Customer Reviews

Mirabilis

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I love the baebes. I discovered The Rose in a music search on Amazon, ordered it, listened, and ordered worldes blysse. This one is the next addition to my collection, and my favorite of the baebes cd's.

They have perfected their art, and their harmonies are even more haunting than on the aforementioned cd's. I know this is not for the medieval purists, it does not have the icy precision of the anonymous 4 and the hilliard ensemble. I have cd's of both ensembles, but the baebes find their way to my cd player more often, they bring such life to this music.

Joined this time by an entire ensemble of period and modern instruments that layer in with the women's vocals, the Mediaeval Baebes continue to deepen and flesh out their sound, experimenting with new stylistic elements ranging from traditional folk and folk rock to African-style percussive chant and even an atonal choral symphony. The Baebes continue to take turns at playing instruments and composing the music, too, displaying their diverse sensibilities while never straying too far from the group's signature sound--a blend of driving, unison chants with wispy, straight-toned solos and mesmerizing whirlwinds of naturally looping vocals and instrumentals. The mix of lively and laid back songs on "Mirabilis" is about half and half, with the lively songs being highly and intriguingly percussive but (thankfully!) with nary a mindless, programmed club-beat in earshot. #15, in particular, "Come My Sweet," is a great dance song and all acoustic. The only electronic sound on this album seems to be from an occasional electric guitar or bass, judiciously used. The rest is all natural, and still wickedly cool. For more pseudo-medieval music with a modern edge, try also the recordings of Faun, Estampie, Corvus Corax, Qntal, Dead Can Dance, and "MCMXC A.D." by Enigma. And if you'd like to take the plunge and try the real thing, check out the following: "Music of the Crusades" by David Munrow and the Early Music Consort of London, "Cantigas de Amigo" by Ensemble Alcatraz and Kitka, "On the Way to Bethlehem" by Ensemble Unicorn, and "Perceval: The Quest for the Grail" by La Nef, "Libre Vermell" by Sarband, "Istanpitta" I and II by New York's Ensemble for Early Music, and anything by Wolgemut. Great stuff--unplugged and all on its own!

"Mirabilis" is easily the most anticipated album I have been waiting for all summer long. I have been a Mediaeval Baebes fan for a few years now ever since I discovered them through "Undrentide". The name "Mirabilis" is defined as a Latin word with pre-Christian or pagan origins that was used in the Mediaeval period to describe a supernatural force on the fringe of the world. Interesting choice for an album title. I personally think "Mirabillis" is the group's best album to date. I found "The Rose" a bit too long. The length of "Mirabilis" was just right (under sixty minutes long). The music on "Mirabilis" is more lush than "The Rose". Also I found "The Rose" a bit too sparse on the use of instruments. Here on "Mirabilis", more instruments accompanies the women's vocals. The harmonies is as beautiful as always. The women in this group can really sing which I can't say much for a lot of pop stars nowadays. I like the traditional and modern instruments that accompanies the women's vocals which ranges from percussion to stringed instruments. I thought the women did a great job with their interpration of "Scarborough Fayre". Sure the song has been covered by everyone under the sun but Mediaeval Baebes did a lovely job. My other favorite tracks includes "Star of the Sea", "Kilmeny", and "Trovommi Amor" just to name a few but all the songs on the album is great.

When I listened to this CD, the first thing that popped into my head was that this was a band marketed so that the general public could get a taste of "different" music and maybe feel a little more worldly and cultured. The Medieval Baebes are not that bad, but they're not that good either. First off, this sounds like the Bangles doing renaissance music. It's way too poppy and happy, overproduced, and basically lacking any decent actual renaissance melodies, lyrics or instrumentation. This is very generic at best. It's not a total loss, it just hits the wrong mark. It's ok to listen to in the background, some of the melodies are decent, though there was nothing that ever grabbed me. Want to listen to some good dark ages/renaissance rock with traditional lyrics and instrumentation? Try Corvus Corax, Estampie, Irfan or Qntal---all of these bands are excellent examples of this type of music done correctly. If you already know of these bands and have been referred to this band through a link, listen to this album before you buy it, it isn't as good as some people say.

