COME IL SEGUITARE DELLE STAGIONI

While all members of Il CASTELLO DI ATLANTE are laudable musicians, after indulging in their debut album, I felt comfortable in the assertion that the group's unique identity was enhanced by the violin of Massimo Di Lauro. Bypassing the hard to find second disk, and allowing more than commensurate opportunity to critique this 2000 release, my new pronouncement is the group's unique identity IS the violin. The therapeutic effect of this album rises and falls with the dosage and purity of its strings. Relatively speaking, "Come il Seguitare Delle Stagioni" does not merit more than a small bow.

Taking into consideration the band's place in the generally complex symphonic style of RPI, they will never be remembered for their complexity. The problem here, apart from the vast expanses of lonely keyboards and guitars, is that the group tries to be too complex for its own good, and hence does not flatter its intentions. While the shorter pieces - particularly "Primo Repriso" and "Secondo Respiro" - might have been expounded upon to good effect, the greater sin is the artificial extension of the opener and closer, both of which loiter about in an uncomfortably neolithic manner far too long, and yet fail to connect the parts with each other or the listener. The clear exception among the longer pieces is "Ad Un Amico", with a decidedly less cluttered mannerism and lush melodies in which the whole group rallies around a fiddle figure.with an intriguing Arabic character. Aldo Bergamini's sizzling accompaniment on lead guitar is congruence and confluence in motion.

While this album fails to play to the considerable and easily mined strengths of this excellent Italian band, it's far from a lost cause. The retreat into the safety of ersatz RPI and symphonic prog in general quelled the vivacity and succinctness inherent in their brilliant debut. I might try "Sono io il signore delle terre a nord" or "Tra le Antiche Mura" first, depending on what is in season.