CAPSIDE

Oh, what a wonderful surprise was this album. Cosi bello! (I hope the translator is accurate.) Capside is a veteran band from Sardinia who have been around since the 1990s. Their line-up has been the same for decades, and they have three full-length albums to date. The band considers their most recent affair, Ladyesis, to be their finest recorded moment to date, and I'd have to agree. It certainly is the most refined and fully realized. Some might say the earlier albums search for riskier, more avant terrain, but I think the songwriting here is still adventurous yet done better. For the listener, it's just a more satisfying ride.

Ladyesis is a delightful mixture of classic RPI elements and modern aspiration utilizing elements of art rock, symphonic prog rock, and jazz-fusion with female, all-Italian vocals. They meld these with sophisticated songwriting and impressive chops, but unlike fusion bands who overthink or try to out-complex each other for progressive brownie points, Capside cares about crafting a great song for the listener. So while you get that high-minded interplay where you can hear all manner of development in real time, the melodies always ground us, as do the vocals. Valentina Casu has the most wonderful singing voice. I'm always a little hesitant to talk about just one person when everyone is excellent, but Valentina's vocals are "like butter" as Linda Richman used to say. You can hear lived experiences, pain, and joy all coming through in the sound and texture of her voice even if you don't understand the Italian.

Much of the album is upbeat and jamming, energetic, with team-play in service to song being more important than flashy solos, although there are some fine solos too. My favorite song on the album is one of the clear change-ups from the others. "A Mio Figlio" drops the fusion and rock altogether to create the most beautiful and mellow classic Italian ballad with acoustic guitar and a comforting, earthy vocal. (Find the video of this song on YouTube to increase the experience.) Like Cooperativa Del Latte whom I just wrote about, I love that I get a real sense of camaraderie and affection within this group. Unlike bands who have a different line-up every time they release something, these five have been together for a long time, and I think you can hear it when longtime natural friendships bring a special authenticity and investment to music. "Termiti" has a funky feel with diverse keyboard settings and smokin' bass parts. "Azazel" is another standout with layered vocals, tempo shifts, piano, and a fired-up guitar solo all concluded with a wash of organ. Roberto Casada's drumming on "Dea" has to be mentioned too. Fire.

"Making a good pop song is really as much of a challenge as making a rock suite. It has to be simple but brilliant. It can be elaborate but not over-technical. It's like building a cathedral in three, four minutes of music. Symphonic pieces alternate with introspective ballads, faux honky-tonk, funk fusion songs, jazzy pop, and even almost doom metal. In short, variety of sounds, genres, but always declined in our own way. The common thread is Valentina's voice, which builds alternative arrangements, songs within songs." [Capside quoted from the Progressive Rock Journal Webzine, July 2023]

Truly interesting bands are some of the hardest to describe effectively. Think of a band sound that is one-third classic RPI, one-third Steely Dan, and one-third 10,000 Maniacs. Put those three in a blender, and you might have an idea of what Ladyesis sounds like to me. Recommended.