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Blackmore's Night By Vinnie Apicella |
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"The Times They Are a Changing." and the comeback of one Ritchie Blackmore embraces such a thought perhaps like none could've in their wildest imaginations. and then, thinking along in the classic tradition of his past work with Deep Purple and of course Rainbow, and somehow, "Fires At Midnight" all makes perfect sense. The aforementioned Dylan song appears secondly, following the soothing "Written In The Stars" and from the earliest moments, it's apparent Mr. Blackmore, and his partner, singer Candice Night, have stepped far away from the present and into the pages of history, as their medieval personas, lyrics and songs themselves harkens back to the glorious times of near instrumental infancy. Blackmore's fascination with the Renaissance and romanticism come as little surprise considering the many diversely painted workings of his past. "Fires At Midnight" follows two other such Blackmore/Night performances that first began in '97, and steeped in the Germanic tradition, slightly drawing upon Celtic instrumentation and medieval folklore but their appreciation for the Romantic era peaks through with every strum of the mandolin, stroke of the bow, and sing-along fire side melody that first drew interest back all those years ago in the first classifications of actual "Tunes." And here-"I Still Remember," shades of a time long past yet never forgotten, "Home Again," a completed circle and return to a feeling of belonging. and oddly, it doesn't take very long before as a listener you find yourself placed within the context of the 16th century and a simpler time, satisfied to bask in the joy of the moment. Blackmore's assembled a vast cast of instrumentalists to help bring the past to life-no less than ten have contributed to "Fires At Midnight" including Keyboardist / Producer Pat Regan, a choir and traditional orchestration. With the exception of "The Times They Are A Changin'" all sixteen tracks were written and performed by Blackmore/Night who've gone to great lengths to create what in essence is a thematic interpretation of musical greatness from perhaps the most famous of musical periods-certainly one of the most important. Blackmore's featured vocalist, Candice, is a soothing, peaceful spirit, part seductress, part enchantress, and equal parts Belinda Carlisle and Joni Mitchell, hers is the star that shines brightest in a sometimes chaotic and occasionally dark background. Centuries beyond anything he would go on to do in the earliest stages of his three decade career as a musician, Blackmore's composed a free and easy listening record of epic proportions that literally finds the renowned guitarist wearing many different hats. not for the first time, but never quite like this classically inspired piece of work.
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By: Jonathan Mariante Guitar legend and founding father of metal Richie Blackmore has been exploring new musical avenues (mainly medieval-style folk music, combined with elements of rock) with his new project, Blackmore's Night. This is his third outing with BN, and I have to say I thought it was a beautiful piece of work. We all know that Richie Blackmore is a brilliant musician and composer, and the songs on this album are all crafted and played very, very well, and singer Candice Night has a lovely voice. There are sixteen songs on "Fires...", beginning with "Written In The Stars", the only song on the album that is really more rock than folk. This is followed by a spirited cover of "The Times They Are a Changing". Other songs I really liked were the bouncy "Home Again", the pomp and circumstance of "Crowning Of The King", the title track, which at 7:33 is the longest song on the album, and featured an electric guitar solo from Richie, "The Storm", which featured some nimble-fingered playing and has a kick-y rock beat, the beautiful "Midwinter's Night" and "Waiting Just For You", the perky, upbeat "All Because Of You", and "Village On The Sand", which also featured more rock influences, including more electric soloing, and is about a girl who falls in love with a pirate who comes to her "village on the sand" and leaves home with him. The album closes with a short little ditty called "Again Someday", which laments a lost love. As I said, I found this album to be very enjoyable. Richie's folksy guitar playing sounds great, and so does Candice. I found the music lilting and beautiful, but there were also songs that made me want to get up and dance. I imagined myself in a medieval tavern, a tankard of ale in my hand, dancing with a beautiful Arthurian woman, complete with long, flowing hair and dress dragging on the ground. I guess that's the kind of atmosphere this album is supposed to create. So if you feel like mellowing out a spell and hearing a different side to Richie Blackmore's playing, along with a beautiful female voice, then get yourself a copy of this. It would also be a great album to play with you're alone with you're girlfriend, as it does invoke some romantic feelings.
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