FORSE LE LUCCIOLE NON SI AMANO PIÙ

One of those generally (and typically) over-acclaimed Italian "masterpieces", LDF's sole studio album is a textbook example of why I'm not part of the mob screaming genius to the massive prog output out of the peninsula. Don't get me wrong, FLLNSAP is a good album and a typical Italian product of its generation (but the second wave instead of the first), but we're a far cry from Jumbo, Picchio Dal Pozzo, Perigeo, Flea/Etna, Celeste or QVL (my personal Italian faves), but also from BMS, PFM and LO. Like too many "Italian classics", I find that their music is too wordy, which is often the case when there is a full-time singer that doesn't play an instrument (thus making the group a septet with a dual keyboard attack), but unlike many others, this remark only applies to some of the tracks on this album, as there are some (wish for more) wide-open spaces for instrumental interplay.

The trouble is with this album is that it's got written all over it "derivative from the first wave groups beit from Italy or England" and in that regard can be compared to Druid, Fruup or Yezda Urfa and more. I'm not saying that this inspiration job (no matter over how many artistes) is so obvious that it becomes insufferable; but it is noticeable enough that you hear right away the moments when LDF is actually being themselves, and t is during those (too rare) occasions, that their music is at its best. Starting on a very interesting instrumental that promises much (maybe too much) for the rest of the album, the very next piece has a Yes-crossed-BMS aura (especially the Howe-like guitars), even though the flute is simply haunting (Vevey is simply all over the melodic lines in this alnum). The following tracks are always carrying over that same flaw (just shuffle around the names in the influences brackets), especially on the most aggressive track of the album Sogno Di Estunno, where they cross Yes and GG. On the whole, besides the opening track, the splendid (but lengthy) closing Vendesi Saggezza is probably the album's best track.

As usual with bonus tracks on Italian prog album, it doesn't have much to do with the album, but surprisingly enough it doesn't stand out like a sore thumb (like in Paese de Ballocchi for ex) and it is fairly well recorded. A distracted listen wouldn't probably detect its different source, but since prog is not about background music.. Soooooo, there is no doubt that LDF's lush and complex Italian symphonic prog should please the vast majority of progheads, and Forse is the textbook example of those single shot Italian "pearls" made to please those ultra-symphonic music fans. Just not for me