Our Review
The cover art for To Drive the Cold Winder Away is apparently a tribute to Arcimboldo's Winter, a favorite subject by a favorite painter. I was intrigued by this riddle, the answer to which I eventually concluded to be this:
As Arcimboldo pieced his Winter subject together from the spare remains of nature's summer bounty, so does McKennitt. Her work on this disc was recorded in several old churches in Ireland and Canada. She is accompanied only by Shannon Purves-Smith on viola on two of the cuts, and by Cedric Smith on vocals on The King. This is a very spare, subdued and peaceful performance of traditional carols, carried beautifully by her voice and the voice of her harp. My impression is one of nostalgia, the sort of nostalgia I feel only in winter as I think back to midsummers long past.
I was most impressed by The Wexford Carol, highlighted by Purves-Smith's viola and McKennitt's plaintive vocals. It seemed quite familiar the first time I listened to the record, making me think it has gotten some airplay.
On A Winter Garden McKennitt takes the listener on a more contemporary journey. Both her seasonal CDs are marked by uncommonly effective use of string accompaniment. Here Caroline Lavelle adds a sense of the ethereal with her work on cello. Combined with Hossam Ramzy's percussion, this becomes a uniquely lovely world music delight. Both Coventry Carol and God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen are worth the price of the album.
McKennitt's holiday offerings show her to be a versatile and thoughtful artist. The thoughtful listener should want to hear both.
--Richard Banks
(Reviewed in 2000)
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From the liner notes:
Canadian singer-songwriter Loreena McKennitt was born in Morden, Manitoba, and grew up in and around Stratford, Ontario. Self-managed and self-produced, she is the head of the Quinlan Road label and has sold over eight million records worldwide.
She has twice been honored with a Juno, the Canadian music industry's annual award, and has composed music for and had songs featured in movies and on television.
Loreena McKennitt
To Drive the Cold Winter Away
Artist link
Label: Quinlan Road
Length: 45 minutes
Genre: Celtic
Release: 1994
Track List
| Song Title |
|---|
| In Praise of Christmas |
| The Seasons |
| The King |
| Banquet Hall |
| Snow |
| Balulalow |
| Let Us the Infant Greet |
| The Wexford Carol |
| The Stockford Carol |
| Let All That Are to Mirth Inclined |