LO SCEMO E IL VILLAGGIO

A band in transition. After losing frontman and lead singer/flautist Ivano Fossati, it would appear to many that the departure of so large a personality might cause the band to pack it in. Delirium luckily did not make this mistake, and adding Martin Grice on sax and flute, shifted gears towards a more symphonic prog sound. Lead vocals were now shared a la PFM with no real defined lead singer and frontman.

Opening song Villaggio is one of the stronger pieces, but as an instrumental, it noticeably avoids the sea change within the band without Fossati. Some attempts at sounding like the first album like the catchy Mia Pazzia sound like an unused song from their debut: it could have been a good follow up to Jesahel and Haum for their pop followers. It has the catchiness of Fossati's style captured well. Sogno attempts to capture the same vibe, but less successfully so-starting off perilously close to 70's era muzak, but culminating in a nice Crimson Islands era jazz breakdown.

Some of this is disjointed in feel and some pieces seem like they are patchworked bits they had kicking around that they wove into a suite. Drums step up, and the injection of sax gives them a new developing sophistication that isn't quite there yet. It still sounds like Delirium, but something is missing. It sounds like they know it too. Album closer Pernsiero per un Abbandono ties the proceedings together in the first really well done synthesis of their former and currently developing style. Sonically, the recording doesn't have the dynamics of the first album, and is lacking in low end oomph overall with the bass nearly non existent.

Gatefold vinyl wrapped in a nice acid doodle cover.

Reference points: This time it is a bit easier to compare what they are up to: Van der Graaf Generator style horns are prominent, a new sound for them. Blasts of horns from Wake of Poseidon or LIzard from Crimson are also in there. The first PFM album creeps in as an influence in the second half. A work in progress. Closer to 4 stars than 3.5.