Customer Reviews

Invisible Man

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

If you listen to this CD now it will sound like music that came from an early 1980s movie. I'm giving this CD 5 stars because Michael Cretu (at the time) did what most people couldn't do, write, record, produce, and mix a good album entirely by himself. Not to mention he didn't need to wear bright pink and blue clothes and use a lot of hairspay to make a statement (quite the contrary actually). Michael went to a music school for the gifted before he was 10. Music has been his whole life and this is one step towards maturing to where he is today. Obviously he found his niche with Enigma and producing Sandra's solo work but this album is good for what it was at the time. If you want feel-good driving music this will suit you fine.

Overall, this is like Genesis meets Miami Vice. It makes you happy and you don't have horrible flashbacks of the artist's bad fashion. Cretu is proud of all of his work, including this. That's more than most early 80s artists can say as many of them laugh at their past. Not Michael.

I will say you can feel bits and pieces of Enigma barely creeping through, but this definitely isn't Ethno/Ambient/Dub if that's what you're expecting. The opening for "The Invisible Man" and "Coda" have future-Enigma written all over them!

Ok, this is not Enigma. Ok, it sounds a little dated.

But how dare you call this a crap only because of your absurd expectations to find Enigma in a 1985 Michael Cretu album release (which, by the way is 5 years before the groundbreaking release of MCMXC a.D)?

To make my point as clear as it gets, this has nothing to do with Cretu's later project, Enigma. Anyone who tries to compare this 85' release to the 'enigmatic' Cretu projects must have been seriously misguided. 'Invisible Man' has the ability to stand on its own. Blame it on its impeccable beauty.

Nine tracks are included here, three of which are parts of a flawless Cretu-sounding instrumental (which might be seen by some as an earlier Enigma influnce aka 85's Shadows in Silence), 2 are probably the most artistic Cretu moments ever (Carte Blanche & Your Favorite Toy), and one is an 80's killer hit (Samurai). The rest is just pleasurable to listen to:

1. SAMURAI: this majestic and powerful track starts with an incredibly atmospheric saxophone intro which could make Careless Whisper green with envy. Then it goes on with a nice power-pop drum percussion and rich synths which are pure ear-candy.And just when you think that you've heard it all, the ecstatic chorus blows your mind away. Cretu BIG time..

2. CARTE BLANCHE: Very tongue-to-the-cheek, with a repetative bassline and drumloops, a beautiful artsy number talking about the price we pay for being free.

3. SILVER WATER: nothing to get excited about. However, the faultless Cretu Production and the use of a strange language add some mystery and wonder to this atmospheric number.
This song is being given a better interpretation (as Mona Lisa) in Cretu's 1988 'Belle Epoque' album. (you can find it in amazon.com as Cretu & Thiers- Belle Epoque)

4. YOUR FAVORITE TOY: One of the best moments on this album. A memorable, lullaby-like tune accompanied by some emotional lyrics about childhood games and lost innocence stuff. Worked for me..

5.INTRO/6.MIKADO/7.CODA: This 3-part instumental is worth alone the price of this album. It might remind you of Enigma's 'Shadows in Silence' (from the genious 'Le Roi est Mort, Vive le Roi' album).

8. HEAVY TRAFFIC: Powerful drums, rich orchestration, passionate vocals and lyrics about the feeling we get when we're trapped in a traffic congestion. Not as great as the rest in this album, yet this is the favorite one of many listeners of this album.

9. THE INVISIBLE MAN: You can't really call this a ballad, but it sounds like one. In my humble opinion, it is the third best moment in this album, right after Samurai and Mikado. The closing effect it creates is really great leaving you a bittersweet feeling at the end of the album.

All in all, do not miss on that. It's worth more than just giving it a try. Either if you like Enigma or not..

Many people buy this cd in hopes of hearing the future Enigma in this cd. When you see Michael Cretu's name, it would be hard not to.
But its exactly the opposite of Enigma. It is pure 80's pop/rock music. No chants, no flutes, none of that good stuff.
But that doesn't mean it is bad. In fact, its absolutely great. I had been hearing how good a song Samurai was. The first time listening to it, I was dissapointed. I could hardly tell it was Michael Cretu. Even though I had been warned not to get my hopes up for an early Enigma cd, I still did and I was dissapointed. But when I went back through and listened to it again, it is a wonderful cd. I could best compare his solo work to a European Phil Colins with a little more edge to the music though. Maybe I am wrong on that comparison, but I am fairly right in saying if you like 80's music, then this is a wonderful cd. Just don't expect Enigma and it will be fine.

Let's start with the Intro-Mikado-Coda continous tracks - they're SUPERB.Samurai & Carte Blanche are excellent.Silver water & Heavy Traffic show the diversified capabilities of Curly MC. Your Favorite Toy is another classic track. BUY THIS CD ALBUM.It'll be one of the best decisions of your life.

This album is synthesized soundtrack music for the likes of an action-packed 80's film (Highlander,Scarface). Cretu's style for this album also gives foresight to the future project of Enigma in the form of the haunting instrumentals. It is very European or German; Yet, maintains an American pop-rock familiarity. His German accented singing ability and pronunciation of English words are a dead give-away that this is a European production. Overall, this is a pretty good album to give a spin despite the fact that it sounds a bit dated (released in 1985). The German version is more appropriate as the English version contains lyrics that are not precisely the same in meaning or content.

In the 80's Cretu also composed for the German female singer Sandra (nowadays his wife). This album is quite similar to the albums of Sandra. Therefore not a very big supprise if you know these. But still, Cretu has his own style and usage of instruments. Very German. Rigid digital sounds. Nice to listen to if you want to hear Cretu's musical development. Nowadays he is known under the name Enigma.

Michel Cretu best known for being the creator of Enigma, which is one of the best new age artists ever and I being a fan of Enigma as well, so I may be a tad biased. I listened to the songs 'Samurai', 'Mikado' and 'Coda' on the Enigma website on it's jukebox and I was rather taken by the quality of the songs that predate the birth of Enigma and was Cretu's second solo album from the 1980's. The songs need to be taken into context, they pre-date Enigma and were created in the 1980's and the songs were part of the 80's Euro-pop scene.

The album is a pleasure to listen to. I like Cretu's style of singing and his grace in his interviews. He has a dignity that many artists don't have. These stand alone songs are a trip down memory lane and a must for any euro pop fan.

WOW! I have always loved Enigma and have all the releases. In the music store last week, I was looking through the Enigma section and found this CD. I was NOT paying attention, as my 6 year old was running around and I did not notice this was a different artist. I started listening to the CD in my car enroute to work and fell in LOVE!! I am reminded of things, some late 80's rhythms, some Giorgio Moroder feel (like the soundtrack to Midnight Express). What a great 'oops' on my part. I went to Borders to find more music and found another group TransAtlantic Airwaves (or something like that -- haven't memorized it yet). Give me MORE..........

WOW! I have always loved Enigma and have all the releases. In the music store last week, I was looking through the Enigma section and found this CD. I was NOT paying attention, as my 6 year old was running around and I did not notice this was a different artist. I started listening to the CD in my car enroute to work and fell in LOVE!! I am reminded of things, some late 80's rhythms, some Giorgio Moroder feel (like the soundtrack to Midnight Express). What a great 'oops' on my part. I went to Borders to find more music and found another group TransAtlantic Airwaves (or something like that -- haven't memorized it yet). Give me MORE..........

This is a great CD, not only for the music but also for Micael Cretu's haunting vocals. This CD is a treat. If you are a Michael Cretu or Enigma fan than you shouldn't miss it.