by Enya List Price:$18.00 Our Price:$9.00 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Product Details
Media: Audio CD
Release Date: Tuesday, November 21, 2000
Label: Warner Brothers
Average Customer Review: 4.5 Based on 647 reviews.
Sales Rank: 417
Tracks
1.
One By One
2.
Lazy Days
3.
Pilgrim
4.
Silver Inches
5.
Fallen Embers
6.
Flora's Secret
7.
Deora Ar Mo Chroi
8.
Tempus Vernum
9.
Only Time
10.
Wild Child
11.
A Day Without Rain
12.
Flora's Secret
Editorial Review
As each new Enya release has washed over all who have ears to hear, as each heaven-touched work leaves admirers sitting speechless in slack-jawed wonder, questions eventually come to mind: Might her layered, choral-like approach gradually become predictable or stale? Will she ever exhaust her deep reservoir of soul-stirring ideas? Remarkably, A Day Without Rain, Enya's fourth release since her 1988 breakthrough, Watermark, establishes new artistic heights for the gifted Irish vocalist and keyboardist. The project, polished and refined over a five-year period in the company of longtime collaborators Nicky Ryan (producer) and Roma Ryan (lyricist), may qualify as her best yet--a radiant, beatific collection of works that command attention with their cathedral-like resonance as they soothe your spirit with some of Enya's loveliest, most graceful voicings ever. The disc's opening three tracks (including the spellbinding "Only Time") form a gorgeous trilogy that suggest Enya has deepened her focus on the nexus where sophisticated pop and regal mysticism, the twin rivers of her singular sound, form a seamless intersection. The disc's gentle timbre is disturbed only once, and in memorable fashion, with "Tempus Vernum," a marshalling of mythic sonic forces that brings to mind the theme from the De Beers diamond commercial, but with a Celtic/Goth edge. Additional highlights abound. The closing "Lazy Days" will leave your soul dancing in a shower of flower petals and sunshine. A wonderful recording. --Terry Wood
Top Customer Reviews
Rating:
3 Not quite up to the standard of her previous works...
On A Day Without Rain, Enya moves in some interesting musical directions. The most notable of these are Silver Inches, The First of Autumn, and the title track. Arguably, each of these instrumentals has the potential to rank with some of the great classical pieces of well-known composers like Bach and Beethoven. We also find some interesting experimentation with digitized arpeggios and pizzicato strings on One By One.The rest of the album is more or less standard Enya, and the overall sound is strongly reminiscent of previous works. As a result, die-hard Enya fans will find few surprises, and may find the 35-minute disc a bit underwhelming if not disappointingly short.Enya's vocals are a mixed bag. On Deora Ar Mo Chroi, her voice seems buried in the mix. The same problem afflicts Flora's Secret and Fallen Embers. The muddiness is enough to make you wonder if Enya was resorting to her trademark technique of creating broad, fuzzy musical and vocal washes in an attempt to induce a sense of euphoria in the listener. In fact, this effect is most noticeable on Wild Child, which is as close to aural Prozac as you can get.Enya redeems herself on three stand-out vocal tracks: Deora Ar Mo Chroi, Fallen Embers, and Pilgrim. All deliver that wonderfully ethereal imagery and feeling that she is so well known for. Fallen Embers reaches the pinnacle set on China Roses, which isone of the best cuts from The Memory of Trees. Deora Ar Mo Chroi prompts visions of a warm, summer's night spent gazing at the stars as you ponder the meaning of life. The overall effect is truly heavenly, and belies a profound spiritual depth that few musicians ever reach.Only Time is so-so, and like its stablemate Lazy Days, appears to be a very transparent grab at a Top 40 hit. Lazy Days is the weaker of the two compositions and seems dated and lame.Finally, Tempus Vernum is an intriguing experiment, but a bit jarring because it's such a departure from the rest of the work.A Day Without Rain is a bit of a disappointment because
Rating:
4 The Delicate Beauty Of Her Voice
