FS

This is a concept album: F.S. is the acronym for Ferrovie dello Stato (National Railways) and in almost all the songs you can hear every now and then the sound of trains. Lyrics are about trains, passengers on trains, arrivals and departures. This is not a bad album but it's nothing more than a collection of good pop songs. There are some shy traces of prog in two tracks: the opener "Il treno (Tigre - E 633 - 1979)" - my favourite track on this album - and the bluesy "L'uomo in blu". The other tracks are just melodic pop (for instance, "Strano vagabondo" is a slow in pure "Bee-Gees style").

In 1981 prog-rock was out of fashion and the New Trolls turned to pop like other bands in that period, but you can find here some good ideas and you could appreciate at least the musicianship and the harmony vocals. In the whole an album only for collectors and for die hard fans of the band...

The best and the worse are sitting together on the TNT album. As such, it is already a very good news since some fine songs are available which was not the case in the poor "Aldebaran" (I haven't heard their "TNT '79").

But let's not be too overwhelmed either! After the excellent and quite proggy opener "Il Treno" which belongs to the best of their repertoire, one has to endure a weak "Signora Senza Anelli" which is a pure Italian pop rock song. Did we need this? Probably not. Press next of course.

"L' Uomo In Blu" is probably the second best song from "FS". Vocals are very pleasant and keyboards are pretty effective. This song starts as a very smooth ballad, but little by little the tempo increases and we'll get some good guitar and some great groove as well.

From then on, what's available is quite dispensable in terms of prog and good music overall. There is good pop rock which I like, but not this one. Totally flat and boring ("Stelle?"). There is also another attempt to sound a bit like "Queen" while "Gilda 1929" starts. At least this song is melodic and emotional: compared to these pop sounds it is quite decent. But no more: a fine and mellowish rock ballad.

The second half of this album is also an experience that I am not sure you would like to share. Some syrupy ballad ("Quella Luna?", "Strano Vagabondo") and some Italian reggae ("Il Serpente") are not enjoyable AT ALL. And while you are listening to the first notes from the disco plastic "La Mia Canzione" you know which key to press, I'm sure?

You have understood that we are not facing a masterpiece?Two stars thanks to two very good tracks.