Loreena Mckennitt - Loreena McKennitt: Live in Paris and Toronto

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Free Music Notes for Loreena McKennitt: Live in Paris and Toronto

Free Music Review: Thoroughly entertaining even if it's a bit predictable.
Hit: 5 Stars

Of course, since Loreena McKennitt is a remarkable songstress, the music here is _not_ terrible. In the studio, her songs exude beauty and emotional intensity that rivals anything I've ever heard. Performed live, they attain a different level of intimacy with McKennitt's own clean, crisp production and the added warmth of a live setting. It's all good!

Disc 1 is devoted entirely to The Book of Secrets. The songs played out in the same order as they appear on the album, with McKennitt's placid interaction with the crowd sometimes splitting up the music. I'm a bit bothered with the lack of guesswork that can throw some added fun into listening. I always like the effable thrill of recognizing a song as its first few notes play are played. It's not a big deal though, especially since a bunch of songs sound better! "The Mummer Dance" is a good deal shorter than the original but it has heartier percussion and a more go-getting feel. "Dante's Prayer" was absolutely beautiful in the first place, but the rawness of the live cut hits with more poignancy. As expected, "The Highwayman" fails to generate the excitement of the original because the band -- though extensive -- is insufficient to establish the same rising intensity that made the original so memorable.

The second disc is rife with goodies. Although "The Mystic's Dream" is a bit tamer than the original, it has a hypnotic vocal improvisation added to the end. "Bonny Portmore" from The Visit never really did anything for me, but the live version certainly has more energy. The infectious "The Bonny Swans" is a pure delight, with the piano becoming the main instrument, and it features an awesome electric guitar solo - surprising, seeing as this isn't rock music! "The Old Ways" is one of the best songs in her catalogue, and this passionate version makes the original sound wimpy.

Instrumentals are the most difficult for a live album. They usually don't have the same impact as they would if you were at the show witnessing the virtuosity and interplay onstage. For the listener, they generally need to be spiced up with surprise jams, rearrangements, or something similar. Although McKennitt & co. do nothing radical with their instrumentals, the only one that seems to suffer is "Marco Polo." On the other hand, the dreamy, magical melodies of "La Serenissima" shine with a gentle passion, making it exciting despite being languid and beautiful. "Between the Shadows" is also unchanged, but feisty regardless. The best live instrumental in the peppery "Santiago," with Mediterranean dance-like rhythms bouncing with fervor boosted over the already spirited studio version. McKennitt sprightly voice is energetic and always makes me smile on this one. After "Cymbeline," the album closes with an ethereal, aching beautiful little tag that mirrors themes from "The Old Ways." It's pretty short and simple, but very pretty.

No live album is ever perfect, because it's hard to make everyone happy. Still, this one is so close it's scary. If you're a fan, definitely buy this and get treated to some high-energy performances of some of the best songs around. This might be the last thing we see from McKennitt for a while, since her career kind of ended when her fiancé died tragically. We can at least be thankful for the wonderful music she has given us, and if anything must be a coda for her impressive career, Live in Paris and Toronto will do nicely.

Loreena McKennitt: Live in Paris and Toronto Poster

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