SPAVENTAPASSERI

Formed in May 2009 and boasting current and ex members of notable modern Italian progressive groups such as Il Bacio della Medusa, Taproban, DAAL, The Watch and Prowlers, Fufluns (named after the Etruscan God of nature, health and growth in all things) is led by Medusa frontman Simone Cecchini, and the group perform melodic song-based Italian pieces in a lightly symphonic prog manner fused with gentle traces of the Italian canzone d'autore (singer-songwriter) storytelling tradition and plenty of that pure RPI fire worked in as well. Instrumental passages are frequent, but the tune itself is always the most important facet, and it makes for an interesting and beautifully played debut work full of character and charm.

The group open with a tasty instrumental `Grecale', a hurricane of thick guitar heaviness, stormy Mellotron clouds, pumping bass and rambunctious drumming delivering a heroic theme, with fleeting teases of dreamy electric piano ambience. While a little repetitive, `Lamento di uno Spaventapasseri' is a scratchy Mellotron-fuelled dirty swaggering groover, with Cecchini's raspy voice seductively purring. `Stella del Vespro' is lovely with tougher outbursts, `Maestrale' is a warm group ballad with huffing flute, humming Hammond and regal organ with a mysterious and quirky instrumental interlude in the second half, `Tra Mille Gendarmi l'Amore' has a sweetly fizzing synth heroic finale, and `Ricordo di Nene' is full of wounded gothic piano theatricality.

After several ballads in a row, the energetic `Scirocco' arrives just in time, an up-tempo rocker with plenty of Hammond organ and little traces of psychedelic weirdness, `Come un Salice' is a wilder reprise of the first vocal piece with added racing piano and Mellotron moodiness with a gorgeous extended instrumental finale, there's inviting harmonies and grand guitars throughout further ballad `Morte di Nene', and `Libeccio' bristles with drama. `Il Foco' is a short and heartfelt folk piece with accordion and acoustic guitar (it actually reminds of that brief but sweet second track `Felona' off Le Orme's classic `Felona e Sorona'!), and the disc closes on the sort of instrumental that has everything you could want for on an Italian prog disc. `Addio ai Corvi' is laced with danger, loaded with fiery guitar runs, dirty flute, delirious synth soling and infernal Mellotron, the perfect soundtrack to this fanciful, sometimes gothic fairytale, reminding of Le Orme again, and perhaps even Delirium.

Perhaps at one hour it's a little too long (a nice vinyl length 45 minutes would have been ideal) and some listeners might grow weary of so many ballad-like tracks , but `Spaventapasseri' is never less than completely lovely. It boasts strong tunes with easy to enjoy melodies, is sung with great confidence and passion, and the restrained instrumental sophistication around the songs is frequently exquisite. This is a fine debut album, so let's hope Fufluns becomes an ongoing project and we get a second album from them in the near future!

Three and a half stars, rounded up to four.