NARROW PASS: In This World And Beyond (PROGRESSIVE ROCK): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

Narrow Pass, project of the Italian musician Mauro Montobbio who charmed us in 2006 with the excellent A Room of Fairy Queen's, comes back with a second album in a vein close to the first one and just as exciting.

The line up shows a Valeria Caucino integrated to the project while on the previous opus she appeared as a guest. Two other guests present on A Room of Fairy Queen's come back to support the basic duo: the bass player Roberto Costa and Alessandro Corvaglia, the emblematic singer of La Maschera di Cera. To this small group of four, 7 other interpreters are added to offer us this In This World and Beyond that will end up in many playlists.

The first piece, which gives its name to the album (unless it is the opposite), gives the general tone of the work. Valeria's crystalline and doubled voice joins Alessandro's to lay down a folk song on a music partly acoustic (guitar, flute and piano) and partly more symphonic developed around Mauro's synths. This same Mauro literally shines on the second track ("Beyond") by marrying keyboards and electric guitar in a melodious and grandiose instrumental.

The third track ("Silver Lady") introduces another facet of Montobbio's compositions: a medieval atmosphere where the male and female voices answer each other, reminding us of Renaissance or Blackmore's Night. Comparing Valeria Caucino to Annie Haslam is obvious, listening to the last track of the album, "Flying from Ireland", is there to convince you. This last track is full of melancholy that is lightly underlined by some violin phrases and the low whispers of a tenor sax.

The melodic and symphonic music of Narrow Pass is magnified by the mastery of the many performers. In This World and Beyond is to be recommended to all those who want to rest their eardrums pleasantly and finish a peaceful evening in front of a fireplace. - Official website

NARROW PASS

IN THIS WORLD AND BEYOND

MUSEA

PROGRESSIVE ROCK