Young, Michelle - Marked For Madness

Year of Release: 2001
Label: Naosha Records
Catalog Number: NACD002
Format: CD
Total Time: 61:31:00

The ones who possess well-trained ears have certainly noted her on the Nolan/Wakeman albums or on Leonardo - The Absolute Man, the last Magna Carta opus penned by Trent Gardner, while the others who still don't know anything about this artist should immediately pick up Marked For Madness, her second album. Oops, but I still have to tell you who it is I'm talking about ... well, she is Michelle Young, a young and nice-looking American singer, a girl with a voice so sweet and captivating that more than one writer has already linked her to the notorious Kate Bush. Marked For Madness, as I already asserted, is only her second record, but I don't think it's overpraising the work if I state that the songs included here sound much more mature than the majority of what we frequently have to listen to. Nonetheless, a lot of friends have helped Michelle achieve this little masterpiece, and amongst them we find Clive Nolan (who plays keys and co-produces the CD), Karl Groom, Peter Banks and Bobby Kimball, too, who guests on the song "First Light." But talking about vocal lines, I honestly affirm that in this case the ones sung by Michelle are enough for me, as she is incredibly gifted in designing lots of beautiful harmonies around and into the tunes, which are somewhat comparable to tiny symphonic pieces. In fact, from a compositional standpoint, the songs are similar to some by the aforementioned duo of Nolan/Wakeman, even more so because this album looks like a concept, if you read the lyrics. Well, probably the unusual theatrical ambience of certain sonic fragments will turn away a few individuals from listening, but if you are searching for rough and unknown (well, I hope not for too long) diamonds look no further, Michelle Young is the one who suits you just fine!

Tracklisting:
Marked For Madness (6:32) / A Lively Toast (3:27) / Spider's Thread (6:47) / Hope: Realization (3:35) / First Light (1:04) / Dancing On The Head Of A Pin (6:31) / Demons (4:42) / Hope: The Darkest Hour /(2;21) / Melissa's Demise (5:16)/ The Right Of Passage (2:25) / Hope: Encouragement (3:00) / Mystery Man Summoned (4:15) / Pull The Wool (1:55) / Walk In The Light (8:09) / Toujours Ensemble (1:32)

Musicians:
Michelle Young - vocals,
Clive Nolan - keys
Karl Groom - guitar
Peter Banks - guitars
Bobby Kimball - vocals
Doane Perry - drums
Stan Whittaker - guitar

Discography:
Song Of The Siren (1996)
Marked For Madness (2001)

Genre: Symphonic Prog

Origin US

Added: March 24th 2002
Reviewer: Igor Italiani

Artist website: www.michelleyoung.com
Hits: 2041
Language: english