ALIBI FILOSOFICO

Among all prog rock subgenres, the Italian one is one of my favourites and this one had a lot to deliver too. Pandora was created in 2005 and the Italian band has released three records: Dramma di un Poeta Ubriaco in the year 2008, Sempre E Ovungue Oltre Il Signo in the year 2011 and now 2013 the record "Alibi Filosofico". All of the Pandora records have fascinating art works. This thing has a wonderful picture of a person which eyes and mouth are kind of double. I like the colours there too, and this apperence of the cover gives the though of great coming music. Beppe Colombo plays keyboards, Corrado Grappeggia keyboard, vocals and chorus and Claudio Colombo drums, bass, guitars, Puerto Rican Cuatro, keyboards, flute and chorus. The group has been helped by some great guests such as David Jackson from Van der Graaf Generator. His saxophones are very present here and among the best ingredients on this record.

Everything beside the music seems so good. Interesting track list, cover and musicians but the most important of course is the music. That, unfortunately wasn't so fantastic, according to my opinion. The music is brave, true progressive here and there and it changes all the time. I am sure people will like this, some of you more than I do. The title track, the long "Alibi Filosofico" is also the best, with a pleasant melody and a lot of good instrumental parts. This composition is very classical symphonic. The vocals are emotional but not so good. The record's very best track(8/10). Three more songs are worth naming for their attributes. The first song "Il Necromante, Khurastos e la Prossima Vittima" (7/10) is heavy, almost a metal song and the instruments work well together. Partially this is a funny piece. "La risalita" has attributes from the classical music and sounds interesting(7/10) and "Tony il Matto" has fantastic blow instruments; I guess it's Jackson's saxophones. The track is coherent and I like the melody(7/10).

The album's most lenghty bit: "Apollo" contains ingredients of great value and sometimes I just love it. As a whole though it's not very coherent and for me a bit too experimental. But it works and I will give the song 6/10. "Sempre con me" then sounds good but is too conventional (6/10) and "Né Titolo Né Parole" becomes quite a boring track. Over all though is the record very interesting and I love some of it. Parts of these songs really get me caught in the music. I like the fact that this band is vocal, but that is also the band's Achilles' heel. Pandora's third disc will get three stars from me(3,3).