IL VIAGGIO DI COLOMBO

The Italian formation Il Cerchio D'Oro was founded in 1974. They started as a trio, but a year later a second keyboard player and a guitarist joined the band. Unfortunately, they only released three singles in the late seventies. In 1999, the Italian prog rock label Mellow Records released an album with 12 tracks, recorded in the mid-seventies. In 200 the label Psych-Out released the LP La Quadratura Del Cerchio. It contains 9 unreleased recordings including original material and covers of Classic Italian Prog bands Le Orme, New Trolls and The Trip. In 2006 Il Cerchio D'Oro reformed with the original line-up and in 2008, they released their first studio album, the concept Il Viaggio Di Colombo. It was followed by Dedalo E Icaro from 2013 and Il Fuoco Sotto La Cenere from 2017. This review is about Il Viaggio Di Colombo.

What a wonderful layout this album has: a fold-cover with sketches that carry you to the time that Columbus set sail to America and met the native Indians, an encounter of two different worlds (how bad for the native indians, the Statue Of Liberty is not for them).

On this first studio album Il Cerchio D'Oro sounds melodic and accessible in the thirteen alternating songs with passionate Italian vocals from drummer Gino Terribile, bass player Guiseppe Terribile and guitarist Piuccio Pradal. Sometimes you hear a typical Classic Italian Prog atmosphere, like in the bonus track Futuro Prossimo. A strong feature of their music is the way they colour their tasteful arrangements with strong and varied guitar work and keyboards. You can enjoy a slow rhythm with sensitive electric guitar or a dreamy atmosphere with twelve-string acoustic guitars. But also mid-tempo pieces with swinging piano and bombastic atmospheres with powerful organ (Franco Piccolini). It is hard to mention absolute highlights, because Il Cerchio D'Oro arranged the thirteen compositions on this new CD in a very tasteful way. You can enjoy lots of shifting moods and nice musical ideas, especially the guitar pieces. Two members play acoustic and electric guitar and Guiseppe Terribile plays besides the bass also twelve-string acoustic guitar and keyboards. These elements give Il Viaggio Di Colombo a very special flavour.

My rating: 3,5 star.