by Sam2000 » Thu Jul 17, 2008 10:04 am
Blackmores Night are Back! Secret Voyage Review
After a dissapointing previous album, Secret Voyage makes up for lost ground! The rennaisance feel is far more obvious, the use of electric guitar enhances the music, rather than dominates it.
God Save the Keg
Fantastic name! Not at all what I was expecting, which was a rowdy pub type song, but I was pleasently surprised. Its builds up brilliantly, from the use of harpsichord, through to using brass and strings. The electric guitar provides an almost eerie background to it towards the end. Finally, the fantastic use of organs with the perfect cadences.
The way the song leads into Locked Within the Crystal Ball is great, with the base choirs, its quite ritualistic. My one criticism would be that I didn't think the recording of the base choirs was particulary great, it was a bit muddy sounding. Overall, a fantastic song.
Locked Within the Crystal Ball
My first impressions was that it was another St. Theresa with the electric guitars, but no way! This is an enchanting song, great use of ornaments to enhance the song. Candice sounds brilliant on it, pitch perfect, its catchy, fast paced, but not in a cheesy way. When the rauchpiefe enters about 3 minutes in, and then entering an instrumental break with the acoustic guitar and harp. Its very medieval sounding, but at the same time, the synthesiser is there in the background, which is brilliant use of the technology. This leads into a slightly boring guitar solo from Ritchie, but I don't think it was designed to be flashy, but merely providing atmosphere, before leading into the key change.
At 4.50, the change in tone is just captivating, powerful and atmospheric. Most certainly, this song will be a Blackmores Night classic. You then enter this almost anticlimatic bit where everything disapears, but then its back, with rauchpiefe, flute and dual electric guitars just giving an awe inspiring coda. 10/10!
Gilded Cage
After following Locked Within the Crystal Ball, it had a lot to live up to. But its pleasent after a song which takes up a lot of energy just listening to it. The first line for me is the best, where Candice enters over the hand drums. Its a simple song, but it has a rougish feel to it, especially with the violin solo, its certainly a song I can imagin the thespians of old listening to. This is just simply a nice song to listen to. I'm glad they didn't try to do anything flashy with it, the simplicity of it is what gives it the feel.
Toast to Tommorow
Almost feel like I stepped into eastern Europe/middle East from the introduction, but that makes sense, because I believe its based upon a Russian song. Its captured that essence, really fun to listen to, sort of like Under a Violet Moon lyrically. I love the use of acoustic guitars and violin. I can imagin listening to this song in Croatia in the evening with a pint. Great song, and nice key change and coda.
Price Waldeck's Galliard
Ritchie's playing is impeccible, its impossible to find a wrong note in it. Though a relatively simple by Ritchie's standards, there are some clever bits in it. There isn't a huge amount to say in my opinion, its just really decent and good to listen to.
Rainbow Eyes
Why?! Its not bad, by no means, actually, its a very good song. I don't know, its weird in my head. I don't know what to make of it, there is some really cliched use of instruments, which is annoying. I think I am a bit undecided, it doesn't do anything for me, but it doesn't annoy me so much as to dislike it. I don't like the guitar solo, which just doesn't seem to go anywhere, its aimless.
The Circle
I knew I'd love this song after I'd listened to 30 seconds of it. Brilliant lyrics and this is complimented by Candice's lyrics. I think actually, this is one of the very few songs that has ever existed where the music actually really relates to the lyrics (the use of the rauchpiefe melody and the line; “And the Circle stars again”). The instrumental, again, I’m getting that Croatia feeling, sort of sinister feeling, and I love Ritchie’s dive bomb on his guitar, fantastic, utterly brilliant, after the instrumental Candice’s singing is masterful, I love the way she does certain lines. There is a great guitar solo and a great coda, really powerful and builds up nicely. Then, my only criticism of the song, I think it should have faded out; the way it just cuts out is too abrupt and sort of hard on the ears!
Sister Gypsy
Blackmores Night are liking the use of hand drums has an introduction tool in this album, not that that’s a bad thing. This song didn’t do anything for me at the beginning, just an average song, but pleasant to listen to. The chorus is too similar to Hanging Tree for my liking, it’s the same pretty much. This for me is your average “stocking filler” song.
Can’t Help Falling in Love
I really hated this song the first time around, cheesy and samey. Songs like this made me dislike the Village Lanterne. Fortunately, we only have to endure 2.50 of this. Actually, I really like the guitar solo, but this song really doesn’t do it to me, but I can see why others would like it. The ending is the final straw, the really REALLY irritating breakdown in the chords and Candice’s Di’Annoesque shrill at the end…No, not for me.
Peasant Promise
The eastern European feeling is back again. It takes a while to get going, but it’s a good song, its got a strange cult feeling to it, once I got further into the song, I found I was really liking it, its got a very Teutonic feel, the flutes and what I think is a hurdy gurdy in the background enhances it brilliantly. I love the fade out, its simple, but atmospheric. Great song!
Far Far Away
I didn’t like the introduction, too similar to other songs by Blackmores Night, nothing unique. But once the song started up, and at 2:00 there is a fantastic sense of actually being absorbed in the song into a sort of fantasy world, great use of strings. The lyrics leave something to be deserved, to be honest, on first listening, I felt it was sort of gay-pride song for women to start with. Not entirely convinced by the lyrics personally. The last 50 seconds, you think its over, but then it descends into this really strange happy type world, Blackmores Night become Yes or Marillion for 50 seconds, and its really great with the female voices and strings, I wish they had made it a bit longer, because it brings a smile to your face.
Empty Words
In traditional Blackmores Night style, it’s a ballad to end with. Like their other ballads, this one is beautiful. Again, its good that they didn’t try anything flashy, but simple use of the shawm and acoustic guitar is just beautiful. A great ending to a great album.
Overall, cut out Can’t Help Falling in Love and perhaps Rainbow Eyes and maybe add another solo guitar piece. I still don’t like the introduction of Far Far Away, but the song itself is great. If you were to change these things, then 10/10, otherwise, I think 9/10. This is an awe-inspiring and professionally done album. It has captured the character of the band, and its actually the band I fell in love with the start with, and not the commercialist Village Lanterne band. On my computer the album finishes and moves straight in Shadow of the Moon, so even alphabetically its good because Shadow of the Moon is another brilliant album and it flows nicely. Thank you for the great album!
