AMBIGRAM

What do you know about corporate design? Well, someone has really thought about that here. Recognition value for example. The band name lettering on the cover, yep, it's a typical ambigram, meant as a calligraphic design that has two or more distinct interpretations regarding the symmetries. Furthermore every symbol is standing for a particular musician. Not really intended for a simple one-off performance, right? Thus AMBIGRAM is a band comprised of four experienced members, living in Italy, and knowing each other for years. Based on their common love for progressive rock music, at some point the qualitative leap was only a matter of time. And fortunately they decided to form that unity.

Of course, at long last it all works when the music comes coherent. Really markable is Francesco Rapaccioli's singing voice. Surely defining, the instruments though are free to develop anyhow. While listening bands like Bolus or Instant Curtain came into my mind, which sound-wise are partially close. The eight songs are covering beautiful melodies and a great range of rock styles with prog sentiment, but also some AOR attitude too. Hereby guest musician Max Repetti enriches diverse songs with sparse keyboard input, Camillo Mozzoni in the same way due to some oboe contributions. The entertaining A Mediterranean Tale is starting the expedition, sounds a bit Genesis and Marillion inspired.

Let me single out the lovely Pig Tree especially, my album favourite. Tricky flow, variating mood and tempo, top vocals, psychedelic guitar, nice organ and synthesizer appearing. Fantastic! That is prog at its best! The heart-melting Sailing Home then is dominated by a nice male/female (Paola Folli) vocal symbiosis, as well as Beppe Lombardo's sensitive guitar solo performance. Patchwork shows some unusual guitar/fretless bass cooperation in between, magic, innovative, you can hear that they have experimented at some point. Definitely a recommendation. Another enjoyable gem released on MaRaCash Records.