MARCO RAGNI

In 2019 Marco started working on material for what would be his eighth studio, then over the course of time the thought changes from the positive to something more inward due to the pandemic. Marco lives in one of the regions of Italy which were heavily impacted by the outbreak, yet still had to go to work last March when no-one knew what the future held, except we all looked to Italy as the epicentre. This has all impacted on this album, which in many ways is his most thoughtful I have come across. He also moved away from using the same musicians as before, which resulted in him bringing in Airbag guitarist Bjørn Riis, who provides lead guitar on 4 of the 9 tracks.

When asked about the album, he said "Recording this record was a mystical experience. A year and a half ago I started with the idea of writing an album that was full of positive thoughts. Then in the course of 2020, because of what happened and is still happening, I changed my perspective. I decided to write stories. Stories of madness. Of ordinary madness. Stories of eternal love. Stories of darkness and fear. Stories that had other stories in them." There is a strength and structure within the album, based often on picked guitar, and a real feeling of depth. There are times when the layering of the guitar comes across in a similar manner to classic Pink Floyd, while vocally he has more in common with the likes of Roy Harper, with a fragile power and emotion contained within.

There is the feeling that this was recorded over quite a period, as there are some differences in the production and sound, while we have real drums in some places and programming in others, but always we have a real feeling of intent and purpose. Some tracks have a heavy use of acoustic guitar, while "Awakened Creatures" combines that with some interesting percussion to take us on a totally different journey. One of the joys of this album is that each song is very different to the others, so that the listener knows quite what to expect next. "Carnival of Ghosts", one of the tracks recorded with Bjørn was released as a taster for the album, and is very different indeed to the rest, passionate and powerful with driving electric guitar, yet works well within the constraints of the album as a whole. Ragni has produced yet another really enjoyable album under extremely emotional and difficult circumstances, and it is well worthy of further investigation.

— First review of this album —

As a taster for the new album 'If', which will be out in November, Marco has released the single "Carnival of Ghosts" which comes in at a tad under eight minutes in length. As can be seen from the title, on this album he is working with Airbag guitarist Bjorn Riis, and the collaboration has created something which is more dynamic and, in your face, than I would really expect from either of them. Marco's singing is powerful and aggressive, acoustic guitar holds it all together, the electric guitar and keyboards provide substance while the rhythm section power through at times and go for an espresso at others. Then on top of that there is the sumptuous lead solos from Riis, and I only wish he was this powerful and dynamic with his own band whose last, 'A Day At The Beach', suffered from lack of guitars. That is not the case here, and the song is full of contrasts and style, so much so that it feels so much shorter than it is, as the listener gets brought inside from the very first picked guitar.

If this is a sampler for the album, then I am sure it is going to be an absolute killer and I can't wait to hear the full thing.

— First review of this album —

Marco was one of those, like many of us, who had to go into lockdown during these rather strange times. Like some other musicians I know, he turned to his outlet to get away from the horrible reality around him, and this four-track EP was written and recorded during quarantine. Marco provides bass, electric guitar, keyboards and soundscapes and Elaine Wiltword provides vocals, and the result is an EP far removed from what I normally expect from Marco. The first song, which is the title cut, would not be out of place in clubs as it is a dance track in many ways, and not something I would generally listen to. I have always thought of Marco as prog rock musician, and on this EP he is blending different styles (especially psychedelia and even some space rock) to create something that is pushing boundaries in different directions. He is not content to stay still and produce what he had done previously and has gone out and done something quite different. The introduction to 'The House on a Red Mountain' with acoustic and electric guitar is my favourite, as I love the way the piano comes in and adds additional brightness. Back in April Marco told me he had written more than 30 new songs, so he has been working hard, and while this release isn't one for me that is purely down to personal taste. This shows just how widespread his talents are, and I look forward to the new album 'If' with great interest.

