MOOGG

Overall this album is okay, I recommend their second album first and if you enjoy that then listen to this. Other then that the album is pretty average for this kind of music (Canterbury Scene).

This is a good album, although I find the quality dips a bit after the first two tracks. Basically sounding like an Italian National Health the music one can except is without a doubt Canterbury Scene. The first two tracks I'd consider excellent for their exciting instrumental prowess and well placed vocals (in Italian). The music is all very cool and even at its worse is still good. Unfortunately after the first two tracks particularly on the fourth track the songs are not excellent, just good. The songs after feel thinner, less bold. For me this album just loses steam as it goes on which is a shame as it has a great start that takes up 1/3 of the album.

Also #Canterbury Scene

Easy 4/5, great album.

The album is bookended by two lengthy self-titled parts, a mix of busy constantly reprising jazz-fusion themes and deft jamming. Opener `Ieri / Italian Luxury I' buoyantly bristles by way of Toni Gafforini 's sparkling electric piano and whirling keyboard runs, Marco Dolfini's exotic and nimble percussion and Ivan Vanoglio's electric guitar gliding between bouncing funky licks and strangled wails. A vocal break in the middle is wistful and smooth, Marco's charismatic croon purring as the piece tears towards a racing tantrum of rattling drum attacks, Roberto Matiz's stuttering bass spasms, a frazzled guitar wig- out and spiralling piano implosion in the finale.

With its frequent drawn out raging electric guitar runs, the high-energy `Nani, Veline E Cortigiane' wouldn't have sounded out of place on D.F.A's `4th' disc or one of the more guitar-dominated Canterbury bands like Gilgamesh, but it also seamlessly works in a cool Caravan-esque electric piano-tiptoed saunter in the middle and a cheerful vocal scat to close on. `Turista Per Sempre' is a dreamy and mellow summer finger-snapping stroll with a spring in its hopping step, but there's teasing little fiery bursts here and there to keep you on your toes.

The mid-way point and `L'estinzione Del Congiuntivo' plies a permeating Zeuhl atmosphere and sense of danger to the Canterbury sound jazziness, with murky grumbling bass and glistening electric piano tendrils behind dirtier snarling guitars, and Marco even adopts a ravishing Christian Vander-esque murmur to his voice. His busy and sparkling drumming dominates the slinking `Le Voyage (pour Christian Vander)', dedicated to the Magma visionary, and around some catchy repeating themes it slides into a darker groove of gnarling guitars and slithering bass/drum duelling, and plentiful delirious zippy keyboard freakouts are not too far removed from modern band the Tangent, themselves a frequently Canterbury- inspired group.

Instrumental `Due Come Noi' is a sublime late-night sobering come-down, full of a longing romantic tenderness to its gentle acoustic guitars but it also manages to avoid being overly pretty or too delicate, and the impromptu electric piano throughout recalls Steve Miller's contributions to Caravan's hugely underrated `Waterloo Lily' album. It just might be the album highlight, and that's on a disc crammed beginning to end with amazing music!

`Italian Luxury II (include Ritorno A Ieri)' then returns to the opener and delivers a final run of powered up and driving jamming packed to the gills with peppy rapid-fire whizzing keyboards, plenty of foot-tapping grooves, slithering Zeuhl-flecked bass ruminations, big percussion-fuelled breaks and a searing guitar climax to end on high.

Moogg's debut might have already been a winner, but `Italian Luxury Style' is exactly how a band not only improves on a strong first product, but completely steps up in status as a band and delivers a vastly superior follow-up crackling with inspiration and future potential. Up there with eclectic and colourful genre-melting works like the Mad Fellaz recent second album, `Italian Luxury Style' is an essential jazz-fusion/Canterbury-related release (and one that Zeuhl followers should also investigate!), and one of the finest releases, Italian or otherwise, that emerged in 2016.

Five stars.

