I thought I'd post a place for people to give their detailed reviews. I'll start with mine, posted to my MySpace blog:
Well, it's mine. All mine. I drove 40 minutes to Barnes and Noble this morning, and 40 minutes back to get the version with the exclusive extra track. (Which is the best version of "Raglan Road" I've heard done) Guy in the music area made my heart lurch for a moment when I told him what I was there for and he gave me a blank stare, but the gal next to him knew what I meant. I paid for my item and left, but not before snagging two promo bookmarks they had by the register. Hooray!
I put it in the minute I got to the car, and had a lovely ride home. Interestingly enough, even though I initially adored tracks 1 and 2 from the snippets on her site, when I listened to the full tracks, while they were lovely, the first song to really catch me was track #3: "Caravanserai." I LOVE that track. It's soooooo catchy and very wonderful. I can definitely see why Loreena is making it her first "single."
The choral vocals on "An English Ladye and Her Knight" were even better on the album. And it's good to hear her continuing her tradition of one traditional tragic ballad per album (in the tradition of "Standing Stones," The Lady of Shalott," "The Highwayman," etc). "Kecharitomene" is very aptly named, since it's totally "ketchy" (bad pun). It's the "belly dance" song of the album....this album's "Marco Polo." I love how it starts so slow, builds slowly, and then slows again. Gah...it makes me twitch to want to learn belly dance just to create a routine to that song.
"Penelope's Song" is lovely. Definitely one that will bring tears to anyone who has to be separated from their beloved. And even "Sacred Shabbat" which sounded a bit boring from the little snippet on her site, had more life to it than I thought it would (though I think it's the low point of the album)
"Beneath a Phrygian Sky" is beautiful and moving, though because of the political bent to it, I couldn't find it as personally moving to me, since politics are not exactly my biggest interest.
The best track on the album is the last one. "Never-ending Road (Amhran Duit)" is a stand-out. Despite the fact that in the liner notes, Loreena claims the song is more about all the writers she has read over the years who write romantic poetry to find a way to the sacred, you can definitely tell that she put herself into it as well. When viewed in the context of her fiancee, who died in a tragic boating accident, it brought new meaning to the song. I cried both at the beauty of the words, and along with Loreena for her loss. This song is so beautiful. So SO beautiful. I think it's going to be my #3 favorite song from Loreena, behind my fave song of all time, "The Old Ways," and my 2nd favorite, "Dante's Prayer."
On a personal note, I definitely think this song has replaced "Dark Night of the Soul" as my intended processional song for my wedding. I can't think of a single song that would work better.
Posts: 17 | Location: Central Ohio | Registered: November 05, 2006
Thank you vale for your answer to my question and the review of the album
Although I don't know what the word "saccharine" means(blushingsorry for my poor English), I agree with you that Never-Ending Road indeed is the most heartfelt track on this album...
Any way I just LOVE An Ancient Muse but I really can't tell which Loreena's album is my favourite
regards, Cocoa
Posts: 93 | Location: China | Registered: October 31, 2006
Originally posted by Cocoa: Could anyone who has got this version tell us the difference between the album version and the "Gordian Version"? Thank you!
I was really lucky to buy the Gordian version as a single track; iTunes Italy allows customers to do it, unfortunately it seems that iTunes USA does NOT... It's a very nice remix, less "ponderous" than the original version, in the sense that there are much less instruments on the remixed version. Loreena's voice sounds clearer and louder (in the part where she sings "it was in this magic moment that came this prayer for mother earth..." you can hear her voice only, with no instrument in the background). This surely deserves to be released as a single, the remixed version sounds more "pop" (it's like "The Mummers' Dance - remix", I'm sure it would be successful ).
Posts: 236 | Location: Italy | Registered: October 31, 2006
Let's start from the external aspects: the cover is amazing, and the manufacture is even better! The booklet is well conceived and it's full of words of wisdom, as usual (the presentation of the album is very interesting).
"Incantation": great opening track, much better than "Prologue", because it's shorter and it brings you straight to the atmosphere of the whole album. It reminds me of the old times, somehow it sounds as "violent" as "Blacksmith".
"The Gates Of Istanbul": W O W. The intro is very very fine, but when Loreena starts singing it's even better. Maybe it's just a little too long, but the closing part of the song with Loreena singing "na na na ni na...." is wonderful .
