UN MILIONE DI VOCI

Second album from this modern Italian "symphonic" prog band, which records on the Akarma label and gives it a chance to issue their albums in the mini-Lp format. Too bad the group did not take advantage of it as it had done for their first album. I had remembered PDM's debut album as a fairly disjointed album, not really knowing which direction to take, but this was only an impression, since I had only heard some 20 minutes of it at my usual record shop hang-out and had opted out.

The least we can say is that this album is much stronger, but not anymore focused than its predecessor. Having taken a definitive turn towards jazz-rock, PDM is not exactly breaking new ground, but who is nowadays? After two short introducing tracks, the group attacks a good three-piece mini-suite, where the nonchalant Italian spirits marry the cool jazzy laid back fusion that had succeeded to a dynamite first movement where the sax, the guitar and the violin had traded licks. However the next track comes way too abruptly and fails to capitalize on the delicate ambiance previously built. Incanti is actually trampling everything with its wooden clogs and metallic guitars and uninspired pop-vocals, where an organ solo is thrown in there "au petit bonheur la chance", (half- hazardless? Where the hell is that dictionary when you need it? ;-) Wind-player and lead singer Papotto is all over the place, but I suspect that he a big partake into this involuntary/messy/unorganized/unthought chaos.

An average acoustic guitar piece precedes another rocky jazz-rock (EvaLuna) track, but unfortunately it resembles a bit too much the previous Incanti. The succession of tracks much different from one another is a bit perplexing and disconcerting as to what they are trying to pull: the classic clarinet track (Cercanda) preceding the Santana- plagiarized Can Stop then followed by a harpsichord-flute classical ditty (Espresso), abruptly changed into an Arabian-laced jazz-fusion, reminding Ponty or Colosseum II. This goes all over the place a bit too carelessly for my tastes. An average ELP-like Foglie is transformed into a surprising title track with a rapping section (yes, rap!!). However the last track Io Brucio, with its short intro, is the second highlight of the album. What can be said about an album where the third best track is a Santana rework?

Don't get me wrong, aside the weak Incanti and EvaLuna, I haven't heard one track that is less than good, if not very good on this album, but PDM completely lacks a sense of constructing an album. And this thing is way too long, also. A bunch of talented individuals that have problems melting in a single unit, is this writer's prognosis.