Amarantine | 
| Artist: Enya
Label: Reprise / Wea
List Price: $18.98
Buy New: $6.30
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Rating:  285 reviews
Sales Rank: 1304
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 4.9 x 0.4
MPN: 49474
UPC: 093624947424
EAN: 0093624947424
ASIN: B000B8QEYC
Release Date: November 22, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand New - Factory Sealed - Shipped from Florida via USPS First class mail. We ONLY sell what we have in stock. NO back orders here.Import Edition
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| Tracks:
| • | Less Than A Pearl | | • | Amarantine | | • | It's In The Rain | | • | If I Could Be Where You Are | | • | The River Sings | | • | Long Long Journey | | • | Sumiregusa | | • | Someone Said Goodbye | | • | A Moment Lost | | • | Drifting | | • | Amid The Falling Snow | | • | Water Shows The Hidden Heart |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
From the first blanket of choral voices awash in reverb, Amarantine is instantly recognizable as a product of Enya, the Irish chanteuse who has created a genre unto herself. Although it's been five years since her last CD, on Amarantine it's as if time stood still. The triumvirate of Enya, lyricist Roma Ryan, and producer Nicky Ryan work the formula they perfected on Watermark, layering her voice in lush choirs pushed along by pizzicato synth strings, swooning orchestral pads, and harpsichord arpeggios. On tracks like "Less Than a Pearl" and "Drifting," Enya flirts with a timeless sound born in gothic chants and hymns. The former is one of three songs that she sings in Roma Ryan's fictitious language of Loxian. It seems to free her, especially on "The River Sings," a veritable rave-up where she gets the tribal choir going in the style of Scottish mouth music. But to get there you have to slog through slo-mo ballads that manage to be dirge-like and singsong at the same time, like the Carpenters on Quaaludes. The relatively restrained arrangement of "It's in the Rain" almost attains a folk-like simplicity that Enya hasn't experienced since she sang with her siblings in Clannad a quarter-century ago. Amarantine sounds like it was born in cloistered solitude, self-referentially echoing Enya albums past. --John Diliberto More Enya 
The Celts | 
Watermark | 
Shepherd Moons | 
The Memory of Trees | 
A Day Without Rain | 
Paint the Sky with Stars: The Best of Enya |
Album Description
The first album in five years from Enya follows the biggest-selling album of her illustrious career, the six-times platinum A Day Without Rain, which transcended all commercial expectations. Having sold more than 50 million albums worldwide, Enya is one of the most successful female artists of all time and second only to U2 as the biggest selling Irish artist in history.
Album Description
Japanese two-disc pressing features her 2005 album coupled with a Christmas EP. Warner. 2006.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 280 more reviews...
 ...rhymes with "Honor On Time." :o) November 22, 2005
Douglas Vencill (San Diego, CA USA)
359 out of 407 found this review helpful
Lord, I can hear the cynics & naysayers now...they are gonna LOVE this one. But we'll get to that (briefly) later.
For those of us who knew what quality music was way back in 1986, we suspected upon hearing THE CELTS that a new & vital talent had been sprung upon the world, and with each successive CD, Enya has proven one thing repeatedly: When you find a formula that works, sticking with it is usually a wise thing to cement a devoted fan base. For me, several elements fell together that held me spellbound from the moment I heard my first Enya track (Boadicea) on a radio program called Music from the Hearts of Space: Beautiful use of electronic keyboards. Beautiful songs varying in nature from upbeat ditties to the most heartbreakingly haunting ballads. And, of course, that beautiful, angelic voice, used as a solo instrument unto itself and multi-tracked into the most heavenly of choirs...I'd never heard an artist use her voice in that manner since the days of Jon Anderson, both as a vocalist with Yes and a collaborator with Vangelis. That formula, probably to no one's surprise, thrives and survives on Amarantine. To be honest and fair, the previously alluded-to cynics & naysayers will sigh and say, "...just another Enya disc." Let them say what they will. Dedicated Enya fans such as myself will, I am certain, LOVE this new recording and sing its praises for years to come.
