#AncientWinterIsComing

[enouragement-blog]

Ancient Winter

           There are times in life when you encounter a magic so deep that it is very difficult to describe using our ordinary language. It awakens something inside of us, something childlike; as adults we lose touch with the magical, but every so often something comes along that allows us glimpses, as though there is a break in the clouds that once again reveals the moon. Just this very morning I was aware of the magical as I walked in the cold fall rain with leaves falling. A door appeared before me, and I walked through it to find myself in a Middle Eastern Desert with dunes made out of sand. We celebrated a winter festival with the different kingdoms and I was tasked to guide a messenger to the elven King. The way was hard and I felt very alone. Before I gave up, something came alongside me and I felt new strength as I accepted the struggle before me. Slowly I entered into foothills, with woods around me. I was joined by other creatures in a marching song. We climbed and marched, until I was quite suddenly in the presence of the Elven King. I delivered my message, but decided to stay in his court for a while, hearing the elven tales. At last and suddenly a new door appeared – a door called Noel Nouvelet, I arose and opened it. This is the magic I lived today, but it was not found in a vision or a book, but rather in this album, “Ancient Winter”, by recording artist Leah.

Whereas Christmas albums have typically disappointed and had a very limited audience and time for enjoyment, to describe such art as Ancient Winter by Leah as a “Christmas” album would be to mislead oneself. There are not the same Christmas songs repeated here that are always re-recorded by every musician. No, this is a winter album, an album that is full of the Christmas themes (life, hope, magic!) without taking you down the same roads; its Christmas music for people who don’t like Christmas music, but even die-hard Christmas music fans will find something reminiscent but new and enjoyable. Leah has succeeded in reaching the widest audience possible. While building on Christmas themes we are taken on a journey through the snow and mountains – an epic quest. What we have with “Ancient Winter” is in essence a fantasy tome written not with ink but with notes, read not with eyes but with the heart.           

 The case art work is gorgeous and detailed, with homage to Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”, Bethesda’s “Skyrim”, and Elizabeth Moon’s “Deed of Paksennarion”. It has 8 tracks that are 35 minutes, and rather than feeling unfinished, it feels perfect. In fact, I recommend listening to it on repeat: it will take you on a new journey every time you listen to it, as though you are going, to borrow the words of C.S. Lewis, further up and further in. Musically it is distinctively Leah (if you are familiar with her other albums: “The Quest”, “Kings and Queens”, “Otherworld”, and “Of Earth and Angels”), yet you will find no blistering guitar solos here. What she has done in “Ancient Winter” is something we always desire from mainstream musicians but never find: creative talent rather than simple regurgitation of previous (and usually minimal) efforts. Leah is an independent musician, which I think has helped her make such a satisfying musical journey, but more than that she has it in her soul, and empties herself into her music. To listen to her music is to listen to her soul as it whispers enchanted secrets. It is standalone enjoyable, whatever style you prefer, without having to be compared to her other albums; it is much like reading Journey to the Center of the Earth after reading 20,000 Leagues under the Sea: this is a different story and well worth considering. I cannot emphasize enough what Leah has done here (truly the impossible!): she has made a winter album that is fresh, fun, enjoyable, and unshackled to the weights that bind Christmas albums – a real pleasure to listen to.           

 The album was conceived, written, funded, and recorded in a very short amount of time, but the rush does not come out in the music. There are quality musicians, quality instruments, quality recording, quality writing, quality editing; in a word: fantastic. When she said she was toying around with the idea of a Christmas album I tried repeatedly through social media to dissuade her, but I’m very glad she remained resolute. For my purposes I have divided Ancient Winter into 2 sections: the first 5 tracks (written fully by Leah I believe) and the last 3 tracks (reimagining’s of traditional holiday songs). A major theme in the album is light, but without knowing that it is (sort of) a Christmas album, one could easily overlook the connection and just enjoy the journey. Light is often combined with joy and peace while contrasted with sorrow.            

The first 5 songs are the part of the journey I previously mentioned ending at the Elven King. 

The first song “The Whole World Summons” begins with an ominous Cello, then quickly transitions into orchestra and wintery sounding music. It gives you the idea that you’re stepping into a story that already has much history to it. One thing Leah does frequently on this album is that she uses the same concept in multiple senses. For instance, winter as good, calm, and peaceful but also bad, dead, and ominous. Another example is how track #3 ends very similar to how it had begun, but she was able to capture a completely different emotion and mood with the same notes and words. Ancient winter is full of contrasts, between sorrow and joy (even in the same song), surrender and perseverance. No matter where you are, this album will reach out to you there and join you into the tale. 