1. "Le Ore I Giorni Gli Anni" (7:22) is a great jazz tune in the Canterbury/CARAVAN/HATFIELD AND THE NORTH tradition using many of the same instruments and sounds as well as constructions and stylings as those bands. Great song. And a pretty good voice from drummer Marcos Dolfini! I LOVE the both of the two different guitar soli in the fourth minute. Such a fun song! There's even a bass solo! (9/10)

2. "Classe 21" (6:38) The drumming is so 1970s! So are the keys, rhythm guitar and bass lines. Wonderful replication and execution--yet sounding fresh! I love the second section with its vocals being run through an effects box and the awesome lead guitar sound. (9/10)

3. "Il Perche' Di Esser Me" (5:48) great song: pacing, melodies, mood, performances, and vocals. One of my favorite songs from the year! (9.5/10)

4. "Gli Arroganti" (instrumental) (7:18) has the definite vibe of 1970's Black Sexploitation movie soundtrack music. Herbie Hancock doing a Bill Cosby show soundtrack. (8.5/10)

5. "Responsabilità" (4:30) has such a HATFIELD sound and feel to it--thought the vocal is so AREA/Demetrio Stratos! My favorite part of the song is the instrumental soli! (8.5/10)

6. "Lunalia" (instrumental) (4:41) is a gentle, simple, pretty, four-chord, keyboard-driven soft-jazz instrumental. Nice but nothing earth-shatteringly new or beautiful here. (7.5/10)

7. "Moogugni" (instrumental) (3:06) another soundtrack that could easily come from the 1970s--AREA or some African-American funk-jazz band. Very tightly performed. (9/10)

8. "Welfare Botanico" (14:41) opens with an almost DEODATO "Also Sprach Zarathustra" sound and feel to it before everything quiets down and restarts with a hypnotic organ, bass, and drum line over which the electric guitar solos. By the end of the second minute, we've heard some bridges, transitions, and shifts which allow the keyboard a turn in the solo position. At 2:15 it turns back to the elgtr. until a stop-and-start bridge at the end of the third minute leads into a very pretty CAMEL-like section. This part could've been on Moonmadness! The fifth minute takes us through a few twists until at 4:35 Marco's mellifluous voice sings us into the palm of his hand. Beautiful! And powerful. Then, at the six minute mark, we turn into an awesome kind of KHAN Space Shanty-like jam section-- which goes on at a great speed for over three minutes before we slow down at the 9:10 mark for a return to the Deodato electric piano sound and another spacey, jazzy hypnotic section. Nice drum play in this section! At 10:42 we move into a little more upbeat, almost disco-beat section. How HATFIELD-ish! Nice! Even the ensuing 'delicate' vocal section is fitting--especially as it precedes the crescendo of voice, synths and band into one of the high points of the album. How perfect! Not the most sensibly constructed song but it is an awesome rollercoaster ride--one that should not be missed! (9.5/10)

These guys have not only picked up the torch on some amazing sounds and influences from the 1970s but they've embraced and made it their own. Definitely a band to keep one's eye on for the future!

4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of progressive rock music and a very welcome revival of all that was great with 1970s Canterbury style music.

"Leri/ Italian Luxury" opens with piano melodies then a powerful soundscape takes over briefly before what sounds like clavinet takes over with drums, then a full sound arrives. This is catchy and somewhat funky even. Angular guitar after 2 1/2 minutes as it starts to solo over top. Synths take the lead before 4 minutes as the guitar steps aside. The guitar is back then we get a change 5 1/2 minutes in as it calms right down with intricate guitar as the bass and drums join in as well. It all stops before 6 1/2 minutes as a new soundscape takes over of riffs and spacey synths before we get vocals(love them) for the first time before 7 minutes, piano too. It mellows out after 8 minutes then builds as the vocals continue. A change before 9 minutes as we get some impressive drum work and more. So good! Ripping guitar 10 minutes in as the tempo picks up. Check out the bass solo that follows, then it all kicks back in with fast paced piano and more. The guitar and upfront bass is back! What a great opening track but I still think the title track from the previous album is their best song and opener.

"Nani, Veline E Cortigiane" hits the ground running and I'm so impressed with the instrumental work here. The bass, drums and guitar really shine. A calm before 2 1/2 minutes with prominent bass and drums only at first then the keys join in too. It settles back after 3 1/2 minutes but I'm still loving the bass work and piano. Oh yeah the guitar continues to be outstanding. Vocals arrive after 4 1/2 minutes. It's building, even the vocals are more passionate. So good!

