I TRENI ALL'ALBA

'2011 A.D.' - I Treni All'Alba (8/10)

As I have mentioned in other reviews, this has been a year where I have become very aware ofthe instrumental trend in modern prog. Generally, this vocal-less music requires quite a bit of patience with a listener, who must allow himself to become familiar with the nuances in the music. Often enough, I find myself bored by the process, especially when one considers that so many of these bands sound the same. I Treni All'Alba is thankfully another band that keeps their music interesting by offering something fresh in their sound. While the music ebbs and flows in the style of a typical prog fusion album, I Treni All'Alba's '2011 A.D.' stands out for the fact that instead of using typical prog rock sounds, this band performs their music largely with acoustic guitars. This is a piece of folk-fusion that I'll certainly be returning to in the coming months.

When it comes to genres or styles, there are plenty of preconceived notions that both the listeners, and bands themselves have. Towards the top of the list are the instruments and sounds that are 'allowed' to be used in a particular style. In the case of prog fusion, it is not unreasonable for the genre to ask ts musicians to use electric guitars and plenty of vintage keyboard sounds, those certainly can't be missed! I Treni All'Alba indeed do have these traits in their sound, but they are dwarfed in importance by the acoustic guitars. At one point while listening to the album, the music on '2011 A.D.' ironically sounded like the score to some Spaghetti western; the guitars are often used to very dramatic effect, and there is usually more than one buzzing around in the music.

The acoustic guitars are used very effectively, and especially when they are used to counterpoint each other, it is difficult not to be impressed. Of course, the downside to this is that the keyboards and percussion are put on the back burner. These instruments are certainly not forgotten about, but when I think of I Treni All'Alba now, most of my memory is geared towards the majestic sounds that the two guitarists of this band make playing in unison with each other. I could say that '2011 A.D.' lacks the hooks to become instantly memorable and enjoyable, but the musicianship and warmth of the textures that this band uses are enough to carry me over to the point where the music is familiar enough to enjoy, hooks irregardless. An excellent album.

In 2011 the band released a sophomore album titled "2011 A.D." on the independent label INRI. As in their previous work the line up features Paolo Carlotto (acoustic and electric guitar, guitarra de coimbra), Daniele Pierini (acoustic and electric guitar, tuba nad trombone synth), Sabino Pace (piano and synth) and Felice Sciscioli (drums) but in studio this time they were helped only by Francesco Vittori (bass) and Ramon Moro (flugelhorn). The subtitle of this work is "L'apocalisse della porta accanto" (Next door apocalypse) and according to the band the beautiful art cover by their friend Domenico Sorrenti, a painter often involved in musical performances, depicts in a perfect and harmonic way the "concept" of the album.

Well, while I'm writing this lines on the Italian media you can find many images of floods and raging waters ravaging the coast and the cities of Liguria. There is a strange resemblance between the album cover and the landscape of Le Cinque Terre... On the colourful, suggestive art cover you can see the fury of the elements raging on the seashore, the houses the village are deformed and you can see their facades showing feelings, men are nothing but ghosts, lost souls...

After an excellent acoustic guitar intro close your eyes and imagine Attila climbing up from hell, leading his Huns. They come up cautiously, then they began to dance savouring chaos and destruction... Well the second track of the album, "Attila", could be a just metaphor to describe a man who has lost every respect for the environment...

The title of the next track "L'arte della guerra" (The art of war) recalls one of the oldest and most successful books about military strategy, attributed to the Chinese strategist and philosopher Sun Tzu. It's strange how men can be clever and inventive when they plan to move war on their fellows and how they can be vain, ineffective when they have to prevent the fury of mother nature...

There are demons riding the waves... The complex , dramatic "Il demone" (The demon) seems to describe the dance of our fears before the judgement day. "L'apocalisse" (The apocalypse) is another beautiful track where you can imagine light and dark clashing with a cathartic force...

The title of "Tempi moderni?" (Modern times?) recalls a famous film directed by Charlie Chaplin in 1936, Modern Times. The beginning is of this track is slow, almost dark. Is this the progress? What are the consequences of modernity? What will have we to endure until the end? Here the sound of the electric guitar seems to announce hard times, then the rhythm raises and becomes frenzy. Then on "Fino alla fine... del mondo" (Until the end... of the world) you can hear the echoes of a surreal tango led by the Grim Reaper...

"Distrettotredici" (Precinct 13) recalls the title of a 1976 film directed by John Carpenter, "Assault on Precinct 13". It could be a perfect score for an action movie where the protagonists play with death. The conclusive "Streghe" (Witches) features a folkloric, colourful atmosphere where you can imagine some mocking witches who are merrily dancing on a simple tune before they unveil their rage and cruelty on the fiery finale.

Well, the album is completely instrumental and I don't know if my interpretation of the concept is correct. Nonetheless the music is amazing, some Mediterranean folkloric elements are blended with other influences giving you plenty of hints and suggestions. Listen to the music and imagine what you want but for sure this is an album that deserve more than a spin...

