MAXOPHONE

Maxophone is a second-generation Italian prog band that made - in true RPI fashion - just one album before collapsing. They are often compared to Locanda Della Fate and PFM, two popular references that will attract most listeners but that made me a bit suspicious as I'm not much of a fan of either of those.

The RPI days of innovation are largely behind but I still find the band to be adventurous and organic enough to be of interest. The band incorporates their many influences quite effectively and brings a cohesive bland of rock, sympho, madrigals, jazz and even music-theater. As an example, I find it quite impressive how they manage to make a capricious song like Fase sound so fluent and natural. Easily my favorite here by the way.

The band employs different vocal styles, sometimes reminiscent of Le Orme, sometimes of Phil Collins doing the Gabriel classics, sometimes of PFM. Depending on the style they can be a bit mellow and schoolboy-ish and it will be no surprise that I only dig the parts sung by the more ... eh 'mature' vocalist. But judging from the popularity of PFM this won't be a problem for most listeners.

It's not easy to reach a conclusion. I can understand why so many people love this album - even to the extent of calling it a masterpiece - but I can enjoy it only partially: loving the playing quite a lot, the vocals a whole lot less, and the compositions somewhere in the middle.