CANVAS TWO

Roman Dreamer (I was given an advance copy of this album)

Lush Landscapes, Plentiful Passions

Exactly a year ago INNER PROSPEKT AKA 'Roman Dreamer' and keyboard wizard Alessandro Di Benedetti (Mad Crayon, Samurai of Prog) released "Canvas One", incorporating several of his re-imagined, re-interpreted tunes done by other bands as well as some new material.

Here, with "Canvas Two", he does the same.

And staying true to the grandeur and skillful blending of classicism, jazz, symphonic progressive music, cinematic music, blues, and even some funk, INNER PROSPEKT has held to the same high standards.

Canvas Two

Bookended by two shorter instrumental tracks (actually track 8 is a bonus track, but I think it fits and flows nicely here), "Canvas Two" reveals six lovely, soulful, emotional tracks, with the for me high point of the nearly seventeen- and-a-half minute epic titled "Soul of Hundred Lives".

If there's a theme or concept here, it was hard for me to trace. That's not to say the tunes don't fit well together or frame a coherent whole.

Glimpse

Opening the album with delicate piano and soon adding lush strings, violin over acoustic guitar and organ, the piece builds into near orchestral fullness before subsiding back to the gentle piano and ending with just that bare touch of dissonance.

Soul of Hundred Lives

Reincarnation fascinates, since it suggests the possibility one can live many lives, practicing a la 'Groundhog Day' the kindness and selflessness that might finally allow the person to 'arrive'. This epic track and the lyrics cover a lot of ground, from delicate piano, to grinding bass synths, to finely constructed ambient sounds and quirky percussion, gravelly male voice that throughout this album reminded me at times of Peter Gabriel or Dave Cousins.

King of Spades

I thought of Genesis with the 12-string guitar opening soon joined by jazzy, melodic sax. The hushed male voice pulls us in on this heartbroken-in-love song, wistfully singing over piano with the full band soon joining. Di Benedetti knows how to create lush soundscapes, using strings and woodwind sounds for fullness and texture. He also shows some vocal savvy with double tracking voices and doing call-and-response kinds of voicings.

Why Me

Gentle 12-string guitar opens after some brief windchime sounds, piano and strings soon added. There's a cinematic sweep segueing into guitar/bass tension with percussive piano. This subsides into male harmony vocals and builds into a sweeping passage. Again the wistful gentle melody, and a synth takes an upper register lead over punchy bass guitar and complex drumming. More of the call-and -response vocals and the violin leads a broad, sweeping passage that reeks of romanticism and emotions.

Abby's Escape

The lyrics here were disturbing, making me think of spousal abuse of a pregnant woman, the unborn child hearing, and then later splintering into selves trying to cope. There's a sense of quiet desperation, and perhaps even menacing hint of violence or self-harm. All this over some sweeping lovely passages, gentle piano chords, and string sounds closing the track.

White Skies

Grand piano chords open unadorned tapping out a wistful melody, then joined by bass and violin sounds. Emotional, hushed vocals tell about a dark passion between (two parts of one person?) (two people?), and ineffable loss, indicated by the lush synth-led passage over dreamy keyboards. Octave vocals and harmonies keep telling the tragic tale over mellotron sounds and deliberate rhythm section. It's a melancholy atmosphere, and mid-range synth takes the lead over the increasingly jagged guitar landscape. It builds to a majestic passage, and ends.

The Knight and the Ghost

Perhaps there IS a theme (!)- tragic loss, heartbreak, making supreme effort but failure. The closing track of Canvas Two proper, opens with that sweet acoustic guitar, the trademark wistful, gravelly vocals, growing into strings over thrumming bass and drums, a clean guitar lead, building as the singer says "When I fight I lose"- that world-weary sense of frustration and loss.

Queen of Clubs

The bonus track has that airy, jazzy, soulful sax at first alone, the joined by twinkling guitar and electric piano, a haunting progression that is light yet melancholy. Sax continues singing and weeping, and ends in reverie...then revitalizes with a swell of string sounds and orchestration, building as the electric guitar wails and sings, then fades.

In Conclusion

Alessandro Di Benedetti as INNER PROSPEKT has delivered another gem of crossover progressive music, tugging at the heart as well as the mind. My rating: 4 sparkling stars.

INNER PROSPEKT is the project of the keyboardist of MAD CRAYON. Allessandro also worked on SAMURAI OF PROG with tones often inspired by those of Tony BANKS for synths, mellotron and keyboards, all decked out with electronic drums to give a more modern sound. This is his 11th album which comes out on a jazzy, symphonic, bluesy and intimate variation, giving pride of place to keyboards of course. An ersatz MAD CRAYON or an evolution of its style? , hop let's take a closer look.

