IL TEMPO DELLA GIOIA

I have been interested in Italian Prog recently, and so I decided to try out the band Quella Vecchia Locanda. While there seems to be no end of Italian Progressive Rock bands, this one stood out to me because of "IL TEMPO DELLO GIOIA's enchanting album cover. The artwork, which takes up the cover and the back of the album, reminded me a lot like Roger Dean's classic album art we all know and love. Fortunately, the music inside the jacket is just as mystifying and beautiful, and I'll be reviewing it today.

The album opens up with "Villa Doria Pamphili." The track captivated immediately, with dreamy soundscapes made by the piano, violin, and acoustic guitar. I knew right away that I had made a good purchase. The vocals come in at about 2 minutes, and the lyrics are about a natural park. The music really matches the idea of being in a park, beautiful and tranquil.

Then there is the instrumental "A Forma Di." The heavy use of an orchestra, flute, and piano make this one sound like classical music, only shorter. This track is also very beautiful, but a little more stern.

Next comes the title track "Il Tempo Della Gioia." This one is a bit more rock-oriented than the other two, and more daring. This track really impressed me by showing that Quella Vecchia Locanda could also be aggressive. Fans of King Crimson should dig this track.

After that, there's "Un Giormo, Un Amico." This track is pretty challenging, but is the challenge well worth it? I say yes. There is some great instrumentation here, and the vocals are confrontational.

Finally, we have "E'Accudato Una Notte." It begins very dark, opening up with a choir. Then it becomes more somber, full of woodwind and guitar. Like all the other tracks, it's classical influence is apparent. I really like the finale, and I feel that it's a great way to end the album.

I really enjoyed IL TEMPO DELA GIOIA, and plan to check out Quella Vecchia Locanda's other album soon. This is a must-have if you like Italian Prog, and you should still check it out if you like Symphonic Prog with some more challenging elements. My only real complaint is that it's too short.

4 Stars- Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection.