TRA LUCE E OMBRA

1. "Migrazioni" (6:59) an oddly-engineered (or is it just a collection of odd instrumental sound choices?) song that feels so straightforward with its themes "borrowed" that it feels stagnant and inert. (13.125/15)

2. "Frequenze Solari" (3:44) old blues rock--like "La Grange." Well performed though it sounds like a live stage performance in a small club. (8.5/10)

3. "Poker" (5:08) sedate blues rock with some interesting multi-voice vocalise interplay over the Fender Rhodes piano and rock instrumentation. At 1:29 the song switches direction and style, cruising down a road out into the countryside as synth and vocalise steal the show up front. Special guest, bassist and vocalist Richard Sinclair being Richard Sinclair (even in his 70s!). Back to the blues rock theme for the final minute. (8.6667/10)

4. "Bronx" (4:57) more blues rock forms with a cinematic 1960s detective noir bent and some excellently weird instrumental sound choices. Unfortunately, it loses me in the fourth minute when it goes RPI lite. A top three song. (8.75/10)

5. "L'ultima Battaglia" (7:30) organ and droning hum and military drumming support an interesting SEVEN REIZH-like vocal opening. But then, in the second minute, it morphs into a simple mosaic to support a Wurlitzer-sounding keyboard and saw-synth weave. Franco's wordless vocals mix into the weave in the fifth minute as the organ solos. Interesting. At the five minute mark it's like a switch is thrown and the music goes into celebratory march mode. Well-composed but under-developed and a bit too filled with predictable/expected musical clichés. Still, a top three. (13.125/15)

6. "Androgino" (5:18) simple PINK FLOYD-like "Shine On You Crazy Diamond Parts V1-IX" soundscape with some laid back vocals over the top. Nice chorus section. Interesting; inoffensive, but irritating for its "stolen"/overly familiar foundation. (8.6667/10)

7. "Road Roller" (3:04) A raucous, chaotic 60s rock opening turns into a smoky bar room blues tune. Again, the band is obviously going for a cinematic soundtrack feel. (8.6667/10)

8. "Nostalgie" (3:17) with film noir narration to open this one, the Fender Rhodes and violin interplay is actually quite interesting and pleasing. I'll give Francesco credit: he is a very smooth and creative keyboard player. The presence of a skilled violinist casts aspersions on the rest of his instrumental support: it's just too simplistic and vanilla. (8.66667/10)

Total Time 39:57

A very nice album of run-of-the-mill prog--even if it does occasionally sound like soulless prog-by-the-numbers with electronically-created music. Leader and composer-keyboard wizard Francesco Carella puts together a fine package but there's so much more that could have been developed and polished.

C+/3.5 stars; a nice addition of keyboard-oriented retro blues-prog to most prog lover's music collection--especially if you're into the blues-rock of the late 1960s.

Share this I VIAGGI DI MADELEINE review

Social review comments () BETA

---

---

Review related links

• Send comments to BrufordFreak
• Report this review (#2947284)
• Buy I VIAGGI DI MADELEINE music online with PA partners
• Show all I VIAGGI DI MADELEINE MP3/Stream
• Go to I VIAGGI DI MADELEINE page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to Tra Luce e Ombra page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for I VIAGGI DI MADELEINE related discussions