A NEW BEGINNING

Intrigued by the rather effusive review by esteemed colleague Lazland (www.lazland.org), I immediately purchased this hitherto unknown artist from one of my fave cities in the world Rome, home to such fabulous artist/composers as Stefano Panunzi, Alessandro di Benedetti (Inner Prospekt, Mad Crayon ), Vincenzo Ricca (The Rome Prog(j)ect) and drum maestro Davide Guidoni (Daal, Nodo Gordiano among many others). Unfortunately, a combination of whirlwind work issues as well as tons of requests for reviews prevented me to be timely with my promise to do his debut album justice. Truth is that the Prog Rogue guy is more of a turtle and less of a hare (bespectacled or not). Well, since Steve Lazenby did such a masterful job on the background, I won't bore you with my resoundingly similar echo.

Massimo is a highly creative keyboardist from the Eternal City who incorporates all the classic old school elements that make prog so attractive (not to all, as the pop fluff is big everywhere including Italy), namely divine orchestrations, passionate lyrics and vocals, and impeccably cinematic pace as well as instrumental prowess. Nevertheless, we are in 2023 and there is an obvious tendency to include more "modern" enhancements, creating a body of work that is diverse yet still adventurous, personal ("Oh Father" is majestic, as I think fondly of mine daily) and impressive to a wide variety of music lovers. The interlocking pieces are never longer that 4.5 minutes but create a mosaic of flowing sonic themes that fit perfectly, coming across like one long suite, with enough variety to keep the attention span honed. The "comfortable" incarceration of Covid forced millions of artists to toe the line and introspect unwillingly, at times perhaps even painfully for some, and spending what seemed like an eternity into the imaginary hall of mirrors that made up their (and our) daily lives. This is what emerges from the multiple auditions I had with this first release. My grandfather once described to me (11-year-old at the time) that Italy was never a country (except for football) but actually the planet's greatest theatre. A state of multiple cities that each have their own level of drama, comedy, humour, tragedy, hope and passion. Everything is up for argument or debate, from family to politics, cinema, music, design, food, art, sex, war, peace, and fashion, often all at once. It is called life, at the fullest. Massimo here tackles these hallowed themes head on, from parenting, aging, the onset of winter, one's partnership choices, conflict, heartache etc.. Each title has a classical opera example, you can amuse yourself by adding in parentheses, the Four Seasons, Tosca, Aida, la Traviata, Madame Butterfly, etc?

