ALMOST HUMAN

WOW, after Maldoror and Nemo here is Sensitive To Light, another French progrock sensation! The musical brainchild is the versatile musician Vynce Leff who is known as a member of neo-prog band Saens. He also worked out the lyrics, based on the story of Pinocchio (who's nose grew when he lied, I wish that politicians could suffer from that ..!). It deals about the dilemma that the grewing Pinocchio realizes he is mortal and about the confrontation with eternal questions like where he comes from, why he was born and why we have to die?

1. Pinocchio : I. Dreams Are Coming True Tonight (1:53) : This short opener contains soaring strings and thin vocals with a Gaelic undertone, simply wonderful!

2. Pinocchio : Ii. Birth (11:59) : A biting electric guitar joins, followed by a pleasant mid-tempo rhythm. The music becomes very dynamic and is very tastefully coloured: fat guitar riffs, flamenco-like acoustic guitar runs, majestic violin-Mellotron waves and warm but also powerful vocals. The climates alternates from dreamy with beautiful synthesizer - and saxophone play to sumptuous eruptions featuring a long, fiery electric guitar solo and church bells. The final part is very compelling with howling guitar and inspired vocals.

3. Someting Happened In The Garden Of Eden (10:20) : First a slow rhythm with a moving violin-Mellotron sound and a bit ominous vocals, then heavy, quite raw guitar work. The climate turns into compelling bombastic with metal guitar riffs and a flashy synthesizer solo. Then a dreamy part delivering warm vocals and soaring Mellotron. In the end the sound becomes more and more lush with orchestral keyboards, propulsive drum beats and even the sound of bag pipes, very original!

4. Carpe Diem (6:04) : A bit folky climate with Gaelic inspired vocals, tasteful keyboards and a compelling rhtyhm-section, beautiful.

5. Kyrie (Gepetto's Death) (5:18) : The story of this composition has been translated perfectly into the music with a Gothic-like atmosphere: first ominous organ and piano play and in the end very bombastic as a kind of progrock opera. In between we hear lots of great musical ideas and the exciting blend of metal riffs and sparkling church organ, what a melodramatic sound!

6. Snow (6:11) : This track features a captivating combination of twanging guitars and propulsive metal riffs, you can feel the tension. The music becomes more and more lush with moving work on saxophone and guitar and very passionate vocals, what a voice!

7. Travels (3:28) : A compelling and exciting song with huge tension between the acoustic, Eastern sounding instruments and the heavy guitar riffs, flashy synthesizer and jazzy piano solo. A very interesting musical journey.

8. Father (the Truth) (8:15) : It starts with a dreamy climate featuring sensitive, a bit bluesy guitar play and melancholic vocals. Then a sparkling piano solo and the music turns into more and more bombastic with moving, great build-up electric guitar work. The next part sounds very mellow with thin vocals and soaring keyboards. The second part of this dynamic and alternating composition contains again lots of captivating musical ideas, I enjoyed the fusion (jazz/flamenco) guitar work that reminds me of John McLaughlin and Al DiMeola. The final part delivers duo-vocals and fiery soli on saxophone and guitar, a very compelling atmosphere.

9. Memories (2:13) : A wonderful piece with Hackett-like twanging classic guitar and fine acoustic guitar runs (great overdubs), blended with warm vocals.

10. Why ? (bonus track) (7:49) : In the final track Sensitive To Light showcases again their huge potential: first dreamy with thin vocals and soaring Mellotron, then the sound becomes more and more lush and bombastic featuring passionate vocals and fine acoustic guitar runs. The final part contains sensitive classical guitar and wonderful vocals.

MY SIMPLE ADVISE: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!