Loreena McKennitt
The Visit

THE REVIEW

"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.