"Turista Per Sembre" opens with a sample of someone sanding wood? I'm not sure(haha), sounds like he just blew the shavings away. That sample returns after 4 minutes as well, a rubbing sound. Anyway we get piano, a beat and intricate guitar lines throughout. It's fairly laid back and trippy. "L'estinzione Del Congiuntive" opens with a funky groove that sounds like Zeuhl all the way surprisingly. Electric piano joins in as well only adding t that flavour. It all picks up before 1 1/2 minutes and vocals follow as the Zeuhl vibe disappears. Check out the drumming a minute later. Angular guitar before 3 minutes then some strange spoken words as the guitar and drums continue.

"Le Voyage(Pour Christian Vander)" is a song that has some incredible drum work on it not surprisingly as it's dedicated to the MAGMA founder. Sounds rise and fall then we get some cool drum work and electric piano. Synths take over and then the guitar starts to solo over top before 2 minutes. Nice. More excellent drum work follows with organ this time then the synths return. The guitar is back before 4 minutes as themes are repeated. A calm follows as the drums and bass seem to play randomly. It kicks back in at 5 1/2 minutes with the guitar grinding away. An incredible song.

"Due Come Noi" is a beautiful and laid back tune with piano, a beat and strummed guitar. "Italian Luxury Style II(Including Ritorno A Liri)" has a big opening but it settles quickly. Synths, bass and atmosphere help out before the vocals arrive. The bass, drums and synths lead the way before 2 minutes then the guitar starts to make some noise after 3 minutes. It settles right down around 5 minutes in and check out the percussion a minute later. Some soaring guitar around 9 1/2 minutes as well.

I think this is a better and more consistent release than the previous album even if my favourite song by them is on that earlier record. They've upped their game instrumentally in my opinion. One of the best from 2016.

The title track as I mentioned won me over right away. It's still one of my favourite songs from 2011. It hits the ground running but then settles into a gorgeous soundscape with vocals. Keys, drums and guitar stand out here. Nice keyboard solo 1 1/2 minutes in then the guitar replaces the keys before 3 minutes as it stays instrumental. The vocals are back before 4 minutes but not for long as another instrumental section takes over until before 6 minutes. The vocals are so good. "Classe 21" is a top three song along with the title track of course. Such a good keyboard/ bass/ drum section to start. Guitar 2 minutes in as the soundscape drives harder. Vocals before 3 minutes. Great sound! Love the tone of the guitar before 3 1/2 minutes and the rhythm section kills. The guitar starts to light it up before 6 minutes and the drumming impresses as usual.

"Il Perche Di Esser Me" has a laid back start as reserved vocals join in. It all turns more passionate 2 minutes in including the vocals. A change after 2 1/2 minutes as the tempo picks up in this keyboard driven instrumental section. Nice bass too. The guitar starts to solo then the vocals return as it stays uptempo although the vocals are brief. "Gli Arroganti" is an instrumental that starts with this repetitive melody until it settles in. Guitar to the fore after a minute. A change before 2 minutes as we get this uptempo soundscape with keyboards, bass and drums leading. Nice. The guitar is lighting it up after 4 minutes. "Responsabilita" is another uptempo soundscape with impressive keys, bass and drums. The vocals join in and they will come and go. "Lunalia" is a relaxed instrumental, quite chilled with a catchy keyboard melody that comes and goes. "Moogugni" is another energetic instrumental with keyboards and guitar sharing the lead. Check out the bass 2 1/2 minutes in.

"Welfare Botanico" is my final top three and this one is close to 15 minutes in length. A spacey intro with cymbals and piano joining in. It kicks in around a minute with a pulsating rhythm and guitar over the top. Some jazzy piano before 2 minutes while the bass throbs. The guitar is back as the flavour changes and is repeated throughout. A beautiful sound before 3 1/2 minutes with those spacey synths. Reserved vocals after 4 1/2 minutes as it settles some. The vocals do become passionate. A change 6 minutes in as it turns instrumental. Nice guitar here. So uplifting. Don't let it end! But they didn't listen as the keys replace the guitar before 8 minutes. The drumming and bass is so good here as usual. A calm after 9 minutes as the drumming, electric piano and bass shine. It's building as the guitar starts to lead before 11 minutes as a former theme is repeated. A calm with vocals follows as it kicks in at 12 minutes. Nice synth work during this rather intense section to end the album.

