ALDO TAGLIAPIETRA

Well, L'Angelo Rinchiuso is by far, at least for me, best solo album under his name and why not one of his better albums in his entire career. It has that special romantic italian atmosphere, vintage sound all over, symphonic prog is all about here and a solid one from start to finish.

His voice is warm and is fiting this particular type of prog very well and really great instrumental sections, all is done with taste and in the true spirit of the italian prog school. All pieces stand as great, maybe with a plus on Io Viaggio Nel Tempo or title track.

All in all a real treat for prog listners, I was really pleasent surprised, to me one of the better albums from italian prog scene in last decade, really, is that good and beautiful performed. As a plus, the famous Paul Whitehead is present with the cool art work who is hand in hand with the music. 4 stars easy.

I enjoyed Aldo's "'Nella pietra e nel vento'' in the sense that it was a strong album filled with several catchy stand-alone songs that learned more towards italian folk than anything else. Kind of similar to "Florian".

First of all, I think it's wonderful that he's 68 years old and seems to be far from "calling it a day". I hope he's releasing albums thru his 70's and beyond :-) We're coming to that with many of these reunion bands and such who are in their middle 60's now (ie, Barclay James Harvest who's "North" album is a worthy addition).

"L'Angelo Rinchiuso" is not just an album by a key progster who's "past his prime". This is one of the best albums he has done (IHMO) since Contrappunti.

if you're expecting this to be a "pop" album or a song-based album (like his "'Nella pietra e nel vento'' album) simply because this is released as an Aldo Tagliapietra album, I can assure you that this is more appropriately "1972-1974 Le Orme prog" rather than "a solo song-based album by former Le Orme member Aldo Tagliapietra".

On this album, he teams up with members of a newer italian prog band called "Former Life". Unlike "Nella pietra e nel vento" (italian folk), this album seems to be a return back to the days of Vintage Le Orme ala analog italian keyboards and 70's sounding guitar work/drumming.

I even hear riffs that are very similar to parts of "Felona E Sorona" (Passato E Futuro, etc..) with the bouncing bass lines and swirling pianos. I know I'm jumping all over the place but the closer has some excellent vintage sounding keys about.

There is not really one particular "stand out song" that says "classic song", rather the album consists pretty much of strong parts that flow together to make up the whole album. At the end of the album, I'm saying "There's no incredible track but they're all good/very good that make a full enjoyable listening experience".

I'm *so* hearing "the missing tracks" of "Felona E Sorona" it seems :-) I know "la maschera di cera" paid homage to "Felona E Sorona" last year by doing what appeared to be "the sequel to Felona E Sorona". Truthfully, this particular album serves better as a sequel to Felona E Sorona.

Putting it bluntly, if you like Felona E Sorona, Uomo Di Pezza and Contrappunti, you really should get this album and treat it as a continuation of those 3. Parts of this album are at the same level as the above three. Certainly (to my ears), it's better than anything I have heard by Le Orme since Contrappunti (I feel this is better than Verita Nascoste, Storia O Leggenda and *any* other Le Orme/solo Aldo album since Contrappunti). Although post "Piccola Rhapsodia Del Ape" Orme had some "good" albums, I always felt they were a step or two below the "vintage Orme era of the 70's". They tended to lack the warm/cozy vintage 70's sound and replaced them with the more modern/digital keyboards, etc...

On this particular album, it seemed obvious to me that Aldo was thinking "Going to make this sound 1970's again like Felona E Sorona with no digital keyboards or slick modern- sounding guitar work/drums". He definitely accomplished that goal as this album sounds like going into a time machine back to 1973.

Feels like this album could have been released between "Felone E Sorona" and "Contrappunti".

The last 2 songs really close this album out in a very nice "70's italian prog"-like fashion.

I know I should not care about this but I'm very impressed that Aldo had this album in his creative mind at the age of 68. I forgot to mention, his vocals are excellent in this.

In this day and age (especially since I live in America and they seem to worship Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Beyonce and Miley Cyrus here), it's so darn refreshing to hear an album such as this. This album is yet another reason why I "look across the Atlantic" or "look towards South America" or "look towards Japan/Australia" for my music.

