I, like many, discovered Sarah through Phantom. After she left the show, I followed her solo efforts. From "Dive" on, she has made some very interesting choices during her solo career. Every one knows of her breakthrough smash, "Time to Say Goodbye" with Andrea Bocelli. The album with the same name was also very special for Sarah fans. We finally heard her go back to the heights of her voice that so wooed us in Phantom. As good as "Time" is however, "Eden" is better. If you are looking for an album that truly showcases Sarah and her magnificant instrument, that clear soprano, buy "Eden".

"Eden" is a journey into a wonderous world of beautiful music. Frank Patterson, her producer, understand how to blend Sarah unique styles into a collage of beauty. From the very beginning of the cd, Sarah begins to draw you into her world. Her "Eden". From the covers of some popular artist, Hooverphonic and Kansas, to the use of opera in Puccini, Sarah shows you why she is one of the finest sopranos in music today. My personal favorites on the cd are "Lascia Ch'lo Pianga" and "Deliver Me." Also, she gives great "girl power" to "Nessun Dorma" a song made for tenors. The only curious selection on the cd is her rendition of "My Heart Will Go On" in italian. However, that is the only weak point on the entire album. The duet with Richard Marx is another very fine high point, added only to the US version of the cd.

If you are just starting out with Brightman, buy this cd first. It is a better feel of her. She shows you more of her "pop" side, but that side of her in no way takes away from her operatic appeal. "Time to Say Goodbye" should be included in your purchase of Sarah, but if you are going one at a time, get this one first.

The variety of songs here is probably the most attractive feature of the CD for those who appreciate Sarah Brightman's ethereal, angelic voice. And it's probably the least attractive feature for those whose musical enjoyment is sharply concentrated on one type of music. In describing her voice on this record as ethereal and angelic, I want to comment on one reviewer's comparing her with Enya. Indeed, this is a valid comparison. And yet the two are each very distinctive. You do hear the similarity on this album and on "La Luna".

I feel that Ms. Brightman expresses a quality of love for each of the songs she sings. This is evident even in this case where there is such diversity of material. Each of us has favorite cuts. Mine are: Puccini's "Nessum Dorma", Kansas' "Dust In The Wind", "So Many Things", "Eden" Morricone's "Nella Fantasia", "Only an Ocean Away" and the fittingly placed "The Last Words You Said." Also quite notable are "Deliver Me", the song that first attracted me to Sarah Brightman when I heard it on a "Pure Moods" album, and also the Titanic theme with Italian lyrics. Some object to her singing songs with non-English lyrics, although for me this is part of the charm of her CD's. One becomes more involved with the beauty of the song when not distracted by the lyrics. Well, this one does anyway.

I gave the few one and two star reviews a close look for a clue to exactly who might not like this album as I do. There are purists who believe they know better than the singer as to how the song should be sung, and those would not enjoy this album. Those with less eclectic tastes and those annoyed by songs where you might not understand the foreign words would undoubtedly be annoyed by this CD. I did note that one negative review wasn't about this CD at all, but of a concert...Others listened only once to this CD and decided they didn't like it, a common mistake. I'd be missing many of my now favorite CD's had I never listened to them several times. I do hope that the one reviewer who said he was throwing his copy into the trash was joking. There are too many people who would gain much pleasure from this CD for some thoughtless person to throw it out. But to each his own.

After several good but not outstanding pop albums, Sarah Brightman hit her stride in the expansive, sensuous "Eden," a lush collection of ethereal songs that seem almost otherworldly. Brightman's beautiful voice and excellent choice of songs make this a near-perfect pop album, as deep and rich as fine velvet.

It opens with synth waves and jungle sounds in "In Paradisum," followed by a dramatic male choir in a warm, lush cover of Hooverphonic's "Eden." A slightly more acoustic sound enters with the gentle "So Many Things" and guitar-led "Dust in the Wind." Then she swerves into more operatic territory with the stirring "Il Mio Cuore Va" (an Italian cover of "My Heart Will Go On").

The album peaks with the aching tenderness of "Only An Ocean Away," a dramatic song about distance between lovers, and the stirring plea of "Deliver Me" with its chorus of rich voices repeating the title line. Then Brightman ends on a high note (no pun intended) with the musically spare, gauzy love ballad "The Last Words You Said."

Very few albums like "Eden" are made -- it draws its listeners in through intrigue and beauty rather than any obvious ploys for attention. It's hard to imagine just how it could be better than it is -- a few tweaks here and there, but no song feels out of place or superfluous. Whether she's reworking covers or dipping into Puccini, the music sounds flawless and uniform.

Brightman's vocals are usually high and sweet here, lending a fragile edge to the majestic music. In songs like "Lascia Ch'io Pianga," she gets to show a bit more of her range, with her voice becoming richly operatic. And she gets to really soar when she sings deeply emotional songs, belting out "There's an ocean between us/you know where to find me... more than a lifetime/still goes on forever/but it helps to remember/you're only an ocean away..."

The musical arrangements that accompany her are nothing short of epic -- orchestral strings that serve as a backdrop for her voice, solid drums, and even some pleasant acoustic guitar here and there. Even a few sound samples like thunder and jungles. Harkening back to her "Fly" and "Dive" days, Brightman also uses bits and pieces of electronica, adding texture to the sweeping string arrangements.

Sarah Brightman found her niche in the magnificent "Eden," a richly sensuous album full of romance, sorrow and unrestrained beauty. Definitely a must-have for fans of beautiful music.

Sarah Brightman has a voice with which you can find yourself lifted to joy or brought to tears. I listened to this cd with a friend who was totally unfamiliar with Sarah and she couldn't stop listening to it. "Deliver Me" is perhaps the most popular and best track while "Only An Ocean Away" is one very lyrically simplistic yet most moving songs on the cd. Overall a wonderful cd. I'd love to hear Sarah do a song with Delerium.

Eden is a wonderfully diverse work, encompassing a wide variety of styles, from pop to opera to even a bit of Gregorian chant. Brightman moves with ease between them, showing a gifted voice with a tremendous vocal range. While there are a couple of spots where she's overwhelmed by the orchestration, that's more a problem with how the tracks were mixed than lack of power. I'd love to see and hear this lady sing in concert on the stage. I loved this cd from start to finish. Her version of the theme from Titanic blows Celine Dion into the weeds. Other favorites of mine are In Paradisum and Nessun Dorma.