Blackmore's Night
All Our Yesterdays

By now Blackmore's Night have become my exclusive: after "Autumn Sky" (excellent) and "Dancer & The Moon" (disappointing), it's again up to me to present you the latest album from the Blackmore household. Nice, right? First of all, I must acknowledge that I (partially) made a wrong prediction about the project's future; the dull performance of 2013 had led me to suggest an irreversible decline for Ritchie and Candice, but "All Our Yesterdays" demonstrates firstly a commendable determination to continue on their path, and, in any case, represents a partial and honest recovery in qualitative terms, and I can only be pleased about this.

The fact remains that the best years are now behind us, I think definitively: "All Our Yesterdays" does not hold up to the splendors of the periods 1997-2001 and 2008-2010, outside the circle of the most convinced and assiduous B/N aficionados its appeal can only be very limited, but it is still a pleasant listen, deserving of the right attention and deepening. After the inconsistent, tired, and cumbersome "Dancer & The Moon", Ritchie and Candice continue in the name of a quiet "conservatism", eliminating some frills and prolixity that had compromised the previous album: the result is a relatively sleek and linear disc, with a more acoustic sound and more pronounced Irish connotations compared to its predecessors; the electronics are practically absent and Ritchie allows himself some solos, always brief, always brilliant. "Once, not very long ago, of very far away, we used to laugh until the break of day. Now the days are colder, I can't help but wonder why or how we could have ever let that fire in us die", Lady Candice begins thus: A veiled self-criticism? Most likely yes, and the opening title track, drawing on the tradition of the more playful and danceable B/N, guarantees a pleasant and encouraging first approach, a good omen. The inspiration and refined opulence of the best works are now just a memory, but the "well-worn" class is still there, which means that Ritchie Blackmore and lady are still able to consistently perform at good levels, as shown by episodes like "Long Long Time", a sober and elegant acoustic ballad, or the agile and vibrant "From The Other Side" and "Will O' The Wisp", which replay mixes between ancient and modern in a very appealing manner, as well as the more ecstatic "Earth Wind And Sky" and "Coming Home", which closes with a touch of bucolic and carefree cheerfulness.

A handful of good tracks, pleasantly simple and straightforward, are also joined by a well-executed cover of "Moonlight Shadow", reinterpreted with a perfect balance of grace and brilliance, and, as far as "Ritchie's corner" is concerned, a couple of incisive instrumental gallops, "Allan Yn n Fan", a traditional Welsh melody characterized by lively interchanges between fiddle and bagpipes, with the electric guitar acting as glue, and finally the more solemn "Darker Shade Of Black", of evident classical heritage: organ, strings, choirs, harpsichord, and the MIB's six-string alternating in six delightful minutes of variations on the theme. In summary, I would say that "All Our Yesterdays" represents an intelligent scaling down in Blackmore's Night's journey; the years pass inexorably, not only for Ritchie but also for Candice: in the livelier episodes, like "Moonlight Shadow" and the title track, one cannot help but notice a drier and more woody tone, visibly aged. Yet these two do not give up, and still hold their own with absolute dignity; if they are happy, so am I.