Blackmore' Night - "Ghost of a Rose"

Blackmore's Night - 'Ghost of a Rose'
Released on SPV Records in 2003

THE BAND:
Ritchie Blackmore-electric and acoustic guitars, tamborine, hurdy gurdy, mandola, renaissance drum
Candice Night-lead and backing vocals, shawns, rauschpfeife, pennywistles, chanters, cornamuse
Mike Sorrentino-drums and purcussion
Tim Cotov-backing vocals on "All for One"
        Sisters of the Moon
Lady Nancy and Lady Madeline-harmony vocals on "Ghost of a Rose" and "Way to Mandalay"
Lord Marnen of Wolfhurst-violin, viola
Sir Robert of Normandie-bass
Bard David of Larchmont-backing vocals on "All for One"

    Some cultures believe after you have passed you are reincarnated. If this is this case then Merlin 'The Magician' has was reincarnated into Ritchie Blackmore. Except this time around instead of a staff he is wielding it's a guitar!!
    After years of performing with such acts as Deep Purple and Rainbow and writing such classic songs as; "Smoke on the Water", "My Woman from Tokyo", "Perfect Strangers", "Man on the Silver Mountain", and "Stone Cold" Ritchie has finally has the chance to write and perform a style of music he is very passionate about.
    "Ghost of a Rose" is Blackmore's Night third release that is written in the same minstrel style as the previous two releases.


TRACK FRAGMENTS:
1.) "Way to Mandalay" -This tack opens with what sounds to be a hurdy gurdy. The second half of the intro kicks in with a very simple laid back acoustic section. The hurdy gurdy used has a very slide guitar sounding effect on the verses. This instrument along with Candice's vocal style gives the song a very haughting feeling. As the song progresses forward the acoustic guitar section builds with intensity. The bass line of the song like the acoustic guitar section is very laid back and simple that builds with intensity. After the last chorus there is a Ritchie solo.
2.) "3 Black Crows" - This track opens with a very minstrel sounding intro that sounds like it is taken right out of a medieval movie.   There is a very simple renaissance drum pattern on this track. This is on of the mainly Blackmore's Night tracks that really shows Candice's vocal ability. After the first chorus there is a very simple short acoustic guitar lead scale. The lead scales Ritche wrote for this track are very Classical music influenced.
3.) "Diamonds and Rust" - This cover of the classic Joan Biaz song completely blew me away!!!
4.) "Cartouche" - This track opens with a percussion drum section along with a vocal whisper of the title. The violin section of the song really sets the vocals off. The way Candice and Ritchie set the last line of the chorus up and arranged it was very cool. For the bridge there is a twin violin section along with a violin solo.
5.) "Queen for a Day" (part I) - This minstrel sounding ballad open with a flute type instrument scale and acoustic guitar section. The vocal lines of this track are very subtle and have a relaxing feel. Ritchie's small acoustic lead scales are amazing on this track.
6.) "Queen for a Day" (part II) -Instrumental
7.) "Ivory Tower" -This track opens with a choir vocal line and acoustic guitar. The second half of the first verse vocals are overdubbed. After the chorus there is a small acoustic guitar section. For the bridge the band picks the music up a couple beats per minute. The song is very short and simple.
8.) "Nur Eine Minute" -Instrumental
9.) "Ghost of a Rose" - This track opens with a huge acoustic lead scale. The vocal lines of the verses and choruses really express Candice's vocal ability. Through the verses there is a very small cello section. Ritchie's acoustic lead guitar parts really set the song off and gives the song a very classical music feel. There is a string section behind the acoustic solo.
10.) "Mr. Peagram's Morris and Sword" -Instrumental
11.) "Loreley"-With track opens with a very Irish folk sounding intro. The bass line of the song is very catchy with a huge hook. The hand claps are what really set this track off.
12.) "Where are We going from Here"-This track opens with a very simple acoustic guitar pattern and lead scale. The vocal lines of the verse have a very subtle feel to them. The acoustic guitar solo is pure Ritchie. There are several little acoustic lead scales scattered through out the song.
13.) "Rainbow Blues" -A very cool cover of the classic Juthro Tull hit.
14.) "All for one" -This track opens with a huge blues electric lead scale. The arrangement of the song bridges the two musical styles of Rainbow and Blackmore's Night. The hurdy gurdy solo really blew me away. The song really slows down for the solo. This is one of those Ritchie solo's that is just pure amazing. There is an encore section at the end of the song.
15.) "Dandelion Wine" -This track opens with a very seventies pop sounding intro. The lyric and vocal arrangements are very subtle and laid back. Lyrically the song makes for a great closing song to round the CD out.
16.) bonus video track for "Way to Mandalay"

   The songs on "Ghost of a Rose" at times do not have nearly the hooks that the last two previous Blackmore's Night release had. But at the same time several of the songs on this are more rocked out than the previous two. One thing is for sure Candice has great vocal ability, and no one can play guitar like Ritchie. Me personally in did not take long for this style of music to really grow on me, but you must really need a fondness for classical music to understand it. If you're not one of these type of music fans you probably will not find a respect for it. But if your a music fan who likes songs that bridge the gap between classical music and rock than this or any of the Blackmore's Night releases is for you.