With Bridge to Sky City Danny Milan has created a unique album that seems tied to a number of diverse styles of music. It has nods to styles like jazz, musical theater, blues, progressive rock and even classical. It might be a bit too AOR or theatrical for some listeners. Still, there is a definite 1970s vibe at play that works well. Comparisons to Chicago, Billy Joel, Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers would be appropriate.
Piano starts “Lay It on the Line” and Milan’s vocals come ever the top. He’s joined by Becky Ciocca and there’s a bit of a jazz ballad texture here combined with a soulful feeling. This is not far removed from musical theater, and it also feels a bit like Billy Joel. The keyboard-laden instrumental section in the tune feels a bit like something Rick Wakeman might have done. “Only Grey” has a bouncy, rocking sound to it. It feels like some of the AOR related rock that was coming out in the 1970s. This is closer to something from the early era of Chicago or even Steely Dan.
An easy listening kind of bouncy groove opens “Falling for a Fantasy.” It has a 1970s pop rock texture and features Jennica McCleary providing the female half of the vocal duet. Comparisons to Billy Joel are again appropriate and there are musical theater hints here. A mellow, soulful ballad with some hints of jazz, “Take Off” really feels a lot like the soft rock that was common in the 1970s. While “Silence” is more or less a keyboard oriented power ballad, there’s a lot of jazz and some musical theater in the mix. It’s one of the stronger pieces.
Based on a rocking, yet still fairly mellow, retro rock motif, “Blind Alley” is arguably the best song on show. It’s got a lot of that 1970s texture to it, but somehow it just works much better here than anywhere else. Comparisons to The Doobie Brothers and Chicago could be appropriate and the soulful vocals really sell it.
“Dark Eyes” is mellower and balladic. It has more of a musical theater feeling, while a good song, seems a bit lackluster compared to the one that preceded it. “Star” is more dramatic. It definitely has a lot of that theatrical texture to it, but it’s also got a great jazzy groove that has a lot of retro texture. Some of the keyboard work on the piece is exceptional and there’s an especially dramatic jazz meets progressive rock instrumental section serving as the outro.
Acoustic guitar opens “The One That Got Away” and the track builds as a folky ballad from there. As it builds eventually other instrumentation is added, but the basic elements remain the driving elements. In a lot of ways, it’s a lot like some of the folk oriented progressive rock that came out in the 1970s. With a real “slice of life” feeling on the lyrics, “Don’t Put the Fire Out” is the most “musical theater” oriented cut on the set. A lot of how a listener feels about this tune will be based on how he or she feels about musical theater. It features a duet with Julia Hunt.
“Ophiuchus’ Fantasy” is a piano solo and while the title might make one think it’s classical music, there are other elements present, too. In fact, parts call to mind jazz and blues. In a lot of ways it’s not that far removed from something Rick Wakeman or Keith Emerson might do. A bouncy, rather jazzy, AOR format makes up the music of “The Bridge.” It again calls to mind groups like Steely Dan or Chicago but feels even more like The Doobie Brothers. There’s an especially tasty, jazzy keyboard solo on the piece.
“Sky City” features Barry DeBois and continues the general musical themes. It’s a dramatic cut that does a nice job of combining progressive rock elements with jazz and theatrical textures into a poignant ballad. It’s a good way to end the disc in style. There’s a harder rocking section later that’s particularly effective. It is definitely the most epic tune on show and it’s also one of the strongest. It has more changes and alterations than anything else on the disc. Considering the killer guitar solo section (that feels at times a bit like David Gilmour of Pink Floyd), it also one of the harder rocking cuts on the set. It’s certainly the most progressive rock oriented.
All in all this is quite a satisfying release. It probably won’t appeal to everyone, but then again, it doesn’t seem like something that would offend anyone, either. This is accessible music that is at times extremely strong. Sure, it does feel a bit dated, but the retro thing has a charm all its own.
Review by G. W. Hill
Rating: 4 Stars (out of 5)







