Shepherd Moons (1991)

Those who enjoy Christmas carols will love Irish chanteuse Enya, whose music is a cross between Burt Bacharach's greatest hits and a morning spent in church. On one hand there are sticky-sweet melodies and corny sentiments; on the other there's religious solemnity induced by ringing organ chords and angelic high harmonies. Shepherd Moss is beautifully produced, with a clarity and resonance that upgrade otherwise bland or lamebrained songs to New Age techno-classics. Also keeping Enya's music from insipidity are such ethnic touches as Uillean pipes and the occasional lyric sung in Latin or Gaelic. These languages suit the medieval atmosphere — and her open-throated vocal style — perfectly. Although it's very possible that the words aren't nearly as stupid as those of songs like ''How Can I Keep From Singing'' (an ode to world peace that contains the verse ''In prison cell and dungeon vile/our thoughts to them are winging''), I'm thankful I don't understand these ancient tongues. B