In the new millenium, music was quickly starting to change from the big ballads of the nineties to a more rap and pop-oriented mainstream. And while most artists who emerged in the 80s and 90s (Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Madonna, Mariah Carey to name a few) continually change their sound to suit the populus, Enya does not. She consistently keeps her trademark sound of multiple voices, synths, strings, and simplicity, no matter which generation picks up the disc. True, even Enya has to make subtle changes to her etheral music in order to keep her overwhelming interest alive, but the more subtle changes she makes, the slightly better her albums become.
Way back in 1995, Enya delivered her most enchanting album titled "The Memory of Trees", which was her first album to be entirely synthesized. That was the most notable shift she had made in the four years separating that album and its predecessor "Shepherd Moons". But Enya, her lyricist Roma Ryan and her husband Nicky Ryan still kept the sound as close to her previous albums as possible, but also stripping away the darkness in favor for more effervescent tunes. That same principle works for "A Day Without Rain"; Enya's voice brings out the magic in Roma's already insubstantial lyrics, and then Nicky wraps it up into a shiny package. They continue to keep getting brighter, lighter, and even more spellbinding. The title track, which marks this album Enya's fourth consecutive album to open with an instrumental title track, perfectly exemplifies this brightness. It is supported only by Enya's voice and her talents on the synthesizer, but yet is never heard as synthesized or unnatural. Then again, when it gets to the pizzicato passages of "Wild Child" and "Flora's Secret", it is very easy to tell that there are no live instruments here. But elements like these are so slight compared to the overall mood of the album that it doesn't matter.
Although it does seem very silly to make her audience wait 5 years for a 12-track album that's 37 minutes long, Enya makes it well worth the wait. "The Memory of Trees" definitely had more captivating tracks, but "A Day Without Rain" carried no burden or heavy darkness ("Tempus Vernum" is only a small exception, it's dark but not overly frightening). Enya brings you exactly what the album is called, a day (or rather a very small portion of it) that carries no hardship or despair, just easy listening music to part the clouds in the sky for a bit. Especially with "Only Time", which is probably her best single to date, on the track list, "A Day Without Rain" will definitely keep you occupied long after its playing time.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. A Day Without Rain 2. Wild Child 3. Only Time
4. Tempus Vernum 5. Deora Ar Mo Chroi 6. Flora's Secret
7. Fallen Embers 8. Silver Inches 9. Pilgrim
10. One By One 11. The First of Autumn 12. Lazy Days
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