At the beginning of 2020 Marco Ragni released a remastered version of the American edition of his debut album from 2010, which included some additional songs. By the time of the original album Marco had been working in different bands, including three albums with Heza and more recently an album with the funk psychedelic outfit The Mokers who were a funk psychedelic outfit, and it was this experience in the studio which allowed him to decide to record an album on his own which he would then release on Crow Records. I have been unable to determine the recording line- up but given that Marco is a multi-instrumentalist it would not surprise me if he recorded all of it himself.

While these days I think of Marco more as a progressive rock artists who tinges his albums with psychedelic influences, back in 2010 he was fully embedded in the psychedelic scene, and it is certainly interesting to come across it now, as if it had just been presented to me with no information I would probably have guessed it was a modern release but it also could have easily come from late Sixties America as opposed to modern day Italy. I particularly enjoy the banjo on "The End of the Journey", as it definitely adds some date to the song, being incredibly effective. Throughout the album we are also treated to fuzzed and distorted electric guitar, lots of acoustic guitar, dynamic basslines, and gentle singer songwriter-style psyche which feels incredibly authentic. It is not unusual for songs to not have much in the way of drums, and this in itself adds more warmth to the overall sound. This may not be an album which I would expect to hear from Marco these days, given where his musical odyssey has taken him, but I am very glad indeed to have heard it.

Multi-instrumentalist Marco Ragni (who here provides vocals, guitars, keyboards, piano and bass) is back with his latest album. Peter Matuchniak (Kinetic Element, Gekko Project, Mach One etc) returns on lead guitar, as does Dave Newhouse (The Muffins) on woodwind, Jeff Mack (Scarlet Hollow) on five-string fretted and fretless bass plus Chapman Stick along with Maurizio Antonini. They were all involved in Marco's last album, 'The Wandering Caravan', and the core band line-up also now includes JoJo Razor (Gekko Project) on backing vocals. There are also a few guests who make important contributions on a few tracks, namely guitarists Bjørn Riis (Airbag) and Marius Halleland (Wobbler), plus the incredible Charlie Cawood (Knifeworld) who on this release provides sitar on "Voice In The Dark".

Released deliberately on the Summer Solstice, this album ties in with Marco turning fifty this year which has led to serious contemplation, so the songs, cover and even the lyrics underwent changes during the process. But this isn't a melancholic or depressing album, but rather one of incredible variety and dynamics. Some songs are almost folk- based, take "The Wind Blows Anyway" as an example. Plucked acoustic guitar forms the basis of this, along with electric piano and some dated synths which weave a tapestry of sound which the bass and drums manage to find their way into, but there are significant periods where Peter is sat waiting for his moment, as electric guitar is notable by its absence as the fretless bass resounds whatever room is available. But then when Peter takes the opportunity it is deft, almost Gilmour-like with controlled sustain, which takes the song into new directions, leading into an ending I certainly didn't expect.

This is a very rich album, full of contrasts, dominated by the arrangements which are intricate, delicate, yet incredibly powerful. It is broad, controlled and epic prog, and there are times when one can hear the psychedelic influences which take his music back in time. It feels much more like a classic progressive album than one from the end of the second decade of the 21st century, and it is one which is both instantly accessible and a grower. This is an album I have thoroughly enjoyed as it moves in so many directions from Floyd through Yes and even elements of Crimson, but is very much Marco Ragni.

For his fiftieth birthday, Marco wanted to put out his best album yet. I followed him on Facebook as the album came together. Once again, guitarist Peter Matuchniak (Evolve IV, Gekko Projekt, Bomber Goggles, solo) was involved, his third time to play on a Marco Ragni album, I believe. Jojo Razor also appears, a name I know from Gekko Projekt's "Raya of Titan" album. Having a few of Marco's albums in my collection already, I was eager to hear what he would do on "Oceans of Thought".

Marco's style is labeled as psychedelic/space rock, but from the albums I have, I think he shows a strong folk rock/Pink Floyd/California '69 feel to his music. There are times some very nice melodies but often a fair bit of meandering. The longer songs can feel a lot like floating down a river where you find something to latch onto for a moment before the current carries you away, and then something else comes along. On "Oceans of Thought", I found the latch on points to be more frequent once I began listening intently. There are some beautiful piano intros on tracks like "Hammil's Thoughts", the title track, and "Open My Arms" and as well many songs open with lovely acoustic guitar. Marco's voice I find to be quite distinctive and after a few albums he had become very familiar. I feel the sound of his voice could have easily put him among the more well-appreciated vocalists of the seventies had his career been spawned around that time.

