IL PESCE ROSSO...

This, the second album from the modern Italian band Montefeltro seems to be generally considerded weaker than the debut 8 years earlier. I can't compare Il Pesce Rosso to the debut (which I'm hoping to hear too!) but all the more I was quite pleased with it. Yes, it operates mostly on the softer side but for me that's just fine. The vocals are in Italian but otherwise I didn't find the music very "Italian" in nature.

The production is clean - almost a bit sterile - and the music seldom rocks, instead it has some sort of a sophisticated jazz feel (think of ECM label). Band's head is obviously Attilio Virgilio (vocals, guitars, guitar-synths, loops, composition, lyrics). Surprisingly against that notion, it's the rhythm section that really shines here, which actually saves the music from being too narcotic at places. Guitar work is not very exciting, I admit. The lyrics are based loosely on Goethe's classic novella about Young Werther, I suppose. (Sadly I don't remember any red fish from the book, but I read it such a long time ago.)

I came to think of 90's Marillion (albums like Afraid Of Sunlight or Brave) and some of Peter Hammill's later output (albums like Out Of Water or Everyone You Hold). Well, definitely no vocal power of Hammill in sight. Light-as-a-feather vocals stay quite secondary to music all the way (think of Camel). Female (background)vocalist guests on a couple of tracks, and a saxophonist on 'Sentilcuore'. No, this album is far from any sort of masterpiece, but pretty enjoyable, and there's not a single bad track. On the other hand, no absolutely memorable highlights either. 3½ stars, rounded up.