"Shard" is the newest Nicolella's release that was recorded in the same Sacred Heard Chapel plus at another Studio X (Seattle). American was supported by Anthony Spain - a music director and conductor of The Northwest Symphony Orchestra.

"Shard" is started by (almost identically like "Push") "Toccata" that is the introduction to "Fugue". Nicolella uses here so-called Klangfarbenmelodie ("a melody of sonic timbres" - the term invented by an Austrian composer, Arnold Schönberg) that consists in different depiction of one chord. Such an endeavour made it a composition of many sonic "colours". One of my favourite fragment on CD is a monumental "Guitar Concerto" with an accompaniment of 44-member orchestra. My very favourite movement is the the third one - "Lilting (Passacaglia)" that refers to the seventeenth century Spanish songs. Its character is melodious and based on variations. An unexpected accelerations and fabulous atmosphere make it a very intriguing composition. Mr. Nicolella is now working on next album with orchestra, so we can expect as excellent number as "Guitar Concerto" for sure. "Surfacing Through the Mire" is the only one track inspired by electronic music. Then, there is the following "temporal giant" in the form of "Electric Counterpoint". Its original author is American - Stephen Michael Reich - a representative of so-called minimal music (repetitive music, music minimalism) - that is a trend of the second half of the twentieth century, consisting in permanent repetition of short and slightly changed musical structures. The title itself indicates that Nicolella uses a counterpoint technique, that is he plays two or more melodic lines at the same time. I must admit that a few guitar tracks' superimposing (making the impression of echo) works very well. In any case, the counterpoint has always made me think of "tunes multiplication technique". Next to it is an improvisational "Shard" by another American - Elliott Carter, but a true hit turned out to be "GRAB IT!" by Jacob Ter Veldhuis. When I looked at the cover first, I noticed the warning "Parental Advisory - Explicit Content" and wondered what vulgar could appear on classical guitarist's album? It turned out that Mr. Nicolella used a boombox to tape some statements of the people sent to prison for life. It is easy to guess that none of them were delighted with that fact, so they expressed their discontent in bad-mannered way. Thus, you'd better expect a few "mother fuckers" stealing by here and there, haha. But I think that it isn't necessary to hide your children in your wardrobe anyway, haha. Nicolella made use of recorded statemants and created an excellent dose of scat (alike Mike Campese in "Swing Thing" from his album "The New"). Here are also less distinctive tracks like "Ode Tounami" by Joshua Kohl (originally composed for a harp and a lute) and "Grey Angel" by Christopher DeLaurenti. The album is crowned by David Paul Mesler's "Lullaby" who, under a great impression of Michael's playing, decided to dedicate it to him.

"Shard" has gained many positive reviews: "Since the passing of Andres Segovia the guitar world had needed an advocate... perhaps Michael Nicolella is that person. An artist with eclectic tastes and a contemplative bent... extraordinary... powerful" ("The Washington Post"), "exceptionally immaculate and articulate... soulful" ("Guitar Player") etc. The album achieved "album of the month" title in a French magazine "Guitare Classique" (June/July 2006). Well, Nicolella's works won't be too easy to absorb for non-experts, but they are surely very original. In today's world I must be literally a very serious man to call somebody "an original musician" and say "an originality" with reference to music. Yeah, I am serious enough, so you can believe me, haha. In spite of my opinion, I must honestly admit that for metalheads such a music will be rather an alternative item than mandatory one!
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