Emma Shapplin – etterna
Music: B MLP
5.1: A- DTS 5.1: B+ PCM 2.0: B- Extras: C-
Are some voices just too beautiful for Rock? Even if an artist wants to have Rock in
their music, a decision still has to be made.
Before going on her early-1980s winning streak, Pat Benatar was an Opera
singer, but she abandoned the style completely for her style of Guitar
Rock. Emma Shapplin is trying to be
land her music in between that and the likes of an Enya or Sinead O’Connor,
which can be experienced first hand on this DVD-Audio of etterna
For one thing, she is not singing in English, and the
arrangements are not totally Rock, but they are harder-edged as compared to
Enya. Recalling the recent cycle of
laid-back Lillith performers, but feeling like Kate Bush’s cousin, Shapplin has
a voice, which is a true musical instrument.
It can challenge the instruments, instead of just integrating into
them. She is multi-lingual, but sings
in Italian. This is good stuff, and she
is just beginning to find her way as a singer.
There are 11 tracks in all, which do offer variety,
but still are in the hybrid genre of Opera with some Hard Rock. la notte etterna is essentially the
title song, epitomizes the spiritual otherworldliness the music is trying to
convey. I first heard Shapplin on the
odd soundtrack for the not-so-great film Red Planet (2000) and her work
was one of the only things that kept me awake, outside of the noise on the
hyped soundtrack.
The mix here, by ace veteran David Tickle (Split Enz, Prince,
U2) is terrific, especially on the 5.1 MLP tracks. Though the regular DTS 5.1 sounds good, there is just too much
sound detail for the regular 24bit/48kHz version offered here to handle. The MLP is also 24bit/48kHz, but offers more
of the full effect Tickle is going for.
He has done other fine mixes for DTS, including the DTS ES-only version
of Sheryl Crow’s The Globe Sessions and the most-impressive Uninvisible
by Medeski, Martin & Wood. These
were both done for DTS and are the kind of thing that keeps the DTS
Entertainment label on the cutting edge.
The disc also offers an interview with Shapplin on her
music and on-screen lyrics. If you are
“Enya”ed-out and this sounds like something you would like, it is worth you
time and money to add to your collection.
If Shapplin decides to start recording English albums, many a female
singer had better brace herself. Emma
Shapplin is an up and coming star, so good that I can’t wait to see what she
tries next.
- Nicholas Sheffo