I want to give this more than 4 stars but I just can't do it. Regardless, this is one amazing recording that fans of DFA and the like should enjoy a lot.

I give this album the highest rating and highly recommend it to listeners of prog-rock!

The sources of inspiration of the band surface instantly on Moogg's debut, which is a delicate Canterbury-spiced Prog Rock/Fusion amalgam with sweet interplays, romantic melodies and even some fiery and dramatic sections, reminiscent of the Classic Italian Prog delivery.I am surprised they do not refer to Picchio dal Pozzo as one of their influences, cause there are some strong similarities between the two bands, anyway, echoes of CARAVAN and HATFIELD AND THE NORTH are evident throughout the album, from the slight psych-flavored vocal melodies and tunes to the consistent jazzy background, dominated by careful interactions, solos and breaks, featuring some great keyboard fanfares on electric piano and synthesizer.But the expressive Italian vocals will often add a personal touch to a very British-indluenced sound, while the more neurotic synth parts along with the bombastic material come a tad closer to the classic local groups like BANCO DEL MUTUO SOCCORSO during their mid-70's experiments.8 years of writing and performing had resulted to a good combination between semi-abstract soloing and solid musical structures, propelled by the superb guitar and keyboard parts.I loved it, when I saw a Mellotron in the album's credits, but this appears way too sporadically to fully appreciate its presence.Fusion legends IL BARICENTRO is also another group to come to mind while listening to ''Le ore i giorni gli anni'', a work containingh also some light funky vibes at moments.

File next to PICCHIO DAL POZZO.Elegant Prog Rock with major jazzy waves akin to the Canterbury bands plus some drama reminiscent of the Italian Prog pioneers.Solid and recommended release...3.5 stars.

The lively title track opens the album with a touch of bitter-sweet nostalgia and grey and pink colors. When you are young you think that you have all the time to shape your ideas, to find the right sounds for your music and make your dreams come true. Later, as you grow up and the daily grind absorbs your energies, you realize that your time is running short and you have to hurry to reach your goals. You would like to stop for a moment but you can't... "Now I know it / The days are escaping from me / And I keep on running after them...".

"Classe 21" (The 1921 contingent) is another excellent track dealing with time. The lyrics portray an old man facing a youngster who perceives him just as a burden and finds his stories boring and uninteresting. But in the past the old man was bold and brave, he overcame many obstacles, he fought during the war and every night his past comes back to him and lives again in his dreams... "You seem incapable to think of me as a young man / Films upon films made me believe that my whole past was in black and white...". The mood is dark while the music marks the contrast between old and new compounding modern and vintage sounds in a very effective way.

The reflective "Il perché di esser me" (The reason to be me) begins softly and the mood is dreamy. The lyrics are about growing up and describe the need to leave behind your childhood. You have to understand what you really want to do in your life, once you have made up your mind you can take a new way but if you look behind for a moment your toys seem almost to be smiling at you asking why you're leaving... "It's time to go away, cheating on nostalgia... Now I drive slowly along this new way...". Eventually the rhythm takes off and your journey can start.

"Gli arroganti" (The arrogant people) is a beautiful instrumental track featuring funky patterns and many changes in mood and rhythm. The music seems almost taking you to a party and all you have to do is relax, enjoy the nightlife and get into the swing of things. The following "Responsabilità" (Responsibility) begins with a frenzied rhythm and there's tension in the air. Well, when the party is over you have to take up with reality. You have to pay a tribute to your normality and think of your role on earth. Are you ready to set a family and raise a baby? What would you teach to your children? At least teach them to be brave, they have to set off on a long journey... Eventually the tension melts giving way to a more relaxed Latin rock passage. I know, sometimes you have to throw caution to the wind and go with your heart but beware! "Responsibility!".

Then comes the dreamy, calm instrumental "Lunalia", followed by another short instrumental track, "Moogugni". The title is a kind of mix between the words moog and grumbling and as the rhythm takes off again you have better to get ready for another frenzied ride on the wings of your imagination. The long, complex "Welfare botanico" (Botanic welfare) concludes the album with a touch of "green energy" and some reflections about the meaning of life. There's a green sap which runs inside the trees and makes them grow, it gives them energy without a reason... "I wish I were like that sap, vegetal mind / Going up like that forever / Holding tight the life in me / Knowing there's no other way...".

