CHERRY FIVE

My opinion of this album has regrettably diminished with time. Once one of my favorite Italian Prog CDs, Cherry Five just hasn't aged terribly well and suffers from mediocre sound quality, imitative playing, and embarrassing lyrics. Still, the historical value of Cherry Five is off the charts, as members of Goblin, Rustichelli e Bordini, and L'Uovo di Colombo contribute an onslaught of fierce performances; Claudio Simonetti most notably, as he controls a seemingly never-ending barrage of keyboard and synthesized instruments. Organ, piano, Mellotron, and Moog are all over this thing. Cherry Five is a fun, rocking Yes copycat that will appeal to all Goblin fans, but loses some of its shimmer after repeated listens.

"Country Grave-Yard" wastes no time in wearing influences on its sleeve, and would not sound out of place on The Yes Album. The song is a brisk showcase for Fabio Pignatelli and Carlo Bordini, and the rhythm section will lock in early and often. Morante also gets some face time here with some tasteful guitar leads and even some acoustic rhythm guitar here and there. Simonetti is far less reserved, walloping you over the head with one crazy keyboard lick after another. And that leaves Tartarini - let's just say he does a capable job with the English lyrics, but his native tongue is much preferred. "The Picture of Dorian Gray," taking its name from Claudio Simonetti's previous group, is the centerpiece of the album. Again keyboards are to the fore, as everyone else quite splendidly struggles to keep up. My favorite part of the song comes near the end when the call-and-response exchange between guitar and synth float atop a childish quarter-note foundation in the rhythm section. If Cherry Five just had more unique, interesting sections like this, I feel it wouldn't sound nearly as dated as it does.

"The Swan is a Murderer" parts 1 and 2 are each mildly enjoyable, while the long "Oliver" is far more complex and rewarding. Still, don't expect "Sound Chaser" or anything: Even though "Oliver" contains numerous tempo and key changes, the performances are fairly straight forward and typical for the era. The same holds true for "My Little Cloud Land" although the band does end on a high note and offers glimpses of the famous Goblin sound. Overall, I would probably give Cherry Five 3.5 stars rounded down. I have just heard it so many times I never reach for it any more...your mileage may vary.