The number of reviews alone should indicate the impact this long awaited album has had on people. First of all some of the criticism is accurate, in that the album is very short and that some of the songs do sound very similar to past tunes and styles.But what lifts it are 2 truly outstanding songs : "Wild Child" and "Only Time". The first is simply exhilarating , the music , lyrics and Enya's lovely voice blend seamlessly like colours of the rainbow, its impossible to separate the 3 into separate components. Another interesting feature is that you only appreciate the harmony if you set your CD volume at the right level : too soft and you miss some of the rich tones , too loud and the voice begins to sound dissonant and dominate over the other two components. I have noticed the same feature in some of Bach's piano sonatas. I guess this shows that what seems like effortless joy hides a great deal of structural complexity. Astonishing as it seems , I think Enya has yet to reach her peak as a creative artist. Some of the reviews suggest she is just recycling old tunes and randomly mixing them up like a Boy Band, but the ability to produce something like "Wild Child" shows how wrong they are in writing her off.The second outstanding song "Only Time" is as melancholy as "Wild Child" is refreshing. And yet Enya's voice sounds the same in both , showing that she is able to control her vocal range at a very subtle level.The rest of the album has some tunes you will find yourself unconsciously humming the more you listen to the album. There are also songs like "Deora Ar Mo Chrol" where one does not care what the words mean, you are just overwhelmed by the delicate beauty of her voice.To summarise , its much easier to criticize than it is to create. When you compare this album against the monotonous, ubiquitous trash produced by MTV "artists" it stands out as something rare and fine. The famous fantasy writer Stephen J Donaldson coined the memorable phrase "Something there be in beauty" in one of his most famou
Rating:
1 simple pleasures
She is a Taurus. Taurus loves money. Therefore she continues to rehash the same two chords over 'n over. But I won't buy it and hope not!
Rating:
5 you just are going through a teenage "i am so goth" phase
I've read reviews saying "This is the most boring music out there" and critizing the New Age music. Let me inform you that maybe 8 out of 10 people who said that are probably teens going through the death/black/goth phase. The thing about New Age? It's inspiring (I'm sure Black Sabbath is *sarcasm). It's beautiful and it takes talent (talking fast in a microphone or groaning is not talent). And it has a way of relaxing you, and even making you feel like you're in a cloud. Enya is no less different. Her purpose is not to get you angry. Her songs are insipiring and beautiful, just like her voice. This CD is great and I especially love "Deora ar mo chloí" and "Flora's Secret" and "Only time". This music is great, and if you want to forget about stresses and preassures, hear this CD for a while.
Rating:
5 simply inspirational
OK I don't write reviews much but here goes...it seems that everyone i know has been singing "who knows? only time..." recently. enya's newest release, a day without rain, may not be as powerful or dark as her previous albums, but it makes me feel like the world is a better place whenever i listen to it...The title track is a hauntingly beautiful piano peice, very similar to the title track on watermark. it's a perfect opening for the cd. "wild child" is peppy and upbeat, it just makes you want to sing. in fact, i often find myself singing it! only time, obviously, is beautiful, it's been on the radio, friends promos...it's everywhere i tell you! however it's not her best on the album. Tempus vernum is very similar to the 2nd track on Watermark (cant remember the name?), my friend commented it sounded like a "death march". its very haunting and it grabs your attention. then things calm down with "tears on my heart" which is gorgeous...it kinda sounds like a church. READ THE TRANSLATION!!! its a personal favorite of mine. flora's secret is similar to wild child, it reminds me of running through a field on a spring day...fallen embers is about being with the one you love through everything...silver inches reminds me of a spring rain...not a bad kind the one that you just want to run around in and sing hehehe. it almost sounds like raindrops. pilgrim is another slow song about finding out who you are...and how much it takes. one by one...it sounds happy but its really about 2 lovers having to leave each other and say "adios..." if u get the japense version there is a song called "isobella" next which is haunting and makes me sleepy :-) but thats good! also if u get the austrailin version you will get "the first of autumn" which is similar to silver inches.and finally, lazy days...it may just be my favorite enya song of all time. it's got that same feel as "orinoco flow". It just makes me happy...i call it my inspirational song. whenever i hear it i just perk up and look on the bright side...and i usually hear it in the morning on the way to school when i am like :-P but then it comes on and i'm like :-D!!! what can i say..."dreaming the day away..." thats me!Well I tried. I know, it's not great, but I hope I helped!
