The new album is being made available only via a limited number of ipods - and nanos at that. At least I got to spend a good hour or so with the music and was given the chance to take it at my own pace. Rather than listening to the album played over a stereo to a motley bunch of journos, it somehow helped to be able to concentrate fully on the music.
In some respects its more of the same - the usual Nightwish bombast coupled with a few slower, more subtle songs backed with the same Choir and Orchestra who have featured on 'Once' and 'Dark Passion Play' plus the same Celtic instruments, played once again by Troy Donockley. Pip Williams spent 4 months writing the arrangements for the Orchestra and Choir and Tuomas was full of superlatives for the work that he had done on the album.
However, there is something a bit more upbeat about many of the tunes and a few surprises here and there which keep it interesting. Overall it was very strong and though there are one or two tracks that I can see that I might want to skip, I came away very enthused about what I heard.
A few comments on the songs:
01. Taikatalvi (2:36) - a slow opener, sung in Finish which sets the scene for the next song
02. Storytime (5:22) - just the kind of punchy typically Nightwish track that you would expect a Nightwish album to open with. Inspired by the cartoon 'The Snowman' (yes, the one that featured 'walking in the air'). The First single from the album.
03. Ghost River (5:25) - powerful and dramatic with the interchanging voices of Marco and Anette.
04. Slow, Love, Slow (5:51) - Tuomas takes you to a smokey Chicago jazz club from the prohibition times. Slow, jazz influenced tune (I wouldnt call it Jazz myself), but Anette's vicals are really string and impressive.
05. I Want My Tears Back (5:08) - Celtic tune, big, beefy and upbeat (recalls last of the wilds, from DPP). Lovely sweet vocals from Anette. Chorus catchy and sung by Marco
06. Scaretale(7:32) - a heavier, darker tune. The video for this was filmed in Montreal, using local circus performers. The band have used a shot taken during the filming for the tour poster in Europe - it has quite a dark, circus feel -I found it rather wierd Nd even off-putting tho.
07. Arabesque (2:52) - instrumental number with an arabic flavour. 80 tracks of percussion were recorded for this.
08. Turn Loose The Mermaids (4:19) - A light-weight tune during which Anette's vocal are accompanied by piano, filled out with Celtic instruments and the orchestrations. Anette's voice shows more richness than I've heard from her before.
09. Rest Calm (6:59) - Least inspiring track so far. Quite a typically loud, powerful Nightwish tune, but with a calmer chorus, sung by Anette. The ipod skipped badly on this track and it rather threw me. After hearing the last minute of the tune I then when back and played it from the start, but it just didn't click.
10. The Crow, The Owl And The Dove (4:10) - Music written by Marco, this is one of the lighter tunes. Pleasant
11. Last Ride Of The Day (4:31) - Another big, pacey rocker, with full band, piano, backing orchestration, a nice short guitar solo. Plenty of choir help to beef up the sound too.
12. Song Of Myself (13:30) - composed of 4 parts
Song 1: From A Dusty Bookshelf
Song 2: All That Great Heart Lying Still
Song 3: Piano Black
Song 4: Love
This was the final song to be finished and ends with a poem - on the subject of Love - written by Tuomas, but read by the nearest and dearest of the band. Clearly a very personal song.
13. Imaginaerum (6:18) - effectively a medley of the themes used throughout the album, one could almost imagine the credits of the film rolling as this plays. Apparently Tuomas suggested which elements should be included and the Producer/arranger Pip Williams.
Tuomas had plenty to say about the songs, but as I have an article to write, I'd better keep somethng back, so I'll stop there!
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