BRIGHTMAN, SARAH

The word "angelic" almost seems an understatement when applied to the golden voice of Sarah Brightman. She makes Enya sound like Tom Waits, and LA LUNA is full of tunes that allow Brightman to freely weave her vocal magic. She moves convincingly through a number of styles here, the atmospheric soundscapes of the introductory "La Lune" giving way to the electronica-tinged "Winter in July," which in turn leads into a delicately updated arrangement of the British folk tune "Scarborough Fair," made popular in the '60s by Simon & Garfunkel. Thick washes of strings mate with electronic percussion on Brightman's version of the Procol Harum classic "A Whiter Shade of Pale." On "How Fair This Place," she shows off the impressive operatic chops that helped her to earn her diva stripes. Ultimately, whether she's sweetly subverting folk tunes, ably adapting classical material, or reigning like a pop princess over very contemporary arrangements, Brightman wields a voice that never fails to enchant.

Estimated despatch 5-10 days after ordering.