•
Rating: "The Visit" can be considered as the album that for the first time distinctly outlines the initial influences in the gradual evolution of McKennitt's Celtic anchor at home, which is, after all, a physiological process for every artist: despite representing the continuation of her classic and unmistakable sound, as well as strictly traditional, this fresh and golden work introduces some small but important innovations that, in subsequent albums, will consecrate the Muse to worldwide success.
You can immediately guess the atmosphere in "The Visit" by listening to the excellent opener "All Souls Night," which features an ambiance that timidly approaches a tribal and oriental tone without indulging in true displays of varied musical tapestry; the instrumental "Between the Shadows" is a precious eclectic sketch, which I would define as well-executed, with that cello drawing magical melodies and (also in this case) oriental framed by a harp and a balalaika. The traditional face of Loreena's music can instead be easily found in "Bonny Portmore," veiled yet dense, an ode to the love of nature where the only protagonist is the artist's voice, a voice that now becomes low and warm, now sharp and crystalline in an irresistible climax that melts the heart at the first listen. Even more traditional (but not for this unpleasant) is the dreamy "Courtyard Lullaby," where McKennitt returns to the dear old harp; her voice of amber and honey dreams, and makes you dream.
Unfortunately, a bit subdued are the instrumental "Tango to Evora," lacking any punch and depth, and "Greensleeves," where the excellent instrumental performance is dragged down by McKennitt's trembling and grave vocal tone, I would dare to say almost bizarre and forced. And what about the inevitable marathon of over eleven minutes that in this album we find in "The Lady of Shalott"? The grace and clear lyricism that make this piece a true classic are partly ruined by the excessive length, unfortunately exploited without altering a whit of the entire melodic line's development. Not surprisingly, in concerts, the piece is halved without much ado.
Particularly successful is the ride of "The Old Ways," marked by an arcane and epic melancholy in the initial part, decidedly lively and verdant, while in the second part the air becomes more rarefied and enveloping, and, as is known, a singer like Loreena thrives marvelously in these atmospheres, no wonder the chorus of this song has become a must in concerts.
In any case, what makes this album an essential part of McKennitt's genuine discography is its introduction to eclecticism and the search for new, intriguing sonorities, keeping in mind the slight unfamiliarity with these "experiments" (a term to be taken with a grain of salt); but as we all know more or less, this experiment will indeed be the decisive step towards the realization of subsequent masterpieces. The rest is history.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 All Souls Night (05:08)
Bonfires dot the rolling hills
Figures dance around and around
To drums that pulse out echoes of darkness
Moving to the pagan sound.
Somewhere in a hidden memory
Images float before my eyes
Of fragrant nights of straw and of bonfires
And dancing till the next sunrise.
CHORUS
I can see lights in the distance
Trembling in the dark cloak of night
Candles and lanterns are dancing, dancing
A waltz on All Souls Night. for many nigiht time
Figures of cornstalks bend in the shadows
Held up tall as the flames leap high
The green knight holds the holly bush
To mark where the old year passes by.
CHORUS
Bonfires dot the rolling hillsides
Figures dance around and around
To drums that pulse out echoes of darkness
And moving to the pagan sound.
Standing on the bridge that crosses
The river that goes out to the sea
The wind is full of a thousand voices
They pass by the bridge and me.
CHORUS
04 The Lady of Shalott (11:34)
On either side of the river lie
Long fields of barley and of rye,
That clothe the wold and meet the sky;
And thro' the field the road run by
To many-towered Camelot;
And up and down the people go,
Gazing where the lilies flow
Round an island there below,
The island of Shalott.
Willows whiten, aspens quiver,
Little breezes dusk and shiver
Thro' the wave that runs for ever
By the island in the river
Flowing down to Camelot.
Four grey walls, and four grey towers,
Overlook a space of flowers,
And the silent isle embowers
The Lady of Shalott.
Only reapers, reaping early,
In among the bearded barley
Hear a song that echoes cheerly
From the river winding clearly
Down to tower'd Camelot;
And by the moon the reaper weary,
Piling sheaves in uplands airy,
Listening, whispers "'tis the fairy
The Lady of Shalott."
There she weaves by night and day
A magic web with colours gay,
She has heard a whisper say,
A curse is on her if she stay
To look down to Camelot.
She knows not what the curse may be,
And so she weaveth steadily,
And little other care hath she,
The Lady of Shalott.
And moving through a mirror clear
That hangs before her all the year,
Shadows of the world appear.
There she sees the highway near
Winding down to Camelot;
And sometimes thro' the mirror blue
The knights come riding two and two.
She hath no loyal knight and true,
The Lady Of Shalott.
But in her web she still delights
To weave the mirror's magic sights,
For often thro' the silent nights
A funeral, with plumes and lights
And music, went to Camelot;
Or when the moon was overhead,
Came two young lovers lately wed.
"I am half sick of shadows," she said,
The Lady Of Shalott.
A bow-shot from her bower-eaves,
He rode between the barley sheaves,
The sun came dazzling thro' the leaves,
And flamed upon the brazen greaves
Of bold Sir Lancelot.
A red-cross knight for ever kneel'd
To a lady in his shield,
That sparkled on the yellow field,
Beside remote Shalott.
