ACQUA FRAGILE

Acqua Fragile is one of those classic italian prog acts, an unlucky band that only released two albums between 1973 and 1974. Acqua Fragile is the starting point for Bernardo Lanzetti his long career, before he entered PFM (he's now in Mangala Vallis).

The eponimous debut album is usually considered a must have by many italian prog lovers, even if - how certain reviewers pointed out - it clearly shows a strong influence from english bands as Genesis and Gentle Giant (this last on the second track "Comic Strips", mainly). I don't think we should blame them for this reason. It would be wrong, also considering the fact that this is a debut album. And what a debut. An already mature work from a new band for the musicianship!

The main problem with the record is that the band still hadn't found their own prog way and so the complex and rich arrangements sound a little bit cold as they try to reproduce the cliché of such foreigner famous groups ad libitum.

The result is very good with sparse flashes of excellence, in my opinion, from a prog - strictu sensu - point of view. The first two songs "Morning Comes" and the above mentioned Gentle Giant - influenced "Comic Strips" are their best effort while the folky "Science Fiction Suite", even if builded up in a sweet, catching and enjoyable melody, it's too repetitive not from resulting, somehow, boring. "Education Story" is wonderful, a dramatic piece changing rapidly into a more relaxed and happy atmosphere alternating with the returning seriousness as in the opening plus some hints of Gnetle Giant (for some vocal choruses).

After the weak "Going Out" the album closes (fortunately) with "Three Hands Man", a proggy Genesis-like excellent tune. One of the best, though.

All in all a very good album near to the excellence status, but not completely. 3.50-3.75 stars for me. In any case the general rating on this site is too low. Heartedly recommendable, but without having too much expectations.