Average Rating: 
Rating: - A Storyteller of Unsurpassed Antiquity
Loreena is a storyteller of unsurpassed antiquity. The Book of Secrets brings history and legends of old to a soulful wave of traditional celtic sounds. Using instrumental music is clearly a way to share the beauty with the soul. Loreena's angelic voice comes up from her heart as she sings of those passing on in Dante's Prayer, "please remember me." The Highwayman is a ballad of long ago, but only Loreena's soulful voice could bring it to the light of day in such a way as to give one chills everytime it is heard. We couldn't forget Mummers Dance as a story of days gone by, the wonderful lyrics and beautiful sounds is what most of us credit to finding this one of a kind artistic icon. With each new creation she leaves us wanting more. With a wide mix of love found or lost, of legends and lore, or her instrumental sounds, The Book of Secrets is purely a legend in it's own time.
Rating: - Deserves 10 Stars!
I first heard the song Mummer's Dance on the trailer for the movie "Ever After". After doing some investigation, I was able to find the CD and I immediately ordered it. Boy am I glad I did! The music is so beautiful, I find every song a completely different tone and melody. It's perfect for listening to while reading. Strangely though, I found 4 songs on the CD that I like better than Mummer's Dance. I would say, in order, my 5 favorites are : (7) Night Ride across the Caucasus (It is so haunting and wonderful, I absolutely LOVE it!) (3) Skellig (I love the story-telling aspect of this song, it really make you feel like you are really there) (8) Dante's Prayer (This song is so soft and soothing, it makes a perfect ending) (5) The Highwayman (McKinnett turned this poem into something so realistic you feel like you are there) (2) Mummer's Dance. Perhaps it's the fact I have heard Mummer's Dance the most that makes me like it less. This album is wonderful, and about two weeks after you have it you will start to crave all of her other CD's!
Rating: - An evocative musical quest.
Ah, what a wonderful album. Loreena McKennitt's voice is a marvel, synthesizing the superhuman accuracy and strength of operatic soprano with the rich narrative quality of folk singers. Her skill as a composer is likewise impressive, as she stacks ethnic influences on a foundation of tried-and-true Celtic resources that makes for beautiful and compelling songcraft. The pristine recording quality heightens the album's mystique, making every instrument perfectly clear in even the broadest arrangement.And isn't that voice beautiful? Each song tells its own story, but the beautiful, exotic soundscapes lend themselves very much to the listener's imagination. "Marco Polo" might evoke images of Oriental landscapes, while "Skellig" generates lamenting -- and somewhat romantic -- imagery. If the gorgeous and elegiac "Dante's Prayer" doesn't give you goosebumps, you must be a zombie. Especially noteworthy is the tragic ballad "The Highwayman" set to music. This ten-minute piece seems a bit repetitive for the first few listens, although you'll later find that the immaculately crafted composition subtly builds in intensity, adding the presence of stronger percussion and a more desperate, emotional flavor. I can't explain it, but "Night Ride Across the Caucasus" means a lot to me deep down. It must be something in the heavenly poetry, the exquisite melodies, or the stunning vocals. The chorus really is the best thing ever...well, almost! And she sings like an angel, doesn't she? Additionally, this CD features a great set of liner notes that sports little bits from McKennitt's journals, highlighting some of the influences for these songs, which I found very interesting. Some of those ethnic touches are hard to put your finger on, so having it pointed out helps. Great cover art too...really sets the tone for the album, I think. And her voice sure is gorgeous, isn't it?
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