LAVORI IN CORSO

Not since the celebrated Arti+Mestieri has there been such a worldwide buzz about an Italian jazz- rock/fusion outfit! Duty Free Area definitely provides some wondrous music that encompasses the complex realms of odd time signatures and some ultra-spacey symphonics when needed as a contrast to the swirling dervish instrumental pyrotechnics. They also sing in harmony which is a much heralded throwback to the Hatfield/Canterbury school of prog diversity. First the stellar line-up, which even though at first glance looks like your standard gt,k,b&dr, includes a fascinating lead guitarist Silvio Minella , possessor of magnificent tone and technique, keyboardist Alberto Bonomi who mostly wields a shivering Hammond organ, dabbling with mellotron when the symphonics kick in , synths for soloing and adds flute and vocals. Bassist Luca Baldassari not only keeps everything firmly anchored but knows how to step into the spotlight with some wicked wizardry. For this kind of challenging music to work, you need a drummer extraordinaire and Alberto de Grandis unquestionably delivers in spades, adding some vocals as well. As the bald headed referee blows his whistle, this debut album kicks off with "Work Machine", a tasty opening smorgasbord of styles, really a perfect introduction of the caliber of style and ability these signori can come up with. Hyper-effusive rhythms, cagey melodies, stops and starts, a sliver of dissonance ,some ambient electronics and playful Italian vocals set the tone immediately and hang on to your earphones! Heady stuff indeed! Listening to all the players communally and individually only heightens the awe, as it becomes apparent these guys can play with the best. "Collage" is another seriously thrusting escapade with some blistering solos from the axe- fiend, while the drums keep thundering, the bass trusting the groove and the keys thrashing around in crazed euphoria. Intense, a true mosaic of various styles and hence chaotic, this will undoubtedly please the techies out there! Try chasing after this bus, doggie! The galloping insanity and the eccentric wizardry continues with "Pantera", starting out as a sleek jazzy ditty where the flute rules and then veers into the vocal-led, guitar appointed stretch , where both the Hammond and the axe trade appropriate growls , blistering rapid runs that seem to emulate the velocity of the panther as it scurries about on the Serengeti. The restrained synth solo brings to mind the deft precision of first-rate fusion giving this track a stamp of supreme elegance, slowly ratcheting up the pace as it quickens. "La Sua Anima"is an almost welcome diversion from the fury, surprisingly featuring gentle acoustic strumming, idyllic flute embellishments and a gentle mellotron/synth backdrop, thus creating a dreamily effusive atmosphere that adds even more credence to their craft. The purely instrumental "Trip on the Metro" reverts to the manic fusion/fission style that combines wicked polyrhythmic tornadoes with loads of incendiary riffs at times recalling some recent KC dexterities, the hyper bass bopping frantically and a slithering classic and emotional guitar solo before zipping back into the eddy. One can only imagine the subway trip in its linear drive towards some mundane destination. Allegedly this was their demo in getting the debut album done and it certainly has the shine and the stamina to impress any audiophile. Lots of chops, a truly memorable ride! The nearly 10 minute "Space Age Man" is another wordless foray into intergalactic realms, the orbiting synth displaying cosmic skill, the fretboard still billowing lift-off steam, the bass rippling through various sonic barriers propelling the ship further into the universe. Drum meister DeGrandis powers the arrangement purposefully forward working together with the Hammond, raging in delight! There is a teaming resolve that exudes from the speakers proving that these lads know how to rip, no doubt! "La Via" is the remorseless 16 minute epic standout that closes the deal, a superlative escapade into the highway of life, a brooding introduction that spotlights a resolute bass groove , with soaring wisps of moody electronic washes, celestial vocal harmonies that rekindle hints of the classic PFM, Celeste, Il Volo etc.sound . The theme incrementally expands into some scintillating playing, synth and guitar playing in unison and veering off separately when prompted, the vocals now more assertive, the playing slipping into the more demanding rhythms, desperately searching out new contrasts and new sonic horizons. At the 6 minute mark, the huge mellotron-infused theme that defines this track, makes its first hesitant entrance into the fray, interrupted by occasional returns to the whirlwind mania. This massively haunting theme will eventually grow in insistence and passion. While undoubtedly the most symphonic track here, the brilliantly complex musicianship shines through, elevating this piece to intense heights. A playful mid-section brightly reintroduces the spine of this jewel, that simply languid theme, gleaming intensely and shimmering with unfettered majesty. Sucked right in, I am, surely one of the finest sympho-prog tracks from the recent RPI. The final 5 minutes are utter, unadulterated bliss with the flute spiraling upwards, forcing the pace as the choir-mellotron vortex rises slowly into the heavens. This impassioned mantra of emotion and sound is simply irresistible. 5 men at work pylons.