LA MECCANICA NATURALE

Finnistere is my favorite modern Italian band and I was excited when I found this album and it's cool mini LP sleeve. It starts out in classic Finnistere style, 70's Italian prog with a slightly modern touch. But there's something different going on towards the end. Track two clinches the change, there's a Porcupine Tree vibe! Track three, "Il Volo" sounds very Flower Kings! A bizarre jazzy piano middle section appears then some tasty psych/Ronnie Stolt-like guitar work. Then track four, "La Maleducazione" hits and we're definately in Porcupine Tree territory. There's even some English lyrics! Track five, "Ode Al Mare" harkens back to their "In Oqni Luogo" album, an instrumental track with spoken words. Then for the rest of the album, the Porcupine Tree vibe returns. They don't wear the PT sound on their sleeves and copy, they just use the sound for their own good. So, in conclusion, the boys have dropped the PFM, Banco, Area sound for a more modern, hard edge (not metal) sound. They've progressed, tried something new and have succeeded very well. A solid 4 star effort!