Loreena Mckennitt To Drive The Cold Winter Away

A rhapsody in judiciously arranged harp and clarion vocals, Loreena McKennitt’s sophomore album is an uncommon seasonal offering. Rather than rely on a repertoire of familiar holiday chestnuts, the Canadian harpist and singer reaches far back, drawing on centuries-old Celtic and old English carols and delivering them (alongside a few originals) with a stately warmth. McKennitt’s voice rises and resonates as though it’s echoing off the rafters of a neo-Gothic church. The overall feeling is one of sacred devotion.