LO SCEMO E IL VILLAGGIO

Delirium is a classic italian prog act of the seventies who only released three albums plus many singles, some very famous at the time. Lo Scemo e il Villaggio is their second effort and was recorded after the departure of singer-songwriter Ivano Fossati, one of the most important solo artists in Italy, but definitely gone from his prog musical roots. This was not for the band he left who, instead, insisted to explore the vast scenarios of the rising prog genre. They were of the very first in Italy to produce a prog album of such a quality as Dolce Acqua in 1971 along with certains pioneers as Le Orme (Collage), New Trolls (Concerto Grosso) and I Giganti (Terra in Bocca).

With their second release they fix their musical behaviour around two particular keys: jazz/improvisations and symphonic interludes. Other reviewers have pointed out that the main english references could be found in Jethro Tull (for the flute, mainly) and King Crimson (for saxophone, often play a la Islands). They are not too far from reality even if I think the band had (and has) an unique style of approaching the prog scene which is completely different from that it would have been then the traditional italian symphonic mood.

The album's structure is made of the alternating mix between simpler/shorter (and softer - sometimes joyful) ballads with "harder" and more complicated tunes. "Tremori Antichi", "La Mia Pazzia, "Dimensione Uomo" and the closer "Pensiero per un Abbandono" are the warm songs here. The last one is the best in my personal opinion and worthy of special mention for the wonderful melodies, the delicate and poetic lyrics and for the more varied range of keyboards: from classic piano to organ and mellotron. A classic and a special favourite of mine.

On the "hard" side of albums there are more "complex" and long tunes starting with the opener "Villaggio"(5,13 mns) that represents one of the peaks of the album with its jazzy and "Tullian" interludes and colours balanced by organ, sax and a good rythm' section. Unfortunately the rest is not always at the same level and so the final result sounds not completely convincing.

The most "weird" and "proggy" track is "Gioia, Disordine, Risentimento" (7,17 mns) wich starts with a joyful "jingle" soon decaying in darker dissonances and alternating some pauses as it was played live in a local pub. There is in fact the noises and the voices of few customers and fans clapping excited to see the band.

"Sogno" (5,46) reproduces the formula of a strong jazzy injection on sax and even piano in the second half, after a more melodic and "conventional" opening while "Culto Disarmonico" (3,44 mns) is another interesting jazzy "pastiche" that perhaps lacks in some mordant.

In conclusion: two gems and some interesting tunes cannot make the album achieving a complete excellence' status. Nevertheless this is a worth buying and the proof that the sub-genre of "PROG FOLK" doesn't fit for this band.

3.75 stars.