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| Michael Nicolella "Shard": Independent Review
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Michael Nicolella
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Review of "Shard"
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By: Matt Blackett
f you want to push the envelope, challenge convention, and strike down
stereotypes, the world of classical guitar isn't the most likely place to
start. The tradition is rather strictly adhered to and the rules that have
been laid out aren't meant to be bent or broken. Michael Nicolella seems
intent on doing exactly that, however, and his latest release, Shard [Gale],
is an exciting textbook on how to honor classical tradition and kick it in
the ass at the same time.
The honoring comes in the form of flawless technique and incredible chops
that bespeak the years of study he's put in. The ass-kicking component lies
partly in Nicolella's edgy compositions that make up about half the album
and combine time-honored structure with modernistic harmonic movement. Then
there are the truly outside electric guitar pieces that put a decidedly
avant-garde spin on the type of playing and tone that one can get away with
in the classical realm. It all adds up to a vibrant, cutting-edge vision
that could make Nicolella, who cut his teeth on rock and studied jazz at
Berklee, just the thing that the classical genre needs to stay relevant,
vital, and thought provoking.
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Matt Blackett / Frets Magazine
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