LA FABBRICA DELLE NUVOLE

Baroque strings set the tone for this album in a classic Italian prog rock feeling. Keyboard-based style with plenty of guitars, horns and violin. There are really bright moments here, lovely melodies, paces and intricate changes in these. The symphonic parts with folky and classical incorporations are the most enjoyable, and there are also beautiful piano to be found occassionally. The guitar is on the other hand quite eclectic at times in sections not as interesting for me. In prog measures, most songs are short. With the musical skill and the range of instruments obviously possessed and mastered, I think the band could compose elongate epic masterpiece tracks if such ambitions would appear to them. But the songs rather orientate into rock tunes in a more standard appearance. Because of this, most tracks becomes increasingly tedious upon repeated listening instead of growing with time. Don't get me totally here though, there are a lot of these genious moments on the record, but no song that I absolutely admire from start to end. 'Un ciclone su Pacifico' is my honourable mention apart from the piano- and bass-driven instrumental title track that really tickles progressive nerve cells. Medieval tunes at boths ends of an otherwise really eclectic 'La luna e la Lepre' are also among the most exciting parts. I'm left with the sense that it could have been so much more, in many senses, but this is nevertheless recommendable high quality prog rock.

4,5 stars really ! MAXOPHONE "La Fabbrica Delle Nuvole" - A great surprise... I make an effort to remind similar case ; A new band release with very good quality after all these years... still more admirable is the fact that in this album only two original members : Alberto Ravasini and Sergio Lattuada . Although, at this time the same influences that I point in my review of their first album ((#282950) Friday, May 21, 2010 ) PFM , Campo di Marte and Gentle Giant... now the sound is much more close of GG. Is enough listen the title track "La Fabbrica Delle Nuvole" introduction and main theme, the "Interlude" (starting at 2:02 until 2: 52 min ) in same track ! The only "weak" moment as in track 3 "Il Passo delle Ore" ... but this moment aren't enough to make a great "damage" of audition. The album is full of interesting musical passages as for instance , the medieval atmosphere in track 5 "La Luna e la Lepre"... between others. My rate is 4 stars !!!

There used to be something of a running joke that Italy was home to a ton of doomed vintage prog bands that delivered one single album in their prime active years and then promptly vanished, leaving it their sole legacy. That rule has been somewhat shattered over the last few years as a ton of Italian groups have reunited and delivered long-belated follow-ups - yes, the likes of Museo Rosenbach, Murple, even Cherry Five and countless others - and now it's Maxophone's turn! Although `La Fabbrica delle Nuvole' doesn't often sound like their much-loved self-titled 1975 debut and only singer Alberto Ravasini and keyboardist Sergio Lattuada remain from the original line-up (although utilising the same talented new musicians that performed on their 2014 `Live in Tokyo' release), it's a varied and lavish assortment of rock pieces grafted to fancy classical-flavoured symphonic pomp that remains melodic and approachable without being overly simple.

Unpredictable and cool rocker `Un Ciclone sul Pacifico' opens the LP around teases of orchestration and cool slinking grooves from electric piano, with heavier punchy bursts kicking in and out around slick backing harmonies, and Alberto Ravasini's voice has remained in fine raspy and charismatic form (with all the vocals performed in Italian, no two versions including English offered this time around, thank you very much!). `Perdo il Colore Blu' is book-ended with twisting/turning up-tempo sprints, and there's a light jazziness to the Hammond organ and cheerful swagger of the piece with brief rollicking PFM-like trilling synth runs, and `Il Passo delle Ore', one of the loveliest tunes of the album, is a gentler romantic moment with a catchy clever chorus, soft violin and crisp electric guitar themes.

The title track `La Fabbrica delle Nuvole' is the first big `wow' moment of the disc, a fully-instrumental crossover of whimsical keyboard prettiness, light jazz-fusion guitar grooves and colourful symphonic themes (Marco Croci's slinking thick bass is a real highlight here too) all in under six minutes, and in parts it doesn't sound unlike Italian discs of the last few years like Progenesi's `Ulisse l'Alfiere Nero', Moogg's `Italian Luxury Style' or the last F.E.M album `Sulla Bolla di Sapone'. Folk aromas permeate intricate rocker `La Luna e la Lepre' with a dancing Baroque fanciness of madrigal-flavoured Gryphon and Gentle Giant-like sophistication and whimsy, plenty of ravishing acoustic guitars and intricate multi-part group harmonies, and dreamy synths, silken acoustic guitars and ruminative sax throughout the tasteful and classy `Estate '41' could almost have hailed from a Steve Hackett solo disc.

