Customer Reviews

Two Horizons

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ever since her first solo album, each and every one of Maire's works has always left the listener breathless. Each of her albums is a masterpiece and each one tops the others. With Two Horizans, Moya has exceeded her previous works once again. It's her best album yet! The whole album tells a story and each song triggers the imagination. One thing that I loved about this album more than her others is that almost every song features her playing the harp, not just as a background instrument. Moya also has many great accompanying instruments, such as the uillean pipes, Maire Breatnach on the fiddle again, and Nigel Eaton's hurdy-gurdy(I'm sure that Loreena McKennitt fans have heard of him). It's hard for me to come up with a favorite, but I could say that right now the songs that I love the most are "Tara", "Ancient Town", "River", and "Mothers of the Desert". I love how she gives traditional melodies a very pop/jazz sound, which "Tara" is a very good example of. It's very fun to sing along with the words, especially since Moya wrote some very beautiful words for these songs. Some songs echo the sounds of Clannad, such as "Falling". I also like her songs are very sincere. Moya really speaks from the heart and expresses herself. I'm very touched by the story that each song tells. I love the imagery of "Ancient Town", the tears of "River", and the history in "Mothers of the Desert". I was disappointed that the CD cover didn't include the lyrics, so I recommend that when you buy this CD, aslo look up the lyrics somewhere on the internet. Even without the words, each song has a very great sound and is fun to dance to. I love to crank up the volume of this CD. If you get this CD, you will enjoy it. Moya can really make you smile and cry. It's a power that runs her family(as those of you who've heard Enya and Clannad should know).

Well, I spent a lot of my college years listening to Irish band Clannad so I was pleasantly surprised to see that lead singer Moya Brennan had released her own CD.

I'm happy to report it is absolutely gorgeous.

If you're not familiar with Clannad's sound, think light airy vocals over rich, lush and beautifully arranged instrumentation. All with a Celtic twist. It's the soundtrack to really good dreams. The kind you don't want to wake up from.

Brennan's voice is sweeping and haunting. The CD packaging is as beautiful as the music. The photography is stunning and the colors dream inducing. My only complaint is that it's really tough to understand the lyrics unless you try really hard. But that means you can enjoy this recording on different levels. You can just listen passively and let the sounds wash over you. Or listen carefully to every nuance and every word. I believe you'll be rewarded either way.

This CD would be perfect for those candlelit nights in the tub, or having a really romantic dinner....it's very mood altering.

If you like Loreena McKennitt or Enya* you'll like Moya Brennan.

*I just found out that Enya is in fact, Moya (previously known as Maire) Brennan's sister! And that she (Enya) was also in Clannad.

All you Clannad fans waiting for something extra special. It's here. Seriously. I got quite blaze with a lot of Clannad's later releases. There wasn't much in there that made me sit up and listen. I can honestly say that Two Horizons is a real breath of fresh air. There was always an issue of where Clannad's music was going in the realms of contemporary music. With this album Moya, along with producer Ross Cullum, have created a stunning piece of music. It's an excellent blend of ambient and Celtic textures weaved together with such subtle ingenuity that one wonders why this couldn't have been produced in earlier years. Moya's trademark, ethereal, multi-layered vocals are in abundance but treated with various processing techniques to give a new edge to the sound. The major feature with this album is the fantastic melodies that have been produced. It really is where Clannad should be. Moya has done it on her own and what a job she's done! A true masterpiece. In interviews she has been quoted as saying this is her best album yet. An album she feels proud and excited about. I can only agree whole heartedly.
For all new age, celtic, ambient fans. A work of beauty.

....this was a SLIGHT letdown for me after falling in love with Moya's (aka Maire) previous release called: "Whisper To The Wild Water".

"Two Horizons" is a good release and stays very consistent throughout most of the entire album with just a few 'pick-me up' songs that bring a touch of excitement to the plate here. I really do like this cd though and recommend any Maire or Enya fan to purchase it. I was just hoping for Maire/Moya to continue to advance in a similar direction as Whisper to the wild water.

The music on here is very beautiful and fluid and I must say that the mood on this one is a unique experience to me which is appreciated. I can't get myself to rave about this one but I can say I like it and find myself drawn to it once in a while when I need to escape into the beautiful world that Moya has created here.

4.3 stars from me.

Don't expect this CD to be just like Maire's (now Moya's) previous CDs. I still enjoy Perfect Time and Whisper to the Wild Water very much. This latest CD is very easy to listen to also -- but enough different than her earlier works to be a bit of a hurdle when you first play it. Still Celtic at its core, there is more of an almost New Age mix to Two Horizons. It reminds me a little of her sister Enya's music, but not so much as to confuse the two Brennans. If you view the interview on her web site www.moyabrennan.com and listen to her pitch for this CD plus her producer's, you'll understand they wanted a slightly different sound for a broader audience. In my opinion they achieved it. However, my hunch is that some Celtic purists won't like this.

Moya Brennen had developed a musical style that starts at Enya, but moves past her in ways that are unexpected. This disk has well flushed out accompaniments, and a distinctive feel that says celtic, but modern too.

A good spin if you like celtic music.

Moya, commonly known as maire, has done it again. She has produced one of the most beautiful albums of 2003. I am jinxed by the beauty of her voice, and the artwork of the album.

Two Horizons is a great album! I would agree that it's hard to listen to on the first listen to appricate it. I was very used to Maire (Moya's) style on Whisper to the Wild Water and Perfect Time. However it's a CD that is very poetic in nature, and as a poet, that's one of the things that made me fall in love with this album. Very celtic, yet with an edge on some tracks. It reminded me of her last two Christian albums in that although not Christian, a few songs seemed to have a christian theme to them. A great listen!

...Hard to believe when the heart is so broken
courage be born than our world will stop hurting...

ending track two horizons: simply the best!

I highly suggest to hear this masterpiece!

This album is by far her best album to date. I read one review that says that she has finally over come her more popular sister, Enya. I have always liked Moya more than Enya. It is hard to choose a favorite song as I love them all but my four favorites are Show Me, Bright Star, Tara and Ancient Town. I own all her other albums and they are all good. Even thought this is my favorite full length album by Moya, my favorite Moya song is Follow The Word from her album Whisper To The Wild Water. I highly recommend "Two Horizons" to everyone. It is one of my all time favorite albums ever recorded!