Shadow of the Moon [Import]

Blackmore's Night | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 12, 1999)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Import [Generic]
• ASIN: B000006ZGI
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #840,585 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Shadow of the Moon

2. The Clock Ticks On

3. Be Mine Tonight

4. Play Mintrel Play

5. Ocean Gypsy

6. Minstrel Hall

7. Magical World

8. Writing on the Wall

9. Renaissance Faire

10. Memmingen

11. No Second Chance

12. Mond Tanz

13. Spirit of the Sea

14. Greensleeves

15. Wish You Were Here

16. Minstrel Hall [Bonus Track Version][*]

17. Possum's Last Dance [*]

Editorial Reviews

BLACKMORES NIGHT Shadow Of The Moon (1997 Japanese 16-track picture CD album including a bonus version of Minstrel Hall picture sleeve booklet with 20-page Japanese text biography/lyric booklet 16-page picture booklet + obi-strip - all housedin original picture slipcase with outer obi-strip! BVCP-6022)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Are you a real Ritchie Blackmore fan?, November 24, 1999

By 

jeff D. (Phoenix Arizona) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shadow of the Moon (Audio CD)

If you are a true Ritchie Blackmore fan there is no way you would not love this album! I have heard of Deep Purple and other "Heavy Rock" fans that have not liked this album, but that has more to due with their expectations and limited scope of appreciation than it does with the reality of this effort. At 38 years of age I am looking for something more than speed and volume as the barometer of an album's greatness. I like artists who take a chance, and to be honest, it's been some time since Ritchie has taken a chance. I must admit being frustrated with everything done after Deep Purple's "Perfect Strangers". This album is really something special. There is a medieval vibe similar to the one on the very first Rainbow album (Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow from 1975) yet this album is primarily acoustic with a female vocalist. There is an absolute classic instrumental called "Minstrell Hall" that sounds like something written by a composer hundreds of years ago, which is infact a Blackmore original! Candice Night does an excellent job on vocals and contributes greatly to the overall feel and impact of this album. Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull guests on the song "Play Minstrel Play" and is a perfect compliment to the style and feel of this great album.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Why isn't this CD getting any air time?, March 9, 2000

By 

GSP (St. Louis) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shadow of the Moon (Audio CD)

I was never a Deep Purple or Ritchie Blackmore fan. In fact I found this CD on Amazon.com looking for Ian Anderson's new solo CD (and found "Shadow of the Moon" because IA does a guest appearance on 'Play Minstrel Play'). I listened to the sample of each cut and became an immediate Blackmore's Night fan. My question is: Why is it that great music like this never gets any air time? For those of you looking for great acoustic music you need to pick up this CD.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Blackmore redirects the his Ocean Gypsy, December 12, 2005

By 

Quinn Miller "millerq72" (Columbus, OH United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shadow of the Moon (Audio CD)

In one of the bigger about-faces in hard rock history, legendary hard rock guitarist Ritchie Blackmore pulls a 180 on his Purple/Rainbow persona. One of the reasons this freak of nature occurred is no doubt one young, blonde and girlfriend Candice Night. Night's voice, though not all that strong or versatile, is well suited for this sudden affection for all things Renaissance. Blackmore's strumming acoustic guitars, light and shimmery keyboards, flutes and the occasional synthetic horn swirl in with Night's whispery vocals to make this one sixteenth-century blast to the past not to be soon forgotten.

Blackmore's playing on Shadow of the Moon sounds more inspired and complex than on his latest two tries with Purple and Rainbow. At first listen, fans of those bands will be put off a bit by the mellowness of these proceedings. But after another spin or three, other dimensions of this music will begin to appear that can be appreciated in their own right. The best songs are the ones full of melody and played with passion by the pilgrim-hatted one, such as the title track, Play Minstrel Play (with awesome flute solo at close by Ian Anderson), Ocean Gypsy, Writing on the Wall (Ritchie reprises the Fender briefly!) and the syrupy but not overly sweet Wish You Were Here. I have to say I don't know much about true Renaissance music nor its merits, but this sounds well-played and intended enough for my tastes. Also, Ritchie is undoubtedly more in tune with his muse here than he has been in a long while; nice to hear always!