`Nel Fiume dei Giorni i Tuoi Capelli' is busily schizophrenic for a track that doesn't even run four minutes, bouncing through everything from dream-like careful soft rock with elegant violin and sparkling electric piano tiptoes to delicate folk and frantic contorting guitar races, ultimately sounding closer to something like the modern version of Swedish symphonic proggers Kaipa. Those baroque and chamber prog flavours pop up again throughout `Il Matto e l'Aquilone' thanks to warm folk-flecked acoustic guitars and prancing violin whilst alternating back and forth with snappy jazz-fusion turns and infectious keyboard-driven symphonic prog sprints, and `Le Parole Che non vi Ho Detto' is a short and giddy violin/piano closer.

While it can't possibly live up to the status that the popular 1975 debut enjoys, `La Fabbrica delle Nuvole's strength lies in the fact that it's a real grower that impresses more and more with every listen. It's an eclectic, colourful and tastefully performed comeback with plenty to recommend about it, and another example that no country delivers better and more rewarding modern prog albums from older acts than Italy. Lovers of Maxophone and Italian prog fans in general should end up having a terrific time with this unexpectedly vital, highly surprising and greatly inspired work.

Four stars.

3.5 stars. A pretty good comeback album from this Italian band who haven't released a studio recording in over 40 years. When compared to the debut this one lacks the variety of horns and flute that the seventies release featured. We do get the same vocalist and he certainly is one of the main reasons I've given this 3.5 stars, I love his voice and it has some character to it. And yes he sings in Italian. The album is all over the place with quite a bit of variety including both modern and commercial sounding music. I really like the romantic RPI vibe but the heaviness with the GARDEN WALL-like guitars not so much. Same with the poppier stuff on here, I'm just not a fan.

"Un Ciclone Sul Pacifico" opens with a violin melody before it kicks into a real good groove. Man I like this part. Piano joins in then vocals. A catchy chorus follows then a guitar solo. Violin only like the intro after 2 minutes then it builds with keys and more. The vocals sound different after 3 minutes and we get a heavier sound.

"Perdo Il Colore Blu" starts with the drums and guitar standing out as keys and bass join in. A good driving sound here before it settles back with vocals. Contrasts continue. Piano only before 1 1/2 minutes as processed vocals join in. Not a fan of this. The heaviness comes and goes. A prolonged instrumental follows including some excellent guitar.

"Il Passo Delle Ore" is my favourite because it has such a classic RPI flavour to it. Great sounding vocals here and one of the rare times I feel emotion from the music, especially on the chorus.

"La Fabbrica Delle Nuvole" sounds so interesting with the percussion and sounds that come and go before some organ arrives. It turns heavy with GARDEN WALL-like guitars which I'm not into. The drumming is killer then after 2 minutes it changes and soon it's piano only before drums and more join in. An instrumental GENTLE GIANT vibe before 2 1/2 minutes. Synths lead later on trading off with the guitar. The bass and drums shine on this one.

"La Luna E La Lepre" is the other song I really like. Intricate guitar and percussion early on. Vocals just before a minute with strummed guitar. Love his singing here. Bass and organ join in as well. Nice guitar solo then back to that earlier sound. Great sound after 3 1/2 minutes as the vocals return. A feel good vibe with that guitar after 4 minutes.

"Estate '41" sounds different to begin with then these emotional vocals arrive before 1 1/2 minutes. Lots of intricate sounds. I like the atmosphere late to end it with violin.

"Nel Fiume Del Giorni I Tuo Capelli" sounds really good until the tempo picks up and this modern feel arrives. Suddenly before 2 minutes we get a GENTLE GIANT section both vocally and instrumentally. You should hear this! GENTLE GIANT all the way, a nice tribute then the guitars turn heavy which seems out of place. Back to the GG vibe as contrasts continue. Piano and violin ends it.

