Mailbag: Enya, etc.

[IED0DXM%OAC.UCLA.EDU@MITVMA.MIT.EDU]

 To: Love-Hounds
 From: Andrew Marvick (IED)
 Subject: Mailbag: Enya, etc.

KT NEWS?:
^^^^^^^^^
     This is a rumour heard fourth-hand, which reportedly
originates with Armando Gallo, the photographer who is
rumoured to be a "close friend" of Kate. (Hmmm...)
The rumour: "Kate is thinking of starting a family, which
would end all possibility of a second tour."
     Draw your own conclusions.

MAILBAG:
^^^^^^^^

 >It _seems_ to be pretty
 >comprehensive (I don't claim to be an expert, IED and |>oug are welcome
 >to that position!) It covers much the same ground as Mr. Juby's book

     IED will certainly write Love-Hounds about this book if and
when he finally gets his grubby mitts on a copy. So far his
import shop has been disgustingly slothful. It does sound like
a worthwhile source-book, though IED will not be so naive as
he was with the Juby book, judging before he's had a chance to
ruminate. He still blushes when he thinks how he actually
praised that piece of crap in his first posting. (Incidentally
about thirty other IED postings sent to Love-Hounds in October
and November have STILL NOT APPEARED...|>oug!)

 > You would have to be more specific in describing the nature of the
 > marbleized vinyl for IED to help you in assessing its value.
 >
 >Either this is a joke I am not appreciating, or you miss my point.

     Not a joke, just a mistake. IED mixed up your question with
something else. Sorry. How to get the interview? The usual method
is barter. Get in touch with someone who has a copy, trade him/her
for something he/she wants just as much. Otherwise, you could
look for a copy of the album at a record swapmeet, where the
prices are sometimes cheaper than at stores.

     A note to Kari Haug: IED couldn't get through directly
to you for some reason, Kari. Sorry to say, IED has no
further knowledge about the Currie album. It was scheduled
for early November, but it never showed up here in the U.S.
Patience! It will show up sooner or later. Think how patient
we Kate Bush fans have to be--three years, three months and
counting...

 >   Finally, would anyone like to "compare and contrast" Enya's first album
 >with "Watermark"?  I bought Watermark on the strength of the No.1 single
 >"Orinoco Flow", but found the rest of the album to be merely "nice" (don't
 >worry, though, I'm not about to give this one away!).  Is her first album
 >any stronger?
 >
 >-- Craig.

     Well, Craig, IED discovered Enya the other way around.
He bought the first album (_Enya_, actually the soundtrack
to the UK TV series _The_Celts_) first, and then the second.
The first album is very similar to _Watermark_ in style, except
that it's not as advanced technically. IED liked some of the
tracks on the first album (including an absolutely heartmelting
melody for uillean pipe solo with synth backing, with pipes
by Liam O'Flynn) enough to seek out the CD, which he finally
found yesterday. There is also a track called _Aldebaran_, which
IED thinks is very beautiful, though it all depends on how high
your expectations are. It sounds to IED a lot like an Irish-tinged
early-Jean-Michel Jarre album. Since IED has long ago come to the
realisation that there is no-one out there with talent anywhere near the
level of Kate's these days, he is content, when listening to pop music
of any kind, to accept as a given the modesty of other musicians'
achievements.
     Enya has a definite melodic gift, a laudable interest in synthetic
musical processes, and very good taste. (_Aldebaran_ was dedicated
to Ridley Scott.) On the other hand, her music is all very much of
a type, most of the tracks use essentially the same narrow range
of sounds and chords, and she doesn't even write her own lyrics
(her producer's wife does that for her). Even with all these
pretty serious limitations, IED finds a lot of beauty in her
music, and recommends it to anyone who is free of prejudice against
sweetness and commerciality; and open to something more than merely
the overtly "subversive" in music and art.

-- Andrew Marvick