BLACKMORE'S NIGHT: Winter Carols

Cover	Release	Style
	2006-11-24	classic rock / folk rock
	Label
	www.afm-records.de / www.rockinc.nl
	Website
	www.blackmoresnight.com
	Contact

	Playing Time	Cat. N°
	42:40	PRE 008
	Review by / Translated by	Rating
	Jany / Jennifer	7/10
nederlands	Review
It’s only natural that a Christmas album will give the right impact when the circumstances are present. That’s why it’s very difficult to give a decent CD review when it’s sunny and 16°C. outside and without a single Christmas tree in sight. It’s the change in our climate that we’ve been experiencing these past few years that has altered our Christmas time weather pattern. As a child, I remember the snowy Christmases with ice crystals on the window panes, with the Christmas trees, the snowmen and the festive parties, where everyone drank too much gluehwein. Those selective memories give you a feeling of home sickness... It’s only in those romantic movies that are shown around Christmas time that give you those fuzzy, warm feelings once again... The world has evolved a lot, not just on a climactic level, but the way that we think has changed enormously. But, still, the time period around Christmas gives you a sense of melancholy and nostalgia and sets the mood for reflection... So, maybe this CD from Blackmore’s Night is just the right album to let you day dream your way back to the past of how things used to be, of your childhood and of all the good wishes that you cherish in your heart... The friends of Candice and Ritchie must have had those same feelings when they asked them to put that music on CD that they had sung all of those years around the holiday times. The jingles are always recognizable, the lyrics have changed many times over the years, as well as the presentation and composition of the songs, but that nostalgic feeling remains the same. Since 1997, when their first middle-ages renaissance folk album appeared, their songs have been based on very old folk songs (thanks to the ‘Blackmore machine’). But this time, Ritchie’s input is a lot less obvious than what we’ve been used to. The Redneck cover song, “Wish You Were Here”, which you can find on their first album, ‘Shadow of the Moon’, is the only exception. Most of the songs shine through in their simplistic yet technically perfect way. The fans will certainly want to get a hold of this CD, but I doubt that it will reach a wider audience. I think there are very few people who are interested in this kind of Christian-tainted Christmas music. But, perhaps, people should have their moments of reflection around the holiday period to help them move into the future with insight and experience. If this CD could help to do that, then this certainly wouldn’t be a bad thing... J
Musicians
Richtie Blackmore: Electric & acoustic guitars, tambourine, hurdy gurdy, mandola, renaissance drum Candice Night: lead and backing vocals, shawms, rauschpfeife, pennywhistles, chanters, cornasume and others
Tracklist
1. Hark The Herald Angels Sing / Come All Ye Faithful (3:48). 2. I Saw Three Ships (2:39). 3. Winter (Basse Dance) (3:08). 4. Ding Dong Merrily On High (3:15). 5. Ma-O-Tzur (2:20). 6. Good King Wenceslas (4:45). 7. Lord Of The Dance / Simple Gifts (3:33). 8. We Three Kings (4:48). 9. Wish You Were Here (5:04). 10. Emmanuel (3:30). 11. Christmas Eve (4:20). 12. We Wish You A Merry Christmas (1:25).
Discography
Shadow Of The Moon (1997) Under A Violet Moon (1999) Fires At Midnight (2001) Past Times With Good Company (2002) (live - 2cd) Ghost Of A Rose (2003) Beyond The Sunset - The Romantic Collection (2004) Castle and Dreams (2005) (live - 2 dvd) The Village Lanterne (2006) Winter Carols (2006)


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