As probably anyone into Enya knows; she started out at 18 with her siblings in the famous band, Clannad. After touring and recording with them, she finally decided to strike out on her own. This soundtrack was her first attempt at a solo project. With the exception of the Jazz Club numbers, she composed all of these tunes.
Well... The Jazz Club pieces are somewhat mediocre at best. They're soft renditions of jazz standards done in a lounge style. 'Mack The Knife' is performed with a hurried swing that makes you wonder where the band was off too after the show. The rest are faithful, but boring versions.
I guess the best part of this record is hearing the evolution of an artist. She was smart to cut her teeth on this project rather than on a full fledged solo release. You can hear her starting to develop the sound she later becomes so famous for. But the reality of this record is that the music is fairly uninspired and simple. There's not a single track that stands out above the others. There are however, a number of tracks that leave a great deal to be desired and are frankly horrible. The inclusion of the saxophone in certain Enya numbers is quite horrific in and of itself. The numbers could stand on their own, but the inclusion of a session sounding jazz saxophonist detracts greatly from the appeal.
Having never seen this film, or knowing if it was even released in the United States, I can't say how the impact of specific scenes could have played in the creation of this work. Needless to say, I doubt very much there was much for her to play off of considering how weak this material is compared to just a few short years later.
This is an ideal gift for the die-hard Enya fan. But be prepared... This isn't the Enya you know and love. This is a developing artist cutting her teeth. You are warned. My final word: SCARY.
THE FROG PRINCE - ORIGINAL MOVIE SOUNDTRACK
01. The Train To Paris
02. The First Day
03. Jazz Club - Mack The Knife
04. Jazz Club - Let It Be Me
05. With Jean-Phillipe
06. Jenny
07. Reflections
08. The Frog Prince
09. Dreams
10. The Kiss
11. Jazz Club - Sweet Georgia Brown
12. Jazz Club - Georgia On My Mind
13. A Kiss By The Fountain
14. Jenny & Roz
15. Les Flon-Flons Du Bal
16. Epilogue
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