CARNASCIALIA

First of all, I feel obliged to point out that I have only heard this album on mp3. It seems to be otherwise completely unavailable, unless you can track down a copy of the LP.

To fill in those of you pondering over the details of this album, until such time as a decent biography is added, the group were formed by a few members of the disbanded Italian folk band Canzoniere del Lazio. They roped in the likes of Mauro Pagani of PFM and Demetrio Stratos of Area to record an eclectic album of six very different tracks fusing various styles of folk and world music with rocky and proggy touches. The project may well have seen a second album (and more still, who knows?) were it not for Stratos' tragic and untimely death that same year.

Now, onto the music:

Canzone Numero Uno - A spirited, highly folkish song with a distinctly celebratory atmosphere. If this doesn't make you grin widely and tap your feet then nothing will.

Fiocchi Di Neve E Bruscolini - A short Stratos showcase with spoken words and strange vocal noises, flowing into a quirky percussion and tin whistle piece. One of the more avant-garde pieces, but quite brilliant, to my ears at least.

Almeisan - A highly laid-back and atmospheric piece built around gentle piano, violin and saxophone, with the sound of pebbles being dragged by the tide as a constant flowing companion. Utterly beautiful.

Kaitain - The incomparable Stratos returns, this time delivering something more tuneful but still extremely other-worldly. This time his unique vocals are underpinned by a rhythm tapped out on some kind of stringed instrument. The track also features tuned percussion, strings and saxophone, and has a rather detached feel.

Cruzeiro do Sul - Another very alien sounding song that I really can't compare to anything else. I've simply never heard another song like it. The base of it is constant tinkling bells and a simple choral phrase looping again and again, mirrored by piano, with all sorts of other instrumental goings on ebbing and flowing beneath it. The vocals die out halfway through, and in comes Stratos again to do. something with his voice. I don't know what he does, but it sounds rather good. This all makes a lot more sense when you hear it, trust me.

Gamela - This track starts out with some tuned percussion coupled with some jolly basslines, improvised violin (Pagani finally getting a chance to really show what he's made of). Eventually an almost-mexican sounding melody comes in and brings the song, and indeed the album to a wonderful, upbeat conclusion.

Highlights: Very tempted to say all of them, but let us stick with. "Canzone Numero Uno", "Almeisan", "Cruzeiro do Sul"