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Alberto Muñoz View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Alberto Muñoz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 23 2011 at 18:40
Originally posted by Guldbamsen Guldbamsen wrote:

Looking forward to a storm of RPI reviewsBig smile I hope you like those albums Alberto - there are some real gems there.
That Semiramis could use some attention - in fact a lot of those on your list could. 

I wish I didn´t have to end my vacation on Monday. Gotta be at the University - prepped for some awe-inspiring performance-design... I´ve got a few Italian 5* reviews on the tip of my tongue, but one has to release those in an orderly fashion - otherwise people think you´ll award everything you like with a 5. Or maybe I should just point out, that I really don´t want to write about all those 2 and 3 star albums in my collection - unless they´ve got something special hidden away. 
Procession, Battiato, Area, Il Balletto di Bronzo and Cervello all cry out for a nice massage in words.   


Thanks! i like them a lot in fact so i will working on them ASAP.

Hope that you write also your reviews to read them.




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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guldbamsen Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 23 2011 at 18:54
^No need for rushing things Alberto - I certainly don´t. In other words no pressure if you know what I mean. Reviews should always feel like you want to write something about an album. If you do find the time though, I´d be very interested in reading themSmile
I hope I´ll be able to write some reviews in the near future as well. 
Cheers from Denmark.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Finnforest Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 24 2011 at 21:47
Another good review, dude


 Pollution by BATTIATO, FRANCO album cover Studio Album, 1972
BUY
Pollution
Franco Battiato Rock Progressivo Italiano

Review by Guldbamsen

5 stars A musical dream

Ever sat in the garden watching the myriads of tiny lifeforms crawling around - creating a fascinating living natural floor before your eyes? In many ways this image corresponds very well with the sounds of Franco Battiato´s first 4 albums. In my review for Fetus, his debut, I described a distinctive larval feel there was to him, and as you´d probably expect by now - I should say something along the lines of a grand metamorphosis - transforming this slithering cocoon into a magnificent butterfly. Alas no - there is a vast and unfathomable beauty to my main man Franco, but comparing him to the effortless flights of a butterfly is like comparing the Dalai Lhama to Angela Merkel. No - Battiato retains his highly original style, but on Pollution he elaborates on it, perfects it - and in a way that you will most likely feel. -As if you were indeed fusing with these incredible tunes from the undergrowth.

Like a deeply schizophrenic person, this album starts out completely confused with spoken Italian phrases accompanied by a symphony orchestra playing a waltz - for then to explode into a barking pre-punk guitar riff with a disoriented psychedelic organ rambling away.

I love his style, and to explain why is beyond my powers - it´s a form of intrinsic musicality that emanates from Franco, which makes this music worthwhile, and to put it mildly, if I´d read anybody writing about a piece of music like I just did - I would think it was bunkers and weird for weird´s sake. But it´s not - there is always focus on musical journeys with this guy, and that is what makes him so brilliant. It´s like walking drunk through a maze with only a mere lighter as illumination. You will have to tread through these waters alone - making up your own mental images from behind your eyelids. Take Areknames for instance. You have the larval VCS3 pounding along sounding like it´s sliding down the walls (sometimes he plays that thing like others pour paint over surfaces), a nervous almost doo-wop sounding choir made up of 3 or 4 different Battiatos - each with a slightly altering vibe singing Aaaa Aaaa Aaaareknames, - and a psychedelic guitar that at times pops in to point the way - giving off what just might be the actual melody. In between all these things, you´ll also be introduced to the alarming sirens of an ambulance conveyed through the synths... Again, talking about this guy´s music is truly like dancing about architecture.

The adventure trudges along on Beta, which starts out like a cutoff dream. Voices through a mist - yelling in a language you don´t understand - and then like a white unicorn emerging from the haze - the drums starts banging away - still sleepy from the dream, together with a raw piano strumming naive one fingered melodies. What really gets this track going though, is the vocal choir that suddenly breaks through this dreamy state - and what initially sounds like a teenage boy singing da da da - quickly turns into an image of a long lost merman serenading beneath the seas luring innocent little girls into the water.

