Soul Bared

In his Symphonie fantastique, the young Berlioz bared his soul in music, torturing himself with passion — some might say obsession — for his beloved. Through tender love scenes, a thrilling march to the scaffold, and an opium-induced nightmare, Berlioz’s riveting masterpiece is unforgettable.

Can it really be five years since 'The Masquerade Overture'? In the intervening time, Nick has suffered personally, and some of this is really brought home by the lyrics. There are some very bitter words at times, but the strongest message is probably on "If I Were The Wind (And You Were The Rain)" where Nick sings to his son. It is straight from the heart and I not only felt extremely moved when I read them for the first time, but also that almost I was intruding on a very private matter. Nick has bared his soul on this album, so that it is extremely personal and, hopefully for him, cathartic. But what of the music? In many ways, this is an album that will appeal to followers of Floyd, Genesis and Camel, albeit with more majesty and grace.