From the opening and cleverly labeled "Intro", one is immediately plunged into the show that is about to begin. "Oh Father" is simply majestic, as I think fondly of mine daily, where a mighty drum beat muscles ahead of a slick guitar lick as the piano emits rivulets of deferential devotion. The singing is emotional, the orchestrations in the background really lighting up the stage, elevating this song into clearly an anthem of the finest order. The next fresco in the mosaic is the chilly "In November", featuring a male/female duet that "really, really, really" shudders in gentle serenity, a coalescence of rolling organ, whirling guitar phrasings and the appealing harmonies that ebb and flow until the final gale of wintry wind ending the piece. Coming across as a perfectly aged Brunello di Montalcino, "Growing Old" is precisely a musical version of that splendid red wine that has unique little earthy tinges in its colour, a wise electronic keyboard introduces a piano lush with understanding and patience, a lead guitar displaying a life's worth of exhilaration, an ode to perseverance and wisdom, an overarching lead vocal from guest Ray Weston takes this lament into the aether beyond. They call it heaven. This track certainly is. Sounding like a cabaret piece, here sung by guest Elena D'Angelo "Is It That Girl Right?" is a most welcome down to earth song about the vagaries of interpersonal relationships, a game that has been playing out since Romulus and Remus suckled on the rescuing and compassionate, she-wolf. "Out of his World " is a more cinematographic rant on politics, with a long female wail before embarking a long sample from the classic Chapin movie the Great Dictator, where soldiers of the world are exhorted to unite in the name of democracy, that sounded spot on in the 1930s but still resonate strongly today in our 'all sides love the fake news thingy' where most if not all politicians are self-absorbed charlatans of one stripe or another. The next "Interlude" serves exactly as that! A well-deserved pause into logic, bass and sax in the narrow spotlight. Sounding like a future Bond movie title, "Things to Live and Die For" is not at all a thriller, more like a very American elegiac sounding cry on the sad state of their Union, a land once of hopeful milk and honey, where confusion and fanciful bad taste opinion seem to presently rule. The music is cleverly quite progressive in that it has contrasts and shadows. To perhaps prove the point, the raucous "Family & Business" is a tempestuous affair, where heavy organ rolls and thunderous guitar riffs combine to express vividly the rage at the incredibly primitive stupidity we are forced to consume, in all facets of our modern lives. From the ensuing quiet after the chaos, a 2-part title track reflection is a welcome crowning achievement. After such a long, life altering bunker life style that still did not make people read more that a sentence (err.. what's a book?), what else can there be hope for but some kind of glorious salvation, a new beginning, a better direction, where inspiration and truth can replace bland common-ism and opinions. These themes are expressed vocally, lyrically, and instrumentally with utter conviction. But is there anyone listening? Does anyone care? Well, the lead guitarist does, if one is to listen to his solo! "I Hope You Will Always Be Here with Me" recalls the famous last words of Steve Jobs who for the record as well as history books (oops, I meant tweets) stated: "True happiness does not come from material things, but from the love given to us by our loved ones. So, I hope you understand that having friends or someone to talk to is the true happiness!". The lead vocal from guest Kate Nord is simply killer stuff, as if the power of her love could slay all the CGI-fed false images that serve only to further desensitize the human race. So, what does Massimo do now? Back to the beginning and start anew. Another "Intro Reprise", followed by acoustic versions of "In November" and "Things to Live and To Die For" with the clearly set goal of redefining this new beginning and taking the same good message but with a different delivery. Certainly, a better option that delivering the same tired message over and over.

Massimo is already working on a sequel entitled "The Next Dream", investigating the world of visions and those we meet in the night. I look forward to it and so does Laz I am sure. Actually, we both always do look forward.

4.5 original launches

"A New Beginning" is an autobiographical concept album and the first release of Massimo Pieretti. Being a keyboard player, teacher, and composer, this album takes the shape of an opera with plenty of vocals and musicians. It is a personal album with an emotional quality that is rare today. You can quickly get into this melancholic atmosphere of gorgeous melodies with classical, folk, and rock elements always done with taste. The vocal work is an essential part of that music whenever the style is played. The songs are short but you can listen to them as one continuous song that will require more listening to discover the beauty of all this music and the different music textures created by the large amount of instruments. This album takes you on a journey that makes you discover the soul of Massimo Pieretti. I am pretty sure this album will reach many prog fans and music fans in general because it's the kind of album that makes you feel better despite all the things that are going wrong in the world.

Keyboardist and composer Massimo Pieretti's solo debut is first of all very Italian album. It opens with "Intro" - heavily orchestrated cinematographic piece SanRemo fest will be proud of. Conceptual album, recorded during pandemic, is well put together and wins against myriad of DIY-quality releases from the period, recorded online and mechanically constructed from separate tracks on a Lego manner.

There is lot of non-artificial passion and drama in album's music. Lot of vocals (from all the list of guest vocalists) works surprisingly well. Thanks to well-rounded sound and attention to melodies, many songs balance on the border with pop- music, from other hand, it doesn't confront with decades of Italian prog tradition.

For my taste, rhythm sameness and too simple drummers work doesn't help. More various rhythmic structures, more technically complex arrangements and in general, a bit more sharpness and fire would add more life to well played, but a bit too polished music. Still a great music for fans of Big Sound and emotionally colored tuneful songs.

A nice debut!

Music might be one of the expression forms we love the most, it embraces us the way we embrace it, so we create a lifetime relationship. This has also happened to Italian maestro Massimo Pieretti (who I thank for kindly introducing me to his music), a man who has found in music a way of life. The last year (2022) he released his first studio album that shares not only his skills as composer or performer, but also his culture as an Italian, and also as a citizen of the world.

