Review: Blackmore's Night Continues to Perfect Renaissance Rock on 'Nature's Light'
Blackmore's Night has always been a polarizing band. Some like the blend of semi-traditional folk and rock the band has pioneered for 20 years. Others lament that a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and man widely acknowledged to be a pioneer of hard rock guitar is plying his trade in the world's most famous Renaissance Festival act. Blackmore's Night's new album Nature's Light, releasing 3/12, isn't going to change the minds of either of those groups. But, while the majority of the album is very much in the vein of the group's previous outings, there are moments that should appeal to fans of Blackmore's more rock-oriented side as well.
As has always been the case, the driving force behind Blackmore's Night remains the pair who gave the band their name; Blackmore and Candice Night. Blackmore may be known as a guitar hero, but here he proves himself adept at practically any instrument with strings. Over the course of Nature's Light, Blackmore not only plays acoustic and electric (more on that momentarily) guitar, but also mandolin, mandola, hurdy gurdy, and nyckelharpa.
But for those unfamiliar with the band, the real not quite so secret weapon is Night. In addition to her always stellar vocals (and if you really want to see just how far those stretch, check out her guest vocal on the title track of Avantasia's Moonglow), Night also contributes all of the album's “back to nature” lyrics as well as a number of period woodwinds. Throughout the album it is Night's voice, even more than Blackmore's guitar, that offers the album's grandest moments.
About that guitar, though. Even detractors of Blackmore's Night should give a listen to the album's two instrumental tracks. “Darker Shade of Black” begins slowly enough but builds, with Blackmore trading his Deep Purple era earworm hooks for sustained notes and jazzy riffs. Even more enticing to fans of Blackmore's guitar work is “Der Letzte Musketier.” While still retaining the “everything for the song” musicality displayed by Blackmore throughout, this is one place where he truly flexes his hard rock muscles.
Another highlight of the album is the band's only cover, “Wish You Were Here”, not the one by Pink Floyd (though I'd pay to hear that), but by Teijo Olavi Leskela. It's most perfect melding of the soaring vocals of Night and wailing guitar of Blackmore that has always been the band's creative backbone.
The remainder of the album is nothing more or less than you'd expect from a Blackmore's Night album. The musicians are strong throughout, although with “names” like Bard David of Larchmont and Scarlet Fiddler, it isn't doing anything to deter the haters. But that's the point of Blackmore's Night. Always has been. Ritchie Blackmore has accomplished everything he could possibly want in his musical life and Night's vocal and songwriting skills could support her anywhere he wished to ply her trade. The fact that they've chosen Renaissance rock and challenged themselves to blend Fairport Convention with a Renaissance Faire imbues the album with a passion that likely wouldn't be present if either had stayed in their respective “lanes.”
And, in the end, that's what makes Nature's Light stand out. Often, when an artist is phoning it in, it can be heard through the speakers. No one in Blackmore's Night is phoning in even a note of their work. Instead, the pervasive mood throughout is a musical joy, a pure love of craft that is hard not to get caught up in.