Soothing music aside, there's a lot of action with rollicking keyboards and grooving guitar solos provided by both Marco and Peter, the two with noticeably different styles. "Dizziness" is one such action-packed song that switches between gentle acoustic passages and quick-paced instrumental parts. One thing about Marco's songs is that you usually can't tell from the intro what kind of song it will turn out to be. Each track becomes its own little journey, traversing slower acoustic parts, grooving instrumentals, assertive vocal passages, and some surprise twists and turns. Did I mention the guitar solos? Lots of those!

I think the two tracks I love best as the title track for its beautiful piano intro and cool lead guitar, one solo sounding like Marco's and the other Peter's. The longest track, "Open My Arms", also has some very lovely piano and a powerful instrumental part in the middle where Marco reaches almost mainstream rock chords, but nevertheless achieves an emotive impact, at least for this listener.

I can't say it's Marco's best album because I like all of his albums about the same with "Land of Blue Echoes" gaining just a bit of extra favour. But after a few listens, I really find myself enjoying "Oceans of Thought". Marco has done very well for his fiftieth birthday project.

Marco Ragni is a psychedelic/space rock artist from Italy. He has been active in the music industry for several years being mostly attracted to psychedelic music. In 2010, he released his first solo album and has released 7 albums since then. His 7th album is called "Oceans of Thought" which was released in June of 2019. Most of his album include him as the main performer with several guests to help out. On this album, Ragni does the vocals, guitars, keys and bass. The other core members of his band for this album include Peter Matuchniak on electric guitar, Dave Newhouse on woodwinds, Jeff Mack on fretted and fret-less bass and Chapman Stick, Maurizio Antonini on drums and Jojo Razor on backing vocals. The album consists of 9 tracks ranging from 3 minutes to almost 10 minutes.

The album starts out with 3 shorter tracks around 4 minutes each. "Flashlights" begins with gentle acoustic guitar, but suddenly switches gears when the band kicks in with guitar, synth and woodwinds. A short vocal interlude starts halfway through with a mix of Marco's and Jojo's vocals. A sudden blast of guitar improvises off of the main guitar theme. "Dizziness" emphasizes different keys and more brassy woodwinds. Vocals come in quickly and then the guitars bring more intensity to the track. The music softens and the percussion stops as the music goes more acoustic with guitar and flute, then strengthens again. At 3 minutes, the music softens again with acoustic guitar and more vocals, with more layering and harmonization. Marius Halleland plays lead guitar on this track and also on the next 3 tracks. Next, "Hammil's Thoughts" starts with piano and a symphonic synth effect. The vocals are more emotional on this track. It remains slow and thoughtful to the end.

Now the next three tracks are around the 6-7 minute mark. "The Wind Blows Anyway" starts off mellow with acoustic instruments and more emotional vocals from both Marco and Jojo. During the 2nd verse, the drums kick in giving more energy to the track, but remaining at a moderate pace. Synths are also added to the mix. The percussion drops off again and the pattern repeats a few times without much change. An instrumental interlude comes in before the 5 minutes mark. But the music remains pretty standard without any hint of psychedelic or space rock for that matter. Layered vocals come in at the end. "Regain Control" continues in the same style as the previous track with acoustic guitar and layered vocals. Drums and glittering synths come in, but the music still moves along in a moderate and straightforward manner, with maybe a slightly more complex melody, but mostly unmemorable. Things get a little more interesting when the long, instrumental break comes in before 3 minutes with a good guitar solo, and a bit of progressive changes, but it falls apart when the vocals come back in, striving for a folk influence, but feeling not very authentic with the flat melody. The title track "Oceans of Thought" comes next. Starting with a nice piano introduction, vocals and strummed guitar comes in. The track has a more rhapsodic flair to it, but still no sign of psychedelic or space rock. There is a sudden change in vocal timbre as they get deeper and more ominous. A moderate beat comes in and a nice guitar solo makes things even better. This intensifies as it goes along, then softens again bringing back the vocals. This track is much better and is a highlight among the tracks thus far. Another great solo finishes off the track.