This album consists of 15 tracks that make a total time of 45 minutes, of course Massimo Pieretti was the mastermind behind it, but he had a helping hand from a vast amount of musicians, people who shared their talent with vocals, instruments, emotions. So "A New Beginning" starts with 'Intro' which sounds like opening the eyes and see the world, then vocals surrounding you tell you this will be quite a journey. 'Oh Father' comes next, some nice electric guitar riffs appear while keyboards and drums build up the structure. Vocals join and a kind of neo-prog sound appears. There is also a constant orchestral sound, we will find it during the whole record, which is quite nice.

'In November' has acoustic guitar that nicely contrasts with synthesizers, then bass and drums join and we can feel something is coming. Backing vocals appear here and all together make a very comfortable sound, beautiful in some ways, despite there is somehow, a sense of sadness or desolation. The melancholy continues in the beginning of 'Growing Old', but it lasts only for some seconds because then the music changes, creating a bright sensation and even some Marillion feeling. The music and lyrics become emotional, and he and the band transmit it, because after all we can identify with it, with the story.

I like how female vocals take over in 'Is It That Girl Right?', it is also worth mentioning that this is like a book or film in which we see or picture characters, each of them with a voice, with a behavior, all playing a role in our story (or Massimo's story). 'Out of This World' has again female vocals, but it also includes some recorded voices from a speech I believe belongs to Chaplin off from his "The Great Dictator" film. Then it comes an 'Interlude', which is, as you can imagine, the shortest track of the album. It is first a piano piece, but then bass and sax join, creating a Floydian sound.

Have we ever wondered which are the 'Things to Live and Die For'', it is a tough question indeed, but maybe the music here can enlightend us a bit. 'Family and Business' has a rockier sound, and we can listen to a new singer here, which is something I like from this album, its diversity, its characters. The bass and organ work here are great, and then a flamboyant electric guitar appears as well.

A two-part title-track comes next. First 'A New Beginning Part A - Looking for The Best', it sounds like a note to self, because it has some spoken word at first, like looking for the best by looking at the past's mistakes, we always have to learn from our decisions, whether they are right or (mostly) wrong. And 'A New Beginning Part B - The Only Way You Can Be' starts with piano and with a fresh sound, like waking up with a smile aiming to change your life for good.

'I Hope You Will Always Be Here With Me' is an example that this record was composed and recorded with love. The music is nice, the hope and brightness is present and as I mentioned before, we can emphasize and identify with the stages of this story. We are always making questions, having doubts, taking decisions. Life is actually a cause and effect thing. And yeah, the album finishes nicely just as is began, with 'Intro Reprise' which represents what its title suggests.

But surprise. The album might have finished, but it actually hasn't! That reprise opened the gates to two reworks: 'In November' and 'Things to Live and Die For', both with acoustic versions, showing new nuances and feelings.

It might not the most prog rock album ever, but it does have prog elements, it is a conceptual album and we can appreciate it if we want to. Congrats to Massimo Pieretti for this heartfelt debut, and thanks for sharing with us part of your story.

Enjoy it!

A New Beginning' is the debut solo album from keyboard player and composer Massimo Pieretti (Shaman's Soldiers, Noage etc). Many musicians used the isolation caused by the Covid pandemic to look closely at themselves, their works and what they wanted to achieve, and in the case of Massimo it was to get his musical ideas out in front of the world, and what better way to do that than with an autobiographical concept album? This consists of 15 tracks through which Massimo demonstrates his point of view on society by reflecting back on his own personal problems and life experiences.

Although he worked with others throughout the crafting of this album, he ensured he was involved in everything from writing of the material through the choice of musicians to work with and was even involved in the mastering. There are 12 singers involved, including Ray Weston from Echolyn, and a total headcount of no less than 30 to bring to life Massimo's vision. The album itself can be broken into three different areas, but the songs are mixed throughout so this may not be immediately apparent. These areas are songs which are personal and autobiographical, those which are experimental and related to his passion for cinema and film music songs, and then there is a trilogy.

