UNUSUAL MOVEMENTS

As I was imputing this latest offering from Inner Prospekt into my database (I have so many albums I need to keep track of them all), I was stunned to visualize that I have all 14 studio albums from this amazing musician I first discovered when he was /is still a member of Mad Crayon (having all their 4 releases as well). Suffice it to say, Alessandro di Benedetti has certainly grabbed my attention as well as pulled on my loyalty heartstrings, the sheer quantity easily matched by the consistent quality over the years. He has also been a much in demand session guest on a multitude of releases from the medieval-folk project The Guildmaster, the hyper-prolific The Samurai of Prog, as well as albums by Kimmo Porsti and Rafal Pacha. One needs only to observe all the high ratings on numerous prog sites to realize I am not the only fan (though I am a superfan, just missing a chance meeting in Rome last November but surely postponed due to conflicting schedules). Many of the afore-mentioned artists have been loyal to him as well, eagerly participating in the numerous projects Alessandro has produced, at a rather astounding pace, may I add.

"The Bridge" is the opening salvo, a lovely duet featuring bassist Daniele Vitalone and Alessandro on keyboards and drums, the spotlight clearly on some spectacularly fluid piano motifs that both display elegance and virtuosity. From short intro to a massive epic, we move to the 15 minutes+ "Mantra", a perfectly restrained electronic piece that sets a hypnotic soundscape, with echoing e-piano, pinging synths and ponging bass, mechanical percussion and solid drum groove, cleverly decorated with the urban Giuseppe Militello saxophone, perfectly capturing those somber 'isolation for the nation' Covid years, Alessandro's hushed vocals as if still wearing those darn masks, and stating repeatedly "Everything Will be Fine", the eternal mantra for those odd times we collectively had to endure. Forget vaccines for a second, this is panacea. The excruciatingly solemn piano spot is truly magnificent, leading into Federico Tetti's absurdly strident electric guitar solo, within the nevertheless moody foundation that does provide a sense of future salvation. The ticking clocks avoid the piano drops of patient resolve that was needed to survive the ordeal.

The inherent sadness of "Winter Day" evokes intense appeals for forgiveness, a simple song with delicate piano, fragile synthesizer, a steady beat and a melancholic vocal, a gently child-like expression that attempts to heal the heart. Marco keeps things melodic in the background. A father's plea for understanding to a son, who perhaps was not given enough tutelage and left to his own devices, a roll of the dice that can lead to a lot of grief. Time for another mega piece, a near dozen minutes of appropriately delivered progressive rock bombast, initially composed for Marco Bernard's debut solo album (I have that one too!), a childlike adaptation of the Peter pan tale. "Neverland" portrays the adventure as a symphonic soundtrack to the narrative, with Rafal Pacha providing the effusive guitar parts and Alessandro the rest, pushing forth a busy rhythm section including a whipped-up organ flurry that is just plain terrific. The classic Genesis influence is unashamedly overt and completely delightful.

"Just Five Minutes" lasts 7 minutes and 23 seconds but Italians (and Romans in particular) must be given some latitude because their innocent exaggerations are always charmingly rendered. The piece remains a jazzy counterweight to all the progginess, a reflective introspection as a respite, utterly classy and cool and thoroughly welcome. The e-piano is smokey sensual, the slick drum fills the air with pleasurable thumps, as Rafal unleashes a sterling guitar solo, taken over by Militello's dense flirtation with emotion, as the orchestrations add all the glory one can hope for. I always said there was not enough Sax and Violins in prog (thank you Mael Brothers!).

The intensely personal "Around the Corner" is another elongated arrangement that segues nicely from the previous splendor, a musical introspection that covers all the founding blocks that makes one into an individual, for humans are inherently fragile physically as well as frail mentally. Growing pains, fears, disillusionment, sadness, self-doubt, and disappointment collide with joy, pleasure, discovery, love, achievement and happiness. Hey, it's not easy. Music is a vessel for divulging all these conscious and subconscious feelings that make up art in general and music in particular. Federico' s athletic guitar interventions, the pulsating percussive percolations as well as the various keyboards exhibit these emotions, imperfectly perhaps but it is a personal thing, revealing the angels and shooing away the demons.

