CRAC !

Quirky and satisfying, Area seems like a band that doesn't take itself too seriously, and yet clearly has the skills. The worst thing I can say about this album is that I don't care for the sounds of some of the instruments (including the vocals- especially the vocals) nor for the hysterical arrangements, but every so often I find myself craving this recording and all its eccentricities.

"L'elefante bianco" Boisterous male vocals and a jaunty piano begin the album. The music is generally wild, with unbridled vocals, a frantic rhythm, and an rampant synthesizer lead.

"La mela di Odessa" Melding speedy jazz fusion with symphonic tendencies, this runs at an even faster pace than the previous track, with brusque vocalizations and plenty of synthesizer leading the way. At times it sounds like Camel, and at others, like Weather Report. The second half is straight-up Italian funk, but the vocals are just not my thing- they sound like someone is trying to imitate Tarzan.

"Megalopoli" Laid-back synthesizer work gives way to a gradual snare build that explodes into an arrangement and instrumentation that is quite similar to Gentle Giant.

"Nervi scoperti" The drumming is the star here, moving between subtle rhythms to more satisfying fills, allowing for all manner of soloing, from sputtering bass to squealing synthesizer, from chaotic piano to bizarre vocalizations.

"Gioia e rivoluzione" Brisk piano introduces a baritone bit of caterwauling. However, this is more of a singer-songwriter work, sometimes even sounding a bit like American country music.

"Implosion" This piece consists of smoother music that is a stark contrast of everything else available here, although the jazzy feel remains. This has Andrew Latimer-like guitar phrases on top of growling bass and light drumming. The organ solo is a second highlight.

"Area 5" The final track is an outlandish bit of improvisation.