"Caravanserai": absolutely great intro. Absolutely great track. Nothing more to say, I really do hope it will be successful as a single (and I'm sure it will if it gets good promotion ).
"The English Ladye And The Knight": my istant-favourite on the album. Maybe it will change, but if I were to choose a favourite after 2 listenings, it would be this track . The boys choir is a most successful choice, and the strings are most touching (it's Sissel playing, isn't it?). And, it goes without saying, Loreena's voice is more perfect than ever. The lyrics are stunning, it reminds me of "The Lady Of Shalott". Sir Walter Scott would be delighted, I think.
"Kecharitomene": my least favourite on the album (up to now). I have to listen to it some more times; it has not impressed me as the other tracks (up to now). The crescendo is fine, but I find it a little too repetitive. The inspiration behind this track is one of the best on the album, though. However, it's still Loreena, so I cannot say this is a bad track: it's just a little less beautiful and amazing than the others. "Penelope's Song": more tracks like this, please! The theme of steadfast love is one of my favourites, and in this song this theme is set out better than in "The Highwayman". I love it when Loreena says "And in the night when our dreams are still...". Her voice in this track is kind of magic.
"Sacred Shabbat": I don't agree with those who think this is the weak point of the album, I like this song much more than "Kecharitomene", talking about instrumentals. It's sort of "tango".
"Beneath A Phrygian Sky": this one deserves to be a single (maybe the second single after "Caravanserai"?). Loreena goes "political": I like it. The liner notes are full of wisdom: "Can we? Will we?", she asks. Well, listening to her songs is a pace towards peace and tolerance, I think. Thanks Loreena for your words and music!
"Never-ending Road (Amhràn Duit)": a critic defined this track as "saccharine". How can he/she say that?!?!?!? This is the most heartfelt track on the album, and one of the most heartfelt ever! It's close second after "The English Ladye And The Night" in my hitlist. Loreena's high notes are more moving than ever, but lower notes are stunning as well: I love it when she sings "The road now leads onward..." at min 3.23... The closing part of the song, and of the album, is well conceived: it says "it's over, the muse has shut up shop", if you allow me to use this sharp metaphor .
Overall impression: "The Visit" is still my favourite, but "An Ancient Muse" is climibing up to the top!
Posts: 236 | Location: Italy | Registered: October 31, 2006
I also found a 'Gordian Version' of "Beneath a Phrygian Sky" on iTunes. Could anyone who has got this version tell us the difference between the album version and the "Gordian Version"? Thank you!
regards, CocoaThis message has been edited. Last edited by: Cocoa,
Posts: 93 | Location: China | Registered: October 31, 2006
Originally posted by vale: Thank you very much for writing this, Sidhe! Thank you for opening the thread, too. I won't forget to post my review as soon as I get the album. P.S.: the pun about "Kecharitomene" was not that bad...
I look forward to reading your review!
And I grew up in a family of punsters...I can't help it
Posts: 17 | Location: Central Ohio | Registered: November 05, 2006
Driving 40 minutes forht and back is not very much . I just ordered my own copy from B&N. Paid 13.something for the CD and twice as much so it will travel to the other end of the world and come to my home in 2-3 days . I CANNOT WAIT HA HA!!
Thank you very much for writing this, Sidhe! Thank you for opening the thread, too. I won't forget to post my review as soon as I get the album. I didn't read what you wrote about "Beneath A Phrygian Sky" because I saw you quoted the liner notes, and I want to keep them top-secret to me till Friday . I already know how all the songs sounds, more or less... I want to keep something to discover at the very moment I buy "An Ancient Muse". I'll immediately read your comment on "BAPS" when I read the liner notes on the album booklet.
P.S.: the pun about "Kecharitomene" was not that bad...
Posts: 236 | Location: Italy | Registered: October 31, 2006
sorry for my poor English), I agree with you that Never-Ending Road indeed is the most heartfelt track on this album...
).
. The boys choir is a most successful choice, and the strings are most touching (it's Sissel playing, isn't it?). And, it goes without saying, Loreena's voice is more perfect than ever. The lyrics are stunning, it reminds me of "The Lady Of Shalott". Sir Walter Scott would be delighted, I think. 
