GHOST OF A ROSE

Folkish-medieval music, even poppy sometimes. There are some very nice melodies, a couple of covers and Candice Night's vocals are quite good, but... I wouldn't classify this album "progresive" despite the medieval tunes. For those who are into this kind of music, I would recommend another bands with more elaborated structures and original sounds, like VITAL DUO or CHANGING IMAGES.

"Ghost Of A Rose" is the 4th studio album by Ritchie BLACKMORE and the lovely Candice Night and represents another excellent renaissance-like court jester era album. Along the way we are treated to 15 lovely tunes with perhaps the best track yet in a awesome rendition of Joan Baez's "Diamonds and Rust". As you would expect the tracks are all quite acoustic and are given lots of white space for the beautful voice of Candice Night to shine thru. One of the standout aspects of this album is the superb instrumentation and tone quality. Overall a very tranquil album with a nice mixture of folk, classical, prog and turn of the century instrumentation.

Once I knew that BLACKMORE'S NIGHT would be releasing a new album, a few months ago now, I was counting the days until its arrival. Having had the utmost pleasure in consuming the band's entire catalog at the beginning of this year, I was anxious to hear their new offering. Well it's here and it is titled "Ghost of a Rose".

The rock renaissance/medieval/Celtic influences once again rule the BLACKMORE roost, although a few surprises will delight the old guard of fans from the DEEP PURPLE and RAINBOW days. Ritchie is so smart when he records; he always uses all of his talents and influences to satisfy his worldly fan base that has been gathering steam since the '60s. All of you that have enjoyed the previous albums will absolutely love this release. "Way To Mandalay" (which is also a bonus video on the U.S. release) sets the stage for songs like the title track and others such as "Mr. Peagram's Morris And Sword," which is a splendid instrumental track. Ritchie lets his old fans know he has not forgotten them with tracks such as "Rainbow Blues" and "All For One," which offer some of that old Blackmore blues- rock guitar magic without giving up his newer sound and influences. Candace Night is once again her phenomenal self, singing her heart out, sounding like a gift from the heavens, and ostensibly playing the part of Maid Marion from the days of Robin Hood and Friar Tuck.

This amazing music touches my soul every time I hear it. If there is such a thing as reincarnation, this music certainly makes it feel real. I have always had an affinity for this kind of music and I have no idea why, and listening to this CD brings it all closer to my heart. Ritchie Blackmore has always been a brilliant guitar player now he is beyond that, it is indescribable. He has transformed himself into a pioneer and legend that is far ahead of those commonly used terms. He will surely continue to turn heads each time he sets his foot onstage or records. This is some of the most beautiful music recorded today. I have no doubt whatsoever with my convictions regarding this recording or any other released by Blackmore and his band.

BLACKMORE'S NIGHT

What shall we call it? How about Dark Age music? No, It isn't dark at all! How about Medieval music? that's closer but not close enough. How about Renaissance music? No, thats to classy sounding. How about Minstrel music? That's very close, wait, I got it (Robin and his) 'Merry Men Music', thats fits great, and beautiful Cadence Night could be the Maid Marion.

Who is Blackmore's Night

Many of you already know and love these ultra talented people known as Blackmore's Night. 'Blackmore' is Ritchie Blackmore, the heralded guitar player and composer whom you may remember from Deep Purple or Blackmore's Rainbow and 'Night' is Ritchie's equally talented fiancee, (they may be married by now, I don't know) Candice Night and boy is she H_O_T! I could fall in love with this girl. If I wasn't already in love, sorry honey.

Now Blackmore, who was born and raised in jolly ole England, though a highly successful rock musician, apparently had alway been interested in the music of his ancestors. The catalyst that convinced Blackmore to change his musical preference is two-fold.

Firstly, Blackmore accidently met the lovely Miss Night in 1989(lucky guy) and after finding out they shared an interest in Medieval folk music among other things, they became an item. Secondly, reception to his last two albums were disappointing, thus leading Blackmore to start tinkering with his "Merry Men" music. Candice fit right in contributing lyrics and as the lead singer.

Blackmore's Night finally released their first album Shadow of the Moon in 1998. They have since released four more albums including one double disc live album, Past Times with Good Company. Ghost of a Rose is the most recent album, released just last month.

"Way to Mandalay"

"I wandered down the pathway, through the misty moor Like I knew he did a thousand times before Voices seem to echo "Come talk with me a while Just around the corner, just another mile...""

