VISION

Lorandi & Co.

Phoenix Rises Again...Again!

That is, the mythical immortal bird that cyclically is reborn, lives again; so, Phoenix rises again...again. And this is a tribute to the Lorandi clan, a number of whom contribute to this remarkable album, some of whom were part of the original Phoenix, and especially Claudio Lorandi, now gone, but never forgotten.

"Vision" is the fourth studio album released by Italy's PHOENIX AGAIN- the band that arose from the ashes of the early '80's PHOENIX, with the tragic death of Claudio as a catalyst to rise...again. When their first album "ThreeFour" was released in 2011, some thought that might be the end of the line.

But NO!

I said, "remarkable". And although to these ears much of the neo-progressive music I've heard seems a bit dialed back and lacking inner fire, in "Vision" PHOENIX AGAIN clears up the fog and gauzy edges. From the growling Hammond organ in the opening "Ouverture", to the gentle nightmarish chaos of closing "Threefour" (intriguing reference to their 2011 album, eh?), PHOENIX AGAIN offers a rich tapestry of lavish keyboard work, tasteful acoustic 6 and 12-string, clean and gritty electric guitar playing, solemn bass guitar, and for me the star of this outfit- the stellar, tasteful, colorful drumming throughout.

The lengthiest track, "Moments of Life" has dark, heavy guitar, a growing chaotic synth line, organ, electric piano, shifting into nifty jazzy lines with dreamy guitar overhead, with many examples of that tasty, propulsive drumming. In fact, one of the defining qualities for me is the inner propulsive, fiery aspect of the works of PHOENIX AGAIN, in "Vision", even when things slow and become moody, or sweet, and ever-present melodicism abounds.

King Crimson

Do I have your attention now? At least for me, "Triptych"- and elsewhere- gave me KC-vibes- the spare fury, odd but compelling guitar/bass lines sometimes coupled with synth, some off-kilter acoustic guitar accents, and some cool guitar/bass/drum riffs, leading to syncopated rhythms from the gutsy guitar.

"Air" brings in acoustic 12-String guitar chiming, with just the hint of hi-hat percussion, then the guitar/bass lines ring out, and intensifies , only to subside with sweet, melodic guitar and piano melodic lines. There are lush ascending lines, then darker textures leading to grand piano with bold arpeggios. Somehow free-form playing and chaos threaten throughout the album- the "vision" apparently includes the reality of intrusions into the gorgeous textures and joys of living.

"Psycho" reinforces the 'craziness' by opening with brash synth lines that race and tumble, and a deep, grumbling synth, developing and intensifying. Spooky mellotron textures enter- and somehow glockenspiel adds to the mix.

So, Considerable Width and Depth

...in this "Vision". There are so many highlights. For me, "Propusione" is the standout track among standout tracks. I love the choral depth- more Lorandi's participate- and the presence of brass instruments brings some cinematic grandeur. Here again, drumming really stands out. What strikes me is the humility of the drumming, not seeking the limelight, but playing so well to the music, to enhance, to accentuate, to lend depth and texture.

My Conclusion

Grand. Melodic. Playful. Chaotic. Reflective. So many fine elements in this instrumental gem. I rate this one a solid 4 stars, and excellent addition to any progressive rock collection- and one you may find yourself returning to again...and again!

The Lorandi family is at it again churning out an album of melodic jazz-rock fusion based in sound palettes familiar to prog rock.

1. "Ouverture" (4:03) a pleasant upbeat instrumental to get us started--like a nice drive through the Lombard countryside. (8.75/10)

2. "Moments of Life" (10:28) a very pretty, mellow, almost STEVE HACKETT-pretty heart-jerker. At the four-minute mark an electronica sequence enters and dominates the baseline of the weave until the rock instruments kick back in with some cinematic aplomb and bombast. Nice!The break out into a swing section at the eight-minute mark is a bit hokey (and disappointing) but appropriate to the symphonic cinematic mood already promoted here. Nice emotive lead guitar work in the last 90 seconds. (17.5/20)

3. "Triptych" (6:54) sounds a bit like some of DAAL's earlier music--driven from the lower end of each musician's realms. Nice jazz-fusion instrumental work but nothing very extraordinary here except for the familiar sound palette. (13/15)

4. "Air" (6:38) sounds like sound palette behind FOCUS' "Wingless" (from the 1978 Con Proby album) with a different set of instruments exploring the lead melody transmission jobs. At 3:18 we are once more transported into the bass-heavy, 'tron-drenched "classical" music of DAAL. (8.75/10)

5. "Psycho" (4:32) spry KEITH EMERSON-like keys sprout into the opening of this one as the rest of the band eventually fill the ELP-like musical field. The structure of this one has some really nice buildup of tension over which some nice soloing occurs. Very nice, tight construct with equally tight top-notch musicianship. Another top three song. (9/10)

6. "La Fenice alla Corte del Re" (6:34) a little foray into the territory of KING CRIMSON and NIL. Nicely done. The band can really pull it together and sound like a top notch prog band instead of a cinematic orchestra. Definitely a top three song. (9/10)

7. "Propulsione" (6:42) feels like a musical expression of some speed test. I like the play with scales and polyphony within some of the parts. Then there's the KCrimson-like vocal melody explored by the family choir. Another top three song. (9/10)

8. "Mamma RAI" (4:36) feels like a cross between a FOCUS song and the TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA. (8.75/10)

9. "Threefour" (2:06) a cute little ditty that makes for a great little exit song--like going out with a waltz! (4.5/5)

Total Time 52:33

B/four stars; an excellent addition to any prog lover's music collection--especially if you're into solid cinematic instrumental music.

