YS

After a great deal of angst, I am adding one star to this album. And though I do so somewhat reluctantly, I do so in good conscience, for two specific reasons: its very early entry into the prog "catalogue," and the sheer amount of creativity being attempted (if not always successfully). Re "early entry," it is important to keep in mind that an album is actually written about a year before it appears. Thus, the 1972 appearance of this album (contemporaneous with Foxtrot, Three Friends, Fragile, Thick as a Brick and Trilogy, among others) means it was actually written prior to those albums - i.e., around the same time as Trespass, Acquiring the Taste, The Yes Album, Atom Heart Mother and ELP. Given this - and although the band "wears its influences on its sleeve" much of the time (i.e., it does not always successfully filter those influences into something new or compelling) - there is no question that the band is reaching for something, and very nearly achieves it. [N.B. Those influences primarily include ELP, Gentle Giant and a little bit of Yes. Given this, one could take the position that the very fact that it was those three groups that influenced IBDB is a positive sign - and I would agree.] / "Bronze Ballet" is the name of the group, but it might just as well serve as the title of this album, since the compositional quality is mildly theatrical, in the sense of a ballet or musical. The Introduzione, like the prelude of a theatrical musical, is lengthy, and states a number of "themes" which are then exposited more "fully" (at least, that seems to have been the intention...) in the three "incontros" (songs). The "Epilogo" (ending) then ties things together. I was particularly impressed with the musicianship, which is remarkable for that time. I also liked the vocals, which is not always the case with Italian (or other non-english European) prog. / As noted, the album as a whole has a lot of good ideas, but, also as noted, too few are expressed as well as they might be. The album would also have benefitted from more "incontros," since it seems somewhat "sparse" with only three - especially given that one of them does little but repeat part of the Introduzione. Still, as noted, they are clearly trying very hard, and the album is extremely listenable. Thus, although I cannot in good conscience give the album four stars, the band deserves an additional "E" for effort.