Featured Artist: Marc Martino

CD Title: A Story

Year: 2008

Record Label: Independent release

Style: New Age

Review:

A new age experiment that was initially intended to explore the inner depths of Marc Martino’s imagination, this beautiful, often grandiose, sometimes even celestial project ends up reaching out to the listener in a way that allows him or her to travel with the artist and his prolific melodies to the places he would have one go. A Story truly goes the extra mile to tell its variety of tales that make it up in such a vibrant fashion.  Obviously using skills honed during his multi-faceted years delving into various genres, Martino produces a handsome piece of work with very decent appeal.  

Martino states that the album can be enjoyed as if it were film music around which listeners can create their own images.  I think he’s on to something there, as there is enough room for such creativity and input from patrons. The tunes, laced with acoustical arrangements and electronica in varying degrees, are quite elaborate and professionally massaged.  They involve a lot more than stringing notes together. This is an opera in motion, with elements of world, rock, and new age generously sprinkled throughout, and as expressive as any I’ve heard. Organ, strings, synth, you name it. It’s all brought together here in an almost haughty fashion. Interesting material, to say the least.

From the absolutely beautiful opening track, “Whispers Song,” to the finale “Relinquish,” it’s clear that Martino wished to transform the images in his own head to music and back again.  With this production, he’s apparently attempting to do the same to listeners. It’s a bet he’ll be able to do so easily.  It is a journey worth taking.

Tracks:

Whisper's Song, Passion, Mystery-Oso, RainShine, Once Upon a Time, Calling the Storm, Elditch Fire, Tamar's Eyes, Holly, The Vale, Turkoise, Dim, Phantoms, Relinquish

Artist's Website: http://myspace.com/marcmartino

Listen or Buy: http://cdbaby.com/cd/marcmartino

Reviewed by: Ronald Jackson

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