What makes this album such a success is not the number of singers involved, nor the quality of the songs themselves, but rather the emotion and passion which is palpable throughout. The layering and complexity are wonderful, with the songs being incredibly diverse and different, so one never knows what is going to happen next. There may be female leads, or male, lush harmonies, or shouted texts which are delivered with incredible dramatic import. This is an incredibly deep album, and it takes time to fully investigate and plumb the hidden depths as there is just so much here to take in. I have seen it mentioned that this is a very Italian album, but I must confess I don't hear that as this is far removed from RPI and to my ears is actually an album with no country of origin as it straddles geographic boundaries and is a fine example of music following where it needs to go as opposed to being forced into artificial constraints to meet the definition or style of one sub-genre or another. Yes, this is prog, but it feels more like a river taking its own course as opposed to being constrained by the walls of a canal.

It is certainly not attempting to pander to any current fashion and could have been released any time in the last 40 years yet does not recognisably align itself with any particular influence but instead has very much its own identity. Majestic without ever being overbearing, this is a classic album which will be enjoyed by many.

Massimo Pieretti's debut album A New Beginning is an eclectic prog opera with a plethora of guest artists from a pot- pourri of Italian musicians and vocalists. The intriguing storyline is about holding onto family values, discarding political principles to embrace freedom and the attempt to understand the behaviours of others in order that the world can be a better place.

There are so many styles of music on offer here but the album really shines on the vocals, female vocals are welcome to break it up too, and the musicianship is excellent especially those electric guitar passages and keyboards.

Highlights are Is It That Girl Right?, Out of This World, Family and Business and all sections of A New Beginning, Looking for the Best and The Only Way You Can Be. I like how the tracks are short so you can lock onto the melodies easily. The lead guitar is phenomenal on tracks such as The Only Way You Can Be where it soars and the gentle playing on the beautiful I Hope You Will Always Be Here with Me, accompanied by lovely female vocals. The democratic political rally sound Byte from Chaplin's The Great Dictator was a fascinating choice satirising the political landscape which happens to be in tumult in USA now; a coincidence to hear it today for me but amusing nonetheless.

This is an album worth hunting down online, bandcamp has it though unfortunately not yet on Spotify. In any case seek this one out as it is emotionally charged and a powerful uplifting listening experience.

Today I'll be reviewing Italian prog musician Massimo Pieretti's 2022 debut album, "A New Beginning". He recently PM'd me to request a review, as he is preparing to release his second full length album later this year. As always, I am reviewing it as I hear it, and this is a cold listen. He is not compensating me in any way for reviewing it outside of sending me a digital zip file of the tracks. Massimo has played with fusion band Orphinskij, as well as performing with several tribute bands. He is a keyboardist and composer and recorded this album with 28 different collaborators! One of the collaborators is Ray Weston of prog veterans Echolyn. The album has been called an autobiographical concept album. The songs range in length from just over 1 minute to around 4:30. Let's check it out!

Track 1 - Intro

The music begins peacefully with a note fading in and orchestration and then vocals being added. The lyrics are in English. By around 1 minute the music begins to have some rhythm but retains its orchestral nature. This is a very pleasant introduction to the album.

Track 2 - Oh Father

This begins with a drumbeat. The band joins in after a few bars with a guitar solo supported by other instruments. The vocals that join in are very clear and intonated. The meter is in 4, but syncopated. The song is a mellow ode to his father, saying "It was a lesson of love." I like the drum fill at around 2:40. Nice track.

Track 3 - In November

A bit of nylon string guitar kicks this off, and swelling synth notes join in. The meter is in 6-8 but syncopated. I like the pulsing bass line. There are many layers of octave-unison singing. Some spoken words fill in between the verses. At around 2:50 a guitar countermelody enters. A short wind sound-effect ends the song. Pretty good track, with several interesting things happening.

Track 4 - Growing Old

This one begins with synth chords at a slow tempo. Piano and fretless bass join in, creating a rhythm. The full rhythm section enters at around 40 seconds. This one has an almost breezy melody in the lead vocals. I like the echo vocals in the chorus. I like when the vocalist goes into the higher register. Nice crescendo around 3:20. The rhythm changes to a half time feel. This is my favorite track thus far.

