4TH

D.F.A or Duty Free Area as they also call themselves, I believe...... is not the most profiled Italian band. Which is a shame because they really have something to offer. Their albums also has this knack to slowly creep up on the listener over a time. Their material is not immediate hit music. But I am now well ahead of myself. Let's take this from the beginning.......

4th is strangely enough D.F.A.s fourth album. I have been listening to their second and third album and I knew what I was in for. And I got what I wanted plus some more. D.F.A does a blend of Jazz Rock/Fusion and Rock Progressivo Italiano. I would even describe D.F.A as the bridge between those two styles. Their music is not either of those two styles. It is a fusion of them. But on this album, D.F.A has also inflused a lot of Canterbury Scene too. No, not Caravan or Soft Machine, although a couple of melody lines gives me some Soft Machine vibes too. I am actually thinking more along the lines of National Health and what Alan Gowen did throughout his far too short life. There is a lot of National Health hidden on 4th. Being a National Health fan (in more than one sense.... but it is better to leave my personal life out it), this album album really touches the right tangents. In other words; this is a true fusion album, but not a Jazz Rock/Fusion album.

Most of the album is instrumental keyboards and guitar driven music. The final track La ballata de 'isposa 'e Mannorri is a female vocal track backed by some great keyboards. The album is full to the brim with small inttricate details and subtle, but still very infectious melody lines. The album sounds bland at the first listening sessions, but really springs to life after a while. So give this album plenty of time and attention before making up your mind.

The quality is great throughout. With the exception of the final track where the female vocals makes this a standout track (but not the best on the album), this album can be regarded as one piece of music. The best track is the opening track Baltasaurus. But the rest of the album just shades it. I am pretty sure this is an album I will love more and more during the next years and decades. In short; this is a great album from a great band.

4 stars

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