Rating:
4 Short and Sweet
The latest from Enya builds from all the basic themes of her almost 15 years of solo albums. (Hard to believe that long a time has passed!) And like all those albums before, or at least from "Watermark" on, the formula stays the same. Highly polished dreamscapes meant to evoke moods, mostly of the relaxed and contented variety. As "Only Time" proved in the aftermath of 9/11, music that aims to calm can still bring beauty to a tragic situation, and peace to troubled hearts. The opening three songs of "A Day Without Rain" could easily be the best ten minutes of music Enya has ever performed. And I, for one, will not moan over the disc's brevity. Better to have a half hour of near perfect artwork than to have it marred by extraneous filler. (Example, the wretched "radio mix" of "Only Time" that crowbarred a hip-hop rhythm track in a ploy to make it airwave friendly.) It takes Enya up to five years to craft her records, and almost to a T, they come out fully formed, seamless whole pieces. If I want more, I always have well worn copies of her other CD's to slip into the disc player. "A Day Without Rain" does contain one jarring surprise, the dark "Tempus Vernum." It will surprise many who view Enya as little more than the empress of bland, as the breif latin chant breaks the surface calm of the album with something a little more stirring. It caught me off gaurd enough that it has become one of my favorite moments on the album, and one of the few times on an Enya album where she breaks the formula. It still makes me hungry for more albums, but I guess I still will have to wait another five years!
Rating:
5 A Day Without Rain
"A Day Without Rain" is a marvelous album, one of Enya's finest. when i first listened to ADWR, i wasn't sure of what i had just heard. I will admit that it took a couple listens before i was able to see it's beauty and colors. Every song on ADWR is pure bliss, but quite different from what Enya has previously set out to accomplish. Enya sounds more focused with her music, as if she has found this hidden joy inside of her that is just BEGINNING to surface. Standout tracks include: Tempus Vernum/Deora Ar Mo Chroi, Flora's Secret, One By One, Lazy Days, and seriously all the rest. Flora's Secret just sends me soaring, something that her music rarely achieves. I have been a fan of Enya for about 5 years now, and i must say that ADWR is a welcome surprise and is my favorite of her's. It has not left my CD player since i got it, now its your turn!
Rating:
3 pretty, but nothing new
Enya's music has been a part of my life for almost 15 years now and I've loved every album she has released - until now. Now I don't hate this album at all, it's still Enya and it's still pretty but it's so formulaic. The sound she explored on her previous album is capitalized here to repetitive effect. The same drums, the same plucky keyboard strings, the same overlayered vocals that are signature to her sound (and sound gorgeous on her previous releases) aren't as fresh here. Even the chant 'tempus vernum' is little more than a 'pax deorum' part 2. Each previous album had it's own unique sonic soundscape and this new one just doesn't stand out to me as much I suppose. I guess I prefer her darker, more stark soundscapes she explored on Shepherd Moons and The Lord Of The Rings. Now, all that said, I still listen to this CD believe it or not. ^ . ^ As I said at the beginning, it's still Enya, and it's still pretty... it's still haunting as always... and if you are a die hard Enya fan, you really must have this.Tracks like "deora ar mo chroi" alone make this CD worth while, it's one of her most gorgeous music moments in her entire career. ALSO, I reccomend her latest CD set that comiles many tracks from all of her works. It's much more complete than Paint The Sky With Stars and it contains the best off of this and her others.
Rating:
5 The Magician of the Irish Princess
This CD contais the marvelous Only Time, which was one of the soundtracks of "Sweet November". It's gorgeous. Enya continues being my favourist singer of all time. Her voice is amazing and in each of her CDs you have something very special. Wild Child is a piece that tell us how to take advantage of every single moment of all our lives. Again the singer and composer tell us to seize the day. In Only Time we found roads that leads to love. The song is perfect for the film. It is dificult to elicit the best song, because all of them has a peculiar charateristic.The CD is wraped up with "Lazy Days", contrasting, in my opinion, hardworking days with the relaxing ones".You listen to Enya once and then you'll be completely adicted to her gorgeous voice. You just get very anxious to get her next CD.
