Watermark - Enya > Reviews (5)

Part 1 (Enya, Watermark)

Ok this is going to be a four part series, and this is by far the longest of the four as it will not just be a review of the album, but will also include the history of Enya!

It would have been a five part series but someone stole my Paint The Sky With The Stars album (the 4th of 5 albums released by Enya) so I can't review it, as I never got round to replacing it and it was as I remember the worst of the 5 anyway!

Ok Enya is an Irish Singer, song writer of classic ballads, Irish folk music producer and producer of some quite famous film sound tracks:-

I.e. Far and Away (Tom Cruise & Nicole Kidman), LA Story (Steve Martin) English Patient (I have never seen it so have no idea who is in it) and that is just to name a few of the main ones.

The music produced by Enya is the type of music which will have you showing one of two emmotions total love or total hatred, it is, it can be said an aquired taste which will not appeal to all. Some of the singing is in gaelic, which although I can not understand any of, just adds to my fantasy.

Originally Enya was part of the family music band that was Clannad! Made famous and only really becoming widely known after doing the sound for a little remembered t.v. programme call Robin of Sherwood (The Hooded Man), which was quite famous in it's day (the early 80's) and was most boy's fantasy world at the time! Not to mention that Robin Hood was played by Michael Pread (followed by Jason Connery the son of Sean) and that was EVERY girls fantasy!

Anyway, Enya was the lead singer of this family band, but as fame played it's toll on the family, a split became too much a reality and Enya abruptly decided to break off the relationship and pursue a solo career (which apparently cost her all family ties until about 2 years ago which is why nothing was released from Enya for the last two years, she was making up with the family).

Enya releases a song!

So 3 years passed with nothing then suddenly with out any warning to the awaiting masses:

Orinoco Flow!

Nothing like this has ever hit the British charts before and the critics are totally stunned as it enters straight into no.1 and stays there for 7 weeks, also remaining in the top 100 for an amazing 42 weeks. Believe me, it is hard being 16yrs old going into your local college pub and while everyone is playing Nirvana on the dukebox you come along and stick Enya on (some interesting responses where the result, which can not be written for sake of refraining from violent language).

So finally after such a long wait the album Watermark was released and went straight to no.1 in the album charts where it stayed for about 10 weeks and believe it or not actually still after 13years, re-enters the top100 (I think it may just about have lasted the test of time by now).

The Album Itself
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Titles
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1. Watermark
2. Cursum Perficio
3. On Your Shore
4. Storms in Africa
5. Exile
6. Miss Clare Remember
7. Orinoco Flow
8. Evening Falls...
9. River
10.The Long Ships
11.Na Laetha Geal M'oinge

Watermark
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This first song is what symbolises Enya, it is quite a slow piono piece, which has been used on many drama programs and romantic period programs to show love and effection.

It is also one of my favorites and after wearing the tape out cost me, the bargain price of £7.99 from Our Price recently to replace on CD.
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Cursum Perficio (I have no idea what this or the other gaelic ones mean)
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This is a slightly faster track which is sung in gaelic and is almost like listening to gregorian monks(something like that anyway). It is a rather pleasent track which is quite uplifting, which is played with lots of violin and vocals.
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On Your Shore
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This is a very slow and romantic number which is about a young lady that finds herself in the arms of her loved one and yet she can not hold him long enough. I personally find this song a little bit depressing and find myself close to tears listening to it (Some really heavy memories are attached to me and probably the young lady I was with at the time, with this song).
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Storms In Africa
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This is a really fast tune that is predominently played with the harp and some background humming in gaelic. This track was never released but got great recognition after being used in the film LA Story, also used in one of the episodes of Southparks's first series, also it is the sound used on one of the many Southpark screen savers available.
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Exile
*****

This is without a doubt may favourite Enya song and is probably one of the most romantic that was released, making no.1 for 5 weeks. This is the most famous of the 3 tracks on this album used in the film LA Story. If you have seen the film you may remember the bit where Steve Martin stands talking to a traffic inforamtion board, well when he finally realises that he is madly in love with this english woman (his real time wife, can't remember her name) this music is playing! Ohh a deep sigh from me!
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Miss Clare Remember
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This is another piano piece which is very classic Enya, a little slower than her later stuff and much better in my opinion, but it is a let down after the last track.
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Orinoco Flow
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I think I mentioned enough about this one earlier so I will not mention it again now.
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Evening Falls...
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This is another very romantic and tearful song and the 3rd used in LA Story! This is a mixture of pure voice, with a little harp and cello in the background. If you are alone and depressed with a bottle of Vodka do not AND I MEAN DO NOT listen to this track.
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River
*****

This song is very similar to Storms of Africa except it is is played a bit slower and gentler.

Probably the least outstanding on the album although still good.
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The Long Ships
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This is a strong gaelic song using lots of base and an almost eary form of singing which, even if I understood gaelic would probably have difficulty getting to grips with. Although drugs are highly illegal and nobody should partake in the smoking of cannibis, this is one of those ultimate makes you feel sexy songs should you have ever partaken in such things in your youth (I am not admitting to anything like that though).
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Na Laetha Geal M'oige
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This song also a very strong gaelic song, which compliments the last very well and is played in a similar style. The comments for the last song apply to this song even more. This song brings the album to a close and does it very well, with a little bit of gentle irish bagpipes in the background (not enough to scare you or put you off)

So if you managed to read this far you either love Enya or deserve a medal, but thanks for giving me 10 minutes of your life.

Make your own mind up about Enya, love her, hate her, but don't ever say she is not a timeless classic because you would be very wrong.

Many original type sounds of this nature came and went with reletively little recognition in the late 80's the best know probably being Enigma, but the one and only music that survived and has thrived ever since is Enya.

Thanks Tom

Part 2 will be just a review of The Celts Album and will be much shorter so please read that and the other 2 to follow too. But after writing this it may take a couple of days to recover.