FELONA E SORONA

I loved LE ORME's Uomo di pezza upon first listen and continue to do so to this day. But, try as I might, the magic that so many prog lovers feel for Felona e Sorona has completely eluded me. The recording of the electronic keyboards is unusually bad--almost painful to my ears. I have listened to this album for almost six years. I even went so far as to buy it about a year ago--in hopes that the physical presence might help win me over. But it just doesn't work. The drums and bass are so elementary. The vocals don't have any of the melodic hooks that I fell for in Uomo di pizza. Sure, there are awesome, memorable moments or passages, but overall, in my opinion, it does not maintain the highs of a prog classic. The opening number makes me feel as if I'm at cheesy county fair--though it does have a wonderful final two minutes. The second number is best for its recorder at the end. The third song is best in its sparseness--the piano accompanying Aldo. The upbeat fourth song is most remarkable for its keyboard beginning--which is similar to, and predates, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway by a year or more. The fifth song is sparse with guitar supplanting keyboards but really goes nowhere. "Attesa" is scarred (to my ears) by the odd sliding bass riff repeating itself over the disco drumming. "Rittrato" is simple and anthemic (and has the album's best drumming and best overall mix--until the L channel el gtr starts to get louder). "All'infuori" is the most daringly experimental on the album with its unusual drum opening, quick organ flourish and then guitar foundation all eventually coming together in a very medieaval sounding presentation--and then breaking down into a spacious gap of nothingness mid song. Again, simplicity and procession seem to reign here. The album's best song is its finale, "Ritorno" (from which, understandably, La Maschera de Cera found their inspiration to create their 2013 Felona e Sorona 'continuation,' La Porte del Domani), an instrumental which finally uses all of its band members' sounds in interesting and innovative fashion. Anyway, perhaps if I knew Italian the impact of the lyrics would boost this one for me. Otherwise, this is but a three and a half star production for me: better than good but not an album that I'm going to rave about on a "highly recommended" list.