IF. . . SOUNDS

A free compilation album directly from the band and easily one of the five best free downloads of the year.

I am not a fan of compilation albums because only full albums gives a good account of a band at that moment. Ifsounds compilation album is another good reason. The material is too varied in styles. From a massive million hit-single potential on Loser to eclectic prog on Morpho Nestira Part 2. Which makes this album too varied in my opinion.

But again, the whole idea behind this compilation album is to present Ifsounds to potential customers. In this respect, it really hits the bullseye. I am not sure what audience Ifsounds is trying to appeal too. I find this band a bit of a mystery. If they had one of the big record companies in their back, a song like Loser would had been a massive hit. Yes, a million selling hit single. That is kind of their problem. I sometimes feels ProgArchives and it's audience is too small for this band. I really wonder if Ifsounds really is a pop/rock band and not a prog band. Their sound is very commercial and pretty much AOR to be a prog band. I really think they would make it big if they tried the pop/rock scene and they got some good money backing them up. Some of their stuff is excellent AOR and pop-rock. Some references to the likes of RPWL also springs to mind. And then we have landed in Pink Floyd land. Their sound is American through and through. Added to this, you also have some eclectic prog stuff on this compilation album.

Quality wise, there is very little to complain about. My main gripe is that this is a compilation album. Full stop. It does though represent this band very well and does Ifsounds a great service. I fully understand why they are pushing this compilation album and why they have even included some excellent artwork. I am therefore really wishing that they get a good breakthrough on the basis of this excellent marketing idea (ie this album). I can only give three stars to a compilation album as varied as this. But I still urge everyone to make up their own mind about this album and the band by downloading this album. On the basis of this compilation album, I have put this band close to the top of the most talented bands in today's scene. I will follow them like an eagle follows the local population of red deer.

3.5 stars

It once was "If", now, they are "Ifsounds"

Ifsounds are an Italian band that was formed in the 90s, though their first album was released in 2004. Their name was If, but after releasing four studio albums and realizing that there were other bands with the same name, they felt the urge of changing their name. So in 2009 the name Ifsounds appeared and has given the band its own identity, I mean, besides the musical fact, the change in their name was something intended in order to create the only ifsounds "label" and sound.

This free compilation released in June of this 2010, is like the moment of true change of both names, actually if you look at the title "If?Sounds" it is like leaving in the past all that they once were and start a new era. All the songs here belong of course to the If era, though the first track entitled "Don Quixote" was the only new composition, however, I believe the decision of choosing this track as the first one, was intended in order to open the gates to the new band's name and era.

If?Sounds is a two-CD compilation album that features probably their most representative songs, different compositions that show their eclecticism and use of diverse styles. Songs taken from four different albums where one can appreciate their progression as a band, and actually I can say that it is noticeable the direction of some songs from their first album, from songs of their latest one. The first CD contains tracks like "Loser", "Background Noise", "Naked" and "Morpho Nestira Part 2", according to the booklet, they say that this last song is maybe their most progressive, I fully agree, and actually I could say it is my favorite.

The second CD features also songs from their four albums: "In the Cave"; "If"; The Stairway"; and "Morpho Nestira". My favorite songs here are "Like a Bird", "Oceans of Time" and "Thirsty", though the most of the songs are pretty good here. This absolutely free compilation album is worth downloading and listening, the only thing you have to do is to go to their website, become a member and download it, of course, if you are interested.

I have had a good time listening to this young band, and now I am eagerly waiting for their upcoming production "Apeirophobia", an album that for sure I will get and review. My best wishes for Ifsounds and the start of this new era. My final grade for this pretty nice compilation will be three stars.

Enjoy it!

if...sounds is a nice free compilation from the Italian band if. The band decided to give out for free to their fans their best songs from their first 4 albums. Maybe some of the songs have not the same strength out of their original concepts, but you can find there a lot of excellent songs, even from the very first 2 albums (almost demos), that the band gives out for free. I especially enjoyed "Don't go" and "Loser" among the oldest compositions. But I guess that the main aim of this compilation was to introduce the new members of the band Enzo Bellocchio on drums and Elena Ricci on vocals. There's a previously unrealesed theme too, called "Don Quixote" that somehow introduces some of the compositions of "Apeirophobia" (I listened some samples from the homonymous suite in this song).

A good way to be introduced in ifsounds' music with hi quality/price ratio... well, it's free with no risk to check out :-D!!!

This CD is free to download. That encouraged me to listen and, certainly, confirmed my suspicions. If a band changes its name should not think anything good.

Presumably, in a compilation appears the best of each of the previous works. Certainly do not think that any work for "Morpho Nestira" mingle with the band's earlier work. I say this because the songs of this album have more quality than the others.

For example: The song "You Know" from the album "In the cave" is an R & B with electronics (battery mainly) with very poor quality, with extravagants vocals. On the other hand, the themes of the album "If" have a guitars too much amateurs, sometimes annoying, and a dubious pronunciation of English.

The themes of "The stairway" again suffer from a poor electronic production, although it certainly can see an evolution and a path toward maturity.

Instead, the selection of "Morpho Nestira" is a quantum leap. We found a strong progressive rock band left behind electronic schedules and find their way into the warmth of teamwork.

Songs dynamic, powerful, drinking from sources of PINK FLOYD (especially the track "Naked"which reminds me of "Nobody's Home" in its beginning and its end), GENESIS, IQ.

In short, direct encouragement to purchase the cd "Morpho Nestira" or "Apeirophobia" and applaud IFSOUNDS, and leave to go IF.

It has been some years since I first came across Italian band If, but I remember enjoying their 2008 album 'Morpho Nestira'. That was actually their last album under the name If, as they changed it to Ifsounds a few years later and after signing with Melodic Revolution Records in 2010 they released this double disc compilation, which brings together songs from their first four releases as If, plus a new number as Ifsounds. Earlier this year I saw a post from head honcho and top hat aficionado Nick Katona celebrating the tenth anniversary of this album, and that it was being made available free of charge to download (just go to the MRR website and search for it) so I decided to renew my acquaintance with the band.

Over the course of their first four albums the band released 40 songs, and there are 17 of these on this set, so it is possible to hear virtually half of all the albums they had released to this point. But what is strange is the lack of continuity overall, which can often be an issue with compilation albums spread over a large number period of time, but apart from the new song, opener "Don Quixote", all the material here was from just 4 years. The change in styles and recordings means this is actually a hard album to get inside and really enjoy, although individual songs definitely do stand out. Generally, their sound is very melodic, very crossover prog, but when they do let themselves go a little such as the much more rocking "Background Noise" it works very well indeed. "Loser" is one of the highlights, with gentle piano and vocals, and strangely I discovered that if I just came in and out of the album for individual songs I got way more from it than playing it from beginning to end.

Overall this is a good way of discovering the band for those who have yet to come across them, especially as it has been made available free of charge by the band and the label, but I would use this more as a way of hearing them and then going back to the original albums to hear them in the original setting.