FORSE LE LUCCIOLE NON SI AMANO PIÙ

(my first PA review! Forgive my excitement) The only flaw in this album is the year of publication: in 1978 progressive music was already losing appeal throughout Europe, particularly in Italy, so this work was ignored even by those who, few years before, would have paid more attention. Locanda Delle Fate's only album is actually as good the other masterpieces of the genre (a word I personally wouldn't use for more than 6-7 albums). The music proposed is a symphonic prog with piano and keyboards in first place, well supported by guitar and flute, continuous changes of rhythm and melodies, and most of all, a sweet romantic attitude, marked with a veil of sadness, that costantly emerges along the entirety of the tracklist. Highlights of the album are certainly the instrumental opener "A Volte un Istante di Quiete", sort of presentation of Locanda Delle Fate's technical abilities; the title-track and "Vendesi Saggezza", the longest songs, structured as mini-suites (no more than 10 minutes long) where piano and voice touch the highest level of pathos and creativity. Musicians are all inspired and gifted; Leonardo Sasso's voice is not technically perfect but, as well as other Italian prog singers like Claudio Canali (Biglietto Per l'Inferno), compensates with a great dose of passion and expressivity, with some resemblances with Ian Anderson. "Forse Le Lucciole..." will probably appeal to fan of Genesis and Renaissance above all, but any prog listener could hardly resist the delicate, melancholy atmosphere that permeates these seven tracks. Well aware of the meaning of a five-star rating, I cannot give a lesser one: in my opinion, this is one the highest marks ever reached by Italian progressive scene, unmissable in a good collection. (it's not even expensive to buy, if you're interested; surely not a slight...)