The opening track, Less Than A Pearl, is a classic opening Enya track, with a majestic chorus of "Ahhh's" that will have you singing along with her immediately. The title piece: there's the hit single formula again, with the pizzicato electronic strings and the typical light melody--sure to be another in her string of hits & instantly likeable. It's In The Rain: a wistful waltz-tempo piece that does, indeed, sound as if it could have come from her previous disc. If I Could Be Where You Are: the first of the meditative ballads we've come to love (a la "On Your Shore") wherein she sings of missing her loved one terribly. This, speaking for myself, is the main thing I've come to love Enya's music for...her unique gift of balladry. The River Sings is an uptempo track with percussion that lifts us from the pangs of the previous track into realms of joy & spiritual bliss. Long Long Journey: A midtempo song reminding us of the pain of being away from all we know and love coupled with the certain optimism of knowing we'll be home soon...somewhere we've all been. Sumiregusa (Wild Violet): Enya's first excursion into Japanese poetry and a truly beautiful meditation in every way possible. Someone Said Goodbye: This is turning into one of my favorite tracks so far, and I'm guessing it could be her second single. It has a relaxing, almost swing tempo to it in a lighthearted-approach that belies yet another exploration of the sadness & complications involved in loving another human being. A Moment Lost: Another ballad telling of the regrets involved in the ending of a relationship, taking the not-very-often approached path of showing admiration for the now former object of our affection ("How strong, how brave, how true of you to bear the hurt I gave. I know it tears your heart in two; all I've said, all I say to you.") Wow. Drifting: One of Enya's classic instrumentals, sad & wistful with the addition of some nice cello sounds to round out the piano & synths...could have served as the opening track to the CD as well. Amid The Falling Snow: A reminiscence of childhood, gazing out the window and watching the beauty of a silent snowfall, this track could pass as a nice addition to a Christmas collection as well. Very nice. And finally, Water Shows The Hidden Heart: A fitting closing piece, in slow waltz-tempo, & one of 3 tracks in which Enya sings in Roma Ryan's "Loxian" language from her book of the same title. Very pleasant sounding language it is, too. It's nice to hear Enya cascading her voices one over the other toward the final section of the song, too, giving it a madrigal, chamber choir-type of atmosphere & bringing the CD to a soft, understated & yet confident-feeling conclusion.
Yes, the musical purists will berate this as just another Enya recording...but it bears repeating: For those of us who love her music, WHO CARES? Speaking for myself, I like this a little better than A DAY WITHOUT RAIN, and it's nice to see it clocking in at longer than that previous recording as well (45:34). I'm not insensitive to others' criticisms of Enya's formula--I, too, would like to see her try other things, since it's obvious she has talent coming out of her fingertips. Maybe a duet album with her sister Maire of Clannad. Maybe a recording wherein she employs a traditional band of guitar, bass & drums. Maybe a recording of her strictly unplugged...perhaps with piano, flute, acoustic guitar, harp (are you reading this, Andreas?), and her single voice. A live in concert CD and DVD, which I'm certain most of us have been clamoring for for years (Enya has spoken of touring in the past, but so far this hasn't materialized). Maybe a collaboration with other new age luminaries like Vangelis or Andreas Vollenweider. The possibilities are endless. But wherever Enya chooses to take her life and career, as long as she holds onto her indomitable spirit (especially in light of recent traumas she's been through involving deranged fans) and her obvious love for the music she creates, she will always have a place in the pantheon of musicians who make what we all know to be quality new age music. Her songs continue to have the healing Balm of Gilead effect on most who hear her music, and in an age of increasing tension and violence in a world with a tenuous future, we can be thankful for that. There will never be such a thing as The Perfect Musician, but I feel safe in saying that Enya strives for that perfection in every way possible and to the best of her ability. The bottom line: All Enya fans will love this stunning new CD. Those new to Enya's music may feel comfortable using this CD as a springboard and then explore her other releases eventually. She has yet to put out a "bad" album, and I don't see that ever happening at any point in her future. Carry on, Enya...you're doing fine, and we're glad to be along for the ride.
Five dry years since "A Day Without Rain" November 26, 2005
Amanda Richards (Georgetown, Guyana)
134 out of 156 found this review helpful
Fans have been crying for an album from Enya (born Eithne Ni Bhraonain) for five dry years since "A Day Without Rain" gave us the huge single "Only Time".
The magical team Enya, comprising Enya (the composer/performer), Nicky Ryan (producer) and Roma Ryan (lyrics), does not disappoint with "Amarantine", a gorgeous album and a beautiful single. The only problem with this album is that it's only twelve songs long, which won't keep us going for another five years.
Mostly in English this time, three tracks are written in a new language similar to Elvish from "The Lord of the Rings", so there's no need to adjust your headphones or fiddle with your equalizer if you don't get some of the lyrics.