"Way to Mandalay, 6:25, Here I tell you about the "Merry Men" music and the first song is more contemporary, however it is a very pleasant song, which features Candice and a steel guitar and drums

"3 Black Crows"

"3 black crows were sitting on a fence Watching the world pass them by Laughing at humanity and its pretense Wondering where next to fly..."

"3 Black Crows", 3:43, That's more like it, again Candice in a nursery rhyme like song, which also features some sort of harmonica/horn type instrument.

"Diamonds and Rust" 4:54, is a nice rendition of the old Joan Baez tune. "Cartouche", 3:48, is a change of pace, with an almost reggae beat Candice and a cello as the featured instrument.

"Queen For A Day, Part I"

"A featherbed to rest my head On roses would I lay A full moon would glow every night And summer would be every day We'd dance and sing all afternoon And rain would wash troubles away Every wish would be granted for me If I could be Queen for a Day..."

"Queen for a Day", 3:05, is a slow melodious number featuring Miss Night, a flute and an acoustic Guitar

"Queen for a Day, Part II", 1:36, "Queen for a Day" continues with an instrumental hoedown .

"Ivory Tower", 4:24, is a ballad but with a heavy bass beat and some backing male chanting.

"Nur Eine Minute", 1:07, a short instrumental interlude.

"Ghost of a Rose"

"The valley green was so serene In the middle ran a stream so blue... A maiden fair, in despair, once had met her true love there and she told him... She would say... "Promise me , when you see, a white rose you'll think of me I love you so, Never let go, I will be your ghost of a rose...""

"Ghost of a Rose", 5:45, very nice, a very pretty melodious ballad with a full orchestra backing the incomparable Candice.

"Mrs. Peagram's Morris and Sword", 2:01, a third short Instrumental.

"Loreley", 3:36, a somewhat uptempo song with Candice and strong flutework, handclapping and a couple other, probably, medieval instruments.

"Where Are We Going From Here", 4:04, Candice sings this maudlin ballad with Ritchie's accompanying acoustic guitar.

"Rainbow Blues", 4:30, fifteenth century meets Twenty-first century in this, tongue in cheek, rock number. Ritchie picked back up his fender for this one.

"All For One"

"We'll drink together And when we drink we'll drink together, not alone! We'll drink together And when we drink we'll drink together, not alone! All For One, and One For All! We'll drink together And when we drink we'll drink together, not alone! All For One, and One For All! We'll drink together And when we drink we'll drink together, not alone!"

"All for One", 5:36, if you can picture a medieval anthem, this is it. Ritchie keeps his fender for this one. you'll be humming this one for weeks.

"Dandelion Wine"

"Where has the time gone...it seems to fly so fast One moment you're having fun, the next its come to pass Days turn into yesteryear, old friends find their own way Until the moment you leave...I wish that you would stay..."

"Dandelion Wine", 5:41, a pretty ballad, reminicing old times. Features acoustic and flute.

Conclusion

If you've happened to have read any of my previous reviews, then you may know that I'm partial to the Ladies, including singers. I have written reviews on groups that have heavenly and powerful voices, like Sharon den Adel, Vibeke Stene and Annie Haslam, from Within Temptation, Tristania and Renaissance, respectively and Candice's voice is not like theirs. Candice's voice is mellow and charming. It fits their type of music perfectly. I like Sharon den Adel's voice for Within Temptation's music and I like Candice's voice just fine for the "Merry Men" music

In all honesty, although many of the songs are wonderful, it's not their most consistent and by extension, not their best album. It is definitely, still a five star album though

Similar Groups or Artists:

Hagalaz Runedance, Loreena McKennit, Enya, Rhea's Obsession

Diamonds, no rust

With "Ghost of a rose", Blackmore's Night consolidate and develop the relatively harder and more progressive edge introduced on the previous "Fires at Midnight" two years previously. Once again, Ritchie is more inclined to plug his guitar in from time to time, adding some truly fixating colours to many of the tracks. The atmosphere remains rooted in the mediaeval folk style the band adopted from the outset, but Blackmore no longer seems to be rebelling against his rock heritage. Instead he is now inclined to call upon it as required to add extra dimensions to the Blackmore's Night sound.

As with "Fires at midnight", here we have an irresistible selection of songs which take us from simple folk melodies to the borders of heavy rock. The opening "Way to Mandalay", which runs to some 6½ minutes, immediately finds Ritchie with the power switched on. This magnificent statement of intent builds through swirling layers, with Candice Night in fine vocal form. Later, the more traditional sounding "Cartouche" has one of the heaviest rhythms used by the band to date, an array of wind instruments providing fanfare bursts during the instrumental sections.

