Artist: Loreena McKennitt
Title: Lost Souls
Genre: World / Celtic / Folk
Release Date: 11th May 2018
Label: Quinlain Road Music
Album Review
The music of LOREENA MCKENNITT has spanned a number of genres since her debut album in 1985, taking in the full spectrum of World, Celtic and Folk music, and inexplicably becoming much beloved of Goths along the way. Never afraid to dip a toe in previously untested waters, she’s had a successful and eclectic career, including seeing her music used on TV and movie soundtracks. ‘Lost Souls’ is her first release since 2010’s ‘The Wind That Shakes The Barley’.
There are shades of CLANNAD and ENYA on the wispy, haunting opening song ‘Spanish Guitars And Night Plazas’ - if ever a song could be perfectly described by its title, this is it. Flutters of guitar and cello finally coming together to gently waltz through a balmy, melancholic night-time, aided by vocals that are breathtakingly beautiful. Chuck in a few handclaps towards the end, and this is almost a mini-album in itself, exquisitely saturated with ideas and textures.
Piano-led ‘A Hundred Wishes’ is a more straightforward affair, prettily melodic and to the point, whereas the more dramatic ‘Ages Past, Ages Hence’ could be ‘Lionheart’-era KATE BUSH. Sadly, a tendency to nod-off during ‘The Ballad Of The Fox Hunter’ leaves this one languishing in the bushes, and whereas things bounce back with the spirited ‘Manx Ayre’ (and companion piece ‘Sun, Moon And Stars’) it does seem rather wasteful to stick two instrumentals on an already short album, especially when Loreena’s fine voice is her number one weapon.
She whispers and teases magnificently on ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’, and on the rousing hymn-like ‘Breaking Of The Sword’, which leaves the title track to close the album, quietly and patiently exuding a warmth and a soothing sense of hope. There are some fine moments on ‘Lost Souls’, but also a slight sense that it’s incomplete somehow. When it shines, it’s truly wonderful, there’s just not quite enough of it to make this into a truly great album.
Tracklist
01. Spanish Guitars And Night Plazas
02. A Hundred Wishes
03. Ages Past, Ages Hence
04. The Ballad Of The Fox Hunter
05. Manx Ayre
06. La Belle Dame Sans Merci
07. Sun, Moon And Stars
08. Breaking Of The Sword
09. Lost Souls
Line-up
Loreena McKennitt
Website
https://loreenamckennitt.com/
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 7
Sound: 8
Total: 7.5 / 10
