Anthem

Artist: Ronan Hardiman
Label: Decca U.S.
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 601215940329
EAN: 0601215940329
ASIN: B00004YLPA

Release Date: 2000-09-26

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| International | Styles | Music

General

| New Age | Styles | Music

General

| Pop | Styles | Music

World Dance

| Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

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Listmania:

New Age, Celtic, and World Music
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Tracks:

Anthem
That Place In Your Heart
Run Away
Ready For Life
Salve
Never
Worlds Apart
Ancient Lands
Where Are You Now
Heaven (Waiting There For Me)

Similar Items:

Solas
Michael Flatley's Feet of Flames
Michael Flatley's Celtic Tiger
Michael Flatley's Lord Of The Dance
Soundscapes

Customer Reviews:

Not Horrible, Not Good........2006-10-10

Until 11 years of age, I listened to country music because that's what my parents listened to, and I listened to Kiss. Then I switched to pop and rock music, and 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.......2002-12-29

This music cannot be compared with anything I've ever heard. My only regret is that Ronan Hardiman has not brought out another CD of this type. 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.......2002-05-12

This CD sounds pretty much like Karl Jenikns Adiemus but it is softened and more relaxing. If you like Enigma or Enya you will see that they, made groundbreaking steps for music like this wich surpasses them in all dimensions. 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.......2001-09-21

After hearing one of his songs on a local light jazz station, I got this CD as a birthday present. 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. It's light, airy positive songs can lift one's spirits.

soothing.......2001-07-29

soft and awesome music for a quiet saturday evening.

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