Rating:
4 Crazy amazing day!
Enya is back and better than ever. Her music still has the ability to touch you inner emotions, and sets your spirit singing. There is not one mediocre song on the entire CD. I feel the best songs to be One by One, Flora's Secret & Lazy Days, with it's very uplifting tempo. Enya still intertwines instrumental pieces throughout her works, which are great intermissions between her vocal pieces. Once again Enya adds her very powerful and dramatic feelings to her non english songs, such as the Latin Tempus Vernum, which carries the theme of the seasons. The only flaw and the reason that I am rating A Day Without Rain with 4 stars is due to the album being to short. Just as you are ready for more it's over. The CD definitely could have used another 1 or 2 songs like the Japanese version which includes Isobella. Enya thank you for providing sophisticated and elegant music.
Rating:
5 WORTH THE WAIT...and under rated
I'm appalled by some of the reviews I've seen for this album. My day is not complete without listening to it. It's a "brighter" side of Enya. Her last album, 1995's "The Memory Of Trees", was beautiful but dark, with full heart-tugging melodies and thought-provoking lyrics. "A Day Without Rain" is much simpler, but still just as beautiful. She continues her tradition of having the title track of her album an instrumental track, and "A Day Without Rain" is a beautiful song. Some people complain that she doesn't sing on all of the songs - but they forget that Enya plays all instruments on her albums, and that every vocal you hear is Enya's. No wonder it takes so long for Enya to record her albums. Stand-out tracks: Wild Child (for the Kokopeli [spell] in all of us), Only Time (first single/video - FANTASTIC), Fallen Embers (great wedding song), One By One, and Lazy Days. Enya is a genre in herself. Hopefully, her next album won't take 5 years to complete, but even if it does, my copy of "A Day Without Rain" will not leave my cd player, and probably still won't long after her next masterpiece is set out into the world.
Rating:
4 Another wonderful chapter...
Yet again, Enya has provided a magical tapestry of music to delightus. As the Amazon reviewer indicated, her music has a "regalmysticism" that is hard to quantify.Personally, my favoritehas always been "Shepherd Moons", followed by"Watermark". This new album is an improvement on "TheMemory of Trees", but as others have stated, there is nothing newhere.Not that that is altogether a bad thing. "WildChild" and "Flora's Secret" are wonderfully hummableand infectous. All of the cuts have Enya's particular and unique brandof synth-harmonics and "regal mysticism" that seem to touchlisteners so deeply (albeit somewhat lightly here). My only realcomplaint is that the disc is simply not very long. The CD clocks inat just under 35 minutes. The relative brevity of the CD may bealright from an artist's viewpoint of making a complete statement, nomatter the time limit, and the work is finished. But I personallywould not have minded another cut or two after five years.Still,the disc is a keeper. After all, whether Monet paints a wall mural ora postcard, it is still a Monet. This work is lighter than Enya'sprevious efforts, more like a bright sunny Spring day.The disccannot help but be popular. I do not believe that Enya has listeners,or even fans. She has followers. Her creations that resonate so deeplywith so many different people call to mind the timeless, thehistorical, the magical, the depth of longing, a touch of melancholy,and tales of kings, queens, castles and dragons. In short, that's what"regal mysticism" is all about, and Enya produces it withmusic. Such gifts are rare.
Rating:
