When we see the impressive list of guests in the latest album 'Invisible' by drummer 'Nick D'Virgilio' (among others 'Tears for Fears', 'Spock's Beard', 'Big Big Train' or 'Steve Hackett' but also he did part of the adventure of the ‘Cirque du Soleil’ for 5 years), we tell ourselves that we are rubbing shoulders with the cream of global progressive rock. But this last opus is much larger than a set of progressive compositions because Nick mixes different influences in which he has been immersed for several decades which makes 'Invisible' a very accessible album.
After the short instrumental highlighting the instruments of the orchestra in a melancholy atmosphere, the title song of the album 'Invisible' is a magnificent ballad about people we never talk about but who bring as much as the others their stone to the building (what a beautiful coincidence with what we experienced at the beginning of the year), then, 'Turn Your Life Around' is one of the only really progressive titles which alternates instrumental and sung parts with the use of strings which bring us back to the atmospheres of the beginning of 'Electric Light Orchestra'. Without transition, 'I'm Gone' takes us on a funky rhythm with choirs from the time of the 'Bee Gees', then the cover of the rock 'Money (That's All I Want') of 'Barett Strong' which had been sung by the 'Beatles' at the beginning of the 60s is completely revisited with an improbable but magnificent meeting between the musics of the 'Cirque Du soleil' and a group of Gospel. Follows the short and very stripped-down ballad 'Waiting For No One' with a jazzy atmosphere, then we turn up the decibels with a lively 'Snake Oil Salesman' which would not have mismatched in a set list of 'Status Quo' and 'Where's The Passion' brings us back to a much more classic atmosphere with remarkable orchestral arrangements and an atmosphere close to the American variety of the 70s/80s. It's still a big gap as I like them with 'Mercy' which, after an atmospheric introduction, delivers us a powerful progressive metal that would not have denied 'Dream Theater' and, in this register, 'Nick D'Virgilio' shows all his talent in the rhythm section, then, 'Overcome' continues with a colossal instrumental introduction that leads to a calmer but epic track in a 'Queenest' style, and 'In The Bones' mixes rock power and jazz sounds with brass which fills the whole space. The end of the album offers us a rhythmic 'Wrong Place Wrong Time' with electronic effects and a vocal phrasing superimposed on the lead vocals, 'Not My Time To Say Goodbye' in a more progressive register with new brass accompaniment that recall the credits of American series, and finally 'I Know The Way' in a light popisante atmosphere close to the style of 'Elton John'.
In summary, this new solo album by 'Nick D'Virgilio' is a compendium of various influences that mix pop, rock, jazz and metal all this being sprinkled with progressive which destines 'Invisible' to a loving audience above all the diversity of genres... | |
