Customer Reviews

Shadow of the Moon

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm glad this album is being printed in America now, Picking upsomething with Ritchie Blackmore is always something of a risk:sometimes you'll find a "Perfect Strangers" or "Rainbow Rising," sometimes it's a disappointment like "House of Blue Light." This guy has been up and down and up again through his whole career. But with "Shadow of the Moon" he and the band never hit a wrong note. Medieval-sounding folk music is probably the last thing you'd expect from one of hard rock/metal's finest guitarists (and I wondered what Blackmore could do with something like Greensleeves), but it's one of the most pleasant surprises I've gotten in quite some time. There are traditional tunes, acoustic originals, a Renaissance cover, classical melodies and even a techno beat on one song. It puts pictures in my head of medieval banquets and conversations by flickering candlelight. Blackmore's kept it up on the next album as well: here's hoping it lasts. END

I bought this on impulse, I was searching for Ian Anderson and this popped up, Ian does a guest flute piece in one of the selections. This is an excellent work, Blaclmore and vocalist Candace Knight have taken traditional "midieval mood music and gypsie melodies", added some modern instruments, and vovals that can bring tears to your eyes. Check out "Magical World" If that does not bring out emotion you are probably dead already. Plus their version of "Greensleeves" is the most beautiful playing of that traditional song I have ever heard.

When I first popped this in my CD player, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. As soon as I heard the first few notes of the title track, I sensed something special. As I listened to the rest of the CD, I was not only not disappointed, I was awestruck! The mark of a great CD is that it stands the test of time. In other words, you can listen to it over and over and over again without getting sick of it. "Shadow of the Moon" is one such CD. It not only propels the listener to other times and places, but the songs are both diversified enough and catchy and accessible enough so as to never get boring. And Blackmore has created his own distinctive style of acoustic lead guitar - he frequently plays variations and improvisations over the basic melody rather than simply repeating the melody - very refreshing. He also plays with an energy and intensity and vitality which is so often lacking in acoustic music. There are several absolutely stunning classics here which will be spinning around in your CD player for years to come: "Shadow of the Moon", "The Clock Ticks On", "Play Minstrel Play", Renaissance Faire", and "Mond Tanz". The title track, with its energetic acoustic guitar in the foreground and hypnotic, understated electric guitar in the background is a strong, impressive opener. "The Clock Ticks On" is even better. It starts out with a blast of trumpets and French Horns followed by some nice acoustic lead with accompanying viola. Other instruments join in to create a medieval, fairy-tale quality. "Play Minstrel Play" is another jaw-dropper. It has a "Little Drummer Boy" quality with the male "rum-rum-rum" voices in the background. It starts out slowly then suddenly shifts into speeded-up high-gear, propelled by guest flutist Ian Anderson's blistering flute playing and Blackmore's rapid-fire string rolling. "Renaissance Faire" is another killer: mandolin and horns playing a beautiful melody under lyrics about "fields of gold...down at the Renaissance Faire" will surely transport you to the Faire of bygone days. Finally, "Mond Tanz", a medieval-sounding instrumental, has a melody so catchy you wish it would go on forever, and it does, long after the CD player is turned off, continue to swim around in your head. Other highlights include a competent version of the old Renaissance classic, "Ocean Gypsy", featuring the most restrained playing by Blackmore - appropriate for the sad tone of the song; and "Magical World", another sweet fairy-tale tune. The remaing songs are all quite good as well, with the exception of 3 songs which have too many soft, sappy, syrupy strings added for my taste, and one tune, "Writing on the Wall", which is ruined by a horrible fake, mechanical, synthesized disco-drum beat. With 12 out of 16 songs very good-to-excellent, this CD deserves a 4 1/2 stars, rounded to a 5. Overall, a very impressive debut from the man in black. I was beginning to wonder if he would ever get out of the rut he was in on the last couple of Rainbow albums, and that question has been more than resoundingly answered in the affirmative. Indeed, Blackmore has found his creative niche. This is the most interesting and creative stuff Blackmore has ever done in his entire career, and I hope he continues in this vein for many years to come.

Anyone who loves the old rock and roll of the past will know Deep Purple's long line of work. One of the main reasons why this band took off to the top of the rock world is having one of the greatest guitar players in the world transmitting his perfect notes to our ears. Without question Ritchie Blackmore is of the elite and after he finally departed from Deep Purple he went on to produced and create some of the best music on earth. You can't go wrong when purchasing any of the 4 releases by Blackmore's night, this is top notch music and takes you to places you thought you have been, until now! Blackmore comes full circle in his career with this classical-reniassance and mystical music from a long time ago. After a few minutes listening to this amazing music you will be hooked. If your ears have grown up you will for sure love every minute of it. Candice Night's voice will be the best you have ever heard.

