All Prog From Italy Appreciation Thread

A pleasant journey.

Many of us listen to albums that are “foreign language” to us personally and speaking for myself, I am generally able to enjoy them as much (or more) than albums in my own tongue. Italian albums are some of my favorite prog albums. But there is an important distinction that applies to this album. When listening to prog in a language other than our own, the music must really touch us since we are missing out on the story and lyrical content.

Faveravola’s “La Contea” is a hugely ambitious journey of an album with 12 tracks spanning 73 minutes, a large team of musicians, and a wonderful booklet detailing the story. The problem for those who don’t speak Italian is that we cannot understand the unfolding story through the continuous vocals and narration, and we cannot read the lyric booklet which is in Italian only. That is not usually a problem for enjoying an album because with most Italian albums the music is great enough to win us over anyway. In fact on most of the many non-English albums I love I am quickly won over and don’t really care that the lyrics are lost on me, the music is the big prize.

Not so in this case, I’m afraid. This album is really about the story with the music being secondary. Don’t get me wrong. The music is pleasant, well played, and easy going. But it’s just a background for the story. Most of the music is just nicely done soft rock with a steady beat and safe, somewhat generic new-agey mood, and really not that remarkable. Occasionally someone will break out with a lovely interlude or an impressive guitar solo but those moments are few and far between. It’s just not going to knock you out like your favorite PFM or QVL album. Now if you are looking solely for that mellow, pastoral experience to relax to then maybe this will work for you. But even for that objective there would be preferable releases to this one.

I am not dissing what seems a perfectly pleasant piece of work by dedicated artists. But I am suggesting that if you are looking for the best Italian progressive and you do not speak Italian to get the story being told, then there are literally many dozens of other titles that should command your attention before you buy this one. But you have to love the fabulous cover art!

Posted Sunday, July 01, 2007, 20:59 EST
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FIRST REVIEW OF THIS ALBUM!!

After their debut CD Istinto (2003) and the successor Storie Fuori Dal Tempo (2005), the Italian five piece band Conqueror has released its third studio album entitled 74 Giorni in 2007. Again the band has made notable progress, I am even impressed by the ten melodic, tasteful and varied compositions (some instrumental) delivering a wide range of instruments: a wonderful blend of soaring keyboards, powerful bass runs, a tight drum beat and sensitive electric guitar in Il Viaggio, lots of shifting moods with pleasant work on guitar and flute in Orca, a Sixties-like organ sound (The Animals/The Doors), wah-wah guitar, a flute solo and fluent synthesizer flights in teh alternating Non Maturi per l'Adilà, romantic piano play in the short Cormonrani, tasteful keyboards and varied guitar work (from heavy riffs to use of the tremolo arm) in L'ora del Parlare, Fender Rhodes piano and jazzy guitar in the short Miraggi and sensational Minimoog-like runs and a compelling part with raw guitar and soaring flute in the captivating Nebbia ad Occhi Chiusi. So lots of variety and soli on different instruments (from guitar and flute to saxophone and organ), this album grows every listening session and I am sure it will carry you away to Progheaven!

Posted Tuesday, July 03, 2007, 06:24 EST
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