CORDE OBLIQUE

Retaining his favored Rita Saviano behind the vocal microphone, we also have the participation of several of Riccardo's long-time collaborators, most notably, violinist Edo Notarloberti, Umberto Lepore on basses, Alessio Sica on drums, Luigi Rubino on keyboards, and Michele Maione on percussion. The big difference here on Sussumi e Grica (Cries and Whispers - which is totally inspired by Ingmar Bergman's film of the same name) is that Riccardo has endorsed the use of electrified rock instruments which gives his music a heavier, often darker, even at-times metal sound. Don't get me wrong, the music is still founded in Riccardo's pristine and celestial folk weaves, it's just embellished and fortified with the sound palette of the original Post Metal experimentalists like maudlin of the Well, Agalloch, Opeth, and Pain of Salvation. Whereas on previous albums Riccardo had often turned to British Post-Metal rockers Anathema for inspiration--and songs to cover--here his borrowing comes from French Black Metal band Alcest's 2007 debut album as well as fellow guitar virtuoso and Catalonian legend, Francisco Tarrega (who died in 1909). The album is being released as a double disc album with Volume 1 being called the "Post Metal / Folkgaze" album and Volume 2 the "Dark / Ethnofolk" album with an official release date for the full album being February 14, 2025.

Their 8th studio album of original material, "Cries and Whispers", is about to be issued as of this writing, and will include 2 of the tracks here, "Leaver", and "John Ruskin", dedicated to the eminent Victorian Englishmen who perhaps is one of Prencipe's role models. The latter is definitely in the mode of the newer style ushered in by "The Moon is Dry Bone" in 2020, a bit funkier initially before the shoegazing yields to the ethereal, and in a slightly longer and lower voltage version than on the album.

The title track is more traditional for CORDE OBLIQUE, a catchy yet profound ballad, boosted by the participation of SPIRITUAL FRONT, and the latest in a sequence of collaborations with kindred spirits. Along with the "Ruskin" piece, it bodes well for the upcoming set. The closer, "Chapter VII", is mostly Prencipe with classical guitar, his faithful companion that never complains even while its master bounds from one of his evolving interests to another. It's worthy of the project name, which has become quite the standard bearer for longevity in the continental neo folk scene.

1. "Averno" (6:03) fast-picked with electrified acoustic guitar adding notes and the voice of Floriana Cangiano guiding us into Averno with her words. In the second minute, the band launches into full gear with strumming, etc., while Floriana begins to sing. The addition of bass and strings accents at 3:25 is so powerful! What a start! (9.5/10)

2. "Il Viaggio Di Saramago" (3:22) Caterina Pontandolfo, my favorite, returns for another song about some historic landmark. I swear, Caterina could sing, talk, cajole, or vibrate me into doing whatever she wanted of me! What a singer! (10/10)

3. "My Pure Amethyst" (5:05) Analisa Madonna gets a turn at the lead vocal (with Riccardo offering some background support with the title words in the choruses). Guitars, cello, drums, bass. Very nice. (8.5/10)

4. "In The Temple Of Echo" (1:55) solo guitar at its classical finest. (4.5/5)

5. "Bambina D'oro" (6:18) Riccardo and Floriano open alone before being joined in the chorus by drums, double bass, and violin. Another wonderful vocal performance. After 90 seconds, the full band really kicks in, and the music becomes very proggy in the instrumental passage following the second chorus of "oh-ho"s. At 3:10, then we settle back down with a return to the opening format--plus a few more instruments ready to add their flourishes and embellishments. Floriana hits some notes! Then things quiet way down at 4:30 for an amazingly delicate vocal and guitar duet. The band slowly starts to rejoin at 5:25 but never to the levels of that third minute--never spoiling the perfect intimacy that Riccardo and Floriana have established. (10/10)

6. "Heraion" (3:15) Caterina returns for some ghost-like vocalise behind the folk hand drums and theatric whispering narration of Spyros Giasafakis. Eva Steriou assists Caterina in the second half. Cool. (8.5/10)