I disagree with most of the reviews listed here. I really liked this album. I love medevial-like and medevial music, which is what I would characterized this music. Those who do not like "Writing on the wall" are just purist and refuse to hear any variation. I even liked "Wish you were here", which by the way is a remake of an old folk song. Yes, he even kept the same tune. Again, I really like this album and I hope he makes many more like this one. If you are a scadian you to will like this even if it is not period music.

Close your eyes and you're magickally taken back in time, to destinations only seen in the mind's eye. ...Leave all your stress behind.

Though I had got this album only by chance,when a long time back I had not hear any more news about a new album for Deep Purple that was in augest 1998 ,when I was just wondering around somewhere many hundrad miles away from the home of Deep Purple,and Ihad just found a music store which seemed to me that was a good one, I asked about a new album for Deep Purple ,there I had heard the news about their split with Blackmore,and they gave me the album "shadow of the moon".Then after listening to that I had just thought that this was only a joke that a ladies voice is accompanying the sounds of the acoustic guitar played by Blackmore,It was so unusual to me to change the tune of the Blackmores heavy playing into that kind of softness,but I listened again and again to the tracks "shadow of the moon", "Green sleeves" etc.. I had found that Blackmore is ding fine alone without Lord ,Paice,Gillan,and Glover,and I tasted the album so sweet,though I was completely disappointed that I was the first to vote on it here after a long time ,nobody had never even noticed the new diamond presented by one of the only few guitarists that had turned the instrument into legend,go on ritchie..

If you're a fan of Loreena McKennitt, I think you'll love this CD. Lovely vocals, great instrumentals; definitely measures up to their other CD (Under a Violet Moon). This CD has been in my player for about a month now, playing over and over; what more need I say?

Like many other reviewers I am a long-time Ritchie Blackmore fan with a large collection of his music from different bands over the years. As much of his most recent Purple work was disappointing I approached this new incarnation with high hopes. In some ways I was disappointed, but in others, not. I think this is a great direction for Blackmore to go - he has long had an interest in classical and folk music (mostly East European and Mid-East), and that shows on this disk. His playing is superb if not always inventive - he reiterates many passages from his earlier work, only now he is playing them acoustically and softly instead of electrically and loud. We do get to hear some electric work, which provides a nice contrast. As to the other half of this outfit, Candice Night, I am mostly diappointed. She is not a bad singer, her voice is merely thin, and more suited to pop than renaissance. Ah, but here is another bone of contention. This is not renaissance music. Maybe we should call it renai-pop or pop-aissance. She may have a career in music without Ritchie, but I would not bet on it. Some songs work, others don't. The title track is one of the best on the disk. There is a nice treat, though: a guest appearance by Ian Anderson. If only his part were larger. Ocean Gypsy is a bit troublesome here. I really like Blackmore's arrangement of it, but Candice's voice only reminds me how much I like Annie Haslam. I like the up-tempo aspect of Greensleeves, but to be honest, it does not convey the true longing which is what the song is all about. A popularization of an old renaissance tune remains nothing more than a popularization. I liked it better when Ritchie played it instrumentally. The best part of this disk is hearing Blackmore play acoustically. It is easy to sound good with a lot of distortion and noise, but I always thought his playing rose above all that. His performance here proves it. He is a consumate player. Now, if he could only work on the material. All in all, although I am very critical of this, I think it a positive direction. I was disappointed with their second album, although I enjoy it from time to time. I like this one better; it is fresh and still has an aura of experiment to it. I just hope that this pair do not go the way of many marriages - getting soft and comfortable in established ways. And really, I would prefer to see less pop and more real renaissance. One more thing, I have recognized several folk melodies in these songs, which lends a great deal to the catchyness of it all. Still, though, the real folk songs are better. See what I mean about liking this, but not liking it? Whenever I find something to praise, I also find something to criticize. And vice-versa. That is the way of Blackmore's Night. I hope they balance it all out and we get something really good, something worthy of Blackmore's talent.

Thought this album was a fresh new sound from one of rock's best guitar players. From the frist tune Shadow of the Moon to the last tune you get the feeling of a "new" fresh sound.... very good an album you have to listen to more than once!