Other than "Amarantine", the song "It's In the Rain" is the most memorable, evoking memories of "Only Time". All the tracks are good, but the other stand outs are "The River Sings" (one of the Loxian language songs); "Long Long Journey" and "Someone Said Goodbye".
A must-buy for any Enya or Clannad fan.
Amanda Richards, November 26, 2005
 Dissappointing December 1, 2005
Pablo Romero (Fort Collins, Colorado)
35 out of 54 found this review helpful
Less Than A Pearl:
The album opens with Enya's typical soundscape, a chorus comprising entirely of herself. Where she normally just vocalized her way through the first track of every CD (with the exception of Watermark, that rare gem), Eithne decides to use lyrics. But instead of aiming for Gaelic or equally obscure languages, she decides to sing in Loxian, a made-up language that her lyricist created for her book "Water shows the hidden heart". Curiosities aside, the first track is basically 3:44 minutes of (very) sedate tribal chanting. It is, in its essence, a watered mixture of "Ebudae" and "The Longships", without the distinctive identity that made those songs memorable. It is a notable effort, however, but at this point the discerning listener feels a little wary-- he may fear that this album may earn the title of "The Further Adventures Of A Day Without Rain".
The CD spins, and we move to the second track...
Amarantine:
The first three seconds of the track give one a false hope: Has Enya decided to experiment with asian scale tonality? Could she be so bold, and follow up on the promise of what she could do with a small effort, such as "Tea House Moon", a song that showed she COULD go somewhere interesting, but she didn't really want to.
Unfortunately, no. This composition is definitely a sister of "Only Time", but the melancholy has been replaced by luv. "Aramantine, Amarantine, Amarantine, Love is love is love", wisely says Enya (at this point, Roma Ryan has probably had enough of whatever she was smoking). A sleepy ballad in 4/4 time with an abuse of pizzicato, there's nothing bold or innovative here, except -perhaps- that Enya decides to visit a range of her voice she completely left out of her previous album... unfortunately, it's rather breathy and weak, definitely no Loreena Mckennit whose silvery , folksy soprano is always a joy to hear when she goes into the mid-high range of her voice (which she does quite often). Enya should take a singing lesson or to to strengthen her voice in the upper register before doing things like these.
This song is 'pretty' in the same way cute little porcelain statues of boys and girls are pretty: They don't add anything of substance, and you probably wouldn't notice them by themselves, but they make pretty ornaments and are often used to hide holes in the decor. So far, Enya hasn't managed to impress -and for an album that's produced five years after its original, that can't be good. Although "Only Time" was far from being as captivating as anything in Watermark, or the singles from "Shepherd Moons" and "Memory of Trees", it still had more personality than the single of this particular CD. Again, it feels like nothing new, and more a rehash of an old formula.
On to the next track:
It's In The Rain:
The song opens with a little introduction featuring the over-familiar Enya arpeggios in the synthetizers, telling us that the piece is going to be another slow affair, but this time in 3/4 time.
Funny enough, the lack of the Army Of Enya humming away , and a more clearly projected voice make this song much more personable than Amaranthine (the chorus kicks in at the second stanza, but it's bearable).
Just like the previous two songs, this one is written in A-B-A-B format, which can get rather tiresome. Knowing this, she introduces a small transition at 2:47, which leaves the listener hoping for a modulation so that the song can continue in a different key and thus gain a little more dynamic momentum...
Unfortunately, hoping is all we do, as Enya lets the little transitive phrase toy around with the possibility of a new tonality and then flop down to the initial key. Enya's never going to even reach classical composer stature, but at least she should have known better than this. We're on track three and we still haven't seen anything interesting or beautiful happening yet.
With heavy heart, we move to track four...
If I could be where you are:
A little simple ditty that's not very interesting. Enya's done this before, and much better than this: "Angeles", "On Your Shore", "Evening Falls", "Evacuee" are compositions done in the same style that "IICBWYA" is cut from: A melancholic, lilting vocal line and minimalistic accompaniment. Whereas the aforementioned compositions had a certain spirit to them, this one feels quite vapid.
It also should be mentioned that the orchestration has grown increasingly poor since The Memory of "Trees": both "A Day Without Rain" and "Amarantine" feature a greatly reduced range of instruments, and this is one of the factors that hurts the album. A masterful composer can work with a chosen and small number of instruments, but Enya can't. As a result, a lot of vitality from the previous albums (granted, this is Enya, so sedate vitality) is missing here.
