Reviewed by Marc on 22 Apr 2013

After getting an appetizer with at the pier, I finally got to hear the new Nosound album Afterthoughts. I won't beat around the bush... this is a great album.

My first contact with Nosound was with their 2008 effort Lightdark, an album I really enjoyed then (read my review of it) and still occasionally pop in my CD player with great pleasure. It was followed, a year or so later, by A Sense of Loss, an album I consider to be one of the best of 2009. Since then, Giancarlo Erra has revisited his back catalogue and now, nearly four years later, put out a new Nosound album... Afterthoughts.

After giving it more than a few spins in the last few days I am quite impressed by what I hear, Even though Nosound has made a few personnel changes... Marco Berni on keyboards, Chris Maitland on drums and Marianne De Chastelaine on cello, I would qualify this new CD as "evolution in continuity". Don't expect a "Trick of the Tail to Abacab" type of change here (and I certainly would not wish for it!!). Only after a few seconds Afterthoughts clearly comes out as a Nosound album. Melodic and peacefull music that can become very powerfull at times. As usual, Giancarlo Erra's relaxed (but also very emotional) lead vocals are at the forefront. The new musicians blend in very well and add their own flavours to the music.

Is Afterthoughts Nosound's best ever album to date? Possibly, only time will tell. Clearly it is a very strong album, all the tracks being excellent. In fact, it's an album that flows very naturally from piece to piece. For example, the very intense finishing part of "Paralysed" is the perfect bridge to the moving closing track "Afterthought".

April is very early to think about my album of the year list, but with Afterthoughts Nosound has set the bar pretty high indeed.

For any Nosound fan, Afterthoughts should be a "No Brainer" purchase. For those who enjoy No-Man, Steven Wilson's soft side and the best work of David Sylvian... Afterthoughts comes highly recommended indeed. (10/10)

Remarks : I have written this review listening to the MP3 files made available to ProGGnosis. When I finally get my physical copy of the album (with bonus material) I will revisit this review. Also, I recommend reading the review of at the pier, an excellent companion EP to this CD, that offers three tracks of extra music.