IL BUCO DEL BACO

The 1970s RPI movement had the occasional jester band that would hide behind pseudonyms or have no pictures or names. Other groups had tongue-in-cheek band histories that would prompt more questions than they answered, and sometimes myth and legend creeped in to fill in the blanks. Just a couple that come to mind would be Ballettirosadimacchia, Jacula/Antonius Rex, and Horus, but I know there are more. The latest would be Milan's Il Buco Del Baco. I'm not going into their fantastical yarn-spinning myself, but you are welcome to read Andrea's biography of them on their ProgArchives artist page if you want to start digging into their mysterious past. I will comment only on their recent recording Sotto il Segno della Lampreda, which may be homage to the great bands of the '70s RPI scene presented with all sincerity and heart.

I'm not going to pretend these guys have Banco/PFM/Area levels of chops because they don't, but you don't need to be king of the hill to make a compelling album. And I loved this deep bench RPI album with its contrast of the reserved with the splendored. First off, as it should be if you're trying to do homage to RPI, we have a short 32-minute album. Perfect running time. Less is more. This philosophy carries into the songwriting as well. The album has a sparseness to it that I find so appealing. It is not the wall-to-wall density and bombast so common on many prog titles. Instead the players let each other have space while what they are playing is relatively slow to the point of sounding a bit understated, ditto the vocals. It ends up finding its own quirkiness in sound style and reminds me of past albums like Bibbo's Diapason, MO.DO, Persimfans, or Apoteosi. The relatively lonely keyboard lines used to move things forward have a wonderfully uneasy sense of melody, feeling almost like the distant sound of a carnival ride across the fairgrounds. While it's supposed to be a happy sound, it ends up feeling a bit strange and off-putting. That's how this album makes me feel, and it is unique to find something quite like this.

Some may call this album a mirage or write it off as more of an oddity than a "real" prog rock title, but I find it to be a marvelous re-creation of some of the more obscure titles that were around in the mid-'70s. I think they achieved beautifully what they were trying to accomplish. There is a lot of to-the-fore bass lines, vintage keyboard sounds, flute, and perhaps less guitar than many rock titles. At times the vibe will shift from symphonic into psych trippiness, even occasionally getting close to avant-garde or light electronic before pulling back. And then suddenly, quickly as it started, it is over. The older I get, the more I appreciate an effort like this: brimming with creativity, surreal, and yet instead of trying to recreate the wheel or bash you over the head with volume, speed, or dazzle, they simply slow things down and paint with thoughtful, endearing brushstrokes while conjuring contemplation of our collective mystery of existence---or, in this case, pursuing affairs of the heart under the deep blue sea. I can see this album getting some low ratings for the same reasons I rate it highly. They have an approach that is not going to work for everyone, but that is more than okay. The people for whom the approach does connect---the dreamy set---are in for a treat.

The opener "Lo scafandro di Sandro" (Sandro's diving suit) introduces the subject matter of the concept, a surreal submarine journey where the protagonist is looking for his sweetheart, a kind of siren called Rosalisca. The music draws unashamedly on vintage sounds and seventies influences while the lyrics tell of the protagonist who borrows the diving suit of his friend Sandro and sets off for his quest into the deep see...

"Mi immergo negli abissi" (I dive into the abyss) and the following "Dimmi, calamaro!" (Tell me, squid!) describe the first impact of the protagonist with the submarine world and its creatures. He meets some scared mackerels and a squid... A man who talks with the fishes asking for information? Well, the atmosphere of this concept is that of a funny comic strip full of irony and double meanings!

"Il disprezzo della sogliola" (The contempt of the sole) recalls Franco Battiato and tells about the meeting with a monstrous, raging sole. Next comes "Un dedalo di corallo" (A coral maze) where the protagonist gets lost into the coral reef, under the mocking glares of a sawfish. Despite the difficult situation he keeps on looking for his goal... Here the music reminds me slightly of BMS.

"Forse è lei" (Maybe it's she) blends Jethro Tull and Lucio Battisti and tells about the distorted visions of the protagonist who think he sees his sweetheart among swordfishes, sharks, sea urchins, sea anemones, crabs, cuttlefishes and other creatures... But he's wrong!

Then it's the turn of the long "Nel regno delle lamprede" (Into the lampreys kingdom) where the protagonist meets a hammerhead shark, a pearly razorfish, a spine trumpet fish, a clownfish, a triggerfish, a blowfish and finally enters the palace of the great lamprey. Here he realizes that Rosalisca doesn't love him: the great lamprey submitted her to his own power reducing her into a state of subjection and there's no way to bring her up back home with him...

The last track, "Il plagio di Rosalisca" (Rosalisca's plagiarism), is the weakest of the lot, a clumsy patchwork made of quotes from Lucio Battisti best known songs. Eventually the protagonist emerges from the sea alone and ends up to get drunk at the Milly Bar...

On the whole, a funny exercise of style with some ups and downs that deserves a try.