On to the next track:
The River Sings:
Ebudae. That's the first impression I had when listening to this track. That's not necessarily a bad thing. For the first time since I turned the album on, I'm interested. This track gives us an Enya that's flirting a little with percussion of a less restrained nature. Only a little bit. But we've seen how beneficial this is to her with "Storms In Africa II", the english version with the added african percussion. Enya should really look into that, and she honestly should not be afraid to expand her repertoire of instruments and rythms.
Long Long Journey:
This is another 4/4 ballad, slightly more lively. The whole thing sounds like an Anglican anthem. A military marching drum does liven it up a bit. The track is not very special, but definitely an improvement over what came before (with the exception of The River Sings).
Sumiregusa:
I can only describe this track as impressionist. It's certainly trying to conjure up a certain imagery, in between Enya singing in Japanese. However, it lacks any distinctive japanese atmosphere due to Enya's adherence to her own typical tonalities and chord structures, so the effort is a wasted one. The result is a track that, again, is 'pretty', but nothing special. (For an excellent example of how to do it correctly, see Freddie Mercury's "La Japonaise" with Montserrat Caballe, the album "Barcelona"). She does try a few interesting things, vocally, which makes it all the more painful because one wishes over and over that Enya let her hair down, one finds oneself wishing that she weren't afraid to experiment-- with the technology, dedication, and company on her side, she could truly be churning out some innovative and beautiful masterpieces, like the freshness of "Shepherd Moons" in comparison to "Watermark", but all she does is compose in circles! She's perpetually stuck in "A Day Without Rain".
Someone Said Goodbye:
A little surprise. This is as close to a popular ballad that Enya has ever gotten. Although I know it should be rather a sad thing when you're surprised that she's actually using chords in the piano and not arpeggios... but there you go, she does. The piano line under her singing at the beginning is distinctively independent- until it joins her in homophony for the chorus. This song teeters between traditionally Enya, and Enya trying a few new things. I like it. I'm not crazy ga-ga over it, but I like it. Please, Enya, try harder, go further, challenge yourself as a composer.
Incidentally, I'm losing count of how many songs deal with loss or heartbreak. Something tells me this album is a little more personal than you'd think.
A Moment Lost:
The arpeggios are back. Damn. What's more, she's getting her heart broken again. This song is very irish ballad-like, in an Enya sort of way. It didn't do much for me, but it's 'pretty', again.
Drifting:
Arpeggios, again. The first few seconds sound like a rehash of "Oriel Window", but then it becomes a little more interesting when the cello kicks in. Incidentally, she's using a broad brushstroke version of the "Imagine" chord progression, which works. I definitely like the use of the cello here, but I'm still wishing for a little more individuality for the instruments, perhaps a little solo here and there, writing in a concerto-sonata form, at least?
Then, the Army Of Enya hums in, a little modulation happens and then we return to theme A with the cello and piano (with faint strings in the background) in the original key. This formula doesn't bother me as much here as it has in the previous tracks. This is a still piece where nothing happens, but at least she makes the nothing pleasant and engaging. So far, this is the only track I've contemplated returning to.
Amid The Falling Snow:
Back to a typical Enya ballad. This means:
-Arpeggios in the piano.
-Single notes on the strings, with faint touches with the arch.
-Lullaby/Anthem-like melody waltzing its way through the song.
-Army of Enyas providing backup, doing nothing too interesting outside of vocalizing and humm humming along.
That being said, this little ballad works. It has a charming little feel to it, wintery and childlike. It's charming, nothing new, again, but it's a charming little song.
Water Shows The Hidden Heart:
Enya sings in Loxian again.
This, I have to say, is the better track in the CD. It has three sections: Theme A, Theme B, and the third section moves into polyphony. Theme A and theme B are the typical lilting Enyaesque themes, nothing too daring as far as rythm and melody goes.
So far, the structure goes: A - B - A
The surprise comes as the third section, or C, dawns.
At 2:58, the polyphony begins. This is what Enya should spend more time developing, it shows a beautiful play of voices and it shows a tiny smidge of what Enya would be capable of if she really put her thinking cap on.
Unfortunately, this moment lasts all too little and at 3:40 we're back to theme A and then the conclusion. The ABACA makes this piece a little Rondeau.
