LIGHT + SHADE

Dear friend Mike almost released more "Tubular" albums than other ones during these last thirteen years (having as reference the date of release of this precise album). Four out of nine albums including the release of "Bells Nr. II".

I was rather disappointed with his prior non-Tubular album (the incredibly poor "Tr3s Lunas").

Well, this double "Shade+Light" is far from being great. Same sort of ambient (supermarket?) music. Not annoying for a penny (or a ? cent) but so emotionless, useless and boring. Here & there some better moments, yes. I can't deny this : "Ringscape" for instance is my fave here. But it is almost the last number of the second CD.

Before this one, you will have to experience some painful numbers; not as boring as during "Lunas" but still hard to believe. Fully new age, impersonal, uninspired and tasteless. The opening number "Angelique" and its computerized "vocal" sets the scene. The beat is awful, although the guitar work is great. What a combination : the good (can't really call this the best) and the worse. But I'm afraid that the worse prevails.

There is one absolutely DREADFUL song on this album, which I can't forgive Mike for. "Romance" is an extremely poor substitution for one of the most beautiful acoustic guitar solo of the French soundtrack ever written. "Jeux Interdits" à la dance music is such a disgusting experience that I will always blame Mike to have done this. Shame on you!!!

But be sure that no highlight is to be expected. Just a bunch of average tracks. I would say, just slightly better than "Lunas" but no more. Two stars. This is really as far as I can get for this work. Avoid it, is the best advice.