Moya (Máire) Brennan - Signature (2006)

Signature looks back over a life less ordinary and portrays Moya's experiences through a collection of twelve superb tracks. Musically sharp and finely tuned, the album cleverly treads a fine line between the contemporary and the traditional while Moya emerges as a skilled songwriter with a global ear. In true Irish tradition, many of the songs have that bittersweet flavour - so this is no rose-tinted retrospective. Rather, Signature is a series of snapshots of Moya’s life – each chosen moment launches a lyrical reflection - which, when all woven together, produce a tapestry of contrasting colours and emotions.

Máire Ní Bhraonáin, better known as Máire Brennan or Moya Brennan (born August 4, 1952, Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland), is a Grammy Award-nominated Celtic folk singer, songwriter and harpist. Brennan grew up as the eldest in a very musical family in the remote parish of Gaoth Dobhair (Gweedore), in the northwest of Ireland, a place where the Irish language and tradition continues to flourish. She began her singing career when her family formed the band Clannad in 1970. Her sister is Enya.

In total Brennan has recorded 25 albums, and has sold over 20 million records. In film, she was featured vocalist on King Arthur (2004), co-writing the title theme "Tell Me Now (What You See)" with Hans Zimmer and wrote additional music score for To End All Wars (2001). In 1995 she duetted with Shane McGowan with "You're The One" for the movie "Circle of Friends". Brennan has collaborated with many other musicians, including Alan Parsons, Bono, Robert Plant, Van Morrison, Michael McDonald from the Doobie Brothers, Bruce Hornsby, Def Leppard, The Chieftains, Paul Young, Paul Brady, Michael Crawford, Joe Jackson and Ronan Keating.

Brennan and Clannad are credited with the creation of contemporary celtic music and are held in high esteem for their vast contribution to bringing new life to old Irish songs. They have been compared to Seán Ó Riada, in that they brought the Irish language into popular culture through their music. One critic said "Clannad's music offers a terrific fusion between traditional and modern influences". It is Brennan's haunting voice that has left the most lasting legacy, it has become synonymic with Clannad's work and with Irish music in general. Her ethereal vocalization is considered the archetypal sound of Ireland and strains of her style have been acquired in the soundtracks to Titanic and Riverdance. Bono said of her voice, "I think Moya has one of the greatest voices the human ear has ever experienced".

Tracklist:
01. Purple Haze
02. No One Talks
03. Merry Go Round
04. Always
05. Tapestry
06. Black Night
07. Hear My Prayer
08. Never Stray Far Away
09. Many Faces
10. Hidden Stories
11. Gone Are The Days
12. Pill A Run O

Total running time: 47:39