And then, the album ends... unfortunately, with the dissatisfying taste of dissapointment. This album is, indeed, "The Further Adventures Of A Day Without Rain". For a second time, Enya's trying to write with a dried-up pen... it's quite clear that the formula that worked before is no longer working for her, what comes out is dull and uninspired, with brief moments that shine with promise but that pass by, ignored. At this point, style has definitely won over substance. In five years from now, will Enya have learned the lesson and will she have experimented enough to bring freshness to the now-stale "Enya Formula?"
We can only hope so.
Overall? 1 star out of 5. Shame on Enya. We've SEEN her do better with Watermark, we know she can innovate as in Shepherd Moons. Therefore, she has no excuse. Back to the piano, dearie.
A Moment Lost... November 23, 2005
International Acclaim (New York City)
25 out of 44 found this review helpful
After a five-year interval, Enya disappoints with her weakest album to date. I have been a devoted admirer of the Irish singer since "Orinoco Flow" first hit the airwaves years ago, and have eagerly awaited each and every offering, including her singles, which oftentimes contain extra bonus tracks that turn out to be mini-masterpieces. I understand how many critics brush her aside claiming that her music is too artificial, too cold, too computer generated to stir genuine emotions, and with those criticisms I strongly disagree, until now. True, you buy an Enya album because it sounds like an Enya album. No matter how many years go by in between, songs are frequently interchangeable from one CD to the next, and that's okay. Enya's strength lies in the perfect blending of her unique voice and her music, and the magic that she creates with them in the studio-intricate spider's webs of fragile melodies and haunting refrains.
But the magic is absent from "Amarantine".
The entirety of the album's brief 45 minute running time is, to put it simply, exceedingly dull. Instead of spirited, otherworldly, evocative songs, this album flows by lugubriously, and depressingly. The songs are pallid and barely stick in the brain. Only the title track-a word whose definition along with being a vibrant shade of red, means to be everlastingly youthful or beautiful-has sparks of that once Enya allure. Even the lone instrumental piece, "Drifting" is ponderous and pales in the light of other such previous wordless tracks as "A Day Without Rain", "Tea House Moon", or "Watermark".
Enya's "sound" is also different. True, there's nothing wrong with expanding or growing as an artist, but as the old saying goes: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". Some decision seems to have been made to push Enya's vocals to the forefront, instead of having them interwoven with the music itself as displayed magnificently on her past recordings. For Enya, this album is almost acoustic, the exquisite flair missing, her voice too front and center, making some of the tracks, especially "Someone Said Goodbye" and "A Moment Lost" seem like songs that wafted in through her castle window from someone else's country album. On the whole, "Amarantine" feels cobbled together, as if from bits and pieces left over from other recording sessions and rightfully discarded.
Too sad...
Again, I am a devoted Enya fan, but this album was certainly not worth the wait. Hopefully, we will not have to wait another five years to hear the true Enya sound reemerged.
An Amarantine Disaster December 29, 2005
Sam Miami
20 out of 29 found this review helpful
It may be heresy, but I have to say it: honestly, Enya's Amaratine is a disaster.
Maybe she should get out more. Maybe she should meet some new collaborators.
Whatever she does, she cannot continue to make records like this and expect to hold on to her fan base. Amarantine is end to end nothing more than a derivative, self-referent, self-important tribute to the staling of a franchise.
If you took all Enya's albums to date and averaged them together, Amaratine is what you'd hear. An average Enya album. No highs, no lows, nothing sharp or quirky, not even an extension of an idea or two. Just unceasing witless repetition of her patented lush, dreamy chords backed by excruciatingly uninspired rhythms. You could cut entire sections out of songs and transplant them into yet other songs and never know the difference.
As usual, her lyrics absolutely suck. If I hear the words "night" "stars" "river" "forever" or "blue" in the next decade I might have to start drinking again. Enya seems to believe that she can simply pull her words out of some pseudo-intellectual pool and, by stringing them together, create fully-formed poetic objects heavy with validity. It doesn't work that way. I'm afraid she thinks the mere idea of an idea has merit, regardless of how well or how poorly it is expressed. Not so.
And what, for goodness' sake, is this "Loxian" language thing cooked up with Roma Ryan? Once again, expecting us to stand in awe of what is essentially a schoolkid's silly study hall time waster, complete with adolescent backstory, is arrogant as hell. Perhaps if they had deigned to give us a clue as to how the "language" works we could have at least found some reward in studying it. As it is, it is simply annoying. Not profound. Annoying.
I'm not even keeping this one in my collection. I'll probably trade it for an old Doobie Brothers CD. Amaratine is nothing more than average. Enya's fans deserve better.
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