First Exposure to Artist
Previous to owning this album, I had never heard of Hardiman and couldn't say I was familiar with any of his music. I have owned this album for nearly a year.
My review of this album truly stands as unbiased without comparison to his previous works, his overall talent, and having no expectations that the music on this album was going to be better or worse than anything he had done before. I know none of it, and don't own anything else he has produced.
I ran across this album while on a search for music that would be categorized or labeled as inspiring, uplifting and motivating.
For those three things, I give this album five stars. The song titled, "Anthem" is on my all time top list of just over a dozen songs that generate a feeling of positive and healthy well-being, inspiration, gratitude and love without using actual words in the song.
As for the rest of the album, there are many other wonderful songs on here. My other favorites include: "Run Away" and "Ready for Life".
There is one song on this album that I skip repeatedly. "Salve" seems to grate on me. I deducted one star for that.
With exception to the one song, I like the album overall. Some songs have a celtic sound, others have more of a techno/electronica sound to them. Each song is a different story, sounds different, and yet from one song to the next there is continuity and good flow.
If you are a fan of Hardiman, I'm not sure how this album measures up to what you would expect from his previous albums. I've read mixed reviews.
As a new listener on a quest for inspiring music, I recommend the album for its uplifting sound and the feeling it generates while listening to it.
Not Horrible, Not Good.
Then I switched to pop and rock music, and Kiss. Until 11 years of age, I listened to country music because that's what my parents listened to, and I listened to Kiss. I discovered new age music when I was 16 and I've now been a fan of new age music for twenty years, and I still love Kiss. In that time I've heard a lot of new age music. I will say that this release from Ronan Hardiman is not something you're going to hear on your local top-40 radio station, and if you're not familiar with new age music, this will probably be a delightful experience of a different kind of music. But if you've had the number of years I've had to develop a more sophisticated taste for new age music, then I would say this isn't a good selection at all.
I found most of it, and his earlier _Solas_ release difficult to listen to. Some tracks sound like an cheap imitation of Robert Miles' Dreamland CD. Remember the piece "Children?" It's the one that made you want to drive fast -- a simple, but catchy, repetitive piano tune with a techno beat, ambient synthesizers and cool audio effects. It was ear candy. At times it seems like Ronan Hardiman is trying to pull this off, but it doesn't seem to work. Part of the problem, I think, is the rather bland vocals. They sound like backup singers, but they're right out in front and trying to carry the music, but they can't. The main reason being that the singers seem disconnected from the music. I hear no soul in their voice. They're not feeling anything. They're just singing notes.
Other tracks sound like they're being played by someone who can't play the piano, but they're standing in the electronics department at Sears experimenting with the rhythms on a Casio keyboard. Seriously, I heard not even a single chord on the piano in the entire CD. It was like he was playing it all with one hand, one note at a time, then a bunch of rhythms, percussion, ambient sounds, etc. . . , were added to make a boring tune more tolerable.
I should actually think of this CD as a real eye-opener. I can't play the piano well enough to bang on it like Anthony Burger (check him out on The Best of Anthony Burger (2005), he's awesome), but I can certainly hold my own with one-handed tunes with no chords. Given that, all I would have to do now is learn how to use my sequencer, get some good soundfonts and I could make a CD like this.
Overall, if you're expecting more of what you heard in Lord of the Dance, and Feet of Flames (as I was), then you're going to be disappointed. These CDs sound nothing like either of Michael Flatley's productions.
I wish I could give you some idea of who this sounds like. I've seen others say it sounds like a combination of Enya, Era, and Enigma, but I have to completely disagree. I really can't think of anything that this sounds like. It seems to have no parallels. It sounds like the kind of CD you'd get hanging off a 3-pack of air fresheners at a discount store. I certainly hate to be so blunt, but I know that Ronin Hardiman is capable of much better than this. I heard it when I enjoyed Lord of the Dance and Feet of Flames. He's a master, but this release is just a shame.
A Class of It's Own
My only regret is that Ronan Hardiman has not brought out another CD of this type. This music cannot be compared with anything I've ever heard. I was blown away with it's depth and intriguing sounds. The mixture between soft background voices on a few songs and the rhythm of the entire CD was a real surprise and welcomed addition to my collection. I listen to this CD at least once a week and I've had it for over a year. We need more music like Ronan Hardiman's.
New Music For New Millenium
If you like Enigma or Enya you will see that they, made groundbreaking steps for music like this wich surpasses them in all dimensions. This CD sounds pretty much like Karl Jenikns Adiemus but it is softened and more relaxing. Simply this is what they were spelling from the horizon. But do not think that it is somtging revolutionary, it looks like folk music of 21 century.
Cerating the very same feeling gregorina chants do. Relaxing.
Hardiman is a Hit
The music is a mix of new age, pop and neo classic influences that remind me the music of Adiemus, Enya, Bill Whelan and a touch of Cirque du Soleil. After hearing one of his songs on a local light jazz station, I got this CD as a birthday present. It's light, airy positive songs can lift one's spirits.
You can see a complete list of all Ronan Hardiman discography, or go back to the Ronan Hardiman tabs
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