Sensitive to Light - Almost Human

Home Artist links Label link

Sensitive to Light - Almost Human

Artist:	Sensitive to Light
Title:	Almost Human
Label:	Cyclops CYCL 156
Length(s):	66 minutes
Year(s) of release:	2006
Month of review:	[07/2008]

Line up

Vynce Leff - guitars, keyboards, vocals
Jenny Lewis - vocals
Jean-Philippe Dupont - keyboards
Georgio Salvini - drums
Claude Thill - bass

Tracks

1)	Dreams Are Coming True Tonight 1.54
2)	Birth 12.01
3)	Something Happened In The Garden Of Eden 10.22
4)	Carpe Diem 6.06
5)	Kyrie [Gepetto's Death] 7.15
6)	Snow 6.13
7)	Travels 3.28
8)	Father [The Truth] 8.36
9)	Memories 2.15

Bonus Track

10) Why? 7.51

Summary

The music

Sensitive To Light was founded by Saens keyboardist and composer Vynce Leff. I can't say that I'm too aware about the origin of the other band members. What I can say is that bringing them in has created a sound that is rather different from the Saens sound. Where Saens might not be the most French of French bands already, the sound of this quintet is more British than it is French. Of course, the fact that the vocals are sung by a Britton helps greatly in achieving the affect. But there's more. Certain passages, sounds, bridges are filled in a way that just does not feel French.

The album tells the story of a grown up Pinocchio, facing the questions of life. Nice to see that a story was chosen we hadn't heard umpteen times before. Even though Saens was quite fond of using concepts for album subjects as well, the tracks on this album are more closely knit, into pretty much a rock opera. In fact, the nine tracks of the album itself are actually the nine parts of the one song on the album, Pinocchio. The guitar is not as prominent as it is in Saens material, having the competition of the keys. Surprisingly, there is a tearing sax at times too, which is an addition that works quite well, in my opinion. It also helps in creating a somewhat more romantic sound.

One of the downsides -at least in my opinion- of rock operas and concept albums is that the songs are structured to tell a story, which at times gets in the way of melodic interest. Even though the sacrifices on that altar are limited on this album, there are such. Another thing, which can be found on Saens albums as well, is that the compositions at times seem to trip over themselves, get ahead of themselves. This has a negative effect on the coherence of songs in which it occurs. Again, not a great problem, but it's there.

Vocalist Jenny Lewis is presented as a great promise, or asset in the promo sheet. Even though I find her to be very able and well up to the task presented her on this album, I can't say that I feel she takes the music to another level. She's plain good. Quite ironically the layered vocals of the bonus track are the best show case of the vocal talents present in the band, which aren't necessarily Jenny's.

The album sounds very full, no opportunity for throwing in a fill, riff or keyboard carpet is passed over. This can't hide away, though, that so many things about this album are just plain good -in the sense of sufficient- without ever excelling. Never am I taken in, the music seems to pass me by just a little too much, although Kyrie has a good try at it. But one song can't carry a full album.

Conclusion

This album is pretty good, really. It sounds professional, the compositions are solid, the playing is good. But it fails to come alive, jump you in the face. In their attempt to make an album of the same type as Brave they have made, well, an album of the same type as Brave, something between a concept album and a rock opera. But an album that lacks the moments of quiet (compensating with overdramatizing), and most of all, an album that fails to convince. Maybe I just don't feel the click, maybe it's all there after all, and I can't find it. But I don't think so. And therefore it remains an album that at the end of the day I won't play again, even though it's pretty good.