PER UN AMICO

It's not easy talk about Premiata... and not feeling yourself as a fool, actually there's no way to talk about any record and not seeing the voids after any reflection. But there are many other prog lovers who by sure has said much more than I and much better. It's just this need to add a little bit of cajolement.

What I like the most about this album (and frankly is where I consider the musical connection is) is the percussion. That boost of strength and desire to play through the various drums textures, connecting tempo and musical complexity of the resting instruments into a single sonorous explosion. Apparently disjointed, the album walks an instrumental line instead narrative, in which the feeling of a bucolic trip accompanies the listener until an almost ruthless farewell...

Apenna un Po' (Just a Little Bit) starts such trip awakening from a dream, the sunrise warming the air to open the door in a trice and breath thus fresh air of a new trip among long grasslands. The violin and guitar strings lean each other in a chordophone play followed by the others instruments behind the percussion's sedulous step.

Generale (General) redoubles step in a half battle half festive march with percussion marking time, the texturized rhythm from the begging to ending without overshadow the guitar riff 's leadership or the violin's strokes. The mellotron close connecting the track both sides and fades with the guitar's wah-wah.

Per un Amico (For a Friend) breaks the silence with shy and sweet mellotron followed by the guitar, then piano, then bass then drums and finally enters pace with the voice. A little melancholic, like longing other times youth spirit, a little dismal and sober demanding the listener to wake up and being. The instrumental section its sublime starting from the lyrical sobriety, keeps growing and growing in pace and spirit to exploit into a blissful rock fanfare full of rush and goodwill.

Il Banchetto (The Banquet) invites us to serenate after the "frantic" conclusion. To enjoy the company and moment where the important diners meet, establishing a clear break among classes, in subtle but plain reddish lyrics. Then an interlude full of classical passages uses various influences from diverse musical periods to illustrate the stage from the aristocracy to the rustic and their mere styles. Once the character's core debating the feast is put on the table, reprise the rock theme with the guitar winking the listener coquettishly and concludes among soft detached and bragging breaths.

Geranio (Geranium) closures the record with a clearly psychedelic as well oneiric tune, dreams intoxicated, whispering nonsense with minstrel air and close the eyes through romantic strings submerging us almost instantly in the fantastic acid dream's vertigo dancing at night round a flower's petals. Within inspired and disinterested rhythms they jump from dust mote to mote dreaming flying out of the atmosphere until the trip ends with a turbulent back to reality with a firm persistent drum step.

With the joint share from Peter Sinfield, Premiata... rewrote this jewel for an english speaking audience via "Photos of Ghost". However this never reached the magic of original italian. Music possesses a mythical force that is better expressed when it flows.