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 - Presenting Enya : The Bored and Tired Multi-MillionaireWhat went wrong? As an avid listener of Enya since 1988 (when I first saw "Orinoco Flow" on the UK Show Top of the Pops), it disappoints me that she could release something this sub-standard and mediocre. Where is the beauty of "Watermark" and "Shepherd Moons"? We all know that Enya likes to stick to her formulaic music, which is a good thing because she can do it well, and has created some beautiful songs in the process. Remember "Ebudae", "On My Way Home" and "Storms in Africa"? Those were byproducts of the genius that is Enya and her dream team of Roma and Nicky Ryan. On this new album, even though the same team is in place, things go awfully wrong. I would put this down to Enya's inability to move with the times. Now, an artist need NOT move with the times, but when you're making World Music, instrumentation is key, and the problem is, the last five years have seen some amazing world music and Celtic Music releases, that makes this album feel like a footnote in Enya's career, rather than a standout release. I seriously think that Enya's real-life sister Maire Brennan's last album was infinitely better than this. First of all, Enya's voice has never sounded more vocoded or `computerized' than here. The lush melodies wash over it, and though its possibly as beautiful as ever, I have to wonder why they did this to her voice. Secondly, its as if the producers took the same songs from her last album "A Day Without Rain", and rehashed the SAME melodies for this record. Which is fine, but some of these songs sound exactly the same as the last album. Come on Enya, is this the best you can do? Apparently it is, because lead single `Amarantine' is dead upon arrival. Just listen to it. Its silly, nonsensical, dentist waiting-room muzak, and its not even dressed up passably. The worst part of it is that if you thought Enya's lyrics were meaningless and `filler', you have no idea how pointless the lyrics on this album are. I hate to rain on Enya's parade, but this simply won't do. At one point I thought that this album was probably one of those albums that artists HAVE to record simply to fulfill a record contract obligation (much like Tori Amos' "Strange Little Girls" - an abomination in its' own right). At the end of it, the whole album comes off as a curious piece that has no business being released in this day and age. The last year has been especially miserable for lovers of true world music, as this tepid CD was followed by the even more misguided `An Ancient Muse' by Loreena McKennitt. Now, Enya and Loreena both have their core audiences, but they seem to have left their true musical roots and genius back in the 1990s (Enya had her masterwork "Shepherd Moons", while Loreena had her "The Mask and Mirror"). Now, these two artists sound like has-beens from a bygone era, and they most certainly seem to have `lost it'. I would say that you can skip this mind-numbingly pointless album, and check out Enya's back-catalog - most of her `90s albums are fantastic. On this CD, Enya comes across as bored and lethargic, and the play-by-numbers approach certainly lends nothing special to the music. If that sort of thing is your bag, you might want to check this out (be warned though, that even severe Enya addicts have quit her after the release of this monstrosity). Two Stars. Not Recommended. A huge letdown for World Music. Rating:  - A much angrier EnyaI've been a huge enya fan since my college days. I listened to Shepherd Moons and I would play my harp to "Caribbean Blue" in my farternity house basement. Enya always seemed bubbly and happy and optimistic. Well, those days are over. This is a very angry Enya album. It's almost like the Sith Lord brought her over to the dark side and let her anger flow. There are several tracks on this where she just seems fed up with the establishment and she holds nothing back in unleashing her fury. This is not an album for someone that is soft. Enya takes the ball into the paint, lays down a drop step and slams this ball home on Shaq's head. She doesn't apologize for it either. This is much like a Nine Inch Nails CD, only darker. There are themes on this that made me a little uncomfortable to make pop tarts for a snack. I felt like this album reached out of the stereo and yelled at me for an hour. I'm not going to lie, I enjoy the Cd because everything isn't bright and sunny all of the time. If it was, we'd all just drive Honda's and drink tea all summer. This type of transformation is not unheard of in the realm of new age music. Burns is quite simply the world's greatest keyboard player. When he took a hiatus from Asschowder a few months ago, he unleashed some hard core keyboard music dealing with sandwiches and Nascar that quite frakly, the world wasn't ready to hear. He just got out the keyboard and explored the space. He sent the pain below and showed the world a side of Burns that hadn't been seen since his triple double versus Rhombus in 1991. Burns gets women, has money and is the best keyboard player in the world. Yes, that should make you happy, but Burns is often misunderstood and his release "Keyboard Mosh Pit" sent a message that Burns isn't always smurfy. Enya sent that same message home on this platter. Rating: - Standard New Age formulaBack in the '90s,I was an avid Enya fan."Shepherd Moons" initiated me into her pecular Celtic brilliance.In college,I added "Memory of Trees","The Celts" and "Watermark" to my collection.Every song was different,from the threnody of "Cursum Perficio" to the thrilling "Orinoco Flow",the sensual "Lothlorien" and the powerful "Hope has a place." Enya sang the great "May it be" for the Lord of the Rings trilogy;she seemed posied for further triumphs. Then the font of inspiration began to run dry in "Day without rain." "Amarantine" is nostalgic in some ways,recalling earlier,better albums.It's formulaic,pop-ified New Age music.The title song has the syrupy lyrics "love is love is." "If I could be where you are" is filled with trite longing."The River Sings" is in Roma Ryan's pseudo-Tolkien "Loxian",and it's a blander version of better,earthier songs in "The Celts." "Sumiregusa" sounded promising as a fusion of Celtic and Japanese music;it does have its beautiful moments,glinting like stars through clouds,but it tends to be as forced as a loveless arranged marriage. "Amarantine" lacks Enya's usual fire&passion.Its few highlights are the spiritual,Eastern (and in "Loxian"),"Less than a Pearl." "Amid the falling snow" is brief,and beautiful.It evokes a winter wonderland-no wonder it was on Enya's recent Christmas album.Finally,"It's in the rain" is the best piece,its zenith.It's melancholy,passionate,an oasis in a parched land of inspiration.One could imagine the song accompanying a story of forbidden love. "Memory of Trees" was Enya's last great album;it was released 11 yrs ago.Sadly,"Amarantine" falls well short of Enya's musical prowess.It's cliched,easy-listening,and trite.One hopes that Enya's current respite from making albums is giving her a chance to get some spiritual&musical invigoration.As a fan,I hope she will return to the originality and creativity she once had. Rating:  - Maybe I'm expecting too much,but I was disappointed with this CD. I have loved all the previous original Enya CD's. This one left me feeling flat. Maybe I'd best stay will the previous ones. I thought that the songs that were attributed to other authors weren't as good. And in fact I didn't realize that they were other authors until after listening to the CD, I read the entire information to see what was going on. I'll listen to it a couple more times to see if it "grows" on me, but I'm not looking forward to it. Rating:  - Enya AmarantineI was very excited to receive the CD. It was everything I expected it to be and if needed I would purchase it all over again!
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