"Glimpse" and an orchestral intro to begin with an aria on the piano, a dark melody with the shivering violin then it starts with a jazzy atmosphere with an intimate organ, a pleasant appetizer and a dissonant final arpeggio. "Soul of Hundred Lives" and the 17-minute centerpiece, sweet symphonic intro, crescendo keyboards, the voice reminiscent of Robert WYATT, soft, melancholy then it goes up again, the nervous guitars arrive, make sense then that rises again with a hard limit riff, synthetic percussions immediately tempered by its clear, captivating synths; an epic track with its many breaks, a delicate break towards the 10 'more Génésisienne then it starts again in a more gradual way; a little clarinet, violin to throw a little spleen before a final energetic bluesy, jazzy, fruity strobe and a bewitching South American guitar. "King of Spades" composed for the SAMURAI OF PROG, the sax à la SUPERTRAMP to begin with, it sounds good jazz New Orleans, go a bit of the pink panther at the end; well the voice is there a real copy / paste of that of WYATT, melting tune, the guitar surfing on the hackettian notes of GENESIS; it suddenly turns into an explosion of notes and a bucolic guitar solo bringing this title high; every now and then I rediscover the softness and delicacy of Antony KALUGIN's climates with an assumed symphonism; soft piano and sax final. "Why Me? "Intimate, fresh 12- string intro, spring spleen before the blossoming of the warming sun, I keep it bucolic, romantic! A bit of GENESIS, a bit of the "Interstellar" soundtrack; a piano, a whispered voice for a melody with a catchy bass, "Rock Bottom" hits me with its memories; a gentle break before the high-pitched synth arrives, piercing you, reminding you that prog is definitely not dead and is reborn; the violin solo is just divine, symphonic which brings back to a famous rhyme, the drums which imposes and reminds that we are well in 2021. Title which melts for the injection of musical memories and it is not the final explosive pleasure that will contradict. "Abby's Escape" and a jazz-bluesy tune to begin once upon a time, the rhythmic bass, the voice here draws on that of the archangel; GENESIS energy period 75-76 emerges; Allesandro has a blast with his twirling, melancholic and intuitive synths; a shimmering melody, an intimate, dark, depressive tune just before getting back in hand, one more oxymoron here; smooth final with piano and strings to recover from the trip, an immense title here which may leave you stunned by its reminiscent melody. "White Skies" originally composed for his 2014 album "Dreaming Tony Banks", said it all! Soaring orchestral, symphonic keyboards associated with the numbing voice of Allessandro again over that of WYATT (yes it is hers, but it reminds me of it!); it makes me want to immerse myself in the original album; the voice gives way to the always melancholy violin immediately gripped by a nervous guitar-synth riff which gives hope to the title, bringing clods of symphonic sounds and unearthing divinely sweet harmonies; Mellotron amplifies spleen; it is a complex progressive track in its musical twists and turns, the final guitar solo starting with a symphonic SANTANA sound. "The Knight and the Ghost" composed for The GUILMASTER last year; guitar arpeggio, melancholic voice sprinkled with recent percussions, which gives a current sound, far from the retro-regressive; dark violin giving in latency, a guitar solo like spaghetti film strip all at once, the progressive evolution of the title, paf GENESIS just before "Ripples", in short we feel the spleen of the beginning of the end of the history; the sounds are set in motion with the various instruments, it becomes fireworks, it starts everywhere, it goes up it starts again, it melts in any case and it is not the piano and this jazzy-bluesy violin of the end that will contradict. "The Queen of Clubs (bonus track)" for Rafael from GUILDMASTER and Giuseppe on sax on a light ambient jazzy variation with orgasmic rise, title for the awakening of the bucolic nap in which you fell.

INNER PROSPEKT has therefore made the album which combines the creativity of the latest MAD CRAYON and the new atmospheres of progressive rock; So we have here a real crossover album in its pure definition with the sound of a dino, GENESIS in this case, and the crossovers of other groups, musical harmony making the link. Everything is magnified for a modern sound, in short 2021 crush.

INNER PROSPEKT is a venture established by Rome based music composer Alessandro Di Benedetti. It all started with the release of several albums completely recorded on his own. The latest though were produced with the help of some like-minded friends. According to the main title, this obviously marks the second part of his Canvas series. Does he have a strict concept concerning this flow? How much are planned in total? I do not have an answer to that yet, we will see. First of all, the very nice front cover painting was contributed by Alex Troma. On this occasion he has chosen and re-arranged material from former recording sessions. Plus originally intended contributions for the Samurai Of Prog project, where he's also participating.