Next is a short interlude called "Under a Big Red Sun" lasting just over a minute only. This is a nice acoustic solo. The two following tracks are both over 9 minutes each. "Voice in the Dark" again starts with a smooth acoustic guitar with the vocals bringing in the woodwinds and synths with a pensive melody. There is also a sitar playing in there, but even it's mystical sound doesn't bring in any psychedelic sound. However, the melody, even though it is not really complex, it is at least interesting. Keyboards follow the vocal melody and do most of the support here with drums anchoring everything. A sudden tempo change brings in another good guitar solo based around the main theme before it gets a bit darker and improvises more freely. The tempo slows again, but the guitar continues. The rhythm drops out when the wordless vocals come back with only acoustic guitar, and then more lyrics. After another verse, the sitar comes back in, and then an over-emphasized vocal brings the band back in, with more guitar. Again, the tempo speeds up as before. This is probably the closest to a space rock style as it comes, but I would still be hesitant to name it that as it seems too structured.

The last track is "Open My Arms". It begins with a lone piano and soon vocals come in. The rest of the band comes in about a minute later, but things remain at the same moderate sound that the album is replete with. The rhythm backs off again for a repeat of this pattern. The vocals get more emotional on the 2nd go round. After the second verse, it gets more atmospheric, but all levels out soon enough for another moderate beat and more guitar. But, there still is no psychedelic or space rock sound here, just mostly straightforward rock with a little progressive flair here and there. Bjorn Riis also guests on guitar on this track, but it doesn't bring the track any more life in the end.

The overall feel of this album is definitely not the psychedelic or space rock sound that this is labeled with. I know I have mentioned that several times during this review, but I just wanted everyone to come into this album expecting that when the music is actually quite accessible and straightforward. The guitar and piano solos are nice, but there really isn't a lot of substance to this album, nor is there anything that stands out. It's good music, for the most part. A few of the melodies are a bit uninteresting and tend to meander a little bit. The best track here is the title track, but the others are only just all right.

Having enjoyed Marco's 2018 album, 'The Wandering Caravan', I have now gone back to the previous release, 2016's 'Land of Blue Echoes'. He again provides multiple instruments himself, and has brought together a stellar cast of musicians, including the wonderful Peter Matuchniak on acoustic and electric guitars. Colin Tench also provides guitar on the opening number, "Between Moon and Earth", which made me stop when I realised as it is nearly the first anniversary of his sad passing. We had been swapping emails on Christmas Day in our normal jokey manner, and just two days later he was gone. Both Poms, both living away from the land of our birth, at opposite ends of the planet, he signed his off "Colin of the North".

But, this isn't one of Colin's great albums, but again another masterpiece by Marco. He not only provides vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, Greek bouzouki and bass, but also keyboards and piano. His ability to play multiple instruments enables to get the best out of those he is working with, with masterful arrangements. Drummer Jacopo Ghirardini is a monster behind the kit, driving complex rhythms (or sitting there having a rest), while Peter demonstrates yet again that he can turn his guitar style to anything at hand. He can be delicate and restrained, Gilmour or Latimer-like, or he can turn on the overdrive and become far more powerful.

It is the multiple styles that makes this such an interesting album to listen to, with elements of Pink Floyd and (especially) Tangerine Dream giving way to some driving hard rock, all controlled and making perfect sense throughout. There are a couple of epics on the album, which comes in at more than 70 minutes long, and although there are long instrumental passages there are also some wonderfully delicate and powerful vocals from baritone Durga McBroom, which add to the feel of class which is prevalent throughout this release. Strong bass counter rhythms and melodies, Spanish guitar, it all combines to produce yet another compelling album from Marco which is well worth investigating.