7. "Due Melodie" (5:45) it's time for newcomer Lisa Starnini to have a turn at lead vocal. To be honest, she sounds pretty much like a clone of Caterina or Floriana. The music behind her is more throughly textured with lots of instruments offering chords and multi-note contributions. Until the lively instrumental passage at the end of the fourth minute, the song is rather dull and "typical" for Riccardo/Corde Oblique. Still: Welcome Lisa! (8.5/10)

8. "Le Fontane Di Caserta" (4:10) a gentle instrumental that almost sounds as if it could be a lullaby with steel-string guitar strummed and arpeggiated while violin solos in the lowest registers. After 90 seconds, Edo climbs out of the sonorous bass notes and approaches upper octave domains. Riccardo's playing is surprisingly simple and subdued- -even when he's soloing. Again, "lullaby" is all I can think of for a rationale. Still, there is an undeniable simpiosis between the two that is charming, endearing--makes you want to get up and hug them when they're done. (8.75/10)

9. "Requiem For A Dream" (2:26) an instrumental demonstrating an absolutely stunning display of virtuosity from multiple instruments--and it's beautiful and emotional! (10/10)

10. "Ali Bianche" (6:47) Floriana sings her heart out with this unlikely and challenging structure and instrumental grouping. Unbelievable vocal--one that provides the glue to make everything work. I will go so far as to even assert that I don't think the music would have worked alone. (14/15)

11. "Uroboro (8:01) whoever Edo Notarloberti is, he is incredible! After four minutes of violin solo (with some support from bowed double bass), there is a significant gap before we get a solo guitar piece with outdoor garden noises--as if an improvised piece was being captured live, as it developed. (A continuation of or variation of song #4 "In the Temple of Echo"?) What a guitarist! We are so fortunate to have his music! (14/15)

Total time 53:07

It's so difficult to assess Riccardo's music since it's always of such superior quality, always a demonstration of a virtuoso at the peak of his playing, compositional, and delegating powers. I LOVE this album and its timeless music. I LOVE the "modernized"-thinking of A Hail of Bitter Almonds.

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of timeless Prog Folk and truly a treasure for any music lover--prog or no.

1. "Almost blue" (3:01) I was not ready for this heavily-effected instrumental, but I like it! (8.75/10)

2. "La strada" (4:24) aside from the male vocal in the lead, this could come from any other Corde Oblique album. Great song base, violin display, and background vocal. (8.75/10)

3. "The moon is a dry bone" (3:04) She was a momur! Factor in some cabaret Burzaco and you might get what it is I feel I'm hearing. I like it! (9/10) 4. "Le grandi anime" (3:48) discordant guitar chords somehow conveying a very familiar Corde Oblique melody. I swear: Caterina Pontrandolfo could sing the clothes off of a monastery of monks. A wonderful addition to the great Corde Oblique catalogue. (9/10)

5. "Le torri di Maddaloni" (4:12) opens with 90 seconds of lute-like guitar play with subtle accordion in the background. Then it switches to hand drum over which a coven of witches led by Rita Saviano chant their pagan chant. At the end of the third minute after nylon string guitar enters, there is a lull and tehn an evening out and beautification of the music. Feels deeply antique. (9/10)

6. "Il figlio dei Vergini" (4:30) classical guitar and accordion (beautiful!) with the one and only Caterina Pontrandolfo singing a over the top. In the second minute there is an awesome wordless vocalise and b-vox chants as the guitar and accordion dance beautifully with each other. Then, in the third minute, there is a amped up fast rhythm (led by hand drum) over which Caterina returns to the original melody. The song then finishes with an an unusual right turn with Sergio Panarella lending his vocal talents to sing wordlessly over first a bare-bones section and then a full band. Interesting--and very different--song. (9.25/10)

7. "La casa del ponte" (5:39) like a film soundtrack with spoken word vocal and both fast and slow dynamics and moods. At 3:40 the coven of witches returns to sing their curses or dirges (in Italian, of course) over the band (with some damned fine drum and bass play). Another interesting and wonderfully fecund song. (9.25/10)