I personally have always believed that humans are inherently capable of masochism as well as sadism, hopefully in occasional thoughts and even less in deeds but "The Question" is what amount of self-discipline and proper reflection is needed to live a life of goodness? Truth is, we do have the capacity to hurt others like a hyena and kill ourselves like the scorpion. Alessandro is joined here by the incredibly talented Carmine Capasso on lead guitar, a blistering and intense solo that expertly shines the light on these sad human weaknesses. Bonus track "Living Like a Looner" is a continuation of "Neverland", a final arriverdeci that has a bouncy mood, a swirling bass undertow that guides the ears, a certain vocal nonchalance in the air, some resonating e-piano shuffles paired with a whistling synthesizer solo and slashed by a terrific axe flight. Another amazing stone placed in this imposing Roman structure, here is an artist that I can wholeheartedly recommend as a major player in Progland ...and beyond. Now, about that meeting at Danny's Bar on Via Gallia on day?

5 odd waves

"The Bridge" soaring electro intro drifting on a crystalline and fluid piano melody with Alessandro's keyboards; contemplative serenade leading to Federico's colorful solo; an interlude put into the mouth which sounds very pleasant modern. "Mantra" lugubrious clockwork, redundant GLASS-style piano, austere Giuseppe sax, the sound starts with a spatial electronic orchestral like ALAN PARSONS; hypnotic percussion groove before the vocal entry then the sax solo with a jazzy touch reminiscent of STRANGE POP's recent work on late-night urban legends; hushed vocals, phrasing, captivating, on the legendary Robert WYATT; everything will be fine if he tries to impress us; disillusioned, haunting air then the heavy guitar solo flight to try to chase away the viscous depth of Covid and its latent spiraling depression; romantic-dreamlike drift before the final cathartic symphonic crescendo, the return to this time which was numbered for us then. "Winter Day" takes up the tune from before, vocal and orchestration with a little more melancholy, ideal as a letter of apology for the future generation; the bass is powerful, setting a sad rhythm, a contemplative ballad from GENESIS where the synthesizer launches swirls of violins. Genesisian "Neverland", yes THE SAMURAI PROG, GENESIS everything is linked in fact given the adoration of Alessandro; the tone is groovy rock with a jazzy touch, one that rocks you, tortures you and doesn't leave you alone; Rafael's fantastic solo alternates with the Gabrielesque flute, the bass break and electronic keyboard make the head nod; this keyboard resumes, rural, the instruments leave on a symphonic space mixing progressive rock of yesteryear and updated sounds; the guitar gives the typical energy avoiding falling asleep or the weariness of vintage rock; Peter Pan revisited in a grandiose symphonic style full of certain dynamism, proven lyricism and grandiloquent beauty, hats off.

"Just Five Minutes" intro to VANGELIS Memories; it vibrates your stirrups before the jazzy tune pins you to your seat; Giuseppe's sax takes you to a smoky 'Roger Rabbit' style bar; the drums hit the eardrum, the guitar, the keyboard, everything is there to make you regress without getting bored; I have fun playing piano and guitar notes, yes jazz can be fun, in short very well done; we would forget that this title is a little over 5 minutes long. "Around the Corner" archaic piano, a note from SUPERTRAMP, a touch of rural mist; hushed vocals again, Federico goes on a fruity prog solo; the keyboard still leers on the bucolic atmospheres of BANKS, a little flute, we regress to GABRIEL; the piano seeks itself, forcing introspection; the orchestration is varied to leave the rhythm playful and navigate the memories of yesteryear while modeling the modern sound, a musical paradigm; dealing with childhood, its doubts, its expectations in a folk-jazzy then symphonic tune is art; art-rock for this breathtaking guitar finale with choirs coming straight from Olympus, magnificent. "The Question" intro that ANATHEMA loved to play, between latency, ideal atmosphere for reflection, the intimate, metronomic Floydian arpeggio; Carmine distils acoustics like a remedy for the damaged world, the sounds seem to descend from a musical waterfall, the bass explodes, the choir wanders before hearing Carmine's breathtaking electrified solo, pushing out of the album any other desire only very beautiful music; between WYATT and hard, between creation and absolute beauty; one of the most beautiful pieces of this year 2024. The dark, robotic finale with the serene piano.

"Living Like a Looner" as a bonus on CD with COLLINS-style pad, an alternative other than 'Neverland' for an eclectic, bouncy, borderline funky, quite hilarious derivation; the bad side of vintage prog which recalls certain current groups reveling in an unrenewed style, bonus it works.

INNER PROSPEKT releases this stunning album of mastery disseminating well-calibrated, non-boring jazz; intimate and atmospheric ambiances; emotion, the spleen tone, bordering on contemplative, ambient post rock; a concept for this haunting framework tinged with art-rock, symphonic and unique progressive rock. Inimitable. (4.5) Initially on Prog Profile.