Signature

Maire Brennan

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 25, 2007)
• Original Release Date: September 25, 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sparrow
• ASIN: B000UZ4EP2
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #7,483 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #33 in	Music > World Music > Europe > British Isles > Ireland
  #55 in	Music > World Music > Celtic

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
"Theme from Harry's Game," sung with Moya Brennan's original band, Clannad, set the stage for the Celtic renaissance of the 1980s. But Brennan has always been more than gothic choirs, and Signature highlights her songwriting as much as her heavenly voice. This is her first album in a while that breathes. On albums like the soporific Whisper to the Wild Water and epic Two Horizons, she smothered her songs in overproduced layers of synth pads and vocals and a heavily compressed sound that pushed it to stridency, despite some beautiful tunes. But Brennan and co-producer/guitarist Fionán de Barra strip away a few of the layers, giving her songs a sense of space, depth, and contour. She sings of redemption, salvation in the face of lost hope, and love over all through a meticulous weave of Celtic harps, Irish flutes, and fiddles, bodhráns, and uillean pipes. There's just enough production sheen and rhythm loops to take it out of folk terrain, but enough passion and edge to keep it from sliding into easy-listening treacle, although sentimental love songs like "Always" sure make an effort. Most of the songs tend toward chant-like ballads, but she lifts the roof off with the album-opening "Purple Haze." It isn't the Hendrix song, although the skeletal lyrics might obliquely refer to Brennan's born-again rejection of her wild youth. It's a powerful merging of tribal Celtic percussion and her impassioned vocals splayed against an avenging choir chanting like a Druid ritual in an Irish cove. Signature offers more evidence that Moya Brennan is the voice of contemporary Irish music, hopefully more than the smarmy cotton candy of Celtic Woman. --John Diliberto

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I loved her back when she was Maire Brennan, March 28, 2008

By	R. Kyle (USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

"Harry's Game" was my first exposure to Clannad, but not my last. I've followed Moya Brennan's career from Clannad to her first solo CDs under the name Maire and now Moya, which is a more phonetic spelling of her Irish name.

"Signature" is a slightly different sound for Moya. It's less layered atmospheric with a stronger pop rhythm than her earlier slower folk music works. Vocals are still the signature chantlike beauty with an accompanying underpinning of Irish harp, bodhran, flutes, and uillean pipes. What I like better is the sound is engineered so the vocals are clearer and up-front of the orchestration.

If you're expecting Jimi Hendrix' rock standard from the opening title, "Purple Haze," you'll be disappointed. Moya's "Purple Haze" is a strong opener that will conjure up images of the Irish landscape.

"Hear my Prayer" is a reflection of Moya's faith and a rededication:

Angels walk with me
Guard me to the waters edge
Wash away my doubts, my fear
Lord, strengthen me and bring me back to you

Fans of her Gaelic singing will be disappointed there's only one non-English song, "Pill a Run O". But do no not despair, this one very spare song with just Moya, light strings, and the Irish harp is possibly one of the most beautiful I've ever heard her sing.

"Signature" is a great introduction to Moya's sound if you're more a fan of pop than folk. If like me, you've loved Moya since Clannad, it's still a good addition to your music collection, particularly if you want a mix that spotlights Moya's amazing, hauntingly beautiful voice.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The world needs more Moya!, March 13, 2008

By	Jimmy*C (Stuck in Ohio) - See all my reviews

Ok, that was a cheesy title. My apologies. I hate trying to come up with a title for reviews! Anyway, I just wanted to write a quick review of this CD. I had never heard of Moya Brennan until I picked up her CD Two Horizons (Which I recommend checking out. It's really good!) I was captivated by it. I loved the style and I really loved her voice. This CD is done in a slightly different style than Two Horizons but I have taken to it all the same. Even if the style of music is different it is still Moya's voice that is the star here. So soothing and easy to listen to. I especially enjoyed "Gone Are The Days", wonderful song! All together I really think this is a great CD. Keep it up, Moya!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars smooth like flowing water, relax like laying on the water, December 19, 2007

By	matt.mingkee (Brooklyn, NY United States) - See all my reviews

I have been listening her sound (Clannad, Maire Brennan) for several years
this CD brings her back to previous age (after Clannad)
just listened once, the sound is pretty smooth and relaxing like flowing water
btw, she has been with 3 record companies in 5 years (Atlantic, Universal, and now Capitol), it seems Capitol would like to bring her old sound back, and it's just right
I give 98/100
very relaxing and smooth