Once pulled underneath the water´s surface - one faces the enormous kelp forests swaying and dancing to the gentle sounds of Plancton. A song with a name so befitting that it´s uncanny. You feel guided in between giant snakes of seaweed bobbing along to the current of an undergrowth synthesizer, which at this point of the record now is deeply embedded in your head. A Laser gun in sounds from within. When Franco finally starts singing, it sounds so apt and true. His trembling voice is beautiful, and the way he uses it on Plancton is so fragile, that I wouldn´t be surprised if he was weeping in the studio at the time of recording.

The title track kind of sums up all the different pieces here in a powerful medley, that sweeps trough everything spanning from acoustic guitars with Battiato´s vocals evoking the debut´s folky elements, - a blistering guitar solo that splits up in two and starts talking to each other, and an inhuman moog solo which mid song slices its way into the song - starting a wild rampage of thundering drums and a deep bellowing bass. The track ends on a very delicate and fragile note, and you wonder if you´d just imagined the wilderness preceding it.

Finally you are escorted kindly to the door by hazy mumbling synths - occasionally burping electronic bubbles. A tormented soul yearns and cries in the back as the soundscapes intensify, and you exhale with vigor and take in what most likely ranks among Franco Battiato´s greatest achievements.




Edited by Finnforest - August 24 2011 at 21:47
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mellotron Storm Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 24 2011 at 22:21
You have a wonderful way with words GuldClap. And i agree that's a great album.
I've been spending quite a bit of time with STANDARTE's three albums and while i seem to be in the minority by being a big fan i guess i'm just a sucker for mellotron and hammond overkill.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guldbamsen Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 25 2011 at 06:36
Thanks a lot you guys! 
It´s my favorite Battiato album up until now. And yeah - another 5 star review from me, but I thought I´d go out swinging before my studies start here next week (will be philosophy instead of PD though, as it seems my University is a bit confused...). It will probably be some time before my next review, and I just felt like writing about this wonderful record. Been listening to Pollution intently the past year, and it only seems to get better with every spinThumbs Up
John: I haven´t heard of Standarte, but mellotron and hammond overkill certainly intrigues me! 


Hey Jim - I just realized you incorporated the word Dream into your title of your review as well. I really like that review - and I too see those parallels to early Pink FloydSmile  


Edited by Guldbamsen - August 25 2011 at 06:41
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Todd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 25 2011 at 13:52
Originally posted by Mellotron Storm Mellotron Storm wrote:

I've been slowly going through my 4 and 5 star RPI albums in order to clean up some reviews and possibly change some of my ratings.It's been a lot of fun so far.
 
John, I'd be interested to hear which albums you moved from 4 to 5.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mellotron Storm Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 25 2011 at 20:40
Originally posted by Todd Todd wrote:

Originally posted by Mellotron Storm Mellotron Storm wrote:

I've been slowly going through my 4 and 5 star RPI albums in order to clean up some reviews and possibly change some of my ratings.It's been a lot of fun so far.
 
John, I'd be interested to hear which albums you moved from 4 to 5.
 
I will keep you posted Todd. I'm actually going through Rio/Avant/Zeuhl, Krautrock/Psychedelic and RPI right now. I was really expecting to drop at least one of the three STANDARTE cds to 3 stars but i love that stuff. Looking forward to getting to some of these RPI classics,it's been a while.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Finnforest Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 25 2011 at 21:30
Let me just say, if you enjoy Areknames, or can envision VDGG crossed with Jacula, you might wish to check out the Goad album I just reviewed "Masquerade."  Approve
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Alberto Muñoz Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 25 2011 at 21:51
Originally posted by Guldbamsen Guldbamsen wrote:

^No need for rushing things Alberto - I certainly don´t. In other words no pressure if you know what I mean. Reviews should always feel like you want to write something about an album. If you do find the time though, I´d be very interested in reading themSmile
I hope I´ll be able to write some reviews in the near future as well. 
Cheers from Denmark.



Agree with you all that you say.

Also Cheers!