Now here's a band with an amazing history. Starting as PHOENIX all the way back in 1981 in Brescia, Italy by three Lorandi brothers, this band stuck it out until 1998 but never released a single album or even a single for that matter. The band was influenced by the usual 70s progressive rock suspects but seems to have been most effected by the symphonic prog bands like Camel and Genesis. Not sure if the band toured or just wrote material that never saw the light of day.

Fast forward to 2007, singer and guitar play Claudio Lorani passes away and the remaining brothers decided to resurrect the band in 2011 as PHOENIX AGAIN. Since then this interesting band has remained somewhat obscure but has released five albums with the latest being this one titled VISION. A beautiful album cover always gets my attention which is what prompted me to sample this band out of the lengthy list of wonderful prog releases of 2022. And i'm very happy i did! I wasn't expecting something this intricately divine and that the musicians on board would be seasoned veterans with decades of experience under their belts.

VISION sounds like a modern day phenomenon of an exquisitely production oriented release only with its roots in the dreamy sounds of Camel's "The Snow Goose" or "Moonmadness" only without sounding too much like Camel or any other and for that matter. Once again the band features four Lorandi brothers with two guitars, a bass and percussion. There is a second percussionist and a keyboardist. The rich soundscapes also feature the occasional horn, trombone, trumpet and vocals in choral form. The music is primarily instrumental with groovy guitar hooks and jazzier rock sections.

This album features nine tracks at over 52 minutes of playing time. The tracks range from trippy mellow atmospheric sounding with retro Hammond and minimoog to full on upbeat rock guitar heft as well as more more processed guitar sounds. The mellotrons are on full retro mode and although the overall feel might insinuate what Camel should have released after "Moonmadness," the more adventurous time signature workouts and avant feel of some of the grooves harkens more to King Crimson around the "Red" album. Despite being from Italy, PHOENIX AGAIN sounds more inspired by English bands as there are no Italian lyrics in traditional prog form and none of the avant-garde excess of bands like Area, Il Balletto di Bronzo or PIcchio dal Pozzo.

This is very "airy" music for the most part with soft sensual atmospheres accompanied by rock that never gets too out of control however some ferocious keyboard attacks do give this album an edge. A lush pastoral backdrop is never far behind even when the guitars threaten to start a riot. Basically this album exists in some gray zone between neo-prog and Camel inspired symphonic prog but also showcases a lot of lighter breezy jazz-fusion bands not unlike Pat Metheny and the similarly inspired but just when it threatens to get too airy fairy the guitar pace picks up and jittery keyboard runs or ominous time signature deviations punctuate the routine.

While the tones and timbres may evoke certain artists of the past, the biggest surprise is how varied and perfectly constructed the composiitons on this one are. The musicians have been at this game for a long time now and it shows. A big surprise with this band and this album. Now i'll surely have to go back and hear what came before. Perhaps i would prefer a bit more of a robust drummer who filled the parts beyond the keeping the time bit but overall i cannot complain much about this fine release that feels like it connects some invisible dots between the mid-70s and the modern era. All in all an amazing album with one of my favorite album covers of the year!

No band can claim to have a more appropriate moniker than Italian band Phoenix Again , established in Brescia in 1981 as Phoenix , eventual dissolution in 1998, only to restore itself in 2010, adding the Again part. Their first 3 albums were utter joys, but the previous (2019) 'Friends of Spirit' was a sharp deviation from their strong RPI roots into a more acoustic, Latino/Spanish laid-back jazz groove that did not fare well in terms of ratings. They should have labelled it something else, such as 'the Lorandi family in Leon', or something similar. As befits a Phoenix, they rise back from the Hispanic ashes to revert to what they do best: masterful melodies, impeccable playing and very Italian prog.

The darting synthesizer swerves masterfully on "Overture", ably shouldered by tremendous guitar riffs, serpentine bass, powerful drumming and subsequent keyboard and electric guitar interplay. Their patented use of dual axe players conjure up images of 6 string intricacy that instantly hits the mark, as the duo provide power and delicacy, firmly intertwined, wrapped into cordial melodies. Time to settle down a bit and show some restrain by creating effective melodies, where extreme serenity and tonal splendour combine to recreate that magical Italian quality of romance within a musical form. All the players shine on their respective devices, as this band is a perfect platform for collective ensemble playing, followed by further revisits concentrated on each individual instrument. The fusion of classic prog with more modern electronic accoutrements is the hallmark of this remarkable epic track. The final segment is buzzingly grandiose and thrilling, something Hackett would applaud, grinning. "Moments in Life" is exquisite music, period.

