Search - Caamora :: She

More ambitious than his previous works

The Chalcenteric Kid | Boca Raton | 09/20/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Clive Nolan continues his string of CDs based around popular literature ( "The Hound Of The Baskervilles", "Jabberwocky" ) with this offering from his musical ensemble Caamora - named from the Giants Ritual Of Grief by Fire in the novels of Stephen Donaldson. How high does THAT register on a Pretentiousness Meter?



This is a beautifully packaged 2-CD set and is a way more ambitious project than his previous two efforts and yet curiously I found something lacking.



Maybe it is the dialogue bridges between songs that he used in "The Hound Of The Baskervilles" but which he does not employ here.



Maybe it is because, as good a rollicking Boy's Own Story that "She" is, it is not up there on the same level of easy familiarity with the Sherlock Holmes and to some extent, the the Edward Lear. Heck, the last time I read this must have been nearly 40 years ago and all I can recall is the expression "The Hottentot Ventvogel". So yes, some dialogue, maybe even a prologue would have helped.



Or maybe, it is because all the tunes are used up on the first CD. When I do listen to this and I get to the second disc I'm struck by how much poorer the quality of the songs is. It's like Mr.Nolan bit off more than he could musically chew.



Also, I didn't feel any power from Ayesha herself. That music should have been seductive and alluring, but it simply doesn't stand out - especially on the poorer second CD.



Now don't get me wrong. I do like these CDs. I do like Mr.Nolan's work. But I do feel he didn't quite live up to the level of his previous efforts with this one."