All in all, I think that this is a very good album and that it's really worth listening to.

One thing that Moogg proves yet again is that, just because a band hails from Italy, they don't necessarily perform in the unique and identifiable Rock Progressivo Italiano (RPI) style the country is known for in progressive music circles. Moogg is no exception to this rule, although you will find little moments throughout that incorporate brief similarities, perhaps on the passionate delivery of the vocals on `Classe 21' or `Welfare Botanico'. Although there's been plenty of bands who have adopted the Canterbury sound without being directly linked to the original founding musicians, there hasn't been much in the way of Italian bands following in the same path. Picchio Dal Pozzo perhaps come to mind, but they now have good company with Moogg.

Anyone who loves Caravan will greatly enjoy the opening title track, with it's foot-tapping and cheerful arrangement. After a snappy opening, chiming guitars, glistening electric piano and dancing bass fall in place with Marco's confident deeper vocals that keep the piece from sounding too lightweight. Not even two minutes and we're off to the land of Grey and Pink, with a dazzling extended synth run and gorgeous melodic guitar soloing that sounds like a modern interpretation of that classic Canterbury album. That's one thing Moogg does so well, take their love of 70's Canterbury music and give it their own modern and contemporary spin.

My personal favourite and album highlight is the second track `Classe 21', showing that the band doesn't merely rehash and remake other bands and albums. Beginning with programmed electronics, heavy drumming and brooding guitars, it's takes a quick dip back into a sprinkling of twinkling electric piano and jazzy guitar noodling before the main melody finally kicks in. Tense phasing electronics and hard distorted bass, with a dark and moody treated vocal from Marco, nice aggressive synth soloing in the middle, and edgy emotional guitar grinding from Ivan all through this too. Very modern sounding and hints at the real potential of the band.

`Il Perche' Di Esser Me' starts as a more serious and relaxed vocal/electric piano piece but quickly builds in urgency, then launches into an uptempo jazz/fusion rocker with the band really taking off. Passionate delivery from Marco and grooving electric soloing carries the piece home. There's also a real positivity to `Responsabilita', a quirky fusion pop/rocker with boisterous vocals, leaping bass, uplifting electric soloing and jazzy electric piano.

The total knockout of the album is the nearly 15 minute `Welfare Botanico'. The piece covers so much ground, really challenging and pushing the band to the limits of their talent. Moody ambient sections, an overload of forceful fusion and Hatfield and the North technicality, smoky groovy breakaway moments, experimental fragments, blissful Mellotron wisps - the imigination and variety never ends on this one! All the while, it's perfectly grounded by the constant fluid bass of Gianluca Avanzati. Marco's vocals gets a real workout on this one too, moving from reflective croon to forceful booming - Ahh, there's that recognized Italian flavour. Wait for the truly stunning rising Mellotron/synth fanfare finale that wraps the piece - absolute progressive precision and grandiosity.

As for the three instrumental tracks, the first half of `Gli Arroganti' is a hyperactive wavering Moog/synth run over loose jazzy drumming and dreamy guitar, before a fiery lead guitar and bass duel in the second half - the band really cooks on this one! `Lunalia' is a warm and romantic word-free lullaby with gentle percussion and a floating cloud-like synth melody, simply beautiful. The peppy fusion rocker `Moogugni' is full of ragged guitar and pumping bass soloing, manic drumming and sprightly electric piano, but regretfully keyboard player Toni can't help dropping in a melody from the Bee Gee's `Staying Alive' in the brief disco diversion about a minute in! Cute the first time, a little annoying and cheesy on repeated plays! Still, it shows the band has a wink in their eye and a nice sense of humour!

Anyone who wants to hear an inventive and talented modern band bring the Canterbury sensibilities of Hatfield and the North/Caravan and 70's jazz/rock/fusion kicking and screaming into the modern age, with typical Italian tastefulness and a welcome sense of humour need look no further. Moogg have released a beautifully produced, perfectly played and exciting debut album that deserves plenty of attention, and I can't wait to hear a follow-up. So much charm, potential and talent, and you also won't find a better album to put you in a great mood either!

An easy and well-deserved four stars.