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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guldbamsen Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2011 at 09:59
Originally posted by Finnforest Finnforest wrote:

Let me just say, if you enjoy Areknames, or can envision VDGG crossed with Jacula, you might wish to check out the Goad album I just reviewed "Masquerade."  Approve


I just read that Jim - you really got me excited. Anything trying to cross Jacula with Van Damme Generator deserves a listenBig smile

And as always a very fine and well-written review from you, but still pushing the buttons: 

"The moods are powerful and thundering, occasionally contrasted with eerie softer sections which just make the tracks pop with intrigue. In these sections you will experience sumptuous solo string performance, flute, and acoustic guitar----even a classical solo interlude at one point. But the most important impression to convey is the sense of unease and imbalance foisted on the listener as this unfolds like a tale from a dusty old magician's book. The music's structure in these weird sections are unpredictable and throw you off base, they make you feel odd somehow. True haunting mood music, I love it! Several pieces are long enough to allow some great instrumental stretching. Some listeners are going to find this work an unstructured mess while others (like me) are going to love the strange magic and feeling of being lost in the woods. The two part "To Helen" may be my favorite, featuring spirited guitar leads challenged by violin accompaniment, it then spirals into a strange place with descending piano lines behind the bold string performance. The five part title suite closes the album with a hearty epic feel and charms. I really enjoy these kinds of intimate projects which sound so different from much of what is out there these days. You can tell these guys are still in it for the love of good music."


Great stuff buddyClapClap


And a big shout-out to Chris for a fantastic Ocean review - that was a real treat!!!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nightfly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2011 at 13:46

Nice review Jim. I hadn't even heard of this band until you mentioned them above but it does sound my kind of stuff. I'm deffinitely going to check them out.

 Masquerade by GOAD album cover Studio Album, 2011
3.52 | 4 ratings

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Masquerade
Goad Eclectic Prog

Review by Finnforest
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4 stars Strange, windy, and unsettled....

Goad is a project over 30 years old who have joined forces with the illustrious Black Widow Records. Led by Florence based brothers Gianni and Maurilio Rossi the band has numerous releases. While this is the first album I've heard by Goad I have a distinct gut feeling "Masquerade" is a special one, it feels like a band reborn rather than a band at the end of a long road. The most obvious influence to me is Van Der Graaf Generator though there are also notes of Crimson and darker heavy rock and prog-rock bands. The band is very much in step with another well known band of Italian VDGG devotees, their label mates in the superb Areknames. I actually prefer Goad to Areknames a little bit though, while still dense there is more contrasting space here. Other references that came to mind include Hero, Procol Harum, sometimes even Jacula for the dark organ atmospheres.

At 77 minutes "Masquerade" is a long and chilling journey which some will say could use editing, but those who enjoy it will not want it to end. Driving heavy guitars and bass, chunky, lumbering and distorted are featured with all manner of dark keyboard textures, saxophone, and larger than life vocals. The moods are powerful and thundering, occasionally contrasted with eerie softer sections which just make the tracks pop with intrigue. In these sections you will experience sumptuous solo string performance, flute, and acoustic guitar----even a classical solo interlude at one point. But the most important impression to convey is the sense of unease and imbalance foisted on the listener as this unfolds like a tale from a dusty old magician's book. The music's structure in these weird sections are unpredictable and throw you off base, they make you feel odd somehow. True haunting mood music, I love it! Several pieces are long enough to allow some great instrumental stretching. Some listeners are going to find this work an unstructured mess while others (like me) are going to love the strange magic and feeling of being lost in the woods. The two part "To Helen" may be my favorite, featuring spirited guitar leads challenged by violin accompaniment, it then spirals into a strange place with descending piano lines behind the bold string performance. The five part title suite closes the album with a hearty epic feel and charms. I really enjoy these kinds of intimate projects which sound so different from much of what is out there these days. You can tell these guys are still in it for the love of good music.

