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Rating: One of the aspects that make music the most fascinating among the arts is the frequency with which it knows how to offer us not only isolated miracles but also encores of miracles, and sometimes even chain miracles. There are countless examples of apparently valuable "clones" scattered across every genre. "Shepherd Moons" by Enya is a particularly striking case. Based on a sound virtually identical to its predecessor "Watermark", it manages to fully replicate the perfect balance between mysterious Celtic charm and refined new age grace, all without traces or almost of copying the sublime motifs contained in its model.
It begins with a magical immersion in pastoral atmospheres, "Shepherd Moons" indeed, which goes far beyond the suggestion of the title: in this fantastic instrumental piece, the texture of piano and harp sounds responds to the echo of solemn sacred music choirs, which, however, never weigh down the idyllic picture created by this music, which, as far as I'm concerned, is that of the enchanted calm of a moonlit night in a wooded valley, perhaps with a slight mist. The sheep and the shepherd are optional: those who wish can imagine them.
"Caribbean Blue" has a misleading title, suggesting Caribbean sound influences. Nothing could be further from it: it is instead a slow and majestic waltz, supported by the bass, the only rhythmic base that miraculously manages to harmoniously bind together the sounds of strings, metallic keyboards in perfect harpsichord style, divine baroque mass choirs, and finally Enya’s angelic voice—a sum of voices that, treated with less mastery, could produce a grand pandemonium. For me, along with "Shepherd Moons", it is the pinnacle of the album, and strangely it was also its flagship piece (in this album there wasn't a nursery rhyme made especially for radio play like "Orinoco Flow").
"How Can I Keep From Singing?": the title speaks for itself, and in fact few songs know how to highlight the purity of Enya's voice like this one. This is thanks to deliberately understated orchestration and an irresistibly singable theme, following the model of "On Your Shore", but without plagiarism. "Ebudae" is a short traditional song supported by a refined rhythm, one of the few non-memorable episodes, but it is still pleasant.
"Angeles" is another splendid example of a delicate intertwining of solo voice and sweet choirs, again with soft, velvety instrumentation. "No Holly For Miss Quinn" is nothing more than a revisitation of "Angeles" in a sober and clean version for solo piano, very classical. It's evident that the model is "Watermark" from the first album, but even here not a single note is copied. A slightly more sustained rhythm and a simpler, more catchy motif in "Book Of Days", where real percussion surfaces (a rarity in Enya), which, in competition with the sharp keyboards, enliven this song from the beginning.
"Evacuee" is another sweet composition that seems made to showcase Enya's vocal skills in all their clarity, while "Lothlorien", a magical Celtic music box of keyboards and harp, despite stubbornly repeating the usual (but highly inspired) motif, is one of the most evocative moments of the album, certainly the closest to the mysterious world of the Celts.
"Marble Halls", taken from a traditional theme, offers, on a carpet of soft basses and celestial choirs, a demonstration of the Irish singer’s vocal setup, which here truly reaches operatic music levels, and I'm not exaggerating. Just a bit below perfection is the ending: "Afer Ventus" attempts to recreate the absolute ecstasy of the previous "The Long Ships", but has a slightly more ordinary theme, and finally "Smaointe", further confirming the parallelism with "Watermark", harks back to the last Gaelic song from this album, without reaching its arcane charm. Trifles, anyway, which can only be caught by those accustomed to splitting hairs, and certainly not enough to deny the title of masterpiece to this splendid "copy."
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
02 Caribbean Blue (03:59)
...Eurus...
...Afer Ventus...
...So the world goes round and round
With all you ever knew -
They say the sky high above
Is Caribbean blue...
...If every man says all he can,
If every man is true,
Do I believe the sky above
Is Caribbean blue...
...Boreas...
...Zephryus...
...If all you told was turned to gold,
If all you dreamed was new,
Imagine sky high above
In Caribbean blue...
...Eurus...
Afer Ventus...
...Boreas
Zephryus...
...Africus...
03 How Can I Keep From Singing? (04:25)
My life goes on in endless song
Above earth's lamentations
I hear the real, though far-off hymn
That hails a new creation.