Vunderful!!!!!

I think Aldo has another album or two or three in him...

You can't go wrong with a Tagliapietra album, that is surely a fact, even if his old progressive days are a thing of the past.In this album the former Le Orme leader focuses on creating well-crafted and elaborate melodies in a modern Singer/Songwriter style, although his beautiful voice recalls his period with LE ORME.With two keyboardist around the sound is dominated by sensitive piano themes, light organ washes and intense moog synthesizers, always supported by the trippy vocals of Tagliapietra.His past form has not abandoned this monumental figure of Italian Prog, not in a simple second.Romantic soundscapes and mellow symphonic flourishes are still in the menu with melodic keyboard runs, while the music becomes even nicer in the electrified moments, hailed by De Andri's nice guitar solos.There are no weak tracks in here despite the lack of progressive development, ''Nella pietra e nel vento'' is a collection of Italian-flavored songs with a poetic atmosphere, where an impressive melody or a retro-styled keyboard theme is followed by Tagliapietra's ability to come up with emotional and thrilling singing moods.

Essential release for all fans of the softer side of LE ORME and lovers of sensational melodies.Tagliapietra still belongs among the most important figures of Italian Rock and this album is the purest proof.Warmly recommended...3.5 stars.

The album manages to be consistent without sounding samey, as a variety of moods are presented. Wistfulness is a high priority but several more breezy and energetic pieces lift the heavy heart. If Italian lyrics are not understandable, Andrea's review can help, but Aldo's craft is in the musical equivalent of emotional intelligence. Sometimes prog connects with the mind so deeply that the heart can only follow, but this is pure heart and soul. Enjoy without guilt, that's an order!

The opener title track is a melancholic piece about time passing by. It was inspired by some words in Latin carved in an ancient sundial, Felicibus brevis miseris hora longa. Time can cover with a magic veil memories and nostalgia even if it is too slow for those who have to wait, too fast for those who are scared, too long for those who feel pain, too short for those who are happy.

The following "Silenzi" (Silences) brings a gust of optimism and the atmosphere is brighter. What will remain of us after our time will come to an end? Nothing can last forever except our souls and a smile which will shine in the silence of immensity.

"Il santo" (The saint) was inspired by the character of the Dalai Lama. It tells about a meeting with a smiling man born from a dream, with no home nor land but with a border-less love in his eyes.

The delicate, sweet "La cosa più bella" (The most beautiful thing) is dedicated to Aldo Tagliapietra's grand-son Francesco Ian while the following "Un grande giardino" (A wide garden) is for all the children of an ancient mother called Life, flowers of light in a wide garden who need all our love to grow up.

"Sette passi" (Seven steps) is full of spirituality and was inspired by the character of Siddharta. It evokes the morning wind and a peaceful, almost magic sense of freedom where flowers shine in the infinite.

"C'è una vita" (There's a life) invites you to open your mind, look beyond appearances and search for the life that flows inside your heart... "There's no light without dark / There's no night without day / There's no sound without quiet / There's no peace without war / Inside every pain there's a hidden love / In every morning there's the evening...".

"Tra il bene e il male" (Between good and evil) features on bass the guest Claudio Galieti who was a member of Le Orme in the sixties. It's another track that draws some reflections about the meaning of life in a world divided between silence and noise. We have to walk on a tightrope hanging on the void, between joy and pain in the never ending game between good and evil.

"Dio lo sa" (God knows it) is full of positive energy, almost an ode to a merciful God who is aware of our weakness. For Him we're just angels living between dream and reality who keep on rolling down from a steep hill like stones, lost in the dark and looking for an ephemeral freedom that we can't find.

The conclusive "Il sutra del cuore" (The sutra of the heart) in some way is linked with the title track and closes the circle. It invites you to open your mind to love without hypocrisy nor fear. You have to forget the evil ways and look for love without any compromise, you have to carve in the stone all the positive things and remember all the love you have received from the others. As for the bad memories, let the wind blow them away and keep on searching for the light of love, beyond the immensity.

All in all a very nice album!