LA GRANDE CASA

Formula Tre's fame even reached Brazil in early-70's, as the band played at the Festival Internacional da Cancao in 1972.In 1973 the band releases its last album of their early phase, now moving away from the shadow of Battisti and based on compositions mostly written by Radius.Its title was ''La grande casa'', another product of Formula Tre on Numero Uno.

The fourth album of the band is actually a Progressive/Pop record, creating mixed feelings and with a rather soft still decent result.The opening ''Rapsodia di Radius'' is propably the best cut of the album, atmospheric and light Symphonic/Space Rock with the distinctive guitar style of Radius in evidence and some great choirs.''La ciliegia non e di plastica'' is a dull Pop track, based around Radius acoustic crescendos and Lorenzi's piano with a bad result.''Liberta per quest'uomo'' shows a return to the melodic Symphonic/Art Rock of the opening track, excellent performance by Lorenzi on organ and piano, nice choirs and good work by Radius both on electric and acoustic guitars.The eponymous track is a fine piece of lyrical Art Rock with solid musicianship, while ''Cara Giovanna'' is a ballad with sensitive vocals, relaxed synthesizers and piano and a nice acoustic solo by Radius.The closing ''Bambina sbagliata'' is another poppy track that haves a strong musical content with keyboards and acoustic guitars in evidence but the hillarious choirs and its syrupy atmosphere make it quite an amateur composition.

Formula Tre disbanded in late 73' with Radius joining Il Volo as well as having a decent solo career and Cicco forming a self-titled short-lived project in 1974.They returned some 15 years later with the original line-up and the band is still active in the new millenium, producing albums with reworkings of old songs, before Lorenzi quit in 2002 to be replaced by several keyboardists ever after.

In fact ''La grande casa'' was the last contribution by Formula Tre in Italian Prog, a sufficient yet very short album with an artistic nature and some nice atmospheres throughout.Recommended, especially if you love some Italian romanticism in your music.