CD Odyssey Disc 1908: Enya

It’s taken ten long and random years for me to come around to the final album in my collection by this artist, but here we are! My first review of her work was Disc 11 – so long ago it was before I had the “What’s Up With the Cover?” section. Dark times for the readers, indeed.

Disc 1908 is… The Memory of Trees

Artist: Enya

Year of Release: 1995

What’s up with the Cover? The eternally beautiful Enya sitting on some sort of Throne of the Gods looking mysterious. Is she an oracle? A royal vizier? The empress of a mystical land?

Maybe she’s a half-elven bard on a thrilling fantasy adventure! More on that later…

How I Came To Know It: For a few years in the late eighties and early nineties Enya was a Big Deal. I would have bought this album, likely from a record store that no longer exists (A&B Sound or Lyle’s Place being the two most likely) the week it was released. That’s how you bought your music in 1995 – at a bricks and mortar store – and its how I still do it to this day whenever I can.

How It Stacks Up: I have five Enya albums. Of those five, “The Memory of Trees” comes in at #4. I can’t put it above “Watermark” and because “Watermark” only received two stars, I’ve done the same here, but I want you to know, dear reader, that I feel bad about this and would happily give both three stars on a day like today, where I am feeling more charitable.

As this is the last of the Enya reviews, here’s a recap:

1. Shepherd Moons: 4 stars (reviewed at Disc 854)
2. Self-Titled: 3 stars (reviewed at Disc 205)
3. Watermark: 2 stars (reviewed at Disc 11)
4. The Memory of Trees: 2 stars (reviewed right here)
5. A Day Without Rain: 2 stars (reviewed at Disc 24)

Ratings: 2 stars

What did Frodo and Sam hear when elves passed by on their journey to Bree? Probably this album. Enya’s ethereal voice and mix of English, Gaelic and Latin lyrics lends itself to enchanted forests and wandering minstrels.

I was as enchanted as everyone else by Enya back in 1995. So much so, I even had a Dungeons and Dragons character (a half-elven bard named Arlea) based largely on Enya and her music (and maybe a little Karen Matheson as well). I even made a mixed tape of songs Arlea would sing that was heavily laden with Enya songs and forced them upon my fellow gamers (I regret nothing).

Holy nerd tangents! Let’s get back to the music, shall we?

Hailing originally from Celtic band Clannad, Enya branched off into a more layered, produced sound that in the day we called New Age. How can you tell New Age from folk? All that production and overdubs is a good start. 

The New Age tricks that Enya did was to layer her own vocals multiple times, making a rich tapestry of sound. It works because her voice, which is sweet and gentle, lends itself to the treatment.

Whatever you think of how an Enya song is produced, there is no denying the lift your heart gets when she climbs into the higher parts of her register. There is something otherworldly going on in that voice that transcends the human – like she’s made a deal with a leannán sídhe or maybe is one. Either way, we’re the fortunate beneficiaries of her instrument.

As with most Enya albums, she puts one jumpy number on there to draw in the audience and to get some MTV/MuchMusic playing time. On “The Memory of Trees” this offering is “Anywhere Is”. It’s a catchy number, despite some cringe-worthy sing song moments in the lyrics like “In motion on the ocean/The moon still keeps on moving”. Not bad written down but a bit twee out loud.

This is what we sign up for with an Enya record, though. If you don’t think you’re going to get a heathy does of ‘twee’ and ‘dear’ from a record that has song titles like “China Roses” and “Tea-House Moon” then you are fooling yourself.

The good news is that while some of those tracks are forgettable “background while browsing the antiques store” fare, there are also plenty that provide a lift to the spirit in a way few other artists can accomplish. Enya’s quiet grace got me through many a dark time in my life and you could do a lot worse than laying in the dark listening to “the Memory of Trees,” letting the weariness wash away on the waves of the motion on the ocean.

Best tracks: Anywhere Is, Athair Ar Neamh, Hope Has a Place, On My Way Home

CD Odyssey Disc 854: Enya

This next album is one of the first CDs I owned, so back in the day it got a lot of play. I don’t put it on much anymore, and so it was nice to hear it again. It was like visiting an old friend you don’t see very often, and finding you still have a connection.

Disc 854 is….Shepherd Moons

Artist: Enya

Year of Release: 1991

What’s up with the Cover? It’s Enya herself, looking fey and mysterious. Also, distractingly beautiful.

How I Came To Know It: I heard “Orinoco Flow” on Muchmusic back in the day and liked it. When I went to buy the album (“Watermark” reviewed way back at Disc 11) it wasn’t there, but this newer release was. Not wanting to return home empty-handed I bought “Shepherd Moons” instead.

How It Stacks Up:  I have five Enya albums (her first five). Of those, “Shepherd Moons” is my favourite so I’ll rank it…#1.

Ratings: 4 stars

“Shepherd Moons” is an album that will soothe a troubled soul. It did that for me in 1991. 25 years later I’m much less troubled, but it still fills my heart with peace and calms my spirit’s rougher edges.

