"Dancer and the Moon" is the 8th studio album from Blackmore's Night, which matches the studio album count for Ritchie Blackmore's seminal band, Rainbow. His other major band, Deep Purple, has 19 and counting. While I greatly admire Blackmore's guitar playing and legacy, and I have a history of finding myself in SCA-D&D-type circles, this is my first exposure to Blackmore's Night, so bear that in mind when reading my review.

If you're unfamiliar, this is NOT metal music. Fans seeking edge, dissonance, rock n' roll bombast, or abandon should look elsewhere in Ritchie's discography. Blackmore's Night is unabashedly burrowed in the Renaissance Music genre; this album blends American folk, European and Northern Asian folk, classical guitar, blues, and (gulp) Easy Listening. The majority of the tunes will evoke imagery of tunic-clad hipsters shouting, "Huzzah!" at you in faux-Brit accents while you eat an overpriced, oversized turkey leg at the RenFaire. Due to the strong hokey factor, occasional sappiness, and frequent derivative tendency, my first inclination was to breathe scorn and fire upon this, like a dragon upon a brave questing night.

But…In spite of myself, I found myself drawn and hooked by the many catchy and engaging melodies. Candice Night has the perfect voice and delivery for these songs. Ritchie Blackmore's comfort and grace are infectious; the best moments are when he guides us dexterously through lovely classical riffs.

On the flip side, the worst moments sound like Celine Dion in King Arthur's Court. The first song is so utterly terrible that if you listen while driving, you'll be a hazard to yourself and others on the road. It sounds like the theme song to an early morning Nick Jr. cartoon. Fortunately, in this advanced age of individual tracks vs. full albums, you can pass on the lousy and just focus on the quality. I'd recommend ‘The Lost Leaf’, ‘Lady in Black’, and ‘Carry On. . . Jon’, which features some Santana-like guitars leads and Hammond soloing, and I can only presume is the band's tribute to recently-departed Deep Purple alum, Jon Lord. I found track #2: ‘Troika’ to be difficult to get through, but be warned, the infectious melody will win you over and drive you into madness. Huzzah!