Marked For Madness. Michelle's second album builds significantly on her debut and is the dedicated culmination of four years' of international travel and collaboration. The final result, mastered at Abbey Road Studios in London, is comprised of fifteen cohesively produced tracks firmly planted in progressive rock but with impressively broad appeal. Darker in spots than Song of the Siren, effects introduced on her debut have been carried onto the new recording. A real air of hope emerges from the most orchestral and symphonic numbers. The album's title serves equally as its theme, incredibly delivered in words, music and other acoustic effects. Although samples of the album's very early demos can be heard at Michelle's mp3.com website, readers should note that the final production is substantially improved.
While Michelle can still be compared vocally to Kate Bush at times, the songwriting and instrumental arrangements on Marked For Madness transport her work a distance from the 80s hit maker into the world of song-based progressive rock. The dramatic title track that opens the album is the first to support this assertion, evocatively varying moods with vocal, instrumental and other effects to deliver the album's message. Dramatic effects and the stunning guitar solo during the instrumental bridge clearly separate the project from 'other female vocals' albums—this is a progressive rock album right from the start.
The album's dramatic theme builds with the hauntingly rocky tune "A Lively Toast." Layered vocals and instrumental arrangements are as eerie as progressively rocky with effects and distinctly different keyboard passages breaking a traditional verse/chorus pattern. Lushly arranged, blending choral, woodwind sounds and chimes with violin samples, the dramatically performed "Spider's Thread" also includes tremendous vocal work, projecting the power and range of the artist's talent. The album's first instrumental is the brightly produced symphonic number "Hope: Realization," orchestrally echoing both bright and dark themes heard elsewhere on the album. The track blends naturally into the everso short track "First Light" featuring Bobby Kimball's vocals.
Thunder clap effects underscore Michelle's evocatively soaring vocal introduction to the rocking keyboards and guitars in "Dancing On The Head Of A Pin." The dramatic contrast between lead and backing vocal elements as well as the robust keyboard solos are most notable. Layers of vocals and eerie cinematic textures perfectly suit the haunting lyrics and richly produced symphonic passages of "Demons," one of the album's certain standout and defining tracks. The theatrical style instrumental "Hope: The Darkest Hour" blends various musical sounds with special effects and various spoken contributions perfectly suited to introduce the stunning "Melissa's Demise" that immediately follows. With both rock with jazz elements, layers of lush vocals join acoustic and electric guitar and tremendously produced percussion to evoke contrasting emotional responses corresponding to the song's message.
Michelle's compositional strength is clearly illustrated in the layered classically oriented instrumental "The Right of Passage," with violin samples arranged by Clive Nolan. Acoustic guitar and stunning lead vocals fill "Hope: Encouragement;" backing vocals, choral elements and lushly arranged symphonic keyboards contribute as the theme develops. "Mystery Man Summoned" is a theatrically performed number with spooky lyrics perfectly supported by the dramatic carnival-style instrumental arrangements, backing vocals and supporting sound effects. A variety of different spoken vocal contributions begin the track "Pull The Wool" as crisp finger snapping percussion supports the layered vocal track. A brief symphonic passage concludes the track.
Marked For Madness begins its conclusion with "Walk In The Light," a lovely bookend to "First Light" which appears much earlier in the recording. A cross between sensitively sung ballad and progressive rocker, this dramatic number builds instrumentally and vocally to a marvelous symphonic crescendo, before returning to its delicate beginning and final dramatic conclusion. Layers of stunning vocals are perfectly complimented by a richly produced arrangement. The album closes with the everso delicate ballad "Toujours Ensemble" (Always Together). Sung in English and French the vocal layers perfectly accompanied by acoustic guitar and piano effectively deliver the theme 'always together in the music.' This album is most certainly worth not only a trans-Atlantic journey, but a journey to the moon if necessary—a must listen!
(...and there's more...)
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Originally Posted by JKL2000
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