Some classic rock fans will forever regard Candice Night as the woman who, at 18, met a middle aged rock guitar god, liked what she saw and cast her womanly spell. Within 10 years Ritchie had all but hung up his Stratocaster in favour of a lute and there was little debate about who was wearing the tights in the Night / Blackmore household. The wild man of rock had been tamed.

Twenty years on from that fateful meeting and now Mrs Blackmore, and with Ritchie of state pension age, New Yorker Candice has decided that, after 7 studio albums as the voice of Blackmore's Night and numerous guest vocalist appearances, the time is right to launch a solo career.

With her pure ethereal vocals and a penchant for new age / renaissance/floaty mediaeval folk she's attempted to cover all the bases with Reflections. From the opening Wind Is Calling (Feel The Hush) - a Clannad / hymnal type piece, through the blue eyed soul infused pop of Gone Gone Gone (with its Bee Gees Staying Alive catch line), the semi classical balladry of Black Roses, soft rock in the form of Dangerous Smile, the spaghetti western soundtrack style For You, to the classical /gypsy folk inspired Alone With Fate and the closing choral In Time, Reflections is an unchallenging, easy listen. So 'clean cut' that it could almost be endorsed by Disney.

And that's the rub. Reflections is a 'nice', pleasant album, and a bit like a warm bath it's relaxing and will help you get off to sleep. It's not going to set any pulses racing, but then maybe it wasn't intended to?

****½

Review by Pete Whalley