YS

Hailed as one of the best Italian Prog Rock albums in Classic Rock present Prog Rock # 3, I thought it was a good idea to finally purchase this album. I was not let down, although I do not agree with their assessment of this album.

This album can best be described as something between ELP, Yes and Soft Machine anno Bundles. Add some Italian scene flavour to it too and you get this album. The opening fifteen minutes long track Introduzione is very intense and includes all the bands mentioned above. It is a brilliant track in it's jazzy epic symphonic prog style. More jazz than prog, I have to add. The rest of this album does not live up to this track in quality. The album fizzles out in an avant-garde territory with little purpose and aim. Actually; it feels like left over stuff from an ELP recording session. I like ELP, but not this kind of stuff. Thankfully, I got the CD and the bonus track La Tua Casa Comoda is a very good typical Italian symphonic prog song with a lyrical theme.

Quality wise, this is a very good album and fans of this scene probably allready have it in their record collection. I am not overwhelmed of joy, but I admit this is a unique and perhaps genre defining album. Maybe it will grow on me in the years to come because I will keep this album close to my heart (Read: My CD player which doubles up as my heart). But it is not an essential prog rock album. But I still like it.

3.75 stars