BENEDIKTUS UND VOBIS QUOQUE, CATAFALCUS EST TU

Dense atmosphere, lush mellotron, fat Moog, nice melodies, occasional Crimsonic outbursts-- this album has it all, down to a wheel on the cover you can rotate to change the picture of who is holding up the boombox.

With stated influences and perceived sounds ranging from (chiefly, in my book) King Crimson to David Bowie to Yes to The Cardiacs to Smashing Pumpkins, this band understandably spent a good bit of time being kicked around the different PA sub-genres before settling into a home in Neo.

If I were to try to sum up their sound, it would be a very strong dose of Roversi's atmospheric works in Moongarden (although Bertolini and Ravenoldi are responsible for the composing) alternating with the frenetic energy of King Crimson (particularly in the first two songs). The decent vocals are sung in English and are frankly noncontributory, showing up only occasionally and not adding nor detracting much. The real star here is the keyboards, manned by both Roversi (named L'Imperatore on the album itself, perhaps for contractual reasons?) and Ravenoldi. The first track, E Adesso Facciamo I Soldi, is a fabulous example of lush mellotron underlying some great rhthym work, interspersed by melodic Moog runs and beautiful chords and sequences.

Their bizarre sense of humor (see Torodd's PA interview) doesn't come through in the music as much as it does on the album artwork. The music is earnest, open, and rich for the eclectic nature of its influences. Definitely one to seek out, and one of the best from 2011. Four stars.

PS if you're unfamiliar with it, look up the instrument "theremin," which shows up on the album.

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