His broad clear brow in sunlight glow'd;
On burnish'd hooves his war-horse trode;
From underneath his helmet flow'd
His coal-black curls as on he rode,
As he rode down to Camelot.
From the bank and from the river
he flashed into the crystal mirror,
"Tirra Lirra," by the river
Sang Sir Lancelot.
She left the web, she left the loom,
She made three paces thro' the room,
She saw the water-lily bloom,
She saw the helmet and the plume,
She looked down to Camelot.
Out flew the web and floated wide;
The mirror cracked from side to side;
"The curse is come upon me," cried
The Lady of Shalott.
In the stormy east-wind straining,
The pale yellow woods were waning,
The broad stream in his banks complaining.
Heavily the low sky raining
Over towered Camelot;
Down she came and found a boat
Beneath a willow left afloat,
And round about the prow she wrote
The Lady of Shalott
And down the river's dim expanse
Like some bold seer in a trance,
Seeing all his own mischance -
With a glassy countenance
Did she look to Camelot.
And at the closing of the day
She loosed the chain and down she lay;
The broad stream bore her far away,
The Lady of Shalott.
Heard a carol, mournful, holy,
Chanted loudly, chanted lowly,
Till her blood was frozen slowly,
And her eyes were darkened wholly,
Turn'd to towered Camelot.
For ere she reach'd upon the tide
The first house by the water-side,
Singing in her song she died,
The Lady of Shalott.
Under tower and balcony,
By garden-wall and gallery,
A gleaming shape she floated by,
Dead-pale between the houses high,
Silent into Camelot.
Out upon the wharfs they came,
Knight and burgher, lord and dame,
And round the prow they read her name,
The Lady of Shalott.
Who is this? And what is here?
And in the lighted palace near
Died the sound of royal cheer;
And they crossed themselves for fear,
All the knights at Camelot;
But Lancelot mused a little space
He said, "She has a lovely face;
God in his mercy lend her grace,
The Lady of Shalott."
05 Greensleeves (04:26)
Alas my love you do me wrong
To cast me off discourteously;
And I have loved you oh so long
Delighting in your company.
Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves my heart of gold
Greensleeves was my heart of joy
And who but my Lady Greensleeves.
I have been ready at your hand
To grant whatever thou would'st crave;
I have waged both life and land
Your love and goodwill for to have.
Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
Greensleeves was my heart of joy
And who but my Lady Greensleeves.
Thy petticoat of sendle white
With gold embroidered gorgeously;
Thy petticoat of silk and white
And these I bought thee gladly.
Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves my heart of gold
Greensleeves was my heart of joy
And who but my Lady Greensleeves.
07 Courtyard Lullaby (04:56)
COURTYARD LULLABY
Wherein the deep night sky
The stars lie in its embrace
The courtyard still in its sleep
And peace comes over your face.
"Come to me," it sings
"Hear the pulse of the land
The ocean's rhythms pull
To hold your heart in its hand."
And when the wind draws strong
Across the cypress trees
The nightbirds cease their songs
So gathers memories.
Last night you spoke of a dream
Where forests stretched to the east
And each bird sang its song
A unicorn joined in a feast
And in a corner stood
A pomegranate tree
With wild flowers there
No mortal eye could see
Yet still some mystery befalls
Sure as the cock crows at morn
The world in stillness keeps
The secret of babes to be born
I heard an old voice say
"Don't go far from the land
The seasons have their way
No mortal can understand."
08 The Old Ways (05:45)
The thundering waves are calling me home to you
The pounding sea is calling me home unto you
On a dark new year's night
On the west coast of Clare
I heard your voice singing
Your eyes danced the song
Your hands played the tune
T'was a vision before me.
We left the music behind and the dance carried on
As we stole away to the seashore
And smelt the brine, felt the wind in our hair
And with sadness you paused.
Suddenly I knew that you'd have to go
your world was not mine, your eyes told me so
Yet it was there I felt the crossroads of time
And I wondered why.
As we cast our gaze on the tumbling sea
A vision came o'er me
Of thundering hooves and beating wings
In clouds above.
Turning to go I heard you call my name,
Like a bird in a cage spreading its wings to fly
"The old ways are lost," you sang as you flew
And I wondered why.
The thundering waves are calling me home unto you
the pounding sea is calling me home unto to you
The thundering waves are calling me home unto you
the pounding sea is calling me home unto to you
The thundering waves are calling me home unto you
the pounding sea is calling me home unto to you
The thundering waves are calling me home unto you
the pounding sea is calling me home unto to you
09 Cymbeline (05:03)
Fear no more the heat o' the sun
Nor the furious winters' rages;
Thou thy worldly task hast done,
Home art gone, and ta'en thy wages
Golden lads and girls all must,
As chimney-sweepers, come to dust.
The sceptre, learning, physic, must
All follow this and come to dust.
Fear no more the frown o' th' great;
Thou art past the tyrant's stroke
Care no more to clothe and eat;
To thee the reed is as the oak.
The sceptre, learning, physic, must
All follow this and come to dust.
All lovers young, all lovers must
Consign to thee and come to dust.
Fear no more the lightning flash,
Nor th' all-dreaded thunder-stone;
Fear not slander, censure rash;
Thou hast finished joy and moan.
All lovers young, all lovers must
Consign to thee and come to dust.
Loading comments slowly