The second song is “Light of the World”. It begins singing about the light of the world in the 3rd person, but in the chorus she switches to the 1st person “I am the light of the world” which does a few things. First, artistically it works to keep from too much repetition, but poetically it joins the singer and even the audience into the statement: “I too am the light of the world”. Strangely at first this song picks up with a very middle-eastern feel (musically), but quickly turns into folksy/celtic, like a festival of many different cultures.

“Upon your destiny” begins mystically with Leah hum/chanting, but then transitions to a very sober, almost tavern song, which strikes all the more savagely after listening to the cultural festival in “light of the world”. I have intentionally not done a more thorough song analysis as far as “what does the song mean” because I don’t want to ruin the magic. One does not simply remove the magical from the mysterious.

The fourth song, “Redemption” feels very reflective, yet determined, as though the profound realization of a second wind has encouraged others to gather in a forward march. It builds more and more in complexity, but right when you think even the complexity may become monotonous, it shifts to a profound elegance. The notes themselves gain consciousness and build with her to a soft climax. 

The last song of the first section “The Messenger” is completely atmospheric. It acts as a buffer between the first 4 songs and the last 3. It feels like something from the Lord of the Rings, as though you are in the court of an Elven King. Things switch from a journey to a destination in the realm of magic. It’s as though the journey is over, the quest fulfilled. Leah’s range comes out throughout the whole album, as does her musical ability and diversity, “The Messenger” reveals it more so since it is void of other distractions such as many instruments or singers. The realm of the mystical is not resolved, only elaborated on.

The second part of Ancient Winter begins with a reimagining of a traditional Latin Christmas song “Gaudete” (rejoice). Though the last 3 songs are not written by Leah, they don’t lack the magic, although they are definitely in a different chapter of the same book; they belong, but it is as though the narrative has changed. Indeed, I describe these final songs as “What happened in the court of the Elven King”. It is hard to know how much of the perfection in this album is due to the songs and how much is the musicians, how much is due to her voice and how much is due to the words. Is it all in the imagination, as though one’s ability to tune in to the magical makes the magical all the more alive? The seventh song “Puer Natus” is also a redone traditional song in Latin and carries with it celebration and joy. The last song “Noel Nouvelet” is in French and begins very mystically, as a foggy morning that slowly clears. Returning to the story, I liken it to a new door appearing while in the court of the Elven King, as though there is much more to experience, more yet to do. The quest has not left the traveler exhausted but rejuvenated and ready for adventure. And indeed, every time I listen to this album I appreciate more and go to places that I have forgotten and maybe never visited. I put it on repeat and feel as though I’m going on many quests – the end welcomes fantastically the presence of the beginning again, as though it was meant to be. This is perfect year round, but on weathery days, Christmas days, and Winter days it is especially welcome. Although you desire more songs, the album leaves you content, and travels through your veins to feed your body air while returning once more to your heart to wrap you in blankets of cheer. When you listen to the first track after listening to the full album, you feel wiser, as though you understand more fully something you didn’t before, but still realize there is much more to know.

How does one review a thing that impacts people in such various ways, accomplishes so much with so little, and causes such stirrings and yearnings? It’s as though you learn to listen so as to understand the message rather than impute new meaning, as it would be silly to confiscate Latin words and redefine them. “Ancient Winter” is very global in its scope, and therefore fulfills what is intended with Christmas albums without reducing itself – all Christmas music tries to do what Leah does. Leah is capable of such diversity in her albums. But all the more I can say is she nailed it.            

One last thing worth mentioning whenever you are discussing an album is the musician. Leah is extraordinary. She homeschools her 5 children, she started her own business, built her brand herself, did all her albums without the help of a record company doing all the work, faced unexpected health problems this last year with transparency, courage and determination, and oozes wonder from her core. She is a fount of imagination, and much like finding a favorite author, I look forward to what else she has to say in the future. I greatly respect Leah, not just as a musician, but as a person. That is important to me because most mainstream musicians don’t have anything worth saying and definitely aren’t worth listening to.Conclusion: 10/10; flawless.

On November 15th, recording artist Leah is realeasing a brand new Winter album called “Ancient Winter”. If you are tired of Jingle Bells, this one is for you. Listen to the single “Light of the World” here: 

https://youtu.be/do5LvwfqzSw

If you would like to support independent musicians, this album, and happiness, order your copy here:

https://theleahshop.com

“Ancient Winter” is available on Amazon and Itunes as well.