Through all the tumult and the strife
I hear its music ringing,
It sounds an echo in my soul
How can I keep from singing?
While though the tempest loudly roars
I hear the truth, it liveth.
And though the darkness 'round me close
Songs in the night it giveth.
No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that rock I'm clinging
Since love is lord of heaven and earth
How can I keep from singing?
When tyrants tremble in their fear
And hear their death knell ringing
When friends rejoice both far and near
How can I keep from singing?
In prison cell and dungeon vile
Our thoughts to them are winging
When friends by shame are undefiled
How can I keep from singing?
05 Angeles (04:01)
Angels, answer me,
are you near if rain should fall?
Am I to believe
you will rise to calm the storm?
For so great a treasure words will never do.
Surely, if this is, promises are mine to give you.
mine to give...
Here, all too soon the day!
Wish the moon to fall and alter our tomorrow.
I should know
heaven has her way
- each one given memories to own.
Angeles, all could be
should you move both earth and sea
Angeles, I could feel
all those dark clouds disappearing...
Even, as I breathe
comes an angel to their keep.
Surely, if this is
promises are mine to give you.
mine to give...
08 Evacuee (03:50)
Each time on my leaving home
I run back to my mother's arms,
one last hold and then it's over.
Watching me, you know I cry,
you wave a kiss to say goodbye,
Feel the sky fall down upon me!
All I am,
A child with promises
All I have
are miles full of promises of home.
If only I could stay with you,
my train moves on, you're gone from view,
Now I must wait until it's over.
Days will pass, your words to me,
it seems so long; eternity,
but I must wait and then it's over.
10 Marble Halls (03:54)
I dreamt I dwelt in marble halls
with vassals and serfs at my side,
and of all who assembled within those walls
that I was the hope and the pride.
I had riches all too great to count
and a high ancestral name.
But I also dreamt which pleased me most
that you loved me still the same,
that you loved me, you loved me still the same,
that you loved me, you loved me still the same.
I dreamt that suitors sought my hand,
that knights upon bended knee
and with vows no maidens heart could withstand,
they pledged their faith to me.
And I dreamt that one of that noble host
came forth my hand to claim.
But I also dreamt which charmed me most
that you loved me still the same
that you loved me, you loved me still the same,
that you loved me, you loved me still the same.
11 Afer Ventus (04:06)
Mare Nubium. Umbriel
Mare Imbrium. Ariel.
Et itur ad astra.
Et itur ad astra.
Mare Undarum. Io. Vela.
Mirabile dictu. Mirabilia.
Mirabile visu. Mirabilia.
Et itur ad astra.
Et itur ad astra.
Sempervirent. Rosetum.
Afer Ventus. Zephryus.
Volturnus. Africus.
Et itur ad astra.
Et itur ad astra.
Etesiarum. Eurus.
Running Verse:
Suus cuique mos. Suum cuique.
Meus mihi, suus cuique carus.
Memento, terrigena.
Memento, vita brevis.
Meus mihi, suus cuique carus.
12 Smaointe... (06:07)
Éist le mo chroí,
Go brónach a choích'
Tá mé caillte gan tú
's do bhean chéile.
An grá mór i do shaoil
Treoraí sé mé.
Bígí liomsa i gcónaí
Lá 's oích'.
Ag caoineadh ar an uaigneas mór
Na deora, go brónach
'Na gcodladh ins an uaigh ghlas chiúin
Faoi shuaimhneas, go domhain.
Aoibhneas a bhí
Ach d'imigh sin
Sé lean tú
Do fhear chéile.
An grá mór i do shaoil
Treoraí sé mé.
Bígí liomsa i gcónaí
Lá 's oích'.
Ag caoineadh ar an uaigneas mór
Na deora, go brónach
'Na gcodladh ins an uaigh ghlas chiúin
Faoi shuaimhneas, go domhain.
Smaointe, ar an lá
'Raibh sibh ar mo thaobh
Ag inse scéil
Ar an dóigh a bhí
Is cuimhin liom an lá
Gan ghá 's gan ghruaim
Bígí liomsa i gcónaí
Lá 's oích'.
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