CAMERE ZIMMER ROOMS

A collection of previously unreleased tracks recorded between their first and second albums, the recording quality on this CD is surprisingly good - presumably these pieces were recorded in a studio but for one reason or another were not released at the time. Continuing the band's evolution as a highly capable Canterbury unit, Camere Zimmer Rooms sees dal Pozzo dabble in the sort of experimental territory occupied by the likes of National Health and Henry Cow, as well as occasionally striking out into jazzier realms.

High-quality Canterbury releases were thin on the ground at the time this was recorded, so it's a shame it never saw the light of day at the time, but at least now we can enjoy this material from the best Italian performers of this particular style. At the same time, it's equally a shame that this material is only available in the somewhat murky demo form that it is provided in here - as engaging as some of the tracks are at points, at the same time this is very much the band in practice and rehearsal mode, and comparing it with their other releases I am inclined to believe that they could have made much better use of this material had they the opportunity to polish it further. After all, it really wasn't so long after these cuts were put down that their sophomore release "Abbiamo tutti i suoi problemi" with its associated sonic shift came out, and I am inclined to think that these compositions were left on the shelf for good reason. Worth it for fans of the group and Canterbury addicts, but others would be well advised to consult either of their first two albums before delving into this.