5 Enya Succeeds Again!
Though this CD might be short, it is definitely worth every penny. It enchants, enlivens, brightens, and relaxes your day. It starts off with "A Day Without Rain", a song closely akin to "Shepherd Moons", with ethereal vocals and a strong piano line. "Wild Child" is an easily accessible pop-like number along the same vein as "Caribbean Blue". The pizzicato strings sound as fresh as ever here, and Roma Ryan, Enya's lyricist, seems to be broadening her horizons with slightly more experimental lyrics. "Only Time" is hypnotic, with a slow 4/4 rhythm and dreamy vocals. In the interludes of phoenetic singing, the bass line has a small change in between phrases that gives the song added magic. "Tempus Vernum" is a heavy, latin song which has a very Gothic, ominous feel. It brings your mind into a dimension of storminess and cloudiness, but it makes you glad to be there. The only problem with this song is that it ends too soon. It seems there should be more afterward. A sweet ballad sung in Gaelic, "Deora Ar Mo Chroi" soothes the soul and mind, and combines Enya's haunting solo vocal with multiple overdubbed interludes. "Flora's Secret" is a quickly moving waltz where Enya's voice almost soars atop the string section, chiming along. I can picture a lawn of couples dancing to this song at an outdoor wedding. "Fallen Embers" consists of Enya's vocals on top of the mix, instead of buried within it with many overdubs. It shows she has genuine vocal talent and doesn't need to hide within layers of studio production. This ballad seems to be a follow-up (and improvement) on "Paint The Sky With Stars". "Silver Inches" is a stunning but all to brief instrumental tune with pizzicato strings and a soft, background string section. "Pilgrim" is another ballad that features Enya's voice up front in the mix. "You cannot change what's over, but only where you go...", she sings, and the music fits it exactly. "One By One" is another upbeat song, which has a beautiful chorus section. It is similar to "Anywhere Is", where the verses are major in key yet the chorus seems to be minor in key. My all time favorite on this CD, and perhaps one of my all time favorite songs period, is the closing track "Lazy Days". It begins like a typical Enya song, and the verses are very pretty with sweet harmonies and an energetic string section. But when the chorus hits: BAM! It becomes so hypnotic and pulling you feel you are on a boat on the ocean letting the waves rock away your problems. Very effective and very powerful. This CD will definitely be in my player for months, or even years to come.
Rating:
4 Awesome!
I greatly enjoyed this CD, however, her work has matured much past this point. I've been a fan of Enya since I heard her song The Celts last year. I'll just rate the songs in the order in which they come on the CD.A Day Without Rain: 5/5 I loved the instrumentals and can listen to it over and over without getting tired of it.Wild Child: 3/5 I find it too contemporary for my tastes, I can only listen to it once or twice before becoming sick of it.Only Time: 4/5 A great song, although hard to comprehend.Tempus Vernum: 5/5 Awesome! The chanting sends chills down my spine.Deora Ar Mo Chroi: 5/5 A good song, showcases Enya's beautiful voice.Flora's Secret: 4/5 Has a nice beat, but the lyrics are mediocre.Fallen Embers: 5/5 Has a mournful touch to it, whcih is a nice break from the more upbeat songs on here.Silver Inches: 4/5 love the instumentals, but would have preferred something more subtanstial than only the harp and violinPilgrim: 5/5 My favorite song on this CD. The lyrics are wonderful, and Enya's voice is breathtaking.One by One: 2/5 Has too much of a pop influence in it for my tastes. The lyrics don't make any sense either.Lazy Days: 2/5 The lyrics don't mean anything and, again, it has toom uch of a pop influence.
Rating:
3 Nice but blah!
Made in CAN in 2000, Serial# 2-85986, Playing Time 37:35I like ENYA, but I'm not an unconditional fan.This is Enya's 6th album (incl. "Paint..."), and presents us once again with charming "dreamy" melodies. Every once in a while, I play a CD and at the end, I'm hungry for more: one of those "is it already over?"Well in this case, it's already over because it's short, not because I wanted more; it's a lovely album, but I found it quite un-inspired: it's like a weak "Shepherd Moons"; I feel like she's writing with a recipe: the sounds are typical, the vocal arrangements are beautiful but predictable; the keyboard playing, with the use of "synthesized" strings, is generally basic.Nothing here that feels "creative", except perhaps "One By One", where some sound textures are a bit innovative for her genre.I enjoyed this (short) disc, but it's probably the last one I would buy if I didn't have any of her other albums; or maybe it would be the first, because it's all better after this: if you like ADWR, you'll LOVE her others...
