone else, you'd never know it was a Blackmore/Night tune.

#5 Sake of the Song More traditional BN stuff, a tenderly performed Renaissance tune. Sounds really good. Minimalistic instrumentation, with pretty guitar picking by RB.

Again, another Blackmore staple: the next track, Song and Dance, takes the melody of #5, speeds it up and backed by more lavish instrumentation inc. pounding drums, forms Part II of that song.

I thought I have heard the song before, and sure enough, Sake of the Song was on the Times They're Changing single. The original has all sorts of stuff going (a flute etc) but the new version is better.

#7 Celluloid Heroes: What a strange feeling: I've known this song since childhood - but as a Finnish rock cover. I haven't even known whose the original is. I see it's by Ray Davies, so probably by the Kinks! I admit I should have known that.

One of those puzzling covers (cinema and medieval themes, well, why not!), but infinitely closer to Streets of London than Can't Help Falling in Love (thankfully)!

Again, some really pretty acoustic guitar before the final chorus!

#8 Keeper of the Flame: Stuff made for BN show encores: you know, heavier playing, unison parts, arpeggios, electric guitar fills all over the place. The closest reference point might be Spanish Nights. How does this compare? Well, not as catchy on first listen, but I really like this track!

#9 Night at Eggersberg: An 'acoustic' instrumental, obligatory on a BN (or a classic Black Sabbath) album. I like to hear Ritchie pick away, as a tune nothing he hasn't already recorded a few times.

#10 Strawberry Girl: Another BN trademark, a 'Renaissance' waltz. A nice tune in the background, in concert would be a bit of a filler.

#11 All the Fun of the Fayre: Gypsy dance melodies accompanied by thundering bass lines and hurdy gurdy drones. Might be a grower, now a bit too 'laaa-la-laaa' to stand out.

#12 Darkness: Okay, now I have to complain again that albums are today - as they have been since the 1990s - too long. I find it hard to concentrate.

In other words, what separates this song from the rest? Well, a catchy vocal chorus. As a matter of fact, I just realized vocals are even more in fore on this album than the few before it. Again, we get the same melody as an instrumental part (#13 Dance to the Darkness). The same pattern: synths as 'old' instruments.

Whoa, what is this: a bass guitar solo! Then back to joint instrumental chorus. Perhaps with Candice as a piper / flautist.

#14 Health to the Company: A traditional I'm not familiar with. I'm sure this is another grower (still): the melody's haunting, but has bits that are not too obvious. A great performance from Candice.

Some sad, melancholic and truly beautiful playing from RB. I hope to hear this one live some day.

#15 Barbara Allen: Another traditional, this one has been recorded quite a few times in the past. How does this stand up? I don't really know. It was never a special song for me, and can't see this version changing that.

More 'Renaissance' pipes and orchestration. This track playing in the background, nice, but that's it.

End notes:

This track ends the album in a similar, peaceful way the band likes to end their concerts; no Strat left on stage screaming in feedback, with kicked over speaker cabinets smoking around. That's all fine. However, one thing I'm missing on most BN albums: that an album closes like Burn (A200), or Down to Earth (Lost in Hollywood): with something so good, so dramatic you just want to play the album again and again. Here, it's "well, why not".

As a whole, there are new shades to BN here, and they're good shades. I really like this album. The last two BN albums (Secret Voyage and this one) have definitely restored my faith in the band, after the painful Village Lanterne.
11/9/2010, 10:34 Link to this post Send Email to Rezi   Send PM to Rezi
 
David Meadows Profile
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Registered: 09-2003
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Re: Autumn Sky - Blackmore's Night


Good review, seems very balanced. I'll buy this album of course, but I'm not in any desperate rush to get it immediately. I'll probably wait until the tour is announced emoticon



---
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13/9/2010, 8:54 Link to this post Send Email to David Meadows   Send PM to David Meadows
 
Rezi Profile
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Re: Autumn Sky - Blackmore's Night


Thanks David.
13/9/2010, 14:08 Link to this post Send Email to Rezi   Send PM to Rezi
 
JohninNJ4you Profile
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Re: Autumn Sky - Blackmore's Night


On what song does Ritchie perform the electric guitar with DeGeyers? Wasn't there a report that he was going to do that?
14/9/2010, 16:25 Link to this post Send Email to JohninNJ4you   Send PM to JohninNJ4you
 
Rezi Profile
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Re: Autumn Sky - Blackmore's Night


quote:

JohninNJ4you wrote:

On what song does Ritchie perform the electric guitar with DeGeyers? Wasn't there a report that he was going to do that?



I actually don't know. The artists playing on the album are not credited. There's just "touring band consists of" list.
15/9/2010, 6:23 Link to this post Send Email to Rezi   Send PM to Rezi
 
TheStargazerKing Profile
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Re: Autumn Sky - Blackmore's Night


quote:

Rezi wrote:

quote:

JohninNJ4you wrote:

On what song does Ritchie perform the electric guitar with DeGeyers? Wasn't there a report that he was going to do that?



I actually don't know. The artists playing on the album are not credited. There's just "touring band consists of" list.



Göttliche Devise is the track in question. It was a bonus track on Des Geyers live album (the track is recorded in the studio of course) released some 10 years ago. It will be a bonus track on AS in some place (UK, Japan...). Candice described it as ˙˙a really amazing solo on a great track˙˙. Well we'll hear it eventually.
15/9/2010, 6:49 Link to this post  
 
Rezi Profile
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Re: Autumn Sky - Blackmore's Night


Ah, cheers for the info!
16/9/2010, 7:15 Link to this post Send Email to Rezi   Send PM to Rezi
 
Ovader Profile
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Registered: 12-2004
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Re: Autumn Sky - Blackmore's Night


quote:

TheStargazerKing wrote:
Göttliche Devise is the track in question. It was a bonus track on Des Geyers live album (the track is recorded in the studio of course) released some 10 years ago. It will be a bonus track on AS in some place (UK, Japan...). Candice described it as ˙˙a really amazing solo on a great track˙˙. Well we'll hear it eventually.

Here it is.

Last edited by Ovader, 22/11/2020, 10:48
25/9/2010, 14:24 Link to this post Send Email to Ovader   Send PM to Ovader
 
purpletemple Profile
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Re: Autumn Sky - Blackmore's Night


I still haven't bought the damn thing!
I'm so angry at Blackmore for doing nothing but that BN music... emoticon

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1/6/2011, 10:28 Link to this post Send Email to purpletemple   Send PM to purpletemple
 
Sinisa Savicevic Profile
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Re: Autumn Sky - Blackmore's Night


quote:

purpletemple wrote:

I still haven't bought the damn thing!
I'm so angry at Blackmore for doing nothing but that BN music... emoticon



http://tinyurl.com/4y6yose


2/6/2011, 0:38 Link to this post Send Email to Sinisa Savicevic   Send PM to Sinisa Savicevic
 


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