LA FIABA DELLA BUONANOTTE

Baroque are an Italian prog band from Turin that started its activity in 2004. The line up features Matteo Tambussi aka Matt Le Mad (vocals, guitar), Stefano Tiozzo (keyboards, guitar, backing vocals), Alessandro Ghigo (drums) and Alberto Ghigo (bass, backing vocals). After many intense and sparkling live performances, their debut album "La fiaba della buonanotte" was released in 2008 by the French label Musea Records. On stage Baroque have a funny and very theatrical approach. They managed to shape an original sound blending raw and heavy guitar riffs with melody, psychedelic and classical operatic influences. The result is an amazing musical delirium full of irony and interesting intuitions. Despite the name, do not expect to listen to a clone of PFM or to a "baroque music ensemble veined of rock" but to an original band full of energy and ready to start a sonic assault to conventions...

The first track "Overture" is a short instrumental introduction that could be used as a soundtrack for a horror film... Nonetheless it melts in "Batracomiomachia", a funny piece about the eternal war between men and women. The title was inspired by a parody based on the Iliad that tells the war between frogs and mice...

Next track "(me)Mento" is a straightforward rock track about lies. You can lie to everyone even to yourself and get lost into your own circus of lies... "Nera" is a "shining black" ballad, black like a lost souvenir... "Sea, in the night cradle me away / Don't throw me again against the shore"...

"Scherzo n°1 in RE min" begins with a baroque harpsichord and solemn marching beat, then the rhythm section brings curious and light "British waves". This track is sung in English and every now and again it could vaguely remind of The Beatles...

Next track "La corte degli scontenti" starts with a rhythm pattern that could remind of The Knack's My Sharona. It's a straightforward and ironic rock song where the band mock people who are never satisfied.

"Santa pazienza" is a beautiful instrumental where classical piano patterns are intertwined with guitar riffs on joyful changing rhythms. One of my favourite tracks on this album. Next comes "Cenere", a delicate ballad featuring piano and acoustic guitar, where love dreams burn and become nothing but ashes...

"Operetta n°1 - La demoniaca" try to describe the fight against your own demons. It's a track full of joyful and positive energy where ironic operatic vocals sing "I will use a machete against your sharp tongues / You won't laugh at me anymore...".

"La regina nera" is introduced by a classical piano pattern. It features sarcastic lyrics about the cruelty of a black queen and amazing vocal parts. It's a nice blend of hard rock and operetta. Next comes "La carie", a funny and complex mix of styles from honky-tonk to hard rock, operetta and melody featuring lyrics inspired by a toothache...

"Oniricausto" is another funny and dreamy musical delirium while the bonus track "Boris Bestiarius" sounds like a last joke between black metal and nursery rhymes.

On the whole a very interesting and unconventional prog album.