MUTAZIONE

After falling in love with 2014's Sulla Bolla di Sapone--an album that appeared out of nowhere and snuck into my Top 10 Albums for that year--I found myself very excited to hear of this new release from these young Italians. And though different, it has not failed to live up to my hopes and desires.

1. "Il palazzo del chaos" (0:25) an introduction to the chaos that is not to follow!

2. "Io mi trasformo" (6:21) opens with a chord progression that is immediately inviting and engaging--developed by layers of band instruments before backing off to set up an easy going yet fast-driving horn-invested foundation for new singer Alessandro Graziano to put his gifted talents on full dispay. Melodically, rhythmically, harmonically, technically this is a very well-constructed, if theatric and formulaic, song. The chorus section after the fourth minute bass solo is pretty cool. (9/10)

3. "La cura delle cose" (5:55) a tightly-performed GENESIS-familiar song has plenty of twists and flourishes to render it into its own territory. For example, the Broadway-like section in the fourth and fifth minutes is very cool, very engaging. The guitar and trombone-led finale could have been better if the vocal line had been soaring instead of deepening. Still, it is gutsy and unique. (8.75/10)

4. "Musica di vento" (6:35) opens with an emotional piano and trombone section that once again feels so theatric, almost ready for a Broadway or opera aria. Once Alessandro has finished the first verse of his very impressive and emotional vocal a very powerful, beautiful instrumental section opens up and then seemlessly segues back into vocal support for the final to minutes. The chorus melody is so perfect, so professionally constructed and orchestrated, it's sure to melt hearts just like a ANDREW LLOYD-WEBER aria. (9.5/10)

5. "Mai tardi" (6:08) opens with a lone funky rhythm guitar before the rest of the band (including clavinet!) join in to create a fairly complex, jazzy, syncopated song structure. After 90 seconds the song is established well enough to support its first solo: the electric guitar. Separated by carnival sounds, the synth takes on the next solo, then bass in a stripped down section, soon joined by trombone. Fender Rhodes piano provides the foundation for the fourth minute in which thumping bass, multiple track trombones (and/or synth horns) and drums support a spirited electric guitar solo. At the 5:00 mark everybody makes way for the clavinet before a full band horn-blasting section takes us to the end. Quite enjoyable! (9.25/10)

6. "Il cielo di sé" (7:57) Alessandro singing with accompaniment of strummed guitar. In the second verse drums and bass join in. The very-Italian chorus is multi-voiced and with very little instrumental support. How similar this voice is to that of La Coscienza di Zeno's Alessio Calandreillo--in both power, timbre, and style. Synths and keys provide most of the inter-vocal instrumental soli. At 4:25 things quiet down for a softer, more plaintive vocal section. Electrified acoustic guitars, electric piano, and tuned percussion take over before the big dénouement at 5:35 in which power chords and soloing Arp synth. (12.5/15)

7. "Attesa" (2:58) a gorgeous aria based in acoustic instrumental support, this truly borders on something for the theater--either Broadway musical or even lyric opera. (9.5/10)

8. "Mutazione" (4:29) a buoyant, theatric jazz-rock instrumental that has quite a familiar FOCUS feel to it--both melodically and structurally. These guys are good! (9/10)

9. "Se c'è una buona ragione" (10:02) a bit corny for its racing "vox roboto" treatment of Alessandro's voice for the opening three minutes, there is some return to normalcy with the delicate section that starts in the fourth minute with Alessandro's normal voice. The music then re-amps up but not to the pace nor carnival theatricity of the opening. The complex (and quite enjoyable) sixth minute instrumental section is then followed by a solo church organ section. How odd! At 7:06 piano and Alessandro lead us into a new, bass-heavy instrumental section--one that progresses in an "upward" manner in terms of key changes and chord progressions until the final 30 seconds, which are filled with a recording of a female phone voice saying its goodbyes. Such an odd song. There are some really wonderful sections but some really weird tangentially incongruous skids and swerves. (16.5/20)

4.5 stars; a near masterpiece of theatric and intricately constructed and performed progressive rock music. FEM is a band that is firing on all cylinders: all members are working very tightly within some very intricately constructed compositions--plus there are extremely proficient musicians manning all of the contributing instruments (I love the trombone presence). And, Welcome new lead vocalist Alessandro Graziano! You are quite gifted!