Track 5 - Is It That Girl Right Another mellow track, with female vocals this time. Jazzy chords on the electric piano. It reminds me a bit of late 70s pop music. I like the bridge; the vocalist does a nice job of carrying the melody.

Track 6 - Out of this World

This begins with interesting synth tones and more female vocals singing in an ethereal way. I like the feel when the rhythm kicks in. As the verse begins there are many layers of vocals, with lots of reverb, giving the effect of a cosmic choir. In the second half of the song there is a man's voice with a British accent apparently giving a pep-talk to soldiers. The musical accompaniment fades out near the end leaving the voice to complete the track on its own.

Track 7 - Interlude

Piano and synth play a peaceful melody. Other instruments join about halfway through. The track is what it says it is.

Track 8 - Things to live and to Die For

An interesting, syncopated drumbeat starts it off and other instruments soon join, creating an attention getting atmosphere. The vocals join with a male singing. This one is in 6-8. A female voice joins in singing an octave above on the chorus. She ad libs a bit on the second verse. I like how the intensity builds near the end.

Track 9 - Family & Business

The synth sound that starts this one off presents an air of foreboding. I like the guitar line that comes in. The male vocalist on this one has a bit more grit to his voice. This one is rocking slightly harder than most of the previous tracks. I like the call and response nature of the chorus. During the guitar solo that follows, there is a chant being said. Nice soloing from the guitarist on this track! This one is also one of my favorite tracks on the album. Well done!

Track 10 and 11 - A New Beginning (Part A) Looking for the Best, and (Part B) The Only Way You Can Be

(In the files that Massimo sent me, these tracks are combined into one with a total running time of just over 4 minutes; they are apparently separate on CD versions of the album.)

A piano chord and tubular bell accompanies a spoken voice that sets the mood for the song. The song is saying that "We must look for the best." A positive message indeed in these trying times. I like the instrumental arrangement. The Italian accent comes through quite strongly from the vocalist on this track, giving it a bit of charm to my American ears. The second part of the song doubles the tempo from the ballad-like tempo of the first section. The positive vibes continue. I like the tempo changes for the guitar solo, which ends in a nice crescendo as the vocals return. Strong guitar playing continues and the vocals go more to the background and provide a bit of a countermelody. Great arrangement as the song comes to a close. This is definitely a centerpiece of the album.

Track 12 - I Hope You Will Always Be Here with Me

Piano and lead guitar start this off, and then the rhythm section establishes a moderate tempo, before vocals join in. This vocalist on this track is a female with a very rich voice that reminds me of the late Karen Carpenter with an accent. (Turns out her name is Kate Nord, see the video link below.) Massimo's lyrics are very positive and optimistic. I believe I hear some mellotron. Nice octave jump in the vocals around 2:40, followed by a great high ad lib! Strong lead guitar accompanies the vocals. Strong track.

Track 13 - Intro Reprise

Nice organ tones with chords that shift between uplifting and foreboding. This closes the album proper.

(Note: There are two acoustic versions of tracks from the album that follow, but since I normally don't review bonus tracks, I will not formally review them here.)

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

If you are looking for odd-metered music with lots of fiddly-twiddly bits, this is NOT the album for you. However, if you want to hear a very heartfelt and personal album, with some good playing and several fine vocalists, then check out Massimo's album! The album does have a bit of a homemade aura about it, as it is self-produced, but it is all clean and well-mixed. I found it to be an enjoyable listen. Massimo's optimism and positive vibes flowed through these performances of his compositions. I believe he is off to a good start here and I see that he has just released a live album containing much of this material on his Bandcamp page as I type this on Friday Feb. 21, 2025. (He also sent me a press release regarding this album, which I will post in the comments if I can.) I'll give this album a 4 out of 5 stars.

In addition to this full album, and the freshly released live album, Massimo has also released an EP titled "Creatures of the Night" in 2024. His new album is planned for release later in 2025 and to be titled "The Next Dream"