GOOD NIGHT TO THE BUCKET

The now-defunct Vedda Tribe followed up their excellent debut album with the rather disappointing 'Good Night To The Bucket' (2004), an album that witnessed a shift towards an increased use of electronics and a further urbanisation of the band's sound. They're like RPI exiles on this album with an industrial and mechanical sound from the extreme frontier edge of the genre. This isn't too surprising as the band came from the Industrial Triangle in the north of Italy, and the claustrophobic expression and intensity are perhaps in keeping with the dark heart of Italy.

Compared to the band's debut release, this album's terrain is dominated by shorter, more numerous tracks resulting in something a disjointed feel and there's a greater reliance on vocals; combined with the newfound fixation with electronics this all results in less guitar- driven psych. The ancient cults and traditional cafe ice-cream have been expunged in favour of a bang-up-to-date mutant fusion of modern music, beat culture (the gimlet-eyed reader will note the reference to Allen Ginsberg's 'Holy Soul Jelly Roll') and what might be described as electronic gamelan.

Not by any means a bad album, but probably of minor interest to most RPI fans who should check out the band's first album instead.

Five years have passed since Vedda Tribe's innovative debut, in between Filippo Guerini became also a guitar teacher.In 2004 the trio from Crema returned with a second album under the title ''Good Night to the Bucket''.This was again released with the support of the Italian label Lizard.

While ''Vedda Tribe'' had plenty of experimental vibes here and there, ''Good Night to the Bucket'' sees the Italian trio dripping through Experimental Rock from the start to the very end.It still has the KING CRIMSON feel all the way through, but the Fusion and Kraut Rock touches have almost completely faded and Vedda Tribe blend these sonic guitar textures with lots of sound effects and Industrial-like mannerisms.This time though the overall style doesn't sound as attractive as their previous work.The sound has become too experimental, too atonal and rather uninteresting with little to remind the charming approach of their debut.The talent of the group is still evident though in tracks such as ''Young Meditation'' or ''Uncle Bouzerant'', a mix of frenetic KING CRIMSON Prog with Electronic/Fusion, but the majority of the eleven tracks are completely based on cosmic Electronics, sound effects and disjointed breaks.The result is a cold, inhuman and mechanical atmosphere with total abscence of emotions.

The next year Vedda Tribe became history.Fiilippo Guerini still serves as a guitar teacher, while Mauro Pamiro has started his own music project, covering Emily Dickinson's poems with Electronic/Experimental Music since the demise of the group.

''Good Night to the Bucket'' is a really hard work to get through for the average listener.Stick with Vedda Tribe's eponymous album for some challenging Prog music, this album is headed only to fans of Experimental Rock forms.