CONTEA DEI CENTO CASTAGNI

This is a new Italian band but the musicians are veterans who made already music in the Seventies. Their debut CD is a concept featuring Aldo Tagliapietra from legendary Le Orme doing the narration. The 12 melodic and tasteful arranged compositions sound very pleasant with the emphasis on creating a warm atmosphere by lush organ waves, sensitive electric guitar and inspired vocals. To me the songs evoke the debut albums by Men Of Lake and Abiogenesi and the sound of famous Seventies Italian Prog bands Metamorfosi (album E Fiu Il Geste Giorno) and Celeste. The integration of instruments like the violin, acoustic guitar and flute give the music folky and Medieval overtones, on those moments you can dream away by the wonderful cover painting featuring a night on a horse who is on his way up to a castle in a green landscape. In general the music sounds mellow and dreamy but some tracks contain bombastic eruptions or accellarations delivering powerful soli on organ and guitar. My highlights are La Foresta Degli Elfi Alati (beautiful interplay between guitar and organ), La Piana Dei Temoli Del Livenza (compelling with soaring keyboards and moving violin), Danza Di Messer Reale E Madonna Fantasia (wonderful harspsichord-like sound in Medieval climate), Leggenda Delle Foglia (alternating with strong vocals and a great synthesizer solo) and the bombastic Neorinascimento (propulsive with fiery guitar solo and powerful organ waves). Don't expect complex music like Gentle Giant, virtuosic soli like ELP or dynamic songs like Rush, just enjoy the warm and pleasant atmosphere, perhaps we can create the category 'pastoral prog' for this beautiful music! My rating: 3,5 stars.