UNO

This is an album of good rock music but nothing very special or too innovative here--and I even find myself wondering if it is even prog--though it is bombastic and pretentious. But, then, so were The Doors. I do wonder, however, what might have happened had the band members stuck together and done some more albums. The production engineering are surprisingly clear and the mixing done very well.

1. "La Paura" (6:02) a kind of cool, melodic, though simple blues rock song in the DOORS or DEEP PURPLE vein. I guess it's the panned "wind" synth and organ play that make this one proggy. The weave of multiple soloists in the final two minutes, too. (9/10)

2. "Un Re Senza Reame" (5:06) such clear engineering is a delight to hear--even with the lead vocals. I don' t know why it's so difficult to record and mix choral or background vocals, though. Melodic and in your face, this one could prove memorable. (8.5/10)

3. "Un Uomo" (4:56) opens with some aggressive, fairly fast whole-band chord play before dropping back into a very simple foundation for the vocals to begin. The alternating quiet vocal-heavy instrumental sections used here seems fairly common in Italian prog. At 2:16 a sole bass bridges to a new kind of jazzy jam section. Bass and organ seem both on the verge of soloing though it is really the drummer who is doing the interesting stuff. Then we get a lead guitarist to step forward in a kind of GRAND FUNK RAILROAD solo section. The spirit of URIAH HEEP seems also strongly present. (8.5/10)

4. "Scacco Al Re Lot" (4:32) opens with some quick-to-engage melodic hooks from guitar and organ. It is interesting how essential to each melody structure the bass play is. It is highly unusual to here such prominence given to the bass throughout an album as it is here. The vocal section in the second half of the second minute is quite nice. This is then followed by a bridge into a "mediæval" section with guitar and harpsichord providing old background to the emotional vocal. Again, URIAH HEEP comes strongly to mind here. The final minute shifts back into heavier rock mode before playing an electrical variation on the classical theme using in the mediæval section. (9/10)

5. "Il Vento, La Luna E Pulcini Blu" (9:58) opens with a kind of rock founded ancient theme (as in the previous song) with spinet and acoustic guitar. These remain to accompany the vocal section but is then followed by an instrumental section in which some experimenting with bass and electric guitar sounds in the third minute is accompanied by spinet arppegi and cymbal play from the drums. This section then repeats three times as it is alternated with variations on the theme from the opening. The plaintive vocal only recurs twice in the entire song for perhaps a total of one minute's time, making this virtually and instrumental composition. An entertaining and nice sounding song--though it could have been developed with more variation and an additional theme or two in the ten-minute mix. (7.5/10)

6. "Waiting" (3:08) opens with recorded noise either from a factory or a train station which is then joined and commuted into distorted portamento space sounds before being replaced by fast-paced blues rock music of two main alternating themes, the first ejaculatory and bridge-like, the second more organ-based blues cruising. The alternating occurs four cycles before ending in a kind of crescendo of cacophonous sound coming from all of the instruments at one time. Interesting but... (7.5/10)

A solid four star album; a nice addition to any prog lover's music collection and especially recommended for RPI fans.