8. "Temporary peace" (4:58) Another Riccardo interpretation of an ANATHEMA song from the 2001 album, A Fine Day to Exit). Lead vocal (in English) from Rita Saviano and piano from Luigi Rubino. (8.75/10)

9. "Il terzo suono" (2:14) another off-beat m'lange of styles that is very unlike anything I've heard from Riccardo before. All-male vocals, performed by Miro Sossano. (4.5/5)

10. "Herculaneum" (3:18) any chance to hear the sublime voice of Caterina Pontrandolfo--here with accordion, strummed acoustic guitars, and hand drums--is welcome, a highlight. Lovely to hear the accordion expressing itself so fully and prominently. (8.5/10)

11. "Almost Blue part two" (3:41) a multi-guitar instrumental with effects rendering a kind of shoegaze sound to it. Pretty, melodic, but nothing very new or exciting here. (8.5/10)

Total Time: 42:49

B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of Progressive Folk music--one that truly spans the full spectrum of Prog Folk, musica antica to modern NuFolk.

"The Moon is a Dry Bone" is CORDE OBLIQUE's 7th album of previously unreleased material after a rare 4 year interval marked only by stopgaps "I Maestri Del Colore" Vol 2 EP and "Back Through the Liquid Mirror", the latter a live in the studio rerecording of earlier favourites. Prencipe gained momentum in his balancing of classical, folk and pop sensibilities until it peaked on "A Hail of Bitter Almonds" in 2011, after which he nurtured his inner introvert for 2 offerings. This retreat was profound on "I Maestri Del Colore" in which voiceless introspection asserted itself as much as it ever does. While the transformation was diffidently courageous, it also initiated the inevitable speculations about what the matrimony of the various CORDE OBLIQUEs might sound like, perhaps bolstered with a bit more of a rock edge, forged tastefully of course. Thankfully, Prencipe has indulged us yet again.

Surrounding himself with past, present and future collaborators, Prencipe has returned to his earlier blend of ethereal folk, augmenting the workload of stalwart vocalist Caterina Pontrandolfo's for the type of classical-folk pieces in which the group excels. These include "La Grandi Anime", "Il figlio dei Vergini", and the accordion sated "Herculaneum". He has also included two related and haunting instrumentals to initiate and send off the performance, proximal to what we have enjoyed before but with a little more electrification. Collaborations continue with kindred spirits like IRFAN on the Eastern Euro-tinged "Le torri di Maddaloni" and ASHRAM on aforementioned "Il Figlio" and impart a welcome familiar quality to the proceedings.

Luckily, as hinted above, this is far from a rehash of bygone successes. First, an infusion of a traditional rhythm section lends a new-ish rock aspect to "The Moon". Second, masculine voice has returned after too long an absence and Prencipe has called upon two notable performers for a couple of the brassiest and accomplished numbers here, the consummate ballad "La Strada" graced by ANDREA CHIMENTI, and the split personality "Il Terzo Suono" offered with sensitivity and panache by former new wave singer MIRO SASSOLINI which morphs from acoustic ballad to breathlessly paced rocker without apology and is over far too soon. Finally, newcomer Rita Saviano wrests the microphone for the bizarre screech fest of a title cut that is at the very least a head turner, and on a resplendent cover of ANATHEMA's "Temporary Peace. The enlisting of famed stage actress Maddalena Crippa merges music and performance art like only CORDE OBLIQUE can.

"the Moon is a Dry Bone" is that rare release that navigates to fecund new soundscapes AND persuades long term fans to climb aboard. Highly recommended!

The title track is the most vivacious, with Annalisa Madonna's voice fronting a compelling blend of acoustic guitar with violins and imaginative percussion by Alessio Sica. The arrangements become more wistful in the instrumental parts but are energized anew when Annalisa reappears. It is fully aligned with the newer direction of the group, while not likely to alienate long time fans.

"Momenti senza nome" is a throwback to the earlier and more dramatic period, and the one I prefer, with its haunting and suspenseful melody sung by Francesca Cacciatore, with succinct violin and voice in duet, the wistful strings later carrying the day. It could have easily appeared on "Volonta D'Arte", their 2007 near masterpiece.

