Voiceprint Music - Release

Release

£10.99

In stock

Catalogue number

VP378CD

Release date

30/01/2006

Format

Label

Voiceprint

The Fellowship (featuring Jon Anderson)

In Elven Lands

The long-expected album is now a reality…
In 1999, Yes-man Jon Anderson joined with a small fellowship of recording artists to create music inspired by the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien. Wishing to make more than just a tribute album, they set out to record music that actually came from Tolkien’s mythical worlds. For years, fans have awaited its release.
The wait is over.

This brand new studio album features songs in Elvish, English and Anglo-Saxon that reflect details gleaned from Tolkien’s personal notes. Features a wide variety of ancient instruments and early-music performance practices. Collectable full-colour dig-pack art, based on designs from ancient manuscripts. Integrated booklet with lyrics and album notes. Exclusive ‘early-music’ cover version of the classic The Battle of Evermore.

Reviews

REVIEW FROM FEEDBACK ISSUE 87, MAY 2006

"There are times when one hears an album and is absolutely staggered at the amount of work that must have gone into something that will never reach a wide audience and that is definitely the case with this album."

I doubt if without Jon Anderson’s (Yes) contribution on “In Elvenland” this album would have been noticed by music lovers all over the world. It certainly helps if a well know rock musician works on a totally unknown project such as the Fellowship is. It would have been a shame if “In Elvenland” did not get the media attention which it deserves. This musicological reconstruction inspired by the myths, poetry and linguistic works of J.R.R. Tolkien was performed on ancient (harps, pipes sand viols), modern instruments (silver flutes and clarinets) and non western instruments (gongs). No synthesizers and drum computers were used. But still they managed to produce a piece of art which is of a high caliber if you take the time to get deeper into true meaning of this project. Most of the songs were written by Carvin Knowles and played on his clarinet, hoboe, trumpet, flute, harp or krumhorn. Jon Anderson wrote two songs on which he also did the lead vocals. One of them “Dan Barliman’s jig” was done in a way Mostly Autumn performs their jigs. Jon’s voice was also used on two more songs which he did not wrote himself. Some of those songs reminded me of the music performed by Glass Hammer on albums such as “The Middle Earth Album” and “The Inconsolable Secret”. Music which has all kinds of elements which are taken from Irish folk music and gaelic traditionals. “In Elvenland” also features a track which became famous by one of the best hard rock bands ever. Led Zeppelin’s “Battle of Evermore” was also inspired by “The Lord Of The Rings” but the version performed by The Fellowship resambles not at all the original piece. It is as if you are listening to an original song written by the project themselves. The use of Tolkiens own language on this and several other tracks makes it all very original and to takes you back into Tolkiens own fantasy world. A fantasy world which he created in his famous books. The cover and booklet of this album certainly helps you to step into Tolkiens fantasy world. Along with the music you can for a whole hour escape from todays hectic life. *** (Henri Strik)