GUDRUN

This is one of those "the whole is more than the sum of its parts" albums. The conceptual glue that holds it all together boosts its rating from 3 to 4 stars. I'm talking about little things like the sound effects that begin many of the tracks, and the short, Gong-like vocal asides that crop up here and there. The songs themselves are all pretty good, although I have a tough time getting all the way through the opening track, which wears out its welcome two or three minutes before it ends (likewise, the bonus track version of the same song, which deletes the wonderful introduction). Darby's vocals may seem new and different to prog music listeners, but as someone who's heard a lot of avant/new music female vocalists, I'd have to say she's only a fair singer. Musically, I feel that this album is miles beyond what their first album presented, with more complex melodies here and there, and less "soloing". A nice addition to the Italian Prog section of your record collection, since it's in a class by itself.