PER... UN MONDO DI CRISTALLO

RRR's single delectable morsel from 1972 is one to be reckoned with and just as impressive to these ears as some of the English heavy hitters.

Deeply layered, good vocals, stunning arrangements, complexity, varied and interesting songs, and extremely talented musicians displaying their chops. I can definitely understand the comparisons of this group to King Crimson and VDGG but RRR are not copycats, they have their own individual sound. This band just never sits still or wastes a minute coasting..we have constant movement and many convergent ideas coming and going. This is music for people who like chaotic prog, "hard" prog, music that is not necessarily easy to listen to but rewards after many spins. In fact it took a long time for me to "get" this album but I now love it.

"Nulla" is just a one minute classic organ intro but nicely sets the mood for the wavey ride that is coming, dark and rather unsettling.

"Su Una Rupe" begins with sweet acoustic guitar and flute, then dives headlong into frenzy as the vocals begin all in the first minute. The vocals are expressive but not as harsh as some other Italian groups. The electric guitar makes its first appearance butting heads with the flute/acoustic team.

"Il Mondo Cade" again begins with acoustic guitar. Then a nice groove begins with bongos, flute, and bass. We get some interludes of calm mixed with manic bombast almost like Gentle Giant, then strange wordless female vocals drifting in and out as the drummer is going totally wild. (The drummer is especially good in this band.) We return to the groovy acoustic jam at the end.

"Nel Mio Quartiere" is a jazzy number with some piano and sax at first, later adding some guitar as the pace picks up. Again the drummer is really something here with the fills.WOW!

"L'Ombra" intros with some spooky organ before a fast paced vocal section. A strange interlude near the end features some creepy female laughter out of nowhere.

"Un Palco di Marionette" at 10 minutes is the anchor track. The first minute is a very nice flute/acoustic portion before the band takes advantage of the time to stretch out and explore some different terrains, some rock, some psych, keeping you guessing.

"Sogni Di Cristallo" is the closer and is just bizarre. Folky and upbeat one minute, weird psych madness the next, and then to a finish that is like a musical setting sun. By the end you'll be both exhausted from and excited by this band.

The sound of the Japanese mini-lp CD is outstanding as is the production value. The gatefold inner artwork is classic early 70s fantasy depicting a barren, destroyed world. The musicianship is absolutely first rate across the board. I agree with Micky that this album deserves to be in the top tier of Italian bands for its power and exploratory prowess.

If you like classic Italian you must own this title. And I think a good portion of any early 70s proggers will appreciate this, perhaps not on the first few spins, but eventually. Really pretty solid.

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