The third track is just Principe on classical guitar, well played but focused on the technical sound more than the heartstrings. The transition, at least to this point, was completed on the ambitious but dry "I maestri del colore" the next year.

Due to its temporal and evolutionary position, "Itri" is recommended to fans of any of CORDE OBLIQUE's work, or to newbies wanting to cut their teeth on unplugged neo folk Italian style without sacrificing a lot of cash or time.

The meticulousness in the booklet extends to the citing of venerable sources of inspiration, dedications to loved ones and friends, and the acknowledgement of musical collaborators ranging from the more commercial side of neo folk (ARGINE) to Bulgarian kindred spirits (IRFAN) to venerable elder statespersons AKTUALA (actually on progarchives), to Neapolitan bands dedicated to the resurrection of ancient music (MICROLOGUS) among others. The alliances that CORDE OBLIQUE has forged, with both audience and contemporaries, appear to have quite dramatically affected the mood and approach musically.

While still operating in the realm of "progressive ethereal folk", and still recognizable as CORDE OBLIQUE particularly in the vocal sections, this eminence extends the more contemplative and less "pop oriented" trajectory of "Per Le Strade Ripetute". Vocals are much sparser, and Prencipe unchains the electric guitar, generally for acoustic styled plucking, but for a couple of heavy rhythms. Conventional drums are also deployed here and there. Yet neither of these traditional rock instruments do more than color the ancient sounding rhythms and melodies. More noteworthy is the inclusion of trumpet on a number of pieces, which can be hard to discern unless one is looking for it, utilizing long held notes rarely to the fore, and promotes the overall languid, mournful ambiance. Strings have never been second fiddle with CORDE OBLIQUE, and they continue to inject profundity and occasional vivacity. This is music to lose oneself in, and perhaps find one's older self connected more with the ancient sages.

The difficult arises when one evaluates this for a modern prog rock audience. Yes, prog fans do enjoy some of the self conscious but unsentimental instrumentals like "Papavero e memoria" and "Blubosforo", or the robotically chanted liturgy of "A fondo oro". The more folk oriented listener will appreciate Prencipe's inclusion of dramatic and gorgeous songs like "Il cretto nero", which were more plentiful on earlier albums. Few would deny the overall beauty of the sonic palette which does justice to the visuals on which it is based. Overall, though, I think that the rock quotient, minimal in earlier recordings, is almost non existent at this juncture, and the folk aspect is not as immediate as it had been, which is a bit of a failing, since folk music thrives on some degree of immediacy. As a result, I sometimes do lose myself herein, but perhaps not for the right reasons. That all does change in the last minute of the album, which I'm still puzzling over, a mashup of heavy rhythm guitar and drums hitherto unimagined in this group's lexicon of tranquility.

"I Maestri Di Colore" is a difficult album to rate, and I would almost prefer to just leave you with a review and call it a day, but that's not possible or even advisable. For its creator, It is a work of profound self respect and respect for all whom he has touched and been touched by. For its listeners, that respect is apparent and earned. I just wish it were a bit more engaging more often. 3.5 stars, reluctantly rounded down because, like all uncompromising art, it is forever engaged in a search for that elusive perfect match.

1. "A Hail of Bitter Almonds" (2:08) opens the album powerfully--on the powerful vocal pipes of Floriana Cangiano and great violin accompaniment from Alfredo Notarloberti. (10/10)

2. "Together Alone" (4:15) presents us with a nice male vocal singing in English with standard accompaniment from Riccardo, strings, piano and drums. The shift at 2:50 is nice--and effective. (9/10)

3. "Arpe di vento" (4:58) opens with a very familiar melody--as if from the previous album ("Bario gotico"?) but then deviates into something different. Fast-pace guitar strumming and hand drumming with soloing violin accompany singer Floriana Cangiano (a CRANBERRY lead singer, Dolores O'Riordan, sound-alike) as she tells us her story. Could use a little more variation once the foundation is laid. (9/10)