I have always loved plainsong and ancient musical forms and harmonies. (Mixolydian mode, anyone?) This music is blowing my mind! It's like when I first heard Outgrabe and thought, I'm home." If you love fantastic singing and otherwordly mindscapes, buy this CD. If you want to see more, and different, and wonderful things, buy this CD. You go, gaerls!

More of the same, really, so long time fans of the Baebes will be very happy with this new release. A consistently good album, with a few tracks making it to "beautiful", and their rendition of "Scarborough Fayre" not the saccharine nightmare I was afraid it would be.

For those who are yet to buy a CD from the Baebes, I'd recommend that you start with their first release, "Salva Nos", which remains their most haunting and beautiful album to date. However, for those of us who know and love their work, have no fear, "Mirabilis" is well worth grabbing.

I have been a fan of the Baebes for several years now, since I picked up Worlds Blysse. I think this is easily their best work with excellent arrangements and packed with plenty of melody and harmony. I am not a medieval music historian, so I won't make an evaluation of historical authenticity. However, it feels very solid and nothing seems out of place (unlike some other medieval-themed music mixed with electric guitars). I recommend it for anyone who enjoys medieval music, especially modern rearrangements of older music.

I will also say that the few critics who lambast their work based on the fact that it is not 100% pure should remember that such is not their intent and these critics should instead focus on whether or not the Baebes have created a CD that is worth listening to over and over. Thank you.

This is the only CD whose release I have been anticipating this year. And I was certainly well rewarded. The Mediaeval Baebes are perhaps the best musical group I've ever discovered. There are no pretenses or elaborate facades to the Baebes, only pure, beautiful, and artful music, which is what attracted me to them with "Salva Nos" and has captured my adoration through their latest CD.

This album is much like their others, in that its tracks alternate between different moods and world flavours; however, it's apparent that they have discovered either more sophisticated recording equiptment or at least have experimented with different effects-- the quality of the sound on Mirabilis is definitely richer and more ethereal than on their other albums.

I'm not sure I like the change; the raw vocals were something unusual that I appreciated in their earlier work. However, they are far from the washed-out Enya-like sounds of New Age music today, and the unique instrumentals are still engaging and surprising.

There isn't anything that should keep a Baebes fan from falling in love with this album as I have; and hopefully, this somewhat poorly worded review (sorry, it's late!) will encourage you to support the band and purchase Mirabilis. :)

I have been a fan of the Baebes for some years now, and though I would have to say that The Rose is still my favorite CD to date, this new release is a shining example of the groups growth and creativity.

Lush is the first word that comes to mind when describing this album. The harmonies and rhythms are amazing. Many of the songs have layer upon etheral layer of complex vocals that makes the songs seem looser and less constructed, even though they have more thought put into them.

My favorites:
All for the Love of One really caught my attention with its wonderful drumwork and fantastic smoldering opening vocals. Lhiannan Shee was wild! This was one of the 'loose' songs, but the alternating harmonies, harp and drumwork were all woven together to create something that I imagine I'd hear in a dream. Come my Sweet is my favorite with it's close harmonies and intensity. Listening to it makes me shiver with delight.

Overall, I am very impressed with this album. As has been said many times before, this is not the group for you if you're dedicated to strict Mediaeval reproductions; but for those who are open to an amazing achievement in Mediaeval sound and construction that allows modern influences, this is for you.

I am so dissapointed. I was really looking forward to this CD but it just doesn't live up to my expectations. All the songs seem to have the same tempo and sound and it all runs together - I honestly could not tell one song from another. I was hoping for something more like Worlds Blyse (which I love), this just didn't do it for me.