BEYOND THE SUNSET - THE ROMANTIC COLLECTION

Ritchie Blackmore and Candice Night decided to please their devoted fans and put together their favorite love songs on one CD titled "Beyond The Sunset". So now, when a couple gets married they have them all on one CD to play for that very special occasion. Well, that serves one purpose, but if you are already married its still a nice collection of songs to have.

With the addition of a DVD with five tracks and another Christmas CD with three tracks, this is quite a package. I never had the pleasure of watching the band perform onstage and after taking the CD in with much enjoyment, it was a pleasure to watch Ritchie and the beautiful Candice prance around on the stage to bring their renaissance merriment to the masses.

If you are a fan this is a must purchase, even if you already have all the other songs spread amongst the studio albums, the DVD and bonus Christmas CD is worth the price. I often wondered if their live performances were as visually stunning as they sounded, well now I know, I have the proof in my hand, they are. Nothing spectacular is going on with their presentation. There are no lasers or explosions, of course the atmosphere their music creates does not need any of that shock and wow element to make their presentation more attractive and exciting. Just the presence of guitar maestro Blackmore and the alluring Night make it a treat to watch. Of course, the backdrop is a castle and they are all dressed in period clothing. I understand that many of their fans will show up dressed the same way at concerts. It sounds like a lot of fun. For Ritchie, this is very different from his days with RAINBOW and DEEP PURPLE. I think he has finally found true love with his music and in his personal life with Candice. The couple has been together for several years now.

If you are a JETHRO TULL fan or enjoy progressive rock with the Celtic or Renaissance influences combined with rock and folk you will adore BLACKMORE'S NIGHT. Everything I have ever heard, which actually is all of their recorded output, I absolutely loved.

© Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck-http://www.muzikreviews.com

May 19, 2005