Indie Insider Ryan Michele

This is an album with a difference. If you’re looking for songs that grind, you’ll find them here in the title track, “The Prophets and The Planet” and “The Saints.” If you’re looking for inspirational songs, you’ll find them here in “Die Empty” and “Time Goes On”. But if hot songs are all you’re after you’re going to miss the true gems of this piece. The Prophets and The Planet is not just a collection of great songs, instead it’s one of the few concept albums of its kind. It leads those who care to follow through a deep cavern of truth and expression that stirs up broken dreams and bleeds hope for every life…

I have always had rather a soft spot for Michele Campanella playing Liszt. This dates back to when he was the pianist on the first LP of Liszt I ever bought – a Pye disc of him playing the two concertos. With the bi-centenary of Liszt’s birth looming in the Autumn this is the first of the year’s celebratory sets that I have encountered. It should be noted however, as with the bulk of Brilliant Classics releases, these are licensed re-releases although in this case the provenance is not totally clear.