STATI DI IMMAGINAZIONE

With the support of Sony BMG, Premiata Forneria Marconi immediately entered the studio to produce another album.But this time Premoli was not present and the music was based on the ideas of the Mussida-Di Cioccio-Djivas trio.They were helped by keyboardist Gianluca Tagliavini and former bandmate Lucio Fabbri on violins and keys.The result was the 2006 CD/DVD release ''Stati di immaginazione''.

Premiata Forneria Marconi were always a daring band with ever-changing styles throughout their career and the new album is just another proof.Vocals are totally abandoned and ''Stati di immaginazione'' comes as an all instrumental effort of modern Progressive Rock with evident references to the 70's past of the group.Early KING CRIMSON were always a huge influence for the Italian legends, but this time the guitar work and atmospheres have more in common with the Discipline-era of their British mentors.Mussida evokes the sharp, diverse and highly atmospheric style of ROBERT FRIPP from these days, but ''Stati di immaginazione'' is way beyond this.It is full of strong violin drives, complex interplays, romantic Classical piano lines in the vein of LE ORME and jazzy textures right out of the late-70's part of the band's history.LE ORME even come in mind on the careful and elaborate use of synthesizers every now and then, creating light symphonic soundscapes along with the soft pianos.Even more suprising Premiata Forneria Marconi seemed to now what was going on in the prog world around the time of the album's release, as plenty of their ideas have a slight Post Rock approach, produced by Mussida's guitars.The album comes along with a DVD presentation of the 8 tracks with the use of interesting photos/images/cartoons.

Not in the same league as the band's earlier masterpieces, but this is definitely an album to play several times.A mix of modern Symphonic Rock with Jazz, Classical Music, Post Rock and Retro Prog, nicely blended and often quite impressive.Strongly recommended...3.5 stars.