"Il Matto E L'Aquilone" opens with picked guitar then violin before a minute along with bass as relaxed vocals join in. Thankfully it changes after 2 1/2 minutes to a more uptempo and heavier sound that I actually like. Organ, drums and guitar stand out here. A calm after 4 minutes then it kicks in again. "Le Parole Che Non Vi Ho Detto" ends it and it's a short 2 1/2 minute track. Vocals, violin and more in this mellow closer.

Lots to like here but there's lots of sections that I don't like as well. A mixed bag you could say but I'm glad I got to spend some time with it. I'll stick with their classic seventies album in the future though.

In 2005 Sergio Lattuada tried to reform Maxophone gathering his old bandmates. His effort led to the release of a CD plus DVD documenting the history of the band but it wasn't until 2008 that Maxophone really came back to life thanks to the contribute of some new musicians that joined the old creative core of the band. The new course led to new compositions and in 2017 the band released an excellent album entitled "La fabbrica delle nuvole" on the independent label AMS Records with a line up featuring along with founder members Sergio Lattuada (piano, keyboards, vocals) and Alberto Ravasini (guitars, keyboards, lead vocals) the new entries Marco Tomasini (electric guitar, vocals), Marco Croci (bass, vocals) and Carlo Monti (drums, percussion, violin). For the lyrics, the band collaborated with the Bolognese poet Roberto Roversi, best known for his works with singer-songwriter Lucio Dalla in the seventies. Unfortunately, Roberto Roversi passed away in 2012, well before the album was completed... Anyway, the beautiful artwork, elaborated by Eugenio Crippa developing an idea of Alberto Ravasini, tries to depict musical and poetical content of this impressionistic work...

The opener "Un ciclone sul Pacifico" (A typhoon on the Pacific) starts by a classical inspired first part, decadent and melodic, where an emotional typhoon begins to build up from a sea of dissatisfaction and disenchantment. Then words turn into water and wind, the rhythm rises and the music becomes more complex and frenzied. When the rage storms out, nobody can say what's true any more, nobody can say what can break the wall... Nonetheless, those raging, forbidden words are the words of the future!

Next comes "Perdo il colore blu" (I'm loosing the blue colour) that every now and again reminds me of PFM. It begins with a frenzied rhythm and describes the feelings of a man who dives into a busy life as an antidote to the poisonous consequences of a broken relationship, a man who works to forget...

"Il passo delle ore" (The pace of hours) is a melodic piece that underlines the importance of finding the right partner to share your time and your decisions. Those who have the bad chance to be lonely like stones are condemned to climb an endless stairway to the moon...

Then it's the turn of "La fabbrica delle nuvole" (The factory of the clouds), a magnificent instrumental track that starts with the pace of a gentle giant in a glass house. Try to imagine a factory producing dreams and expectations through words and notes and listen to the sound of its cogs and wheels...

"La luna e la lepre" (The moon and the hare) is a beautiful track with a medieval atmosphere and excellent harmony vocals. It tells the story of a hare that was charged by the moon to bring a message to humanity... Unfortunately, the hare forgot the words of the moon and delivered a wrong message provoking sadness, shadows and ice...

The bitter-sweet "Estate '41" (Summer '41) evokes the image of two lives on the border. Dreams falls down and a magma of memories throws stones into a fragile heart... And yet, there's still time to listen to strange sounds, the beating of the drums seems like the voice of screaming giants. The war is raging outside, it's a difficult time for two lovers but their kisses are able sweep off all the words and the sense of distress...

The following "Nel fiume dei giorni i tuoi capelli" (In the river of days your hair) opens softly. It's as if the arms of a clock would start to go back in time seeking for the memories of lost summer days, as in a hypnotic trance. Then the music becomes bolder and Gentle Giant could come to mind again while the notes begin to play hide and seek over a sea of a thousand words...

"Il matto e l'aquilone" (The madman and the kite) starts by a classical guitar intro, then the music goes through many changes in mood and rhythm while the lyrics conjure up the image of a madman in love who lives inside his desires and dreams to take off like a kite in the midst of a thousand colours and powerful sounds of thunders and bells. For him, life is just a flight beyond the sun, in total freedom...

The closer "Le parole che non vi ho detto" (The words I haven't told you) is a melancholic song led by piano and violin where regrets pour down like rain on a man who's thinking of the words he would say to his parents if he could meet them again...

On the whole, an excellent blend of poetry and challenging music and a great album that grows spin after spin.