The slightly more experimental "Triptych" dares to go beyond melody, veering into more obscure polyrhythmic gymnastics, proving that decades of experience can draw magical lines that would suit a roller coaster video. Brash, rugged, fiery, and utterly bold, the track serves its purpose in spades (as well as clubs, diamonds and clovers). Keeping their family feet firmly on the pleasure pedal, the 4 Lorandi brothers, aided by master keysman Andrea Piccinelli and deft drummer Silvano Silva, just keep showcasing their majestic talent on the suave "Air", offering a more dual acoustic guitar first half that imperceptibly morphs into prog heaven with a splendid guitar phraseology, getting progressively heavier as the mighty Mellotron kicks in and the bass guitar rises from its underground lair.

Can this aural delight possibly continue? Well, check out "Psycho" and see how high these lads can elevate their craft, as the Phoenix rises even higher on this monster track. Sizzling synthesizer leads scour the heavens at breakneck speed with strong Emerson/Wakeman tendencies, as Piccinelli rouses his talent on the ivories, setting the stage for the others to enter into the maelstrom. Its fast, furious and ?well, psychotic! The next track acts as a near segue as "La Fenice Alla Corte del Re" propels a sheer density of notes that will stun the technicians out there, while the atmosphere junkies (yours truly) will drool over the emotions the music explicitly encourages. At times, the intense guitar audacity is on a Frippian level, forcefully buzz sawing with total abandon. More polyrhythmic mayhem ensues, while still keeping a critical eye on the melodic horizon. The jet engine "Propulsione" is precisely that: a propulsive guided missile gone haywire, relentlessly in pursuit of some imminent explosion, launched with a militant lift-off which gathers speed and impulse until it reaches a sudden appearance of massive choir work, that will recall some early Crimson King theme that we all know and love. Very slick flare up, with fireworks lighting up the skies.

Two shorter pieces to finish off the album, "Mamma Rai" is a tender lullaby played on electric piano and acoustic guitar, the sound highly evocative of classical music etudes that have stood the test of time. This one will too, as the melody is beautiful. Half way through, it evolves into a more conventional rock format with powerful Celtic-tinged guitar phrasings , only to revert back and forth between the two melodic extremes. Very clever indeed. After all this previous excitement, "Three four" is a delicate lyrical 'arrivederci', as if the band wants to say that they will return with another splendid offering, once the Phoenix arises once Again.

One of the finest album covers in recent memory, brilliantly arousing the music inside.

5 Optical mirages

This Italian band was founded in Brescia, as Phoenix, they disbanded in 1998 and reformed in 2010, now under Phoenix Again. Meanwhile singer/guitarplayer Claudio had died in 2007, one of the three Lorandi brothers in the band (along Sergio on guitars and vocals and Antonio on bass and vocals). This inspired Phoenix Again to record their material on CD, starting with ThreeFour in 2011, and now Vision in 2022, the fifth CD in a row. The current five-piece line-up features the two Lorandi brothers, and a wide range of guest musicians (from glockenspiel to trombone and choir).

I am pleasantly surprised by this unknown Italian formation, these are good musicians, and they write tastefully arranged compositions, with lots of variety, dynamics and a healthy dose of vintage keyboards.

A sumptuous Neo-prog sound with Hammond, Minimoog and moving electric guitar in Ouverture.

From bombastic with howling electric guitar and sequencing to dreamy like Camel and finally Heavy with sensitive electric guitar solo in slow rhythm in the epic Moments Of Life.

A mid-tempo with spectacular Minimoog solo and rock guitar riffs in a bombastic climate in Triptych.

Air starts with twanging acoustic guitar, then a slow rhythm featuring Mellotron and moving guitar, wow!

Psycho delivers an electronic sound and tight beat, then bombastic with Minimoog, in an up-tempo.

A tight beat with fiery guitar, the music reminds me of the King Crimson inspired 'structured chaos', and finally a Minimoog soli with a tight beat in La Fenice Alla Corte Del Re.

Propulsione is another track with a bombastic atmosphere and tight beat, embellished with Hammond, sensitive electric guitar, and choirs, finally a moving guitar solo.

Mamma RAI starts dreamy with beautiful and tender electric piano. Halfway a surprising break with a tight beat, bombastic eruption, powerful rhythm-section, then again dreamy with electric piano and in the end bombastic with classically inspired rock guitar, how exciting.

Finally the short and mellow song composition Threefour (2:06) featuring dreamy work on guitar, keyboards, and the Mellotron flute, what a pleasant conclusion.

My rating: 3,5 star.