Shadow of the Moon
is the first album by
Ritchie Blackmore
's beloved
Blackmore's Night
project. The former
Deep Purple
and
Rainbow
guitarist and his fiancee, vocalist
Candice Night
, created a Renaissance-inspired work with elements of folk, new age, and occasional bits of electric guitar.
Blackmore
even plays bass, mandolin, drum (yes, singular), and tambourine.
Night
's voice isn't powerful, but it's bright and sweet, making it perfect for this style of music. Other musicians include co-producer
Pat Regan
on keyboards and
the Minstrel Hall Consort
;
Gerald Flashman
on recorder, trumpet, and French horn;
Tom Brown
on cello; and
Lady Green
on violin and viola. Most songs are original compositions but some are based on traditional melodies.
"Shadow of the Moon"
is a marvelous opener; it's catchy, haunting, and propulsive.
shreds on acoustic guitar and lets the electric guitar slip into the background for faint power chords. Regal, majestic horns lend an elegance to
"The Clock Ticks On,"
which addresses the passage of time and a yearning to live in the past.
"Play Minstrel Play"
features
Jethro Tull
's
Ian Anderson
, one of
's favorite musicians. The song moves along pleasantly until about halfway through when it explodes into a frantic, handclaps-led pace with
Anderson
's wild flute solo. The warmth of
"Ocean Gypsy"
makes it the song most easily classified as new age here;
plays a gentle but swift acoustic guitar melody under
's softly yearning vocals.
"Writing on the Wall"
is quite fast and has a danceable beat, and there's even a blowout jam at the end.
's electric guitar work is the most prominent on
"No Second Chance"
"Wish You Were Here."
The instrumental
"Possum's Last Dance"
is a U.S.-only bonus track. ~ Bret Adams