The epic title track is probably the band's most powerful track ever, the song having a similarity with the Strawbs' "New world" in the symphonic orchestration which dominates all else.

While most of the songs are composed by Blackmore (music) and Night (lyrics), they are not averse to adding the odd carefully selected cover version. Here we have a stunningly beautiful version of Joan Baez's "Diamonds and rust". Candice Night's vocal delivery here is truly emotional, the song becoming a highlight of the band's live set. "Where are we going from here" is similarly melancholy and reflective, with some superb acoustic guitar. The other cover version here is of Jethro Tull's "Rainbow blues", a rather obscure choice which appears as a bonus track on later versions of Tull's "Warchild". While the song lends itself well to the Blackmore's Night sound, for me it is the least distinguished track here.

The folk side of the band is most strongly exploited on songs such as "3 Black Crows". The piece actually sounds like a traditional British folk number, although that illusion is unintentionally blurred when Night's American heritage is revealed as she describes how the birds "dove (= dived) through the air". Night receives a rare solo compositional credit for "Ivory tower", a song which features Gregorian style choral accompaniment.

The drunken party side of the band's music remains in evidence through the live crowd pleasers "Loreley" and "All for one". Both songs demand audience participation for the hook laden choruses and happy hand claps. The intro to the latter is extremely deceptive, sounding like the start of a Deep Purple Ballad such as "Wasted sunsets".

Ritchie's solo spots once again see him reverting to acoustic guitar recitals, the brief "Nur eine minute" and "Mr Peagram's Morris and Sword" being pleasant interlude pieces. The closing "Dandelion wine" may be as sentimental as they come, but it is an enchanting tale of good times and friendships; the band's own "Auld lang syne" if you will.

In all, another fine album from Blackmore's Night, which is bound to please those who enjoyed the albums which got us to this point. Prog purists will undoubtedly wonder what the fuss is about, but those who favour prog folk should find much to admire here.

The lavishly presented special edition version of the CD includes two bonus tracks. The first of these is an acoustic live version of "Mid Winter's night", a song which first appeared on the previous "Fires at midnight". This version actually highlights the similarities of the song's melody with that which precedes it here, "Dandelion wine". The other bonus track is a superfluous radio edit of the first track "Way to Mandalay".

I confess that when I bought this album a few months ago I still was a complete ignorant about the nature of this band. After all, the "Blackmore" name made my mind harbor ideas of fast guitars, heavy riffs and amazing solos. I read and I learned with surprise that this music belonged to the "folk" genre. But until I actually heard the record, I didn't know how "folk" it really was.

And it's definitely a folk album more than a rock album. Most, if not all of the songs, are based on melodies and rhythms that sound like they come straight from ages long behind us. The music has a decisively medieval flavor, at times sounding like the music one would've heard in a little village centuries ago, in the Middle Ages or maybe in the Renaissance. The themes have a distinct Celtic/British folk taste, and the instrumentation only adds to the effect, as woodwinds, percussion and violins take center stage alongside the usual drums and guitar.

In fact, one of the biggest surprises for me was to hear how little Blackmore really gets to show-off in this album. There are practically no fast solos to be found, with the exception of a couple of tracks, and even then they're not really what people usually have in their mind when they think of the legendary axe-man of DEEP PURPLE. His performance here is subdued, delicate, mostly limiting himself to the acoustic or electro-acoustic guitar or to electric-guitar with almost no distortion at all.

In this music, the star is really Blackmore's wife, Candice Night. Her voice is beautiful, yet discreet. She never tries to show off any special skills or range, but she sings all the little lovely melodies with utmost grace. In the background, a great group of musicians provide a rich canvas for her colors.

For me, the album gets a little repetitive halfway through. After an excellent (and quite rock) first track, "Way to Mandalay" (which, to newer listeners more used to other genres, may sound a lot like AYREON's music, with that minstrel vibe typical of his music), and a few memorable ones, the record gets lost in a myriad of little tunes that, while pretty and lovely seen individually, get a little tedious after listening more than a few of them in a row. There's not enough rock here, not at least for my tastes, and the dominant "folk" element is not interesting enough, as it doesn't offer much in the way of textures, rhythms, variation, or at least pure raw energy.

Lovers of this genre should add an extra star to the rating, although I'm quite sure even they won't find the record to be perfect. For me, it's an OK experience that's less enjoyable than I would've liked it to be. Especially when one of the great masters of the guitar is not only on board, but also in the band's name.