Is it a lucky bag somehow? Anyway, this song collection brilliantly works. While he's playing keyboards and drums on that album, the guitar duties are mastered by Rafael Pacha, Carmine Capasso, and also Federico Tetti. The latter is member of Mad Crayon fame, a band Alessandro is also playing with. What a pleasant album to listen. 'Canvas Two' has no weak points, confirms that he's a multi-talented musician and composer. What about all the manifold cello respectively violin contributions? The booklet credits are not revealing anything concerning this. Hence I assume this all must be sampled in the end, sounds real.

The epic Soul Of Hundred Lives turns out to be a revelation, undoubtedly. 'Once upon a time there was a little girl, her name was Abbygale' - Abby's Escape also evolves to a wonderful experience after all. Anyhow, actually it is almost forbidden to highlight a particular song. Just enjoy the flow in its entirety. Some hints from Van der Graaf Generator and Genesis are incorporated, where he obviously is inspired by Peter Hammill a lot. At least the vocal expression is close, by the way also to recognize regarding the current highly recommended Mad Crayon album 'Drops'. 'Canvas Two' is the first INNER PROSPEKT album I really concentrated on for some time. Definitely a recommended approach, as the music will grow further on with every new listen.

I am of the opinion that Alessandro Di Benedetti's ideas are best realized by himself--there's something about the versions of his songs as performed and recorded by The Samurai of Prog that have lost or diminished the heart and warmth of Alessandro's work compared to when he is in total control. This album is perhaps the best example of this phenomenon yet as there are no less than four of these songs having been "gifted" for Samurai of Prog interpretation/renderings.

1. "Glimpse" (3:06) several chords of piano arpeggi create a motif over which bass and cello join. After about 30 seconds, acoustic guitars and jazzy drums take over before cello, synth, and Pat Metheny-like guitar take turns soloing. Very nice melodic jazz very much in the vein of Pat Metheny's most accessible and heart-wrenching. (9.5/10)

2. "Soul of Hundred Lives" (17:46) great opening--one that really sucks the listener in. Two alternating notes from a piano, drumstick and cymbal percussion, syncopated thumping bass, drawn out notes from a plaintive oboe, joined by heart-wrenching melody notes from a cello, until everything just stops at the end of the third minute to make way for some bass riffs and slow playing Fender Rhodes chords. At 3:30, full band kicks into play, establishing a funky weave which eventually settles back for a vocal performance that sounds like something from either a Guy Manning album from the Naughties or one of FISH's more recent albums. At 7:40 we take a drastic turn into a Latin- flavored excursion into a kind of 1980s uptempo, happy-go-lucky pop jazz instrumental. At the end of the tenth minute, the music thickens and darkens a bit as an Arp-like synth solos for a bit. A pretty cool, easy listening venture into "Prog Lite" despite all of the layers and sophistication that Alessandro puts into the production and composition. As we progress through this multi-dimensional epic, I find myself reminded of (and, thus, inevitably comparing this to) Eric Blackwood and Pete Trewavas' 2013 masterful 67-minute epic, "Sillhouette" from their Edison's Children release The Final Breath Before November. There are striking similarites in vocals, engineering, production, and sound choices, though EC's syrupy chords and synth washed sounds are much more classic Neo Prog. Good song with a great opening whose bluesy end section turns me off a bit. (34.5/40)

3. "King of Spades" (6:49) beautiful string support for solo saxophone and vocal. Though the lead instruments are not quite as impressive as the support/background tapestry, it is beautiful music--very GENESIS-like from the Trick of the Tale/Wind and Wuthering era--even with the Latin-jazzy instrumental middle section. There is also a lot of similarities to some of the more melodic, romantic passages by THE FLOWER KINGS. (13.75/15)

4. "Why Me?" (8:07) picked 12-string guitars open this one before being joined by piano and synth strings. Nice! Turn GENESIS' "Ripples" and "A Trick of the Tail" into orchestrated film soundtracks and you'll be in the same ballpark as me. Alessandro's vocal has a very wonderful DAEVID ALLEN-like quality and even tongue-in-cheek feel to it. I love the Banco-like solo in the first central instrumental section, and then the awesome "violin" solo in the second. The jazz (13/15)

