From: jil@linus.mitre.org (Jon Leivent)
Subject: Re: In Concert
Organization: Research Computer Facility, The MITRE Corporation, Bedford MA
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 17:07:45 GMT


farrell@news.cis.ohio-state.edu (christopher k farrell) writes:
> For all of you who like Sarah McLauchlan, I'm afraid I can't agree.


If you're really into classical music, and are questioning Sarah
McLachlan's artistic ability, take a listen to the track "Uphill
Battle" on the Touch album.  It's a classical/modern instrumental,
where she plays classical guitar.  It is nice the way she captures the
theme generated by the title - a rising piece that never quite seems
to overcome the struggle to reach its climax.

> She doesn't use the instrumentation she has very well, the tunes
> lack the variety I've come to expect from Enya and Loreena McKinnet,
> the lyrics are superficial and not particularly meaningful

I do think Sarah has some interesting lyrics.  Many times, she tries
to say too much to fit into a single song - and looses in that
respect. Also, her mood generating pieces tend to be very melancholic
(Mercy, Shelter, Black) - not a bad thing, but, as you said, lacking
in variety.  In contrast, Loreena takes one from druidic fervor (All
Souls Night) to philosophical melancholy (Cymbelene (sp?)).

> Sarah, on the other hand, seems to spend a chunk of time singing
> just a little out of tune.

I will have to agree with you about Sarah's voice - it isn't as
flawless as Enya's or nearly as moving as Loreena's.  In fact, Sarah
often sounds to me like she's whining from the force of her own
emotion.  No match for Enya's angelic voice, nor for Loreena's pagan
priestess voice.  But if all I listened to was Enya and Loreena, I'd
only have 4 albums (I'm going to try to order Elemental and Parallel
Dreams from an importer).  Sarah, at least, gives me 2 more.

Also, I have purchased several Clannad albums, looking for similar
sounding fare.  There are some tracks to my liking (Poison Glen,
Wilderness, Re Na Cuinne, Maid Marion), but not enough to listen to a
whole album.  I just got Maire's solo album, and have the same
problem.  

> Here's what I think Enya should work on next (or, at least what would
> make me revere her for all eternity if she did):  a song cycle.

I have managed to piece together a "song cycle" tape, sort of a
druidic life cycle: Re Na Cuinne (birth/creation - don't know if the
lyrics fit, but the booming bass does), Dobhor, Tango To Evora
(youth), All Souls Night (rights of passage), Between the Shadows,
Courtyard Lullaby (adulthood, settling down - "hear the pulse of the
land"), Poison Glen (cultural/ancestral ties - "feeling spirits from
long ago"), Wilderness (life), The Old Ways (love & loss - "but it was
then I felt the crossroads of time"), Cymbelene (death), Maid Marion
(eternal rest - really sounds wonderful after Cymbelene).  It needs a
piece about later life before Cymbelene - I was thinking of putting
the Clannad instrumental Drifting there, but it sounded out of place.
Maybe I'll try Maire's Land of Youth (reach for immorality).  Or
Enya's Ebudae (sort of a "life marches on" piece), or The Sun in the
Stream, or I Want Tomorrow.  Any ideas?


-- Jon Leivent
Newsgroups: alt.music.enya