Enya Offers a Spooky Christmas Album With And Winter Came...

I don’t recall when I first heard a song by Enya, but once I did, I immediately recognized every subsequent song. She has an extremely distinctive style that involves multiple layers of harmony and instruments, making you feel as if an ocean of sound is washing over you, but so gently that you don’t mind. She lent her mysterious musicality to The Fellowship of the Ring, with her ethereality perfectly matched to Tolkien’s Elves. In And Winter Came..., she presents an album in which her original compositions are interspersed with the occasional traditional tune. The vocals and instrumentals are all courtesy of her; she’s a one-woman choir and orchestra. The results are spooky and dazzling.

And Winter Came - A soft but densely orchestral number with hints of O Holy Night in the melody.

Journey of the Angels - Rich layers of harmony overlap in this ethereal track reminiscent of May It Be, which is appropriate given the angelic qualities of Tolkien’s Elves. “One is sorrow, / one is peace, / one will come / to give you sleep, / one is comfort, / one is grief, / one will take / the tears you weep.”

White Is in the Winter Night - This song, driven by percussive-sounding strings, reminds me a lot of Orinoco Flow; Enya seems to have borrowed from her own melodies a bit on this album. But there’s still plenty of originality to this cheerful song, and her Irish accent is especially prominent here. “Green is in the mistletoe / and red is in the holly, / silver in the stars above that shine on everybody. / Gold is in the candlelight and / crimson in the embers. / White is in the winter night / that everyone remembers.”

O Come, O Come Emmanuel - Enya sings this one in Latin, which lends the already haunting hymn of expectation a deeply eerie air. Instrumental accompaniment is minimal, but heavy layers of vocals are used to great effect.

Trains and Winter Rains - The percussive string section is back for this track, with back-up vocals providing staccato punctuation. Enya’s voice has a slightly earthier tone to it for the main melody, giving her a different sound. “Trains and winter rains / no going back no going home / trains across the plains / and in the sky a star alone.”

Dreams Are More Precious - Hints of a harp here that accent the sense of dreamscape in this lullaby. Enya starts off on her own, soon to be joined by herself, though the layers aren’t as thick on this track, and there’s more opportunity for one voice to explore some grace notes flowing from the melody. “Come! Dream through the night / Come! Dream, and then tomorrow / you’ll see your heart will know / dreams are more precious than gold.”

Last Time By Moonlight - A sweetly nostalgic song about a faded romance that reminds me a bit of Dan Fogelberg’s Same Old Lang Syne, though this is mostly a collection of dreamy images rather than a narrative. Some really lovely harmonies in this one. “Oooh, remember this, / for no one knows / the way love goes. / Oooh, remember this, / for no one knows / the way life goes.”

One Toy Soldier - I love the gentle marching beat that serves as the background to this tender ballad, the most narrative-driven song on the album. Though it starts off rather melancholy, causing me to fear a tragic ending akin to Hans Christian Andersen’s Steadfast Tin Soldier, the conclusion is jubilant, augmented by the tinkling of tiny bells. “For he keeps the beat / of marching feet / he keeps the beat so true / he wants to sing and hopes to bring / (a) Happy Christmas Day to you.”

Stars and Midnight Blue - While Last Time By Moonlight is a lament for a lost love, this song is a tender reflection on love retained. “You have lost yourself in dreaming, / I have lost myself in you, / now we lie beneath the sky; / stars and midnight blue.”

The Spirit of Christmas Past - Slow and delicate, a perfect musical representation of the ever-ethereal first ghost to visit Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. “Believe in what I say - / don’t throw this time away, / tomorrow will be Christmas Day...”

My! My! Time Flies! - This one has a very different sound to it. A bluesy, guitar-driven track, it reminds me a bit of the song 16 Tons. There’s a tone of curiosity and levity to this number that marvels at the changes in the world. “My! My! Time Flies! Four guys across Abbey Road / one forgot to wear shoes. / My! My! Time Flies! A rap on a rhapsody / a king who’s still in the news / a king to sing you the blues.”

Oíche Chiúin (Chorale) - A gorgeous, nearly-a cappella rendition of Silent Night in Irish. One of the most exquisite versions of the carol I’ve ever heard, it’s a beautiful way to end the album.

This is a Christmas album to sink into and silently appreciate - though if you do feel moved to sing along, she’s handily provided the lyrics in her liner notes. In any event, leaf through to glance at the pristinely glowing pictures, which are evocative of Narnia in winter. And Winter Came... And listening to this album, I don’t mind if it stays a while.