"Masquerade" is going to thrill lovers of the dark, turbulent prog-rock that Black Widow specializes in. The only thing that would have made it better for me personally would have been Italian vocals. But I'll spare you that rant this time. Don't miss Goad if you enjoy Areknames or Jacula/Rex, though Goad are not as overtly dark as the latter. Italy is having yet another great year of releases! 3 1/2 stars.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Todd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2011 at 13:59
Another great review, Jim.  By the way, have you heard Goad's album "The Wood"?  I bought it back during that Mellow sale.  It's pretty good--I was wondering how it compares with "Masquerade."  Also, what is the packaging like for the CD?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote seventhsojourn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 26 2011 at 14:20
Many thanks for your kind comments about Ocean, David. Sorry to hear you won't be reviewing for a while but hopefully we'll still see you around the forum. Good luck with your philosophy studies. Thumbs Up
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Finnforest Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 27 2011 at 10:45
Many thanks guys, I'm trying to make my reviews a bit more succinct.  Short intro, one good beefy paragraph on trying to nail down the sound in a heartfelt fashion, and a short outro summation.  In the past I've rambled a bit too much I think.  Smile
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guldbamsen Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 28 2011 at 02:10
^No such thing! I love your ramblings JIm...
In fact I think the times we do get close to describing the music - we are rambling like The Allman Brothers. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Guldbamsen Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 28 2011 at 02:16
Originally posted by seventhsojourn seventhsojourn wrote:

Many thanks for your kind comments about Ocean, David. Sorry to hear you won't be reviewing for a while but hopefully we'll still see you around the forum. Good luck with your philosophy studies. Thumbs Up


Thank you my friend.
Let´s just see how well I correspond to an intellectual environment again... I should be able to visit the forum quite frequently methinks. 
Regarding the reviewing scene - there´ll be a dip but then again I´ve never been the avid writer here... But it will probably be a 5 star album that I return withEmbarrassed
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hellogoodbye Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 29 2011 at 02:21

Hello everyone.

First, my apologies. I’m a frog. My english is terrible. So I’m just here to say hello... and goodbye.    

I’m not in prog, not more than in classical, pop, rock, jazz, soundtrack or brazilian stuffs.

A year ago, looking for new music, I started to listen to RPI albums of the seventies. Gosh ! What a revelation !  What an elevation ! I didn’t expect this. Not at all. “Those painters, those sculptors ... just as in Renaissance Italy.”

BMS, PFM, Le Orme, QVL, Stefano Testa, Panna Fedda, Cervello, Battiato, Odissea, Samadhi, Delirium, Alusa Fallax, I Giganti ... and so many others.

As in a Gustav Mahler’s symphony, I was not only listenning with my ears, but with my eyes. Both were wide open. It was a miracle, or maybe not. These sounds, shapes and colors were waiting for me. I was just looking in another direction.

So thanks to you, Jim,  Andrea and everyone for the great help. Reading you was very important these last twelve months. And I’m sure there’s many more to come. Rencently I’ve heard samples from albums by La Assemblea Musicale Teatrale, Gramigna or Barabba. They sound terrific and I can’t wait for CD’s reissues and your reviews.

 

Before I shut my mouth, I would like to give you some titles of albums with  a RPI flavour :

 

These Trails . These Trails (1974). A folk band from Hawai. Very strange. Great accoustic guitar and synths. Fantastic vocal harmonies.

 

Melody Nelson : Serge Gainsbourg (1968). A true prog album and the most terrific violins arrangements you will hear in your life.

 

Eden’s Island. Eden Ahbez (1960). The composer of Nature Boy. Simplicity and beauty. Not a disc for the desert island. The desert island itself.

 

Goodbye ... and hello.

 

Pierre.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote seventhsojourn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 29 2011 at 05:31
Great first post, Pierre, but please don't shut your mouth... we appreciate nice suggestions! ''The desert island itself'' Clap
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote stefanotesta Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 29 2011 at 09:38
Thank you very much, Pierre!  Your words make me happy, and I understand how nice it is to see your work appreciated by people so far away!
I’m a frog. My english is terrible Smile
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Finnforest Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 29 2011 at 09:46
Grazie Pierre for your kind words, and welcome to the Den.  Glad you are getting some good recommendations here.
 
 
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