Marco Ragni is a bit young to be a child of the flower power years but that has never stopped him from keeping the music of those years close to his heart. His 2018 release "The Wandering Caravan" is a prime example of his devotion to the music of the late sixties and early seventies. But Marco is not one to simply attempt to resurrect the past. Marco's music seems to have come exactly from those days and is then filtered through Marco's magnificent brain.

The album begins with a bird's call and footsteps outside before a psychedelic acoustic guitar makes us want to just lie back and chill, letting the notes carry us into our minds. Then abruptly, the whole band drops in with a wham and now we're on an electric ride. With barely a proper warning, the music halts and permits some strumming of an acoustic guitar. At last now we here the lyrics to "What We have Done in the Past We'll Be in the Future," the first track of the album. It's an 11:25 song that delivers thought-provoking lyrics, followed by an exciting psychedelic rock passage with organ and electric guitar solos. Take note of the saxophone in the song, too. This track is an excellent introduction to the album and you can expect more of this kind of music.

"Waiting On the Threshold" begins with some thoughtful piano and singing, but at the line "And I saw that all is not lost," the music is given over to a clean electric guitar that wanders with a bass guitar into 1969 and searches absentmindedly for meaning until Marco comes back to gives us more singing, accompanied by flute. Then more of this psychedelic guitar, soaring and diving.

Before long, my impression of this album is that we are listening to poetry set to music and music set to poetry. It's like each song is part of a series of related thoughts. The music keeps changing and delivering different themes but there's an overall cohesive atmosphere. As if to confirm this, at least twice a track will reference a bit of music from a previous track. It's also interesting to note how sparse yet profound the music can be during some of Marco's poetic illustrations in the lyrics while at other times, during the instrumental passages, the music can be more fluid and adventurous.

This is not just an album for lying back and relaxing to. The music will tell you that the lyrics demand to be heard and weighed. As such, this is no light listening if one is to become fully absorbed. There's little in the way of catchy hooks and sing-a-long melodies. This is more of a journey through the thoughts of a man considering his and our place in life and time. Meanwhile, hints of Pink Floyd, Jefferson Airplane, and others emerge here and there.

As an interesting aside, this album was way up near the top of the PA Top 100 of 2018 back on June 18th of this year. Listeners seem to agree that this album has its share of magic.

Multi-instrumentalist and singer Marco Ragni is back with his latest album, and what an album it is. While he provides vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, bass, keyboards, mellotron, piano and mandolin he has also been joined by Dave Newhouse (sax, clarinet, flute, keyboards and woodwinds arrangements), Peter Matuchniak (lead guitar), Jeff Mack (bass) and Maurizio Antonini on drums, plus a few guests adding different nuances. This means this album includes members of The Muffins, Bomber Goggles, Scarlet Hollow and Barock Project, so it is a given that the guys all know their ways around their instruments. What this has enabled them all to do is to relax completely, and the result is an album which in many ways is the loosest I have ever come across. We often talk about how tight a band is, how they are right on top of each other, but here they sound as if there is a great space between them all and between the layers, allowing the music to fully breath and go where it desires.

The album title is apt, as there is a feeling of a great sky and a bleak landscape, and the travellers knowing not where they are going, when they are likely to reach the destination, or even if it really matters. This is a musical journey that is given a very middle eastern feel at times with the use of the oud, while it is also often reflective, with a great deal of restraint. It is an album which demands to be savoured like a fine brandy: take the time and let all the nuances and textures hit every sense. It is progressive, it is psychedelic, it is nearly New Age (but not quite, they don't inhale), it is World, it is delicate, but there is an inner strength and core which keeps everything moving in the same direction.

Often it is just Marco singing in a reflective manner, but during "Promised Land" there is even room for many singers and for Peter to become more direct in his approach. Maurizio is also one of those drummers who understand that there are times to play, and time to listen to the band with everyone else, and that restraint also has a key part to play. This is quite some album, and is well worth discovering by all good music lovers.