FROM A DISTANCE

The second, along awaited album from the italian multi-talented band is finally out! And "it's not so far" (in italian language "Non è poi così lontano" is a Perigeo work) from the expected!

During the preceding months the band has given to fans information about their hard work in studio, but nothing let us know what would be their new musical orientation, though they were noticing it would be different from the debut one!

Now we know at last! Though it's not so far from the first one, with a similar melancholic ansiogenic mood and the same powerful expressivity, there's a great melodic research and this gives easy pleasure to the listener, notwithstanding the harmonic and structural complexity. Let me tell you, this is only from talented and inspired musicians: the others entangle themselves in boring and uselessly complex structures.

The opening track 'Wait For Me' starts with a powerful intro in Echolyn - Änglagård style, but it suddenly changes in a melancholic mood when Calandriello starts his beautiful singing.

It's very difficult to find out what are the more representative tracks since the whole work is very high level. Surely the opener 'Wait For Me' has its big impact, as 'I Feel Like Snowing', the crimsonian 'Pleasure of Drowning', the dramatic 'Open Window' and the intense 'Not Now', this last sometimes recently performed LIVE. The whole work is enriched with musical and sound effect refinements which often bring pleasing surprise to the listener. For a NOT lazy listener this is a pleasure.. hasn't it?

Calandriello, in my opinion, reaches his highest in intensity and melodic inspiration, the sound effects and the registers of Botta's keyboards are charming and refined, Zago's guitar work, in counterpoints, accompaniment or solo, has always the right tune and visionary intensity, Malacrida's refined drumming is a powerful support for Cassani's complex bass patterns.

King Crimson is reborn in Italy? Not so true! Though the crimsonian inspiration is alive and well, as painful moods, ostinatos, harmonic and structural constructions, NAGS are actually the melodic counterbalance of another italian band where Zago and Botta are involved: Yügen.

Sadly in the last days NAGS announced that Zago will not take part to the project anymore. We all hope that Gian Marco Trevisan, the one who will take his heavy inheritance, will be able to grant to the band the same visionary and technical support in future compositions.

The last track 'Farewell' is Botta's special gift to Zago.

Between 3,5 and 4 stars!

Not a Good Sign's sophomore effort disappoints. There is just something lacking here that the debut had. Energy. Enthusiasm. It's as if the band is often caught going through the motions, as if the spirit and conviction of the effort is missing. I felt this from the first two listens through the album--even before I found out that this was to be Francesco Zago's last work with the group. Nothing feels finished, polished, fully developed. There are parts of songs that just plod along--as if it's an effort just to get through the next measure. The continued excellent voice and vocal performances of LA COSCIENZO DI ZENO's Alessio Calandriello are not enough to save this one; each of the other contributors seems unable to work as a team, or to get excited for the end product. Perhaps Francesco's immanent departure was known before or during the creation of this album. I don't know. I just know that nothing, no song has nearly the fire and strength of 2013's debut. Whatever it is that Paolo "Ske" Botta, Alessandro Cassani, Martino Malacrida, and Francesco Zago do next, I wish them well. They are without doubt extraordinary artists--all of them. I've just come to expect better of Not a Good Sign than this.