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Product Details
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| Disc: 1 |
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| 1. Shadow Of The Moon |
| 2. Play Minstrel Play |
| 3. Minstrel Hall |
| 4. Past Time With Good Company |
| 5. Fires At Midnight |
| 6. Under A Violet Moon |
| 7. Soldier Of Fortune |
| Disc: 2 |
| 1. 16th Century Greensleeves |
| 2. Beyond The Sunset |
| 3. Morning Star |
| 4. Home Again |
| 5. Renaissance Faire |
| 6. I Still Remember |
| 7. Durch Den Wald Zum Bachhaus |
| 8. Writing On The Wall |
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Fine Performance but...,
By bogubundus2 (Rochester, NY) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Past Times With Good Company (Audio CD)
One thing I always admired about Blackmore from his Deep Purple and Rainbow days was that he very rarely performed note-for-note carbon copies of the studio versions of the songs "live." He always added extra sections, alternate arrangements, different solos, etc. He carries on that tradition here, with the result being that in some cases the "live" versions are better and in some cases the studio versions are better. Some comments on some of the songs will help demonstrate what I mean. SHADOW OF THE MOON: What sound like eerie, melancholy keyboards (it may actually be Blackmore playing an electric guitar through some sort of weird effect as he does on the "Under a Violet Moon-Live" video where he produces the same type of sound during FIRES AT MIDNIGHT) leads into a verse from WRITTEN IN THE STARS. Blackmore strums and the rest of the band comes crashing in. The middle section of the song features more of those weird keyboards(guitar?) and features a longer acoustic solo than on the studio version. This is one of the highlights of this album, but I prefer the studio version more. PLAY MINSTREL PLAY: very well performed. I like the addition of the violin, but the keyboard solo replacing the Ian Anderson flute solo sounds strange and takes getting used to. PAST TIMES WITH GOOD COMPANY: Not only is this one of the best songs on this album, this version ranks right up there with the best all-time Blackmore's Night songs. It's amazing how the different treatment and different arrangement of a song can completely alter its appeal. The studio version is one of the weaker songs on "Under a Violet Moon" where it is performed and produced in a very bland, soft, fluffy, nondescript fashion. The "live" version has a melancholy traditional-sounding acoustic intro added with Candace singing backed by another female and male voice while Blackmore lays down some stunningly beautiful, intricate, melodic mandolin runs. Then, hard, pounding drums come in followed by a blast of horns and we are on our way to an incredible journey through time. This is 100% better than the studio version - much bolder, hard-hitting and with a rocking feel whereas the studio version sounds like soft bland pop. FIRES AT MIDNIGHT: The electric guitar solo of the studio version has been replaced by acoustic guitar where Blackmore plays a series of improvisations and variations on the basic melody. Although an interesting contrast, to these headbanging ears I still prefer the searing electric guitar solo of the studio version. In fact, the electric guitar solo on the studio version is what "makes" the song - it makes a good song a great one. UNDER A VIOLET MOON: Similar to the studio version but with a nice electric violin solo added in the middle and much more of a rocking feel is produced by a hard-driving-bass-and-drumming combination. The organ solo sounds strangely muted compared to the studio version. SOLDIER OF FORTUNE: Well sung by Candace. Blackmore plays VERY gently. I prefer the Deep Purple version because of its electric guitar solo which gives the Purple version more "punch." 16th CENTURY GREENSLEEVES: Quite possibly the best version of the song I have ever heard. This song will remind you of why Blackmore is considered to be one of hard rock's greatest guitarists. A different arrangement of the song from the Rainbow versions, the repeating riff of the Rainbow versions is replaced by a shuffle and the riff doesn't appear until the very end of the song. A series of short but scorching guitar solos will have you checking you speakers for smoke damage! Also note the excellent, intricate, melodic bass lines and tight drumming. (In fact, the entire album contains an excellent, very tight bass-and-drumming combination which is at times, intricate and melodic, at others, hard driving. No boring thump-thump one-and-two note basslines here!) Other highlights include HOME AGAIN with a Ukrainian-folk-song riff added in the middle and RENAISSANCE FAIRE. RENAISSANCE FAIRE comes across as grand, majestic, and