LA BOTTEGA DELL'ARTE

No surprise, the band moves even further from their early progressive roots, as there was hardly any room for serious Prog releases around the time, and basically it could be described as a Symphonic Pop album, combining the early Classical-drenched color of La Bottega Dell'Arte's style with the accesible vein of Italian Pop music.The songwriting however remains top notch with some incredible Italian-flavored melodies, amazing vocals by Fernando Ciucci and deep orchestrations with atmospheric keyboards.Guitars and bass are still among the basic instruments, but the band has chosen to use them as supporting instruments, gving full space to the soft piano lines and the orchestral keyboards of Romano Musumarra and Piero Calabrese.The rare organ echoes still burst something from the romantic Italian Prog of the first half of the 70's, but be warned that the majority of the contained pieces follow a very ballad-like style with low tempos, melodious textures and sweet polyphonic choruses.The Classical-influenced Moog synth performance in the short ''Incontro'' and the symphonic-oriented and definitely rockier tracks of ''Musicante'' and ''L'ultima storia'' still hold similarities with the music of BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO and are nice examples of soft Italian Prog.

''Dentro'' was possibly the best commercial success of La Bottega Dell'Arte.The contract of the band with EMI expired with the 79' album ''L'avventura'', which showed the quintet entering the lines of melodic Italian Pop for good.Singer Fernando Ciucci left the band in 1981 and the rest of the line-up released another Pop-oriented album, ''Forza 4'' in 1984 on Nuovo Sound Records, before disbanding the next year.Musumarra and Massimo Calabrese worked later as producers, while Piero Calabrese opened his own recording studio.

The last effort by La Bottega Dell'Arte with minor progressive interest.The second side contains some beautiful tracks of soft Italian Sympho Rock, the first is full of delicate, poppy material, which is nevertheless well-crafted.Recommended in general, unless you totally dislike any accesible content in your listening experiences.

I'm so happy that the infamous Proglucky added this band to the archives long ago, a group that might otherwise not been approved. And I'm grateful to Psarros for writing a review of their previous prog single that caught my eye and made me finally stop and check out this band. While some trash this album because it isn't "progressive enough" I think they are missing the point. These guys weren't out to make Palepoli or Darwin, they are an Ital-pop group with a light symphonic prog touch. If you adjust your expectations and if you enjoy the warmth and melody of the 70s Italian pop, you will not want to miss this album, it's a beauty.

In the mid 70s the Calabrese brothers teamed up with three long time buddies to record several album Lise describes very well in our bio as "characterized by luscious memorable melodies, impressive vocal harmonies and plenty of swirling keyboards that give their material a rich, full-bodied symphonic sound." What makes the band special is their enthusiasm and their penchant for that "rich" sound. They have all the usual elements of quality Italian pop/light prog, the sentimental romantic melodies, the great vocals, a variety of keyboards and piano, but the elements are displayed with pomp by a rock band with enthusiasm. Listen to the baroque feel of "Camelot", it's an incredible track and most fully "prog". Great arrangements of keys and flute with regal sounding runs. " Un' Esistenza" is another beautiful song, it just shimmers with glossy symph overtones, some cool synth effects, understated guitar, and heart! "A Cynthia" is another good track that rocks with quirky abandon, almost psych-pop in spots with a whimsical feel as the band falls away to a music box like section. Great drumming and vocals here with a biting guitar solo. "Mare Nostrum" closes with a wistful, dreamy and refined instrumental track that feels like staring at the sea.

This is such a quality effort and so enjoyable for me that I can't give it less than four stars. If you love the beautiful and melodic side of RPI, and can embrace a more songs-based pop-prog mix, be sure to sample "Camelot" and a few others on YT. If you can't find a copy of the album, you can download it from Itunes. Later albums reportedly get very clearly 80s pop but I consider this one a must for my RPI collection.

Anyone believing that all tracks recorded by this group were fairly commercial should simply reconsider.Yes, the opening ''Addio'' is a short, accesible track yet of a good quality regarding its style.It ia a nice melodic cut with a poppy edge, based on the smooth guitar playing and the warm multi-vocal harmonies of the band.On the other hand ''Notturno per noi'' might be one of the lost classics of Italian Prog, which can stand easily next to the monster pieces of the Italian legends.The superb opening with a fast piano pace and the crunchy guitars gives its place to a Classical-inspired guitar melody in the vein of FOCUS, followed by a soft organ-piano part.The piano rises along with the guitar to the track's splendid symphonic middle section, followed by a Psych-influenced organ section and the great closing synth run.

If you are looking for the most progressive track in La Bottega dell'Arte's career you should definitely listen to this single.A great and unknown classic piece of 70's Italian Prog, strongly recommended to say the least...3.5 stars.

They're not a horrible band and they're musically talented. I would just like to offer a warning to others out there exploring the italian prog scene who stumble upon comments comparing this band to the likes of other italian prog acts.

These guys are *not* in the same class of music as Le Orme or Locanda Della Fate, etc... Not even close or in the same galaxy.

This is not progressive music. It's basically italian beat/pop with a boy meets girl, girl leaves boy, boy misses girl, girl wants nothing to do with boy, boy sobs and cries and begs for the girl to take him back, etc..-type themes ad nauseum.

Don't get me wrong as I enjoy italian beat pop to the likes of Capricorn College and I, Pooh (Parsifal is a beautiful album), etc.. but this album is miles below that as it reminds me more of the DeFranco Family - It's a Heartbeat, It's a lovebeat sort of stuff if you get my drift. The singer has high pitched vocals which are particularly annoying. He sounds like he's love sick for the girl who dumped him and I hope that he was able to deal with his emotional problems and issues because he sure saturated this album with them.

Unlike Capricorn College (which I find to be pretty decent and worth listening to), this album is loaded with super-corny melodies and vocals that belong on some old Brady Bunch episode. For those who remember the Bradies singing When it's time to change (with Peter's voice changing as a result of his 13th birthday), I can tell you that the Brady's song is more progressive than the music that you will hear on this album.

I can't stress enough that I *do* like italian melodic pop to the likes of Capricorn College, Angelo Branduardi (Alla Fiera Dell'Este is good), Lucio Battisti, and I Pooh's Parsifal as those albums are not corny and love-sick-sounding. This Bottega Del Arte band sounds like a bunch of 14 year old teenagers singing in the ad nauseum Brady Bunch / Partridge Family style.

Buy with caution. I'll almost pay someone to take this cd off my hands as I really can't see myself listening to this again. The singer is just really dripping with syrup and whining and crying. This stuff is so corny that it makes The Monkees sound as serious/intense as the Miles Davis' Bitches Brew jazz compositions.

Somebody please tell me how this album/band could be spoken in the same breath as the likes of Le Orme, Osanna, Locanda Della Fate?? In-fact, someone please tell me how these guys could be spoken in the same breath as even Capricorn College or La Famiglia Di Ortega as those 2 bands were magnitudes better in the genre.

I maybe think Barry Manilow would like this album? It's similar in style. Add a lot of cheese and whine to the music too.

Boy meets girl, girl breaks boy's heart, boy cries for lost love under the tree, etc... Bah!!!!

Where's my Osanna Palepoli album?

"Un Esistenza" opens with the sound building and then the drums come pounding in. It turns pastoral and the contrast of the pastoral and full sound continues. "Amore Non Amore" opens with strings, drums and keys that sound great. "A Cynthia" has a great chorus and again the pastoral and the full sound is contrasted. The final song is easily my favourite as the guitar finally stands out, I love the melody.

I do feel let down by this release, I was expecting more but it's still worth checking out.