If that introduction sounds a little overwrought, then welcome to new age music. And I don’t mean that in a bad way, either. New age music is meant to inspire the soul and if that means your soul bubbles over a bit in a wanton display of joy, then it is working the way it’s supposed to.

Enya’s signature sound is to take Celtic and classical musical structures and fill them with an ambient quality through multiple layers of overdubbing. The result is an unearthly choir that is something more than human. It always makes me think of what elves would sound like. Enya even looks elven.

Better than any other Enya album, “Shepherd Moons” finds the perfect mix of new age production and old school Celtic mystery. Despite the inherently artificial production that goes into making the album, the songs still feel suffused with organic vitality.

Enya also makes sure the album has a strong dynamic range. A lot of new age music can drone on through the length of a full record, but Enya keeps things interesting. The high energy “Book of Days” is sandwiched between the introspective classical piano piece “No Holly for Miss Quinn” and the insular and thoughtful “Evacuee.” From opening to closing the record feels like a single art piece, rather than just a collection of songs.

That said, I have my favourites, none more so than “How Can I Keep From Singing?” Because of all the layered production, Enya’s voice can sometimes feel fuzzy, and you might be tempted to think that her vocals are entirely artificial. “How Can I Keep From Singing?” dispels this notion, with an incredible vocal performance. I also love the lyrics, which are a message of hope in a sometimes unjust world:

“When tyrants tremble in their fear

And hear their death knell ringing

When friends rejoice both far and near

How can I keep from singing?”

Technically not a message of hope if you are a tyrant, I suppose. Anyway, listening to Enya I always get this weird feeling that all darkness has an end. She’s like Galadriel in Lothlorien giving a light to Frodo to help keep him safe on his journey. In fact, the album even has a song called “Lothlorien” which is a two minute piano piece that makes you feel like you’re walking through an enchanted forest full of elves. Yes, this music is both inspiring and nerdy.

The songs that edge into traditional Celtic forms are among my favourites. “Ebudae” has a rising rhythm that is an infectious earworm despite not being in English. It makes me feel like I’m sitting around a campfire chanting in some bygone time, except with less bugs and smoke.

“Smaointe” is the last song on the record and one of my favourites. I can’t even pronounce the song’s title, but Enya’s heart-wrenching vocal carries a deep sorrow that breaks through the language barrier. The song has a Daniel-Lanois like ambience that never intrudes on its intimacy, and the Uillean Pipes (played expertly by Liam O’Flionn) provide a poignant offset to Enya’s soft and pure singing.

The only track that didn’t quite hit the mark is “Marble Halls.” This song goes one step too far into schmaltz, as Enya recounts a dream where she is incredibly wealthy, but her greatest gift remains the love of her partner. Even the melody seems a bit too dear.

Still, this is one track out of twelve and I like all the others to varying degrees. I’m not much for new age music overall, but Enya is the master of it, and “Shepherd Moons” is her finest work. For many readers, one Enya album is too many. I am sorry you feel that way. If you do decide to open your heart to just one though, make it “Shepherd Moons.”

Best tracks:  Caribbean Blue, How Can I Keep From Singing?, Ebudae, Angeles, Book of Days, Lothlorien, Smaointe

CD Odyssey Disc 205: Enya

Thanks for your confidence, gentle reader. Back at Disc 24, when I had rolled a second Enya album, I appealed for calm, promising that the Odyssey would not be populated every 12th review with another Enya album.

This has borne out as true, and it is over 180 reviews later that the third Enya album finally makes an appearance.

Disc 205 is...Enya (Self-Titled)
Artist: Enya

Year of Release: 1986

What’s Up With The Cover?: Enya always looks good on her album covers (this comes from her innate advantage of being, you know, good looking). However, of all of them I like this one the best. She has a kind of art show punk look going on, which would never be replicated on later covers. After this, they all feature her in some combination of flowing velvet skirt, and wistful folk gaze. I like the edge on this one. Even the dogs work.

How I Came To Know It: It was 1991 and I had already purchased "Watermark" and "Shepherd Moons". This was a combination of me being interested in getting more Enya, and being advised by other Enya fans that this album was worth my time. Also, at the time it was the only other Enya album around.

How It Stacks Up: I still have five Enya albums, and this one holds up well. I'll put it 2nd.

Rating: 4 stars.

In previous reviews I've talked about Enya's style, which is new age, with Celtic folk inspirations. She comes by this naturally, getting started in her family's Celtic folk band, Clannad.

This is her first album, and of the five I have it is definitely the most mood-driven. The songs may not have the same range as we'll see on later albums, but they make up for that with a haunting moody feeling. All the songs are universally short, ranging from as little as 1:19 up to a long of 4:23, but they flow one to the next so seemlessly, the album at times seems like a single track.

As with most Enya albums, the lyrics are often in Gaelic, and when they're not, they're very basic - sometimes more than ooohs and aaahs.

