ABBIAMO TUTTI I SUOI PROBLEMI

Second album released but chronologically-speaking this is their third album after the never-released (until the turn of the century, that is) Camere album is their second one. Abbiamo is also the second album of the new PDP line-up retaining only two members from the debut album. Musically we are worlds away from the debut album as the Canterbury Soundscapes are much eclipsed by a form of RIO that is reminiscent of Henry Cow/Slapp Happy and their "dissidences", but there is still that very twisted jazz inflection that gives it its Kent spicy touch. The bizarre, quaint, naïve, (almost botched) artwork gives you a hint at what kind of weirdness you should expect, but it is difficult to prepare you for the shock if you are coming from PDP's debut album. Supremely inconvenient is the track list on the back cover not in the chronological order (but alphabetical), so the Cd reissue (remastered by Bob Drake for ReR in 06 in Southern- Central France) had to reinstate it.

The first side of the album is two lengthy tracks interspaced and sandwiched by short Sgargianza interludes, all three fairly different. Rather a difficult listen for Problemi Di Fernando (the title track in fact) as we plunged in a strange cross of Art Bears with some mid-Soft Machine (4) era with some Area (to make an Italian comparison) and Frank Zappa. Moderne Ballibile is a lengthy piece where the two saxophones are dominating the debate (but not always sure where to go next), even if they are often interrupted by quirky percussions bits and breaks.

The flipside doesn't get much easier with Strativari, which starts on a big bass and electric piano, before the rest of the group meddles in. The most intrusive instrument (IMHO) is the vibraphone, which is used almost irritatingly to screw whatever groove was in danger to be built-up. Halfway into the track, dead silence appears, broken by a flute (first charming, then not so much), and as the track rebuilds; it goes back to the same obtuse world. The 16-min Mettiamo Il Casa Che is maybe the most accessible track of the album (and my fave), as they seem to hint as the Hatfield-Health realm, but not returning to their debut album either. Not sure if the last track is a bonus track or not (it isn't mentioned in the original artwork), but Ucellin Del Bosco stands out sonically (but not really musically) from the rest of the album as it sounds from a different session. Edit: indeed this was from a flexi-vinyl from a magazine.

I must say that Abbiamo is one of the more disturbing Italian albums, partly because of the singing, which is miles-away from what we are used to, but here this is just too close to Krause's weird discordant vocal nonsense for comfort. If you're not into RIO (in the Art Bears and Area sense), you'd better stay clear of this one, as the Italian lyrics will be one more obstacle for the non-Italians. As far away from their debut album as possible, but not any less worthy, but I wouldn't call it essential.

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