IL TEMPO DELLA GIOIA

The second of only two studio albums from Quella Vecchia Locanda, both highly regarded amongst RPI fans, Il Tempo Della Gioia saw the band in the main leaving behind the more bombastic moments of their eponymous debut and expanding more on the classical influences evident on that release.

Il Tempo Della Gioia is largely a more mellow affair, classical influences well to the fore, occasional jazz flourishes with pastoral moments alongside occasional forays into more high octane territory. Fans of PFM should find much to enjoy here on an album lacking any real highs and lows. That's not meant in a derogatory sense as it's an album maintaining a high standard throughout. The organic production leaves plenty of space for the music to breath with pleasing use of classical instrumentation such as violin, flute, clarinet, acoustic guitar and piano underpinned by a rock rhythm section and fine vocals. Electric guitar takes more of a back seat and the predominant keyboard is piano.

No better or worse than their excellent debut then, it's down to personnel preference (I have a slight preference for their debut), both close to the top of the pile of important RPI releases. It's a shame they only released two albums as with the talent on display here, had they continued they could have been up there with the big three of PFM, Banco and Le Orme.