MAPPAMONDO

I was sort of surprised that no one had yet reviewed this sophomore release as it seems to be a hard find. Well, I got this a while back (1996) , together with the debut and have been enthralled by the smooth gentleness ever since. The 1976 debut remains a perennial favorite while this one sort of got lost in the shuffle. Errata Corrige caters to the softer side of RPI that features such notable monuments as Celeste, Loccanda delle Fate and Le Orme. The classic 9 minute + "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" kicks this one off rather pleasantly with inspired flute, accordion, acoustic guitar and crystalline Italian tongued vocals. The electric leads played by Mike Abate are heavenly, the moody piano celestial and the vocal work stupendous, while the rhythm section propulses along effusively (Gianni Cremona on bass and Guido Giovine on drums). The overall keyboard work is stellar courtesy of Marco Cimino and gives the whole album a dreamy symphonic veneer that is pure aural candy. The surprising 2 part "Patagonia Suite" craftily swings into scat-like vocalizations that recall prime Canterbury à la Northettes (but male voices), the percussion emitting Argentine influences, quite jazzy and evoking galloping gauchos on the Pampas while the breezy flute carves out some imaginary Andean landscapes. The second instrumental section dabbles into more somber territory, the groaning cello front and center waiting for the chic piano and the rolling bass to kick into gear, slowly erecting a laid-back symphonic structure. Extraordinary ! "Kubla Khan" resumes the vocal presence, recalling the story of the feared Mongol ruler who savaged and ravaged with little remorse. The grandiose mood has a slight Eastern tinge, Abate playing a plaintive oboe within a barrage of string synth washes, then shoving his lead guitar into the mix with appropriate passion and flair. A charming synth solo only adds some fury to the pleasure. The short "Inside the Great Mastaba" gets really gloomy (a Mastaba in Egyptian architecture is a sepulchral structure built aboveground). Unfortunately, the next 4 tracks feature the sax and vocals of Arti + Mestieri's Arturo Vitale as well as a new rhythm section and veer the disc into completely diverging soundscapes like the slightly corny "American Dream" that does little for me, a way too breezy ditty that should have stayed off the recording. "Zombie" is another disappointment, eschewing the serene symphonics for more sax-laden tunes (all in the 4- 5 minute range) that are simply too straightforward and contain little fantasy or adventure. The blustery "Dance of the New Land" and diaphanous "Ageless Traveller" are in the same translucent format that does really little to restore the earlier bliss. The last 4 tracks are pedestrian pieces that essentially clash with the previous 5, so one is left with a tinge of confusion. Not as delicious as their debut but a worthy investigation nevertheless. 3.5 Atlases