MOVING FRAGMENTS

I was not the only person to be someone stunned when Acqua Fragile returned in 2017 with the excellent 'A New Chant'. Although they had recorded some albums in the Seventies, the departure of singer Bernado Lanzetti to PFM had been the death knell, and no-one thought that more than 40 years later that Bernard, along with bassist Franz Dondi and drummer Piero Canavera would record a new album with some guests. Fast forward a mere six years from the last album and the trio are now back with a full band, plus guests (including none other than David Jackson, surely one of the most active musicians in the scene).

What strikes the listener immediately is not the power of the band, but the vocals of Lanzetti. He has lost none of his range, and in many ways is singing as well as ever, but he sounds every minute of his 75 years. Some singers somehow never seem to age at all (step forward Bob Catley for example), but others not so, and that is the case here in that he very much comes across as an old man, which in fact he is. Once one gets past that, one realises that this is another interesting album from the Italian proggers. Goblin will always be my favourite Italian band, but I have always rated PFM incredibly highly and always enjoyed these guys as well, and while this may not be as immediate and potent as the last one it is still an interesting listen. While they are Italian, they have never fitted into RPI for me as they are not as symphonic as what I expect from that genre, with less bombast, plus they sing in English as opposed to Italian. This album is one which can be listened to and enjoyed on the first time of playing, and there are some depths to be uncovered, but possibly not as many as one might expect.

Whether this is an album which will attract new fans I am not sure but is one which people who have enjoyed their career will find quite interesting while not essential.

A different RPI, younger, modern, with a more accentuated rock connotation, aggressive instrumentation and incisive breaks, without denying their original sound. When the RPI allows itself to evolve and not stay within its singular constraints, we have this album which puts a good dent in the anthill and gives new prog blood to this musical genre which can produce very beautiful things; less jazzy variations, more rock and this RPI sparkles with joy for this new decade. Creativity is good for forgetting that this group started in the 70s!

Lanzetti always sings very well with a depth which seduced me, the orchestration is therefore more rock and honors Anglican prog rock, perhaps their transalpine friends will hate them for precisely that? The album has less classical wind and string instruments and allows to give musical pep, musical novelty which should keep them in the ears of today's progues.