Music Review: Blackmore's Night - Secret Voyage - Page 2

The grandiose opening of “God Save the Keg” is full of rich instrumentation that combine together to herald the album with an uplifting fanfare. Secret Voyage enchants its listener whilst taking you through a magical journey of atmosphere, imagination, and imagery. Candice Night’s impossibly beautiful voice is first heard during the eight minute triumph that is “Locked within the Crystal Ball”. There is something else going on here and suddenly Ritchie plugs himself in and delivers some superb guitar bursts that are stunningly effective and totally unexpected. The track sends out a message loud and clear. This is Blackmore’s Night, this is Renaissance inspired music but this album has an extra texture and depth to it that separates it from what has gone before.

“Gilded Cage” is silky smooth with a superb production and atmospheric gypsy violin. It doesn’t just remind you of camp fires it makes you want to light one and the traditional Russian song “Toast to Tomorrow” will have you trying to dance around it. Ritchie’s playing on “Prince Waldeck’s Galliard” is simply exquisite fully justifying Ritchie’s desire to explore this music. If anyone could do it justice it can only be a guitarist of the quality that he undoubtedly is.

“Rainbow Eyes” has a surprisingly full sound and works extremely well, in fact, it manages to transform the original onto a far higher plain. “The Circle” has a wonderful eastern vibe while “Sister Gypsy”, “Peasants Promise”, and “Far, Far Away” are story telling at its very best carried along again by haunting instrumentation.

Secret Voyage comes to a close with the totally enchanting “Empty Words” complete with echoes of the opening song. Whatever your view is of Ritchie’s departure from the rock scene – whatever your bias is against this style of music and his involvement in it - this is the album that will surely convince you to finally accept that he is not only playing music that he clearly loves, but he is playing it like no one else can. He is also educating us along the way and opening our eyes and ears to music of the highest quality that has a definite place in the world. “Smoke on the Water” it isn’t – today’s Ritchie Blackmore it is. Accept it and move on – and appreciate his genius while you can. Secret Voyage is by far the most memorable and well produced Blackmore’s Night album to date.

Visit the Official Blackmore's Night website.

Article Author: Jeff Perkins

Jeff is a writer who lives in France. He writes CD/DVD box sets, music reviews and has had a book published about David Byron of Uriah Heep. He is 'busy' exploring the music of Europe with his wife Debbie and dog Dylan. It's Dylan that does the writing of course. …

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