All Prog From Italy Appreciation Thread

— First review of this album —

Dreamy chamber-acoustic gem

Mindflower is the brain/soulchild of Fabio Antonelli along with Fabrizio Defacqz and Alberto Callegari. Various albums have featured a host of other musicians but these three have been the core group. "The Art of Dreams in a Little Bottle" was released under the moniker of Fabio Antonelli Ensemble, but as far as the RPI team is concerned, as well as the presentation on the artist's website will acknowledge, the album can easily be included on the artist page of Mindflower. The main difference with this title is that while Mindflower was a blend of Italian rock and classical influence that was fairly even, here the emphasis shifts to the chamber-acoustic sound. There are more choirs, strings, and classical arrangements, though there is still a bit of rock drums and bass creeping into some tracks. The interesting thing is that while I enjoy all of Mindflower's unique, hard-to-classify albums, this one under the alternate moniker may be my favourite, or at least tied for favourite with the beautiful "Mindfloater" album.

The band who has incorporated symphonic, neo, folk, rock, pop, and classical into various albums here presents a more focused artistic vision. "Art of Dreams" is a truly wonderful cross between chamber music and pastoral Ant Phillips-styled light progressive, with the typically beautiful Italian touch though certainly not typical RPI fare. While Mindflower/FAE without question have RPI influences, notably Orme according to the group, they don't present with obvious RPI band characteristics beyond the beauty of the arrangement and instrument choices. The themes are similar to the other Mindflower albums and concern the search for enlightenment represented by images of fairies, paths in nature, magic, and the search for "the point" of attainment. Vocals are usually female and English language (here by Micaela Gotelli, frequent Mindflower vocalist) along with occasional female choir vocals and male vocals. Antonelli's soothing acoustic guitars and Defacqz's keyboards work masterfully together. Bassist Callegari engineered the album and directed the chorus as well. But further icing on the cake is the gorgeous, flowing strings frequently used, the violin and cello. Gentle and spacious compositions typically are built around the Ant Phillips-like acoustic guitars and Gotelli's fragile, intimate vocals. Once in a while the drums and bass will turn the corner into a "rock" sound but not often. Mostly this album remains quiet but dynamic, openly intimate and soft yet still focused. Interludes of strings or solo acoustic guitar separate more typical sections with vocals. Dreamy, lightly treading piano permeates the gorgeous title track with gently strummed guitar and light drums, the piece having really nice upbeat melody.

Almost always optimistic and hopeful in its outlook, this is an album which requires a respite in your day. It will not suffice to play in your car in traffic, you need to slow down and open a bottle of wine to truly appreciate this "Little Bottle." The album closes with a formal-feeling pipe organ and a loud thud which brings you back to your day. My only criticism of "Art of Dreams" is the same one I have of all of their projects, the misguided insistence on using more awkward English vocals/phrasings instead of the world's most beautiful language. Italian vocals would really put Mindflower over the top and they have missed every opportunity so far to do this. Of course this is a highly subjective criticism on my part. Nevertheless, nothing dilutes my enthusiasm for what may be Fabio's finest moment, an album which never fails to leave me rejuvenated by its therapeutic spells. A true healing musical tonic. They would be back to a more rocking approach with the follow-up "Mindfloater" which is another very enjoyable and unique album. My advice for starting with this band would be "Mindfloater" if you want to hear their rocking side, or "Art of Dreams" if you wish to enjoy their softer, contemplative side. If you like those two albums continue later with "Little Enchanted Void" and "Purelake."

The lyrics booklet really pulls the project together and adds to the classy aesthetic here. The tasteful cover art is just the beginning; there are gorgeous photos and painting reprints throughout. I love the life affirming qualities of the artwork and music as they perfectly compliment each other. "Art of Dreams" should appeal to fans of Karda Estra and Gatto Marte on the chamber side, and Anthony Phillips on the acoustic side.

Sithonia's finest hour - "Confine" is an absolute success of symphonic prog for the 90s, and it is really a pity that this sextet isn't usually as praised as other fellow ones (who also deserve it). "Confine" is the third studio effort by Sihonia, and as revealed in the live album entitled "Folla de Pssagio", a couple of tracks already existed in full form before the album per se. The album kicks off in the most magnificent way one can imagine: years and years of carefully listening to progressive albums might as well leave you still unprepared for the outburst of musical magic comprised in 'Albi di Spagna'. This lovely piece is not precisely an epic, starting on a Renaissance note with a basis of classical guitar and vocal, then the input of multiple keyboards gradually joining in until the arrival and development of a majestic architecture that brings back the good old days of BMS and PFM. This opener leaves you speechless, perhaps wanting to listen to it 2 or 3 more times before going on with what remains of the album. Once you can get past this lovely shock, 'Sinergie Interattive' shifts to lighter moods - it starts with an emulation of a cartoonish jingle (including weird voices and phone rings), and then the main body alternates psychedelic beat on a 5/4 tempo, Cabaret jazz and some subtle Gentle Giant-ish ingredients. This is symphonic prog for a Fellini movie. By now, the listener's attention is fully guaranteed, so 'Piccole Vele' can lead us to the farther realms of the heart with its patently romantic ambiences elegantly wrapped in a melancholic aura. Despite its short duration, this song manages to incorporate some brief dense ornaments in order to remain reasonably varied within its well defined framework. The instrumental 'Pentolle Sullo Scalfalle' keeps things in this introspective tone: the jazzy vibe provided by the guitar phrases get along well with the utterly symphonic keyboards, never getting to the saturation point. Not only does this album comprise the band's best opening track ever; it also contains their best instrumental. 'Porto d'Inghilterra' is the longest piece in the album - it starts with storm noises, and then the instrumentation warms up in a Gentle Giant-meets-BMS sort of way, and from now on, the varied melodic journey turns out to be an outstanding display of creativity and harmonization. The way in which the serene moments and the dense passages combine and almost fuse together is a trademark of Sithonia at their best, and oh, how well it works here especially. The instrumental '... Un Altro Momento' brings a moment of relaxing solace after the preceding track's colorfulness: the eerie prelude on a duet of classical guitar and piano is followed by a softly joyful rock, somewhat influenced by Genesis and Le Orme. 'Piancandolli' and 'La Cella' perpetuate the romantic aura and delicate sophistication that we had already found in'Piccole Vele', while still providing a healthy dose of the warm, energy displayed in 'Porto d'Inghilterra'. But again, things will get a bit warmer with 'Ultimo a Stare in Porta', whose main riff is quite catchy. The utilization of peculiar vocal arrangements, a happy-go-lucky sax solo and a dissonant organ solo widely reveal the band's intention to toy with their extravagant side, which is particularly celebrated in the climatic impromptu. 'Il Segnale' is a brief voice-piano ballad segued into the instrumental extravaganza entitled 'Alla Corte del Gran Khan' - the latter doesn' even reach the 2 minute mark, but it sure encapsulates a great mixture of Genle Giant, Happy the Man and Banco. Listening to both tracks as a unit is the best experience for the listener. It is the namesake track which is in charge of closing down the album. It starts with an accordion delivery of one motif from 'Sinergie Interattive', and then, things move fluidly according to the band's most bizarre aspect. It would be fair to label the interaction of the musicians as aggressive, but it is not so in a rock fashion, but more like a big circus in which things are almost getting out of control. Halfway through, the track turns into a more typically progressive pomposity, ultimately leading to a brief coda led by eh acoustic guitar. Regardless of the tracks that each individual listener may point out as their favorite ones, this album as a whole is a highlight, a major achievement in the realm of Italian 90s prog. Oh man, Sithonia ruled!, and how!