QUELLA VECCHIA LOCANDA

A true gem of not only the Italian scene, but prog as a whole. Quella Vecchia Locanda's debut self-titled album is a real treat, playing out like a storybook, painting vivid musical pictures as it takes its listener on a spell-binding journey.

Many people have noted stylistic similarities between the band and Genesis or Jethro Tull. While these comparisons are valid, they're a little bit contrived. Sure, there are lyrical, pastoral moods, charismatic vocals, classical interplay and heavy blues rocking throughout the album but those are just characteristic of the Italian sound. No cloning to be heard here.

So what makes "That Old Inn" stand out so much in the vast RPI scene? It really all comes down to composition. This is one of the most wonderfully, thoughtfully, intelligently composed albums that I've heard. The amount of energy that the album conveys is incredible, and it's evident from the opening bars of "Prologo", yet it's not a hack-and-slash headbanging album at all. There's such a great diversity of mood in this album, from soft, nocturnal pastoral sections to spirited classical melodies to hard rock riffing. And what makes it so powerful is that it's all delivered so succinctly. "Quella Vecchia Locanda" offers build-ups, climaxes, lyrical storytelling, breathing room, all in the short span of under 35 minutes! Though it's a shorter album, the length makes it easily digestible and always leaves me in awe, wondering how a band can take me on such a great journey in such a short time frame.

An absolute must-have for anyone looking for a quality album that's short and sweet. 5 well-deserved stars for an underrated classic.