I don't usually stop at symphonic albums but in the case of 'Hillside', I was seduced by this unique style which emerges from this work written and composed by 'George Henning' and recorded in 2018 with the 'Macedonian Symphonic Orchestra'. We embark on a sumptuous journey which offers us magnificent melodies in a soothing orchestral atmosphere with vocal accompaniment by George whose voice can recall singers like ‘Cat Stevens’.
14 tracks quite short for a duration of about 50 minutes, here is the menu of this opus which begins with 'The Door' with energetic strings and a first heady melody which never leaves you, then, 'The Seventh String', in a slower tempo, is more melancholic in a pop style close to the 'Beatles' with a simple but very warm guitar solo, the orchestra supporting the whom in a beautiful way. Following the eponymous title of the album, very romantic and 'Smile' adds the tranquility of the piano in an ambience of the ballads of 'Billy Joel'. The rest is like this beginning with beautiful melodies that are encrusted in your head, and I will quote the titles that marked me the most with 'Nemo Skywlakin', 'Magic Bell', 'Secrets' or even 'A Life Devine' and, to make a comparison, the moods are not far from the symphonic version of Arjen Lucassen's, 'The Gentle Storm' project.
In summary, 'George Henning' released a remarkable album out of what we used to hear and somehow reconciles classical music with pop music by mixing them for the better and if you are a fan of symphonic music accompanied by an orchestra and integrating electric guitar and drums, you are at the right place because this 'Hillside' should undoubtedly please you... | |