Folk spirit, fusion prowess, post-punk energy

I Treni All'Alba from Torino are one of Italy's finest bands regardless of how you choose to categorize their eclectic instrumental brew. Their second album is a continuation of their fine debut and if anything may be stronger. These guys are just incredible players! They take folk music appreciation and turn it right on its head. Melodic acoustic numbers are performed by guys who have the prowess of jazz-fusion dudes, then they throw it at you with the energy of a sweaty punk band. That's not to say they can't be gentle and nuanced, for they have that covered too. They have near-perfect instincts for balancing their lively concoction and keeping the listener somewhere between headbanging and eyes-closed bliss. Imagine something like the powerful finesse of Chris Poland's Ohm but in the context of a punk-kissed folk outfit. I don't know how better to put it. The backbone of the group consists of two amazingly talented acoustic guitars played with pure passion and zest, atop imaginative and adrenalin stoked drumming. This is balanced with more serene moments when lovely piano graces the song, in these moments the band seem in searching mode, trying to sort of "find their way" to something expressive and beautiful. They don't spend a whole of time drifting though, as Treni All'Alba is not a band which gathers moss. These boys move. The longest track "L'apocalisse" features quite an interesting and epic acoustic solo while the album's second half brings in more electric guitar and a little heavier sound.

This will be on "best of year" top 10 lists and it deserves to be. The cover art is as striking as the first disc as well. Great work guys!

Modern progressive folk music

I Treni All'Alba is a progressive rock band from Torino who have been around for many years, finally releasing "Folk Destroyers" in 2008 on Smartz Records. The band rests under the Eclectic moniker on PA and they certainly are everything eclectic, but I would describe the band as one of the most lively progressive-folk bands you'll ever hear.

Treni is almost a fusion of folk music, progressive rock, and post-punk energy. They conjure thoughts in my head of a great local band in a hole-in-the-wall rock club with low ceilings and awful bathrooms, whose patrons wander in and out fueled by nicotine, drink, and a lust for music with passion. She comes in spades here. Folk melodies and just plain good melodies, gorgeous ones at that, hit you one after another supported by frisky-as-hell dual acoustic guitars of Paolo Carlotto and Daniele Pierini. They work up their frisky rhythms and pick out some compelling lead work as well. Felice Sciscioli is the drummer who puts the fire in the belly of this band with his driving and never-tiring kit work. Holding together the rest is Sabino Pace on piano and synth, occasionally organ. I love the piano of course as it adds so much spice and beauty to these tracks. There are a few mellower or understated moments for contrast, occasionally the music seems to dance to itself as in 5:07 (the songs are oddly titled by only the running length.) But mostly Treni seems to be a band whose mission is to make you move your body, I can just imagine how some of their fans must groove to this in the live setting. My favorite is probably 4:27 with its blend of flute, clean electric guitar strumming, piano, bass, and a sense of moving at high speed in the core of the song...perfect driving music. I did some serious "drumming" on my car steering wheel during this song. A host of guests add further fireworks with saxophone tirades, perfectly suited violin, hand percussions, trombone, flute, and bass. The music is so rich and full of life you will never miss the lack of vocals. It is instrumental and as they used to do in the old days, a nice length of 35 minutes. No need for 75 minutes when you can get it done in half, and they do. There is no filler. Every second is engaging and spirited, colorful, delightful, rocking. Music for life.

The booklet deserves a special mention for the outstanding artwork of Domenico Sorrenti. The cover art is a lovely painting but inside it features very cool black and white drawings, one for each of the tracks on the album. It documents a day in the life of our subject as he looks for meaning in the grind of the big city (or so I'm guessing!) Bravo to Treni---one of my best discoveries of this year, sorry it took me so long guys!!

I Treni All'Alba are prog band from the north western Italy that was formed between Aosta and Turin in 2002. The line up features Paolo Carlotto (acoustic and electric guitar), Daniele Pierini (acoustic and electric guitar), Sabino Pace (piano and keyboards) and Felice Sciscioli (drums and percussion). All the members are experienced musicians with different influences that managed to shape an amazing blend of folk and progressive rock. In 2008 they released their first full length album "Folk Destroyers" for the independent label Smartz Records. The album was recorded with the help of some guest musicians that contributed to enrich the sparkling sound of the band, with counter bass, flutes, sax, congas, trumpet, violin, accordion and many other musical colours.

"Watch TV, buy, obey the authorities, do not think, do believe in the collective truth, no ideas, no imagination..." . The only vocal parts on this album are some ominous warnings freely taken from "They Live", a 1988 film directed by John Carpenter where aliens rule on society and control humans through the TV broadcasts and mass media. The single tracks have no titles but each track is described in the beautiful booklet by a drawing by Domenico Sorrenti. The music flows away like in a long suite where quiet acoustic and folkloric passages melt in fiery percussion rides and vice versa. Some sources of inspiration could be find in the album "Anime salve" by Fabrizio De André, then you can find reminders of samba, tarantella, Ravel, Piazzolla, Le Orme and PFM...

Some words taken from a book by the Italian writer Stefano Benni that you can find on the booklet try to describe the right approach to this work: "We should always feel like we are leaving the next day, or like we have just got back. Everything becomes more precious: what we leave and what we find. To hear the tiny voice of hope , beyond the screams of pain. It could be interesting to come to a train station to find it... hope.". The name of the band, I Treni All'Alba, means the trains at dawn...

On the whole an excellent album!