CLOWNS

Nuova Idea was among a seemingly tiny minority of bands of the nascent Italian progressive rock of the early-1970s that actually managed to release more than one album before disappearing without trace. The band's battle scarred line-up changed with the release of each of their three albums, although the music progressed in parallel with the changes in personnel and was so much the better as a consequence. In addition to being their most full- on prog album, 'Clowns' is also their most critically acclaimed work and rightly so for a work that runs the entire gamut of classic RPI.

The music is both sensitive and robust, complex and hard rocking, and like the band's previous release ('Mr. E. Jones') 'Clowns' is a concept album based on the realities and dreams of its main protagonist who in this case is a circus performer. The meeting of extremes, in the form of gruff rasping vocals and elaborate instrumental accompaniment, combined with the unusual concept gives the album a peculiar majesty all of its own.

Talking about the vocals, the multi-voice parts of 'Mr E. Jones' have largely been replaced by the dramatic singing of newcomer Ricky Belloni. With his abrasive vibrato he at times sounds as if he is gargling on a chain of phlegm. Okay, that's a slight exaggeration - his singing isn't really so bad and it's certainly not a deal-breaker for an otherwise top-notch album.