4. "Paestum" (5:06) piano and strummed guitar establish a fast-paced rhythm before settling back in sparse support of singer Annalisa Madonna double tracking her vocal in two channels (!!). The song goes back and forth between delicate and rolicking. A remarkable song--especially for the vocals! (10/10)

5. "La Madre Che Non C'è" (2:47) opens with Riccardo soloing, sounding as if he might be taking us on an instrumental journey, but then multiple female voices join in. In the second minute the song totally shifts into ballad-type form with, again, multiple tracks of female vocals harmonizing with each other. (Riccardo informs me that both voices are those of Caterina Pontrandolfo--the only vocalist credited to this song.) The song then suddenly shifts into the realm of classical instrumental, but then finishes with Caterina in the driver's seat again. (10/10)

6. "Slide" (2:53) is an instrumental with wooden pan flutes taking the lead--though in a very ethereal, almost sound-effect kind of way. Great melodies and effect. (10/10)

7. "Le pietre di Napoli" (5:00) again that familiar melody of Riccardo's, but then the heart-wrenching voice of Floriana Cangiano makes one quickly forget any disconcerting thoughts. What a gorgeous voice! Excellent choice for the dominant lead singer on the album. The song takes a left turn at the two minute mark, into guitar dominance, with piano, violin and wordless voice becoming more supportive. How interesting! And it works! It builds back onto a kind of dance frenzy before dying at the end. (10/10)

8. "Jigsaw Falling Into Place" (4:20) the cover of a RADIOHEAD song with mandolins and plucked violins opening with the rock band instruments before Claudia Sorvillo takes on the vocal lead. Industrial-sounding programming takes this one into territory Riccardo has not explored before (at least on tape). Definitely a sign of adventurousness. Claudia's vocal in the second half is not quite as powerful as one might want or expect. Perhaps it should've been brought more front and center. You can tell she is enjoying the singing--and the band is really rocking! Well done. (9/10)

9. "Crypta Neapolitana" (2:15) brings us back to the folk-based middle ages--until the 0:35 mark when other instruments join Riccardo and Caterina to give it a kind of Man of La Mancha feel. The male thespian voice only enhances this Spanish Broadway musical feeling. But nice! (9/10)

10. "Gioia di vivere" (3:47) guitar and Floriana Congiano return to sing an impassioned love song--with fine support from strings, distant violin, and ethereal background vocals. Gorgeous singing, gorgeous melody lines, and an awesome ending twist. This one's a keeper. (10/10)

11. "Red Little Wine" (4:14) is a full-band instrumental with lute and piano exchanging the lead. A little repetitive but nice. (8/10)

12. "The Man of Wood" (4:08). It doesn't get more folkie than this. Guitars, dreamy, layers of Serdio Panarella's MORRISSEY-like male vocal, violin, and, later, full acoustic rock band with male and female background choir (all performed by multiple tracks of Sergio and Claudia Sorvillo?). Great song. (10/10)

13. "Le Piccole Cose" (2:37). There's that melody again! Riccardo opens this gentle and gorgeous song with his guitar and violin. Caterina Pontrandolfo performs the lead vocals here with her usual calm and reassuring vocal tones. It is certainly a beautiful song! (I cannot help but ask at this point whether or not Riccardo is intentionally recapitulating this theme--as if in a concept album?) (10/10)

14. "Pietra Bianca" (3:48) opens as a Riccardo instrumental--sounding like a lullaby--before clarinet and Floriana Cangiano's wordless vocalizations join in, weaving in with the guitar, clarinet and organ. Gorgeous and powerful song! (10/10)

15. "Su un dipinto di Giovanni Bellini" (3:22). Riccardo and Floriana Cangiano close out the album with an almost-Celtic sounding song. It's nice enough but something is missing. (8/10)

A five star masterpiece on the scale of the greatest masterpieces of all-time. This album started out high on my playlist, disappeared for a while, but I found myself returning to this one--and this one more than any of Riccardo's other beautiful albums. A real grower! Check it out and then let it percolate. You'll become an addict like me, no doubt.