Rating:
4 Nothing In Particular......................
The only complaint I have of "A Day Without Rain" is the lenth of of the CD, which apparently only clocks in at 34 minutes? What's up with the 2 minutes songs, Enya? When you wait this long for an original recording by an artist of Enya's magnitude, you expect alittle bit more. If Jessica Simpson and Britney Spears can crank out endless cd's of disposable garbage, why on earth can't Enya give us a "double album" of epic porportions like she did on "The Celts"? I think there is a definite market for Enya, and one can never get enough of her trademark sound. She remains consistant and never deviates from her mystical yet familiar sound. Enya's angelic vibe prevails on her latest release "A Day Without Rain". Ironically speaking, the title of her album calls for sunshine when Enya's music clearly evokes a more moody, solemn aura. I believe a darker, edgier album would have more effectively captures her sound, but you can't discredit Enya's newly found optimism. Rather I applaud her apparent "I can see clearly now" inspired revelations, although I long for sounds of her earlier works. "A Day Without Rain" is a perfect follow up for "The Memory of Trees", an almost formulatic replicant. One track celtic, the next track radio friendly Enya pop (if there is such a thing), there is nothing remarkable or distinguishable from the other. There is one advantage for this newest release from Enya. If you happen to have a disc-exchange system on your CD player, you can load all the previous Enya albums in, and play them back to back. "A Day Without Rain" will blend beautifully.
Rating:
5 "A Day Without Rain" is breathtaking and brilliant
I must begin by saying this: Enya is simply and utterly the most amazing artist I have ever discovered, and will surely remain as such for all eternity. Her capability to keep creating albums and songs that are all so different, yet all so amazing and beatiful, is genius!The album begins with the pure and refreshing title track, which is an instrumental. As an added bonus, there are vocals throughout the song by Enya.Then you are taken to a brighter, less serious level in "Wild Child", whose title fits perfectly! This song is joyous and slightly spunky, and reminded me a little of "Anywhere Is".The single and third album track, "Only Time", is calming and reassuring, and seems to say that worry is worthless, since all is in Time's hands."Tempus Vernum" seems to stir up every sense in me. This is easily one of my favorites from the album, and is a Latin chant that crescendos to the very end.The effect that occurs between the fourth and fifth songs is very interesting. When "Tempus Vernum" ends, the background actually fades into the background for "Deora Ar Mo Chroi".This Irish Gaelic song's translations are given in the album booklet, which speak of the earth's voices singing and gentle skies falling. It also mentions the singer's voice rising to the sky and "telling all that I believe in". The song ends with the knowledge that the earth will sing again after night concludes."Flora's Secret" is, surprisingly, a love song. The background sounds very much like the beginning of "Wild Child", but the melody and lyrics differ extremely. This song is light and full of the comfort of love between two people.The seventh song on the album, called "Fallen Embers", seems to tell a personal love story between the singer and someone close her. It is reminiscent of time spent with this person, how nights seemed to last forever, and how their hearts were singing. While the song speaks of love lost, Enya manages to hint at hope and gives the listener a bittersweet reaction."Silver Inches" is a delightful interlude for this album and entertains happily before the ninth track."Pilgrim" is a sober yet retainingly beautiful piece about journeying in self-discovery and life itself.The next song provides another relationship song, "One By One", filled with partings between the characters and then, without outright mention, coming together again. This airy piece begins the conclusion to A DAY WITHOUT RAIN."Lazy Days", I must say, is just about the most perfect ending for a music journey that I can imagine. The lilting track's beginning even gives off an almost "goofy", lighter side of Enya. The piece continues into spending days doing nothing but enjoying the present, and the vocal "chorus" stirs the memory of laughing children.For anyone who is considering purchasing this album, or even if you are not very convinced by now, I URGE you, BUY THIS CD! You will definitely NOT regret it! There is no proper or possible way to describe the effect Enya's music has on the public, and I am sure that my review comes short of its goals, but one important goal has been reached: spreading the joy of Enya and her music!
Rating:
5 Enya's Most Majestic Collection Yet
A Day Without Rain is undoubtedly one of Enya's best-ever albums. Surely the first three songs on the album make it a true masterpiece. The album opens with A Day Without Rain, a track without words, yet so comforting and uplifting your soul will resonate with its message. The second song, Wild Child, is exactly as it says- one of the upbeat tracks, sounding like a playful storm that got away. It leads into Only Time, a softer, quieter song that will lift you into the clouds. Next, Tempus Vernum returns to a louder sound, but more dark and mystical. Many reviewers have complained about Tempus Vernu. I, however, think it adds power to the album and gives it more variance. Tempus Vernum ends suddenly, leading into Deora ar mo chroi, a song for reflection. Flora's Secret is a happy song that will leave you smiling at the lyrics. Fallen Embers is another return to the soft vocals and quieter sounds. You will climb higher on "Silver Inches", journey along with "Pilgrim", march along to "One By One" and float away with "Lazy Days". Enya continues to produce the best soul-soothing music anywhere in the world. An unforgettable, memorable album.