The music has an unearthly quality; its hollow-sounding production makes Enya's already breathy voice even more ethereal. Using a technique for which she has made famous, she layers her own voice on top of itself over and over again, creating a kind of unearthly choir that makes you think her back up singers are a host of Elven spirits. If you're wondering what music you get to listen to when you're abducted by faeries, this would be a good guess.

The song titles evoke many Celtic legends, including one song called "Triad" that pays homage to early Celtic missionary St. Patrick, and mythical warrior poets Cu Chulainn and Oisin. There is also a separate song in honour of Celtic warrior queen and patriot Boadicea.

I admit that being a fan of Celtic Mythology, these song titles increase the album's coolness factor for me, but this record isn't about topic or lyrics as much as it is about capturing a simple yearning for a magical time long passed. It makes you want to find a comfortable patch of moss by a small stream in the woods, and just lie there, listen to the water and empty your mind of cares.

This is never more evident than in the instrumental, "The Sun In the Stream" featuring one of the more beautiful performances on the Uillean Pipes I've ever heard (and I've heard more than a few). Shout out to Uillean Pipes artist Liam Og O'Floinn.

This album won't blow you away, but it will quietly enchant you with its soothing grace.

Best tracks: The Celts, March of the Celts, Deireadhan Tuath, The Sun In the Stream, Triad, Boadicea, Bard Dance

CD Odyssey Disc 24: Enya

Uh oh. This is embarassing. The randomness of the dice are going to make everyone think I am a huge fan of Enya, instead of the small, long ago fan that I am....

Disc 24 is...A Day Without Rain

Artist: Enya

Year of Release: 2000

How I Came To Know It: In my last Enya album review from Disc 11, I defended myself by saying I was sucked in like everyone else by Orinoco Flow. Well, 12 years later, here is another Enya album, but with no convenient excuse. I still liked her, and the single "Only Time" drew me back in just when I thought I was out. Like the Godfather, only not cool.

How It Stacks Up: I still own 5 Enya albums. I thought going in this would rank at the bottom but it is OK. I guess it is at the bottom, but not much separates it from Watermark.

Rating: 2 stars with a thumbs up.

This is the second time I went into an Enya review hoping to hate it, but actually deciding that I enjoyed it (only not too loud, and not at stop lights).

Enya has a real soothing sound, and this album is just like that. The songs don't really go anywhere - kind of like techno music, except they are mercifully only 3 minutes long, and I don't hate them. They are just a little mood slice, sometimes in English, sometimes in Welsh and sometimes I think she just goes "aaahhh" or hums.

This album has an annoying quality that some artists think is nifty - not capitalizing song titles. If it wasn't cool for E.E. Cummings (take that E.E.) it isn't cool for you. Please stop that, and use your letters - and do it properly!

So, anyway - A Day Without Rain is is a bit flaky, but I like it anyway. I don't pull it out much, but I think I'll inflict it on the Tuesday night crowd coming over tonight. Hey - it is only 1 of 5 discs - toughen up!

Best tracks: Wild Child, Only Time, Cleora Ar Mo Chroi

CD Odyssey Disc11: Enya

The dice choose a second album that is "the most famous" and the second album in a row that came out in 1988.

Disc 11 is...Watermark
Artist: Enya

Year of Release: 1988

How I Came To Know It: I discovered Enya like most people - I heard "Orinoco Flow" on Muchmusic and decided I liked it. In my defence, I was entering my "folk phase".

How It Stacks Up: I don't know how many embarrassing admissions this post is going to have, but here's another one. I own 5 Enya albums. Yikes. "Watermark" is probably the third best, or middle of the pack.

Rating: 2 stars (with an embarrassed thumbs up).

Enya got her start in Clannad, an Irish folk band with new age tendencies. Yes, I also like Clannad, but I refuse to be embarrassed about that until I roll them.

"Orinoco Flow" was a huge hit back in 1988. Even now when I replay it, it is a bit on the overplayed side, and its been many years since Enya saw serious rotation on the CD carousel. Still, it is a good track, and catchy.

The rest of the disc is not so catchy, but wears a little better. Enya has an ethereal quality to her voice. This is 1 part a very cool voice, and 1 part that she is famous for putting a ton of layers into her voice (lots of takes, all lined up together) to give her that unearthly ambience. It is artificial yes, but it works.

This is about as far as I stray into "New Age" and I think for good reason. I think Enya is to New Age what Phat Boy Slim is to techno. Yes, I have Phat Boy Slim, but I won't be embarrassed about that until I roll it.

This album gets a 2, but a thumbs up, because it is actually well written and creates a nice mood. It is even good for driving, but the embarrassment factor at red lights is really high. Not "Jerky Boys" high, but easily "Gangsta Rap" high.

I think everyone has music that they would find embarrassing at a red light. Mind you, most have the good sense to not post it on the internet.

After review, I'm keeping this album, and living with the shame.

Best tracks: Storms in Africa, Exile, Orinoco Flow, The Longships