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The Sounding Board by R J Lannan |
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RJ Lannan is the reviewer for The Sounding Board. |
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| New Earth Goddess |
| By Bruce Mitchell w/ Ron Korb |
| Label: Millennia |
| Released 9/29/2009 |
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| New Earth Goddess tracks |
1. Athena (inner wisdom) 
2. Persephone (transformation)
3. Brigit (stand for your beliefs)
4. Aeracura (unfolding & blossoming)
5. Hathor (sound healing)
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6. Rhiannon (magic & mystery)
7. Damara (guiding children)
8. Yemanya (opportunity & wish fulfillment)
9. Maeve (cycles & rhythms)
10. Isolt (undying love)
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Hail, Goddess! |
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For every prayer, there is a god or in Bruce Mitchell's case, a goddess. On his new album New Earth Goddess, he explores the connection of the human race's dependency on the goddesses of ancient humankind. I believe that in every myth there is a bit of truth. Bruce explores the power of the goddess not only in familiar mythology, but also in legends that span the globe. While the Romans and Greeks were spinning their yarns, there were already wholly accepted mythologies on other parts of the world. In song he celebrates the similarities, and more importantly, the differences.
Like the breaking of a new and golden dawn, we hear the intro to the tune Athena. Beloved child of Zeus, Athena is the well-known goddess of the arts and of war, but she was also the goddess of wisdom. She bestows guidance and direction in our lives. Bruce's tune includes a lot of fanfare as he salutes this most important deity with flourishing pan flutes and swirling piano notes.
Persephone is the story of how winter began on earth. Hades made her eat a pomegranate seed and for a third of the year, when she returned to the underworld, the earth becomes desolate, cold and barren. It is about the changing of the season that Bruce’s tune sings. Not only the changes on the planet, but in our lives as well.
There are many roles attributed to the Egyptian goddess Hathor. Ancient art captures her with the head of a cow surrounded by stars and sometimes the moon. She is the Eastern counterpart of Athena. She is healer, sky-goddess, and mother of love and joy. Mitchell utilizes a very dramatic piano with exotic flutes and percussion score to worship to this divinity.
It is no surprise that the tune Rhiannon, representing the Celtic goddess of the moon is my favorite. With her great beauty, Rhiannon is known as the goddess of inspiration. After finding love with a mortal, Rhiannon is falsely accused in the death of her child and much time passes before she in acquitted. Only through the kindness of a mortal is she restored to her queenly stature. Mitchell, whose Celtic Compilation is a good representation of the genre, offers a haunting account of the fairy queen and her plight.
The track Yemanya really piqued my interest. I had never heard of the Brazilian goddess before, but that very fact that if Yemanya likes you, she will take your paper boat or flowers out to sea with her. There she will grant your prayers. What a delighted belief and it is celebrated in Cuba, South America and well over to Africa. I am a fervent believer in beneficent goddesses.
The Lady of the Caves, the goddess Isolt (Isolde) offers you consolation in her mother womb. She strengthens fertility and sexual powers. Mitchell embodies the goddess with a soft, balladic tune that has a magical connotation. It is quite appropriate, for is there nothing more magical than birth and life? Soft flutes and warm background piano make the tune comforting to the spirit.
I was a bit stymied by the vocals on the tracks which I thought were pretty good, and Bruce assures that he is responsible for the "inorganic chorus." Kudos also goes to contributors Ron Korb and Julie Engelmann. I have to admit that I liked all the cuts for one reason or another and I appreciated New Earth Goddess for teaching me about different cultures and beliefs. The music was very pleasing and it can be played anytime you want a bit of peaceful music with mythology to add zest.
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Rating: Good +  |
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- reviewed by RJ Lannan on 6/12/2010 |
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