5. "Abby's Escape" (6:14) a quirky song trying to be laid back and edgie at the same time, is highlighted, for me, by the female background vocals and weakened by the GUY MANNING-like lead male vocal. (8.5/10)

6. "White Skies" (10:48) another excellent Neo Prog song with mythic inspiration and wonderful Tony Banks/Genesis-like instrumental arrangements beneath and between Alessandro's vocals. Alessandro's keyboard performances here are especially memorable and noteworthy--though the guitar performances are also quite nice. (17.75/20)

7. "The Knight and the Ghost" (9:26) here Alessandro seems to be trying to dig deep in order to replicate the quirky medi'val beauty of GENTLE GIANT but ends up sounding more like the simpler fair of STRAWBS or ADVENT. In the third minute, a Genesis arpeggio from a 12-string guitar leads us into a shift to a new motif--this one morphing into more of a Prog Lite construct with a Larry Coryell-like guitar tone soloing over the top. Digressing into a sensitive, contemplative acoustic palette at the end of the fifth minute, we soon return to the GG theme and style for a spell. The ensuing adult contemporary jazz section is full of interesting if fairly simple sounds, riffs, and soli. The vocal sections, unfortunately, never reach the heights of emotional expression that one might expect from this title and mood. Still, a very pleasant listen containing often beautiful moments and passages. (17.5/20)

8. "The Queen of Clubs" (bonus track) (3:11)

Total Time 65:27

B+/4.5 stars; an excellent addition of melodic Neo Prog to any prog lover's music collection. It is this reviewer's opinion that Alessandro Di Benedetti's continued commitment to delivering us beautiful jazz-tinged progressive rock should be amply rewarded and celebrated. So, check out this album! You won't be sorry!

Inner Prospekt is certainly a performer that deserves more exposure, critical acclaim, and outright deafening applause, for contributing so grandly to our beloved musical style. I cherished his work with Mad Crayon back in 1994 with Ultimo Miraggio and have never relented since, especially when he kicked off his solo career with the 2014 "Dreaming Tony Banks", a tribute to the legendary Genesis keyboardist and composer. This is eleventh release and remains full on board with creating personal, intricate, and consummate music, much to the enjoyment of the rather demanding prog universe. Alessandro di Benedetti is the name one must keep in mind as his personal muse is Inner Prospekt and as such, he holds no restrictions to what he decides to write and play, unswerving to any master or corporation. He often acts alone but here decides to bring in some serious clout to add more definition to his compositions. Rafal Pacha is on guitar, he of the Guildmaster project, a stunning medieval prog work that features Alessandro as well. Mad Crayon members guitarist Federico Tetti and drummer Giovanni Maucieri as well as adding some sexy sax from Giuseppe Militello. the Trip axeman Carmine Capasso is similarly on board.

Lots of sublime tracks are here to enjoy, with a few vocal tracks sung by Alessandro, who is a decent enough singer. The three longer tracks are exceptional in quality it must be said, setting a distinctive mood that simply engulfs the listener into a mellifluous world of melancholic beauty, something the Italians often own in spades. "Soul of Hundred Lives" is quite the voyage, starting off with a popping bass with tip-tap drumming, cello sounds mournfully plaintive, but when the synth announces the tremendous main theme, look out! The bending notes are ever so evocative, a modern-day Manfred Mann on the ivories. The addition of e-piano adds a welcome jazzy touch, that only enhances the material. Throw in a molten guitar solo that spits, slices, and soars, and you have the making of an epic nearly 18-minute colossus, lush with twists, turns and variations, going as far as involving some slow and gentle sections, as the smoking romanticism kicks in. Strings, sax, brash guitar and some slithering bass complete the funky outro show.

The suggestive "White Skies" is another whopper, clocking in at almost 11 minutes, ignited by a mournful piano etude, something Alessandro favors in getting the ball rolling. His fragile and earnest voice relies more on emotion than operatic technique, making his craft so personal, a dedicated musician playing for his audience. Waves of mellotron rumble ahead, the voice cresting over its towering ripples, streaking synths gales collapsing inwards, the massive bass underpinning the depth, and the drums acting as whitecaps. A stormy guitar thunders by, regular and relentless as its flashes illuminate the sonic scene. The electric piano section provides once again a jazzier tempo, a most welcome addition to his rather unique style. But its really on the synths that he shines. The cello cries out in sorrow, awaiting the crowning axe solo, a simple melody played with passion.

I mean, you and I, we get it. This is fantastic music by an accomplished musician. We all need the Inner Prospekt in our lives and in our collection. May Alessandro live long and prosper?.

4.5 inside options