powerful; I can just imagine its glorious sounds filling up the concert hall in centuries gone by. It's neither better nor worse than the studio version - just different. Again, an extra bridge section is added to the middle of the song. The only negative thing I can say about this album, as others have pointed out, is the selection of songs. The two best songs from "Under a Violet Moon", the sad, elegant CATHERINE HOWARD'S FATE and GONE WITH THE WIND, with its incredible middle and ending guitar solos, are conspicuously absent. I would have loved to have heard what Blackmore does with those solos "live.". And, the timeless classic, and one of the best-ever Blackmore's Night songs, THE CLOCK TICKS ON, is also sadly missing. Where are the powerful STORM and the majestic CROWNING OF THE KING? Yet, some of the weaker, more mediocre songs like MORNING STAR and WRITING ON THE WALL appear here; I didn't care for the studio versions and I don't care for the "live' versions either. Overall, while a fine performance from Blackmore & Company, I hope they put out another "live" album sometime in the future which truly contains all their BEST songs. And, like some of the other reviewers, it would be great if Blackmore plays more ELECTRIC guitar this time; I'm not saying it has to be ALL electric, after all this isn't Deep Purple or Rainbow, but a better balance of electric and acoustic would be appreciated. Electric guitar is only played on TWO, count 'em, TWO (possibly four, but on two songs it sounds like keyboards rather than electric guitar) songs on this album!
15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Blackmore Renaissance,
By
This review is from: Past Times With Good Company (Audio CD)
An excellent sounding live CD of a stunning performance of Blackmore's Night. This CD, more than anything, shows that Blackmore has left Purple behind and has gone on with his life. Whilst the old Purple boys are still out on the road, rehashing past history and trying to live in the early 70s, Blackmore has moved to new directions (based on some of his old themes) to create new, and as another reviewer put it, refreshing, music. Ronnie James Dio, apparently miffed that a Rainbow reunion is not in the cards, has been critical of Blackmore's new direction. Well Ronnie, Candice sings your own song (16th Century Greensleeves) better than you ever did on this CD. Other high points inclde Fires At Midnight and Shadow Of The Moon.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Blackmore's Night Unplugged,
By
This review is from: Past Times With Good Company (Audio CD)
For those who are unfamiliar with Blackmore's Night, this is a group headed by Ritchie Blackmore, formerly of Deep Purple and Rainbow, and his lovely wife and lead singer, Candice Night. He is however a long ways from "Smoke On the Water". The roots of this ensemble are in olde English folk songs, classical and medieval music. This is not to say that Blackmore's Night is a mere archivist living in the past as they also incorporate elements of rock and pop into their sound. This live album includes many songs from their past studio albums and the main difference between them is that there is a lot more emphasis on acoustic instruments on this album than on the studio versions. This technically qualifies as their "Unplugged" album. The versions heard here are extended and much different from their studio cousins. "Fires At Midnight' which on last year's album of the same name contained a blazing electric guitar solo, here has an acoustic jazzy guitar solo, complemented by Chris Devine's electric violin. Devine solos on this song and prominently throughout the album. These are solid musicians who have strong musical technical training and as a result have the chops to create interesting music that evokes emotions. As in all of their albums there are instrumental classical pieces, folk songs, medieval and more modern pop songs along with a rocker or two. Blackmore could have continued to play the circuit with new line-ups of Deep Purple and I'm sure made a very nice living. Instead he have continued to grow as a musician working in a genre that very few people have explored and that is not especially popular except with those that hang out at medieval fairs. He and his group are forging a new sound while keeping an ancient tradition alive. Reminds me of a time when groups like The Beatles, Byrds and Pink Floyd where willing to take chances with their music and look what they ended up creating. If you have not heard Blackmore's Night, a great introduction to them is my personal favorite, 2001's 'Fires At Midnight ". This year's studio album "Ghost of a Rose" is also not too shabby, if you get hooked into this group you'll probably wind up with all of them
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