TRASPARENZE

This prolific Italian progrock band is rooted in 1987, 3 years later the band released their well received debut album entitled The Wood Of Tales. I bought it that year as a LP and remember that the music was described as Jethro Tull influenced (due to the flute traverse work). During the years Malibran released a serie of studio ? and live albums, a DVD and a few box sets. This review is about their last album entitled Trasparenze from 2009.

Although this album is presented as a Malibran CD, it also contains the message on the front ? and back cover "A new musical project by Guiseppe Scaravilli". He is one of the prime movers of the band and has invited other Malibran members Jerry Litrico (synth guitar and guitars) and Alessio Scaravelli (drums), along 'special guest' musicians Giancarlo Cutuli (saxophone on 2 tracks) and Toni Granata (violin on 3 tracks).

Most of the 11 compositions on Trasparenze sound dreamy and mellow featuring warm twanging acoustic guitar, pleasant Italian vocals, cheerful flute work. And in some songs soli on saxophone, acoustic guitar, violin (long and very compelling evoking JL Ponty in Volo Magico), electric guitar (jazzy inspired in Nel Ricordo) or synthesizer (flashy in Pioggia Di Maggio).

The two epic tracks (around 13 minutes) contains lots of flowing shifting moods with wonderful solos on electric guitar (sensitive with howling runs) and a delicate colouring with flute and acoustic guitar:

Trasparenze : Jethro Tull-like flute play and Mike Oldfield-oriented atmosphere.

Pensieri Fragili : powerful saxophone and heavy electric guitar riffs.

My favourite songs are Vento D'Oriente (Arabian climate with great contrast between a sultry violin and harder- edged electric guitar) and Presagio (strong build-up with exciting work on guitar and keyboards and even some prog metal).

Although the balance is a bit more on the mellow side, this new Malibran album succeeds to keep my attention. It sounds very pleasant (especially the twanging acoustic guitars) and melodic with very strong soli on the electric guitar.

My rating: 3,5 star.