What Christmas and winter music should be!

Forget "Frosty." Forget "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town." Forget the ever dreaded "Grandma Got Run over By A Reindeer." THIS is the Christmas music you need.

The first half of this CD are songs that deal with the celebration of the winter solstice. Songs such as "The Seasons," "Snow" and the startlingly captivating instrumental "Banquet Hall" virtually define long dark nights by the fire.

The second half of this CD is made up of songs celebrating the birth of Christ. Songs such as "Let Us The Infant Greet" the lovely instrumental "The Stockford Carol" are the perfect cure for the horrid versions of "Christmas" songs played ad naseum in shopping malls across America, while the final cut "Let All That Are To Mirth Inclined" is among the most haunting things ever recorded. No mater what you think of the season now, this CD just might make winter you favorite time of year.

Traditional Carols, Strains from a Bygone Era

As I write this, we have well entered the season of Advent, the time of preparation for the Christ child, and I can think of no more lovely collection of carols than "To Drive the Cold Winter Away" (as well as her "The Winter Garden," which might be viewed as this album's companion piece).

The majority of these sung carols are traditional to the Celtic, Welsh and English areas, although Ms. McKennitt also incorporates a few of her own songs, such as "Snow" (soaringly beautiful). The entire "feel" of the album is one of entering a Medieval Banquet Hall, strung with misteltoe and complete with harper. The highlight of the collection, though, is "Let All That Are to Mirth Inclined," sung a capella in an echoing monastary whose bells, quite Providentially, began tolling the hour during the final few verses.

"To Drive the Cold Winter Away," along with "The Winter Garden" are gorgeous reminders of the mystery of the Birth of Christ - a mystery that is all too often obscured by jingle bells rocking and snowmen frosting - and a mystery that while quiet, like her music, is also awe-inspiring.

Drive potensial fans away!

I was less than impressed with this album. The music lacks harmony and coherence, the lyrics rarely matched the melody, and to top it all, she just didn't sing th songs with her usual passion. I really loved "The Visit" and "Book of secrets", but this album came close to putting me off Loreena forever! A great pity. For die-hard McKennit fans only.