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I love Enya. That being said, I was hoping for a little more on this CD. I love what she's done with the old standards, especially O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (one of my favorite advent melodies), but overall, I could have wished for a little LESS similarity in her backup chords. (Roy Orbison fell into that pit, too. The song may have changed, but hunks of the instrumentals were interchangeable.) I should also point out that I listened to this on a bright, sunny, clean-snow day, after Christmas and well along toward spring. I might have graded it higher had I listened to it when I should have - in the dreary, dirty-snow, sleeting, lonely days that just keep getting darker and I'm all alone with some tea, a blanket, Christmas barely in sight, and only Enya and my thoughts as my company. I'm glad I have it, but I won't be playing it a lot. NBRRead full review
If there is one album you should have in your collection this year, it has to be this one. There is a reason why it reached #1 on Amazon's best seller list! This is the release of the year. Every track is outstanding in its own way, there isn't a bad song on it. And Winter Came is Enya's first "winter themed" album. Some may think of it as a "Christmas" album. Here is a breakdown of what to expect when you listen to the album. 1. And Winter Came-The album opener, an instrumental. This is a reworking of a b-side track from Enya called "Midnight Blue" (available on the Wild Child single if you want to hear it) Nice opener, the beginning of the song is the best part. I think an excellent job was done with the tweaking. 2. Journey Of The Angels-A slow, traditional/religious carol. Said by Roma Ryan (lyricist) to be the story of the nativity as it would be written in the 21st century. Gorgeous song. 3. White Is In The Winter Night-A fun, upbeat song. Enya describes it as "very descriptive" and "a song to join in on" which I think is a fairly accurate way of putting it. Its lyrics are quite catchy. This is said to be the second single pulled from the album. 4. O Come O Come Emmanuel-This has to be the most exquisite rendition of this song I have ever heard. If this doesn't leave you with goose bumps, I don't know what will! The lyrics, the arrangement, her voice, just beautiful. The best on the album. 5. Trains And Winter Rains-Everyone knows this one! It reminds me of a mixture of past Enya songs (The Magic of the Night, May It Be, some say Orinoco Flow) Somewhat dark sounding. It's about a journey, there's no turning back. It's the first single taken from the album and I think it was a nice choice. 6. Dreams Are More Precious-This one reminds me of Once You Had Gold, but much better all around. It could be thought of as the "lullaby" of this album. 7. Last Time By Moonlight-This can be thought of as one of her fine moments in song. The lyrics are very moving. The strongest lyrics: Oh, remember this/for no one knows/the way love goes 8. One Toy Soldier-A Long Long Journey-esque song. To quote Roma: "One Toy Soldier is basically a children's song, a song about a little toy soldier. He's a favorite toy. He's been in the family for many years, he's like an heirloom, and as with all things that have been with you for a long time, he's not perfect, he's broken, his little drum is broken." An inspirational piece. 9. Stars And Midnight Blue-On some parts of this song, she almost sounds like her sister Moya. This song reminds me of If I Can Be Where You Are, but much better executed. 10. The Spirit Of Christmas Past-Based on Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol". Very wonderfully done. Lyric sample: When tears are in your eyes/it's time to look inside/your heart can find another way 11. My! My! Time Flies!-This is an upbeat, catchy song that is most different from Enya, but at the same time, not radically different. It's a tribute to the late Jimmy Faulkner. There is a clever reference to The Beatles in the song and some nice blues guitar. The most surprising track on the album. Said to be the possible third single. 12. Oiche Chiuin (chorale)-A remake of her classic rendition of Oiche Chiuin (Silent Night) Richer sound, improved from the original. It's done in the fashion of tracks on Watermark.Read full review
I thought initially that this album might have a lot of Christmas music, but there were only two songs - O Come Emanuel and an awesome choir version of Silent Night (in Galliec). Other songs that she wrote herself might mention Christmas at some point, but were definitely not Christmas carols. I actually LOVE this album - and once you realize that Enya plays many of the instruments herself, and mixes tracks herself - well, she's pretty amazing! So I would recommend this to anyone who likes Enya. Her music is generally available on the Internet if you want to find the sheet music.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Yes, it's October and I'm playing this Christmas music in my car:-) I purchased it because I like Enya and thought to have her Christmas cd would be perfect for the holidays. I felt her soothing voice would be a great addition to creating a relaxing atmosphere for a cold winter day. As for playing it in my car at this time I have found that it is equally soothing to my 10 month old son!! Bonus!
"And Winter Came..." is much more like Enya's albums prior to "Amarantine". The sound is a lush, layered sound so perfect for winter, with its cool, dark nights of memories and dreams. Her layered vocals, with an airy, dreamlike quality, really evoke impressions of the varied hazes and textures of a snowfall. Despite this, it's not a cold or intangible album; it's full of warmth and love. All tracks are stand-out; I really didn't feel a lull at all while listening to this CD. There's also a nice surprise near the end of the CD, something you wouldn't expect from Enya, but it works! She could make anything work, obviously. It it so difficult to pick a favorite track because they all really speak for themselves and stand alone, yet meld seamlessly together to form a fully-rounded album. "O Come, O Come Emmanuel", however, will almost make saps like me cry with its power. Great album, possibly my favorite Enya release (and that's saying a lot, as I have a tough time choosing). Perfect for anytime listening, but so splendid for Winter! The woman & her team know what they're doing in terms of artistry; very few can paint a picture with music and they do it beautifully.Read full review
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