Loreena McKennitt’s ‘Nights From The Alhambra’ Gets Vinyl Reissue
The classic 2007 live album will be pressed in a 2LP set on marble chutney vinyl.
On her unforgettable live album Nights From The Alhambra, Loreena McKennitt’s 2006 performance at the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain is preserved for our perpetual enjoyment. First released in 2007, the album captures the Canadian singer’s music in its full splendor, merging Celtic and folk traditions with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influences while on tour in support of her album An Ancient Muse.
Twenty years after that tour, and 19 since the album’s release, Nights From The Alhambra is getting the reissue treatment. The album is now available in a 2LP set on 140-gram marble chutney vinyl. The setlist spans 18 tracks, including two of McKennitt’s best-loved songs, “The Mystic’s Dream” and “The Mummers’ Dance.”
Throughout the album, McKennitt’s peerless voice is backed by robust, eclectic arrangements, starting with the foundation of her own accordion, harp, and piano work. Bandleader Brian Hughes fleshed out his array of guitars with oud and Celtic bouzouki. Some of the many other contributors include Panos Dimitrakopoulos on kanoun, Nigel Eaton on hurdy-gurdy, and Steáfán Hannigan on Uilleann pipes, bodhrán, and percussion. The result is music that feels as vivid and alive as the Spanish landscape it was performed in.
“Though there is an emphasis on works from her most recent release, the singer/composer/harpist covers a wide breadth of material from 1985’s Elemental (“She Moved Through the Fair”) to 1991’s acclaimed Visit (“All Souls Night,” “Lady of Shalott”) and beyond,” wrote AllMusic Guide in their review. “As with all of her studio recordings, the sound quality is exquisite, making this — her third live collection — the best yet.” In another review, writer Thom Stratton praised Alhambra as an album showcasing McKennitt’s powerful vocal approach: “What she has is expressiveness. She endows the lyrics with meaning. Her voice is strong, pleasant, and lilting. Her love of the music comes through – she wants you to love it as much as she does.”
Order Loreena McKennitt’s Nights From The Alhambra on vinyl here.
