IO SONO MURPLE

"Io sono Murple" is a concept album, formed by two long suites, about the feelings of a penguin compelled "to bow and act as a juggler", "like a reed bowed by the wind", "among the threads" of "a world of dwarfs and clowns" that "penetrates into your bones promising to be faithful without knowing any faith". Well, I quoted part of the lyrics trying to explain the subject with words while the wonderful album cover try to explain it with images. Now all that you have to do is close your eyes and listen to, because if the subject is rather strange the music is excellent.

Side A begins softly, but after two minutes there's an interesting drum solo leading to a short rock section with a good interaction between the instruments. "Antartide", "Metamorfosi" and "Pathos" are tightly bound together: there are many changes of rhythm and moods and no room for boredom in an album where classical inspired patterns are blended with rock influences in a personal way and with a great musicianship. Then, after seven minutes, on "Senza un perché" (Without a reason), over a delicate piano part, shy lead vocals appear . "Poor creature / In the wreckage inside you / The prayer rises / It's sincere but / After you'll be wanting / Promised lands / All the great dreams / Without a reason.". The melodic lines are good but lead vocals in my opinion are the weak point of this album (actually Murple didn't have a real singer and the vocal parts where shared between the guitarist Pino Santamaria and the keyboardist Pier Carlo Zanco). After 10:30 an amazing church-like choir introduces to the following "Nessuna scelta" (No choice) with remarkable keyboards patterns in the background: ".You will teach me the bows / Of a juggler who always says yes / If you want, if you like you'll change me / Without telling me what you're doing / I will be the clay without shape / I can't do any choice". The closing section is the instrumental "Murple Rock" that features a remarkable guitar work.

Side B begins with "Preludio e schrzo", an amazing classical inspired "solo-piano section". After 2:55 lead vocals appear on "Tra i fili" (Among the threads) that was chosen to be the single promoting the album (but in my opinion this is not the best moment of this work). After 5:26 the good instrumental "Variazioni in 6/8", with keyboards in the forefront, reminds me of BMS' tracks like "Garofano rosso" or "Fino alla mia porta". After 7:35 lead vocals come back for "Fratello" (Brother) and "Un mondo così" (A world like that): in my opinion on this album lyrics are not particularly inspired and a little bit naïve but luckily the vocal parts are short and almost all the sections of the suites feature also interesting instrumental interludes. The final instrumental "Antarplastic" is just a short reprise of the opener "Antartide".

In the whole "Io sono Murple" is a good album, though not a masterpiece. It could be an excellent addition to any Italian prog collection.