Earthsongs

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
Earthsongs is a curious title for an album that is unrooted in the firmament and seems far removed from any traditions therein. Instead, the duo of Irish violinist Fionnuala Sherry and Norwegian keyboardist Rolf Lovland make music lost in a gauzy haze of nostalgia and sentimentality. On Earthsongs, they move further from the safely exotic, Celtic-meets-New-Age sound in which they forged their early successes and float down an easy-listening path. Celtic flavours do turn up on a pair of sanitized jigs: "Reel" and "Daughters of Erin," but they have the authenticity of a theme restaurant. Bringing in pop-classical tenor Russell Watson for the maudlin ballad "Always There" doesn't help. With this album, Secret Garden takes a seat in the faux-classical lounge, a room occupied by artists like Percy Faith, Bert Kaempfert, 101 Strings, and other forgotten meisters of orchestral pop who were washed aside by the breaking waves of rock in the early '60s. --John Diliberto

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Customer reviews

review by: Aivar Bracka date: 2007-07-23 rating:
On the downhill slope?
Don't spend your money on this one, unless you really need a comprehensive Secret Garden collection. I note some generous 5 star ratings - perhaps from people who are unfamiliar with previous Secret Garden offerings and are listening to this in isolation. If however you are already a Secret Garden aficionado, then Martin Wedge's scathing review may well resonate with you and 2 or 3 stars is a fair assessment taken in that context.
Yes this, their latest offering, follows precisely the same musical formula that has previously produced so much satisfying and memorable music, culminating in their "Once in a Red Moon" album, with tunes that linger obstinately in your mind.
I suppose that we have come to expect too much - the bubble has to burst at some time, and it does appear that with this latest album, Secret Garden have finally run out of really good tunes and new ideas.
Sonically this album has doubtless been produced to the highest technical standards; its just that the musical content itself is instantly forgettable; pleasant, inoffensive stuff but bland 'wallpaper' music compared with what we have come to expect over the years.
Let us hope that this is just a transient blip rather than the downhill slope and that Secret Garden will be back to their virtuous best with the next release.

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review by: (Carol) date: 2006-12-26 rating:
Earthsongs
We really enjoyed this CD, wonderful melodic tunes which make the world seem a better place! Yes it is similar to their other work, but who cares?...it is all excellent.

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review by: date: 2006-03-18 rating:
Good Effort !
As a long term avid fan of 'Secret Garden' I have all their albums they have released over the years, but this one 'Earthsongs' is not too bad, not their best though I admit. Why oh why did they play the same song twice but give the intstrumental version a different name ???? I talk of No1 'Sometimes When It Rains' is the same as 'Half a World Away'. I have to say that their version of 'You Raise Me Up' from a previous album just takes the top award, no matter how much modern bands try to do their best to perform this, its NOT the same, I am afraid 'Secret Garden' have the prize on this tune, its just remarkably outstanding! If you want some truly amazing instrumental sounds, to relax or dream to, then please try their first album 'Songs from a Secret Garden' is the tops, it never fails to send me everytime I listen to it, forget your troubles and woes, you won't regret relaxing to this album, with a loved one, or alone and a good bottle of red ! ENJOY!
Roughquest x x x

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review by: date: 2005-10-31 rating:
Overall review
I believe Secret Garden has put in a lot of effort to come out with this album. I have listened throughout the whole album and I can say the whole impression is very good. Although not every song is my favourite, but it is definitely worth your personal collection. My personal favourite is Always There and they did a great job to come up with a song as good as You raise me up.


review by: jbywong date: 2005-07-15 rating:
I Suppose Hopes were High After Once in a Red Moon.....
Secret Garden's latest album, Earthsongs is good, but it just cannot live up to the standards of Once in a Red Moon (2002). Earthsongs is a great album full of beautiful songs. However, if you have listened, bought, or seen any Secret garden DVD's or CD's before, this will probably not be anything new. A few songs, particularly Always There and Daughters of Erin, are extremely similar to songs that were wrote by Secret Garden earlier. Always There has a [over] striking resemblance to You Raise Me Up, one of the best songs in Once in a Red Moon (2002). Also, Daughters of Erin, is quite similar to The Rap, in the album Secret Garden (1995).

I think (like another reviewer) that the 2046 movie song, Searching for the Past (a song that is in this album, by the way) basically sums up this album. Secret Garden was searching for the past. I hope that Secret Garden has not peaked yet, and I hope that soon another album like Once in a Red Moon (2002) will come out. I think that this album was a good attempt, but it cannot beat their previous album. If you do not have a Secret Garden album and want to get one, this one would be a good introduction to you. If you like it, go on and get Once in a Red Moon, it will not disappoint.

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