One thing is certain, though: Blackmore shows us he's definitely a versatile guitarist. And that only adds to his already-fantastic reputation.

The intro to opener Way To Mandalay is intriguing, but the song itself is far too catchy and pop oriented for my taste which, indeed, applies to much of this album. The overall tone and mood is too cheerful and jolly to the extent that is becomes uncomfortable. This is most evident on 3 Black Crows which makes me cringe. The production is also too glossy and too clearly aimed for commercial success. It completely lacks the edge and rock feel of the previous album and the Stratocaster features relatively little on Ghost Of A Rose.

Diamonds And Rust is a glossy pop version of a song originally by American Folk singer Joan Baez. Judas Priest made a much better version of this song on their 1977 album Sin After Sin.

Queen For A Day (parts one and two) is the first mildly interesting song. In its structure it is very similar to Play Minstrel Play, with a short up tempo climax. Not too impressive, though. Indeed, most of the songs feel like typical Blackmore's Night fare, and nothing feels really fresh and original at all. Ivory Tower is a great example of this, a decent song, but one that feels like we've heard it a hundred times before. Nur Eine Minute and Mr.Peagram's Morris And Sword are acoustic instrumentals and are not bad at all, but hardly as good as Minstrel Hall from the first album.

The title track is again a good pop ballad that easily could have been a radio hit. It is not badly written or put together, it is just that it is so superficial and glossy that puts me off. Loreley is another one of those ultra cheerful, ultra catchy songs with very cheesy hand clap sounds. Please! I really feel that these songs lack a much needed edge. The drums sound is also very thin and not at all powerful. But thankfully there are no drum machines! But the drummer is never allowed to stretch out even the slightest (though Cartouche has some half interesting percussion).

The last four tracks are probably the best. Where Are We Going From Here is an acoustic ballad with a good vocal performance from Candice. But it is not one I will return too again. Rainbow Blues is a Jethro Tull cover! It is an obscure song that never featured on an album, only as a bonus track on the War Child album. This version is alright, but I prefer the live version on the Paris Moon DVD. It is fun to see that Ritchie and Candice admire (and are friends with?) Ian Anderson. But I must say that musically they are not his equals at all.

The Tull song together with All For One are the first two songs on here that attempts to rock. Coming in as tracks 13 and 14, they come to late to save this album from being a pure pop album. All For One does feature some nice guitar licks, but also some very cheesy hand claps and an-all-too-catchy chorus.

As you can tell, I do not like this album very much. I must, however, point out again that this is not a poor album in the sense that it is badly put together or sloppy. Indeed, this is a highly professional recording, made by one of my many heroes in rock. But this just doesn't appeal to me very much, and I guess that I am in agreement with most Prog fans as regarding this. Ghost Of A Rose makes a very poor Prog rock album. This is more of a contemporary pop album with some Folk influences. Sorry Ritchie!

Formulaic

Following the artistic success that was Fires at Midnight (where the band finally found the formula for well-balanced medieval acoustic compositions and modern rock songs), Blackmore's Night returned with an album that, perhaps smartly, took few chances by not straying too far from that previously successful effort. But does than mean that Ghost of a Rose is a clone of Fires at Midnight? Well...

