SIEGFRIED, IL DRAGO E ALTRE STORIE

Errata Corrige is one of those myriad of Italian prog bands that were a one-shoot deal back in the 70s (that is, until a second album was released on CD in the 90s). The style they deliver in the "Siegfried, il Drago et Altre Storie" album gives some notable preference to the pastoral side of the prog genre, not unlike first-album Delirium or first-album Pierrot Lunaire; the symphonic passages are seemingly inspired by "Per un Amico"-era PFM, mixed with the pompous side of "Passio"-era Latte e Miele. Though it would be totally fair to point out that this band doesn't get to match the special magic of the former two bands or the colorfulness of the latter two, it would indeed be fair that Errata Corrige is an important item for true Italian prog collectors. The opener 'Viaggio di Saggezza' is a light-spirited bucolic piece centered about the acoustic guitar strumming and the playful flute lines: a warm entry in this band's offering. The suite 'Del Cavaliere Citadel e del Drago della Foresta di Lucanor' is the album's highlight, with its well suited succession of motifs. The synthesizer layers and controlled solos bear a delicate majesty, which feels quite relevant every time they appear to take center stage. Definitely, Marco Cimino's multi-task duties on cello, flute and keyboards help the band to go beyond the simplistic pastoral drive of the material's compositional basis: the first two instruments are providers of extra textures and relevant ornaments; simultaneously, the keyboards' role is evidently focused on building up a genuine progressive stance. The softer passages in the aforesaid suite bear a pertinent contemplative mood, and ultimately, they feel a bit redundant during the suite's last part. 'Siegfried (Leggenda)' almost sounds like a continuation of the suite's last section. Eventually, the track gets a bit more ceremonious, even flirting with the sort of laid-back spacey atmospheres one has come to expect from 73-75 Pink Floyd and Eloy. The last passages state a brief reprise of the main motif and a short electric coda. This piece really has as much variation to it as the suite, but the development is much less fluid and the arranging process doesn't get as cohesive as it should have. 'Siegfried (Mito)' states a more powerful drive, generally speaking, but again there is the drawback that the band's overall sound is not properly delivered according to the epic undertones that apparently demand a tighter approach. All in all, the Mito is better as a musical piece than the Leggenda. 'Del Libro di Bordo dell "Adventure"' states a more simplistic compositional basis but it evolves quite nicely through calculated arrangements that ultimately lead to a closure with floating piano flourishes. The bonus 'Saturday Il Caviliere' manages to recapture most of the magic that had been portrayed in 'Del Caviliere Citadel' (why is it a bonus track anyway?). There are pompous passages that almost feel sinister, which adds an interesting novelty to the album's overall structure. This bonus really closes up the Errata Corrige experience with gusto. Not being a cornerstone of Italian prog and not even being some sort of minor classic, "Siegfried, il Drago et Altre Storie" has enough artistic value as to be regarded a very good item for any good prog collection.