Rating:
2 A day without Enya
While I have always been a huge fan of Enya's beautiful music, my long wait for her 2000 release, after a gap of 5 years...ended...dare I say it?...in disappointment. Was I expecting anything different? Perhaps lovelier melodies, as heard in the timeless "Storms in Africa" or "Faerie Tale", "Orinoco Flow", "Ebudae" "On my way home".....frankly, somehing was missing. I will however mention the one notable exception to my ears: the lovely and enchanting "Lazy Days" , which makes you hum along instantly, in its simplicity and melodic melancholy. While people rave about Enya's "New Age" (I wonder what that is?) music, few people bother to acknowledge the beautiful and mystical lyrics of Roma Ryan, who is, very aptly, half Enya. Her lovely poetic talents shine briefly again in "Lazy Days" and "Wild Child". Perhaps what ruined the mystical experience of enjoying Enya's music was the music itself...or lack of it. Though one could argue that any of these songs could be lifted out of a previous Enya album, to my ears, the music is lacking..in vibrancy...emotiveness...and the spiritual beckoning that was so blissfully present in her earlier works. Perhaps it is time for Enya to try something different...maybe use some different instruments! Having said such a mouthful, I will also venture to say that I would still buy her new music, which is, after all, infintely better than having to listen to bawling boy bands and untalented puerile pre-teens sing insipid tunes to a generation bred on MTV.
Rating:
5 If you like this, you'll like Watermark!!
[look at the track list]!! I love this cd!! I do admit it is a bit short, but that doesn't bug me!! it's worth it! I love wild child, a day without rain, and i just love it!! However, if you like this cd, I can almost guarantee you'll like Watermark too! I have a friend whom i recently went on a trip with, and we were talking about sailor moon and she started humming a version of "Orinoco Flow [sail away]" and said she heard it on the radio and couldn't get it out of her head and i said, "Oh, that's Enya!" She was listening to my DW/OR and Watermark cd's (The only ones i have) for the rest of the trip!! I love enya's stuff, there's a song for every mood you're in, really music for everyone!! A day w/o rain is similar to watermark... both short, both with a couple similar songs... really nice sounds, and on watermark, I love "Orinoco Flow" "Watermark" and "Storms in Africa {I and II}" !! I would just buy the Cd, but if what everyone else is saying about length bugs you, rent it from the library first.
Rating:
4 11 tracks, without unnecessary percussion
The various tracks have lyrics sung in English except where otherwise noted. Enya composed and sang all the songs, as well as performing all the accompaniment (including non-lyrical voices). Roma Ryan wrote the lyrics, while Nicky Ryan helped arrange the songs.I bought this primarily to get what I consider the *good* arrangement of "Only Time" (more about that below), but I've come to enjoy the other songs as well."A Day without Rain" has no lyrics in any language; it's essentially instrumental. The piece is dominated by a very clear solo piano, which I personally always associate with water imagery in Enya's music."Wild Child" Very clear lyrics, with the refrain "What a day / what a day to take to / a wild child"."Only Time" has two arrangements that I'm aware of; *this* is the arrangement that *hasn't* been marred by unnecessary percussion accompaniment. (While Enya ordinarily can do no wrong, whoever arranged the percussive version seems to have been oblivious to the typical feel of her music.) In this arrangement, the accompaniment is dominated by staccato string, without any percussion at all."Tempus Vernum" (Latin for "Springtime") sung in Latin, has a comparatively long instrumental prologue, dominated by violin and deeper-voiced string instruments. Even when the singing does begin, it's softer than the driving accompaniment, which is of the dramatic steeple-chasing variety."Deora ar mo chroi" (Tears on My Heart) is sung in Gaelic (although the accompanying booklet inside the CD gives the English translation first). This song is very much dominated by Enya's lyrics, with some non-lyrical vocal accompaniment, and some rather low-key keyboard accompaniment that only becomes noticeable during the choruses."Flora's Secret" Rather staccato arrangement in waltz tempo, mainly string but with a little bit of bass drum. "Lovers in the long grass / look above them / only they can see / where the clouds are going / only to discover / dust and sunlight / ever make the sky so blue.""Fallen Embers" Primarily accompanied by piano but including keyboard. "Once, when the night seemed forever / I was with you.""Silver Inches" - Instrumental only, staccato string with non-lyrical vocals. Waltz tempo, string dominated by violin (but plucked rather than bowed), with keyboard phasing in only partway through the piece."Pilgrim" is dominated by Enya's singing, with very soft accompaniment so that the lyrics are very easy to follow. Even on the chorus, the accompaniment's volume is kept in check so that she's easy to understand. "Each heart is a pilgrim, / each one wants to know / the reason where the winds die / and where the stories go. / Pilgrim in your journey / you may travel far...""One by One" is again sung very clearly with quiet string-dominated accompaniment, so that the lyrics are easy to follow. The refrain is "she says Adios, says Adios, Goodbye. / One by one my leaves fall. / One by one my tales are told.""Lazy Days" is driven by a staccato string accompaniment (both plucked strings and very sharp bow work on violin), but at a faster tempo than that of the good arrangement of "Only Time", to the point that it makes me think of images of horses running in slow motion; not *very* fast, but the impression is of movement at a stately pace.
Rating:
5 Angels From Heaven!
I never listened to New Age music but was put on to it after seeing Enya perform on David Letterman many years ago. Her distinct style of vocal harmony and use of layered synthesis caught my attention. Could it be that what I was hearing was today's equivalent of a modern day,new-age pop Beethoven?Well, if this is what angels sound like in heaven, I am going to like it there. This entire album is soothing and a joy to chill out with. The best tracks are the trademark "Only In Time", "A Day Without Rain" and what would make a wonderful movie soundtrack, "Tempus Vernum".It's a nice change up to the noise coming out today. Stressed out at the office or dread coming home on that long commute? Having trouble falling asleep at night? Get this album. Listen to this wonderful masterpiece of art because someone like this doesn't come along very often in our lifetime.
Rating:
5 Enya' s "A Day Without Rain"
From the grand country of Scotland comes an artist of great talents. The remarkable and soothing voice of the famous Enya sets the mood for relaxation. The melodious harmonies from her music has given her loyal fans a sense of peace and serenity. Enya, with a sense of flow in her music, has a unique style like no other. Each of her songs have movement. Also, in most of her songs, Enya sings in one key tone, but then shifts to another tone at any point in the song. From her album "A Day Without Rain", the track "Only Time" is a perfect example of this feature. The album "A Day Without Rain" is worth buying in order to experience the Celtic styles of Enya. Enya's ever popular song "Only Time" contains music with such tranquility and composure. It also has soft tones that can help unwind the daily stress we all seem to experience. Another song from this album, "Flora's Secret", is another song with much sweetness. It is a very happy and cheery song with much joy and excitement. The title track "A Day Without Rain" is a very powerful and melodious song that is a part of Enya's album. Although Enya does not sing in this song, it still has the same distinct style that is being carried in her songs. Another song, "Lazy Days", is another song with a rhythm added to it. There is the same style of different tones used in the song. Each of Enya's songs has a different harmony that greatly influences and creates the sense of placidity.Enya's music seems to be very healthy and good for the soul because it doesn't contain harsh tones or inappropriate language that can send a negative message. It is her lyrics and styles of music that make her songs so beautiful, elegant, and apposite for listeners to hear. In fact, Enya's music is suitable for all ages, young and old. Her songs are traditional, fairytale-like songs, each telling a different story. Enya's music is awe-inspiring and sends a positive message to her fans.The artist from Scotland has so much to offer. Enya has accomplished to create songs of such significance and meaning. They bring pleasure and a sense of peace. Also, Enya's music is very appropriate for all ages and is good to listen to anytime of the day. Let Enya's harmonies fill your heart with joy, peace, and tranquility through her album "A Day Without Rain".