It certainly doesn't begin like one. The first track, Way To Mandalay, for starters, begins the album quite earily, before turning into a gentler ballad, nothing like the rock scorcher opener that was Written In The Stars on the previous album. It does feature some interesting synth work complemented by a back layer of Ritchie's Strat providing some riffs, and eventually a bit of solo doodling, not his most inspired effort. The folksy 3 Black Crows follows, switching off the electricity and resorting to more traditional instrumentation, like the lute, drums and all sorts of pipes. So far, nothing really exciting. Next up is the cover of Joan Baez's Diamonds And Rust. If there is one thing we can compliment Blackmore's Night for is the quality of their covers, usually best than the original. This was a brave choice, because unlike Ocean Gypsy, Self- Portrait and The Times They Are a-Changin', Diamonds And Rust is actually very good in its original form. Candice manages not to embarrass herself, partly by staying away from the temptation to try and sound like Baez. Ritchie's gentle strumming is obviously one of the great improvements from the original, and when he switches to electric, magic happens. Perhaps the electronic percussion heard on the background could be dispensed, but it does not in any way ruin the experience. Not a substitute for the original, it is nevertheless an excellent complement. The merrier Eastern-Europe sounding Cartouche carries the album traditional folk mood on. It's fast paced percussion and violin playing really counterbalance Candice's moody vocals. It's the first Blackmore's Night penned highlight of the album. The first part of Queen For A Day ensues, another gentler ballad supported by the acoustic guitar and Candice's vocals, with a hint of medieval woodwind in the chorus sections and the build-up to it. The second part of Queen For A Day is a small czardas-like instrumental, a format that Blackmore's Night explore so well, featuring a great acoustic guitar solo by the man in black, with sublime interplay with the violin. The next track, Ivory Tower begins quite cheasily, with the distant sound of a church bell and Gregorian choir introducing it, only to turn into another ballad, with the choir and bells returning for the chorus. It gets merrier towards the middle, featuring a very interesting instrumental section, only to return to the drowsy ballad it began with. Nur Eine Minute follows, an aptly named instrumental featuring a duet of acoustic guitar and cello, to which a faintly heard harpsichord joins in. Small, yet delightful. Next up is the title track. Like on previous efforts, Blackmore's Night go to great extents to make this track a good one and worthy of naming the album - Ghost Of A Rose certainly does not disappoint. The lush medieval intro to the song might give the impression of another bland ballad, but soon the orchestration (brilliant led by the cello) drop in just before Candice produces some of the more heartfelt vocals in the album. The chorus, specifically, is excellent. What starts as a ballad slowly builds up, without, however, turning into a violent rocker ? in that aspect it is quite a different beast from Fires At Midnight. Another highlight. Mr.Peagram's Morris And Sword ensues, another small folksy acoustic instrumental piece, making the bridge between the previous delicate highlight and the folksy highlight coming up next. The jiggy Loreley opens with several woodwinds and violins, backed by baseline that provided the fast paced rhythm of this quite entertaining song, easily a sing-along when played live. Where Are We Going From Here begins eerily, with the distant violin and the sound of wind giving it a gloomy feel. Candice's melancholic vocals and Ritchie's gentle acoustic don't exactly brighten the picture. And it's pretty much the same for another three and a half minutes. Like the previous album, it seems this one had its duration extended with the inclusion of some really uninteresting tracks such as this one. Rainbow Blues also begins quite gently and unimpressively, with Candice singing to yet some more boring acoustic guitar strumming. Just as I am about to fall asleep, a great guitar riff comes along and wakes me from my stupor. Perhaps not by accident, Rainbow Blues sounds more like a Rainbow song than a Blackmore Night's one. Except that it is actually a Jethro Tull cover, from their not so great album War Child. Again, this cover sounds a little bit better than the original. Ritchie sounds like he is having fun with his Strat, while Candice is always an interesting alternative to Ian Anderson. By now, if you think there is nothing more to the album, and can't wait for it to finish, think again. All For One begins with a languid electric guitar solo, almost reminiscent of Santana at his cheesiest. Ah, but here come the martial drums! Soon where transported into the tavern with the Three Musketeers, all of it in the form of a very catchy rocker which never leaves it baroque musical themes forgotten. Apart from an instrumental middle section with the return of the initial solo, there isn't much variation in this track, but from what I'm hearing, it doesn't really need it. Yet another highlight. Finally, Dandelion wine brings the album to an end by way of (yes, you guessed it) another folkish gentle ballad, this time one that just seems to drag on for too much.

Overall, despite trying to keep the same formula introduced in Fires At Midnight, this is a weaker effort than its predecessor. It is filled with too many bland ballads and fails to raise any excitement throughout as it happened with the previous album. However, Ghost of a Rose does live with the paradox of occasionally having excellent songs, some better than any of the ones found on Fires At Midnight, such as the aforementioned Diamonds And Rust, Cartouche, The second part of Queen For A Day, the exquisite title track, the tavern sing-along Loreley and the heroic rocker All For One. Still, in an hour-long album, it's not enough.

On Ghost of a Rose, Blackmore and Night try to more fully integrate electronic sounds into their medieval folk style, with mixed results. The drum machine doesn't add a whole lot to their cover of Diamonds and Rust, but on the whole that cover feels misjudged to me - it doesn't feel like it hits anything not covered either by the Joan Baez original or the Judas Priest update. On the other hand, the synthesisers are used to good effect on the opening Way to Mandalay - but that's the best bit about the song, which is otherwise a smooth, poppy number that is slightly too Ren Faire to actually be pop but is a little too pop to scratch the medieval folk itch, leaving me wondering just who, exactly, this album is supposed to please.