Middle-Earth Music Reviews - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

mark12_30 · 01-09-2004, 02:45 PM

MIDDLE-EARTH MUSIC REVIEW

TITLE: Tolkien Song Cycle
MUSICIANS: Andi Grimsditch
GENRE: Scottish!
CANONICAL TOLKIEN or ORIGINAL? Canonical verses set to music
REVIEW: For starters, a couple of these songs are *SINGABLE* (not all of 'em.) And for another, this guy is a believable Hobbit-voice. It says he's from Argentina but his Scottish accent is delightful, and he has a soft, gentle tenor voice; sounds like the Hobbit Next Door to me.
If the idea of middle-earth music with bass and drums bothers you, well, I was skeptical, but the bass and drums stay in the background. The emphasis is on guitar and strings. They do some non-celtic things with chord changes and odd chords in general, but it doesn't set my teeth on edge (the way it has with some other bands.)
"Earendil was a Mariner" (Bilbo's Hall of Fire song.) Hobbit Andi Grimsditch is the first musician that I know of to attempt it (it's ten minutes long!) and he does it very well. I find "Earendil" more than pleasant, I find it enchanting. Perhaps it's more orchestrated than one would imagine, but I think Bilbo would like it.

Minor complaints: Of the nine songs on this album I enjoy "Frodo at the Pracing Pony" the least; half the song is spoken and half sung, and that always annoys me somewhat. Another thing that annoys me is that one or two of the songs have complicated chord changes and accidentals-- which always strikes me as un-hobbitlike.

Those seem to me to be very minor complaints. I like this fellow's work. He strikes me as "the hobbit next door", unpretentious, merry and easygoing without being sappy.

So: at least Four **** out of five. Maybe four and a half.
DO YOU RECOMMEND IT? Yes, definitely.
PRICE YOU PAID : Six bucks plus shipping on ebay. Best purchase in a long time!
WHERE YOU BOUGHT IT: ebay.

01-09-2004, 02:45 PM	#1
mark12_30 Stormdancer of Doom Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Elvish singing is not a thing to miss, in June under the stars Posts: 4,349	MIDDLE-EARTH MUSIC REVIEW TITLE: Tolkien Song Cycle MUSICIANS: Andi Grimsditch GENRE: Scottish! CANONICAL TOLKIEN or ORIGINAL? Canonical verses set to music REVIEW: For starters, a couple of these songs are SINGABLE (not all of 'em.) And for another, this guy is a believable Hobbit-voice. It says he's from Argentina but his Scottish accent is delightful, and he has a soft, gentle tenor voice; sounds like the Hobbit Next Door to me. If the idea of middle-earth music with bass and drums bothers you, well, I was skeptical, but the bass and drums stay in the background. The emphasis is on guitar and strings. They do some non-celtic things with chord changes and odd chords in general, but it doesn't set my teeth on edge (the way it has with some other bands.) "Earendil was a Mariner" (Bilbo's Hall of Fire song.) Hobbit Andi Grimsditch is the first musician that I know of to attempt it (it's ten minutes long!) and he does it very well. I find "Earendil" more than pleasant, I find it enchanting. Perhaps it's more orchestrated than one would imagine, but I think Bilbo would like it. Minor complaints: Of the nine songs on this album I enjoy "Frodo at the Pracing Pony" the least; half the song is spoken and half sung, and that always annoys me somewhat. Another thing that annoys me is that one or two of the songs have complicated chord changes and accidentals-- which always strikes me as un-hobbitlike. Those seem to me to be very minor complaints. I like this fellow's work. He strikes me as "the hobbit next door", unpretentious, merry and easygoing without being sappy. So: at least Four **** out of five. Maybe four and a half. DO YOU RECOMMEND IT? Yes, definitely. PRICE YOU PAID : Six bucks plus shipping on ebay. Best purchase in a long time! WHERE YOU BOUGHT IT: ebay. __________________ ...down to the water to see the elves dance and sing upon the midsummer's eve.