Parallel Dreams [Import, Original recording remastered]

Loreena McKennitt | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 4, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import, Original recording remastered
• Label: Quinlan Road Import
• ASIN: B0002VE1WK
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #403,215 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Samain Night

2. Moon Cradle

3. Huron 'Beltane' Fire Dance

4. Annachie Gordon

5. Standing Stones

6. Dickens' Dublin (The Palace)

7. Breaking the Silence

8. Ancient Pines [From Goddess Remembered]

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fusion music of nuance and mystery!, October 1, 2006

By 

Brianna Neal (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Parallel Dreams (Audio CD)

It is with this album that McKennitt's awesome talent as a composer/arranger truly finds that distinctive voice--somewhere in between Celtic, jazz, folk and world music--that is so prominent and beloved in her later work. Most of the music and some of the lyrics as well on "Parallel Dreams" are written by McKennitt in their entirety rather than being arrangements of traditional tunes or poems. There's still a sense of quiet restraint about many of the songs on this album, but this time it's underlain by a pregnant intensity of synth chords and percussion, released into the music just enough to give it an air of mysterious purpose without overwhelming McKennitt's ethereal vocals and nuanced harpistry. Guest musicians include Rick Lazar on udu drum and congas, Ratesh Dasj on tablas, guitarist Brian Hughes, violinist Oliver Schroer, cellist, bass and tamboura player George Koller, mandolin-player David Woodhead, piper Patrick Hutchinson, percussionist Al Cross, and Shelly Berger on pzud. Loreena McKennitt's previous album is "To Drive the Cold Winter Away," and the next one in the sequence, continuing her intriguing development as a composer, is "The Visit." I love everything she's ever done-- she's as true a talent and as creative a genius as you could ever wish for in a musician. But what impresses me most about her is how stirringly and satisfyingly her work has evolved over the years. She just keeps getting better and better! Try also the Celtic / folk / world music stylings of singer and multi-instrumentalist Kate Price and the work of dreamy vocalist / pianist Lydia McCauley.

5.0 out of 5 stars LM Unplugged., December 8, 2006

By 

Peter Manale "petman2001" (LOWELL, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Parallel Dreams (Audio CD)

While perhaps not as well-known as her later releases, "Parralel Dreams" is still my favorite Loreena McKennitt CD. True, the production values are not as lush and exotic as her "The Mask and Mirror" and "The Book of Secrets" albums but in these songs her voice and harp are highlighted to hauntingly beautiful effect. While tackling such bleak themes as lost love, murder, homelessness, and torture, each song is sung with an emotional radiance that can send shivers down your spine and warmth into your heart. As Loreena says in her liner notes, "If there is a recurrent thread that runs through these dreams [songs], it is one of yearning toward love, liberty and integration." Now that the CD has been remastered for better sound quality AND includes a free DVD as well, no true Loreena McKennitt fan should be without this album. The DVD consists of a 30-minute short in which Loreena discusses her music and inspiration, 2 music videos, and selected musical samples from her albums. This DVD satisfies my (parallel?) dreams of both hearing and seeing LM doing what she does best. I've upgraded to this new edition; get yours while you still can!