LAVORI IN CORSO

Another wonderful packaged CD from the Italian label Btf. featuring a cover that stimulates your fantasy and a booklet with lots of information. This new Italian band 'with the long name' is a project by Angelo Santo Lombardi (vocals, Hammond organ, Minimoog synthesizer, pipe organ and synthesizers) along with musicians on acoustic- and electric guitar, drums, bass and vocals. The music is obviously rooted in the 24-carat symphonic prog tradition of the Seventies, mainly because of the frequent use of vintage keyboards like the Hammond and the Minimoog. After a few listening sessions I noticed a huge difference of composing quality between the first and final track! The opener Dolce Brezza starts in a pleasant atmosphere but goes on and on without any tension or musical ideas, only the final part delivers a sensitive electric guitar solo and a fluent shifting mood with tasteful piano and organ but 10 minutes is way too long for this track. The final composition I Take All The Way showcases Gan Eden Il Giadino Delle Delizie at their best: lots of variety and dynamics and exciting work on guitar and keyboards: sparkling Grand piano, fat Minimoog flights, a sensitive electric guitar solo, a fluent rhythm-section and organ play that strongly reminds me of famous Le Orme (Collage-era). The other four songs sound pleasant and melodic with a tasteful colouring by the guitar and keyboards like warm Grand piano, fat Minimoog runs and a pipe organ interlude in the titletrack, slow and fat Minimoog flights, howling guitar and sparkling piano in La Canzione Della Bimba and mellow Hammond runs with fiery guitar in E Dopa Il Vento. The Italian vocals on this album sound warm and inspired in the typical Seventies Italian prog tradition like Metamorfosi and Le Orme. Apart from the first composition I enjoyed this wonderful symphonic prog album and I hope this is not another Italian one-shot-band, especially recommended to fans of Seventies Italian Symphonic Prog!

Angelo Santo Lombardi and guitarist/bassist Gabriele Paganoni soon decided to come up with a name around their project and this was meant to be ''Gan Eden-Il Giardino delle Delizie''.Under this name,Angelo and Gabriele worked on their sophomore album ''Lavori in Corso'',which was released three years after their debut, at the time the duo had signed a contract with BTF.

This is a nice example of contemprary keyboard-based prog rock with certain influences from the past.I would easily compare Lombardi's work with efforts presented by (mainly) LA TORRE DEL'ALCHIMISTA,CONQUEROR or even TAPROBAN.Arrangements are centered under the symphonic and sometimes virtuosic work of Lombardi on keys.Interesting synth loops,classic piano passages and grandiose organ parts are more than attractive.Paganoni is not just a simple collaborator.Often he shines with his inspired solos and deep bass work,not to mention he is responsible for the careful work on the drum programming.The album is not instrumental as some of you would possibly believe,though it contains a series of long instrumental parts.Vocals are decent and also handled by Lombardi,who's voice has a crystalline touch mixed with the expression offered by the harmonic echoes the Italian language,though the man is not a professional by any means.''Lavori in corso'' reminds me also of some good old Italian prog bands like LE ORME,METAMORFOSI or CORTE DEI MIRACOLI to name a few.

The album is quite far from an original sound,but all compositions are well-crafted,balanced and arranged and they have always some interesting moments to offer.This will never be your starting point to the prog world but it's a good addition to any prog collection,while devoted fans of keyboard-based prog should simply purchase it.