Ritchie Blackmore was one of the founding members of Deep Purple before forming Rainbow with Ronnie James Dio. He founded Blackmore’s Night, a folk rock project, in 1997. Blackmore and his wife Candice Night wrote and composed 11 of the 13 tracks on Dancer And The Moon. “Temple Of The King” is a cover of the same song that was featured on Rainbow’s debut album. This folk revival gives the number a nice addition with acoustic fingerpicking playing under the melodic riff on electric guitar. Blackmore’s playing on “The Moon Is Shining (Somewhere Over The Sea)” is exceptional, showing off his virtuoso skills. This upbeat track features a fast yet melodic solo that reminds fans of the Rainbow and Deep Purple days. “Carry On…Jon” is an instrumental piece that was added in memory of the English composer Jon Lord and his work with Blackmore.
“Galliard” is another instrumental piece that focuses on acoustic fingerpicking and the use of strings and percussion that give it a “renaissance” feel. “Minstrels In The Hall” is the last of the three instrumental tracks on the LP and provides a very danceable groove. My favorite track is the upbeat “Lady In Black.” The music is strong on this tune as Night’s vocals lay over Blackmore’s guitar work and the percussion in the background. Blackmore’s Night uses woodwind instruments, acoustic guitars and other instruments to produce a medieval sound. Night’s voice is wonderful on the slow songs, and strong on the more upbeat ones. Blackmore mixes the music up with fast-paced and melodic riffs on both the electric and acoustic guitar. Instrumentals are featured throughout this album, helping it flow rather well.
In A Word: Consistent
