Quella Vecchia Locanda’s second and last album “Il tempo della gioia” (The time of joy) was recorded in 1974 with a different line-up featuring veterans Giorgio Giorgi (vocals, flute), Massimo Roselli (piano, organ mellotron, moog, vocals), Patrick Traina (drums, percussion) and Raimondo Maria Cocco (electric and acoustic guitars, vocals) plus Claudio Filice (who replaced the American violinist Donald Lax) and Massimo Giorgi (who took the place of bassist Romualdo Coletta). The strong classical influences are still there but the overall sound is slightly different from the eponymous debut album and features a jazzier, darker atmosphere. The art cover is magnificent and tries to describe the content of this work where the music and words weave nightmares and dreams.
The intense, dreamy opener “Villa Doria Pamhili” begins with a beautiful piano pattern, then acoustic guitar and violin delicately come in and melodic vocals try to describe the feelings that you could experience going to a pop festival in the early seventies... A sweet harmony plays with nature, soaring and gliding on the grass while joy makes people vibrate...
“A forma di...” (In the shape of...) is a classically inspired short instrumental that could recall “Traccia” by Banco del Mutuo Soccorso. It starts softly, as if the music was coming from a distant place... Violin, counter-bass, flutes and harpsichord, then soaring vocals used as an instrument to colour some melodic lines... An amazing track!
The title track is more complex. It begins with a delicate, romantic melody. A sundown on the sea, a magic carpet ride towards new horizons... Then a sudden change in rhythm and mood brings in dark shadows... “It’s as if you were beating the time of joy / And never the time of pain / Your smile is already there... Suddenly the air is trembling / Fear has already taken you...”. Some vocal passages could recall the gloomy atmospheres of “Ys” by Il Balletto di Bronzo, while others recall Hans, PFM’s merchant of dreams, and his coach... A very particular dream full of colours and musical nuances...
“Un giorno, un amico” (A day, a friend) features jazzy touches and violin rides, delicate calm passages and fiery ones. It’s a long, complex track full of changes and colours. Take a deep breath and imagine running to the sun, just to find new sparks of life and old fears, hidden words and thoughts concealed in a secret jewel-case...
“Un giorno, un amico” (A day, a friend) features jazzy touches and violin rides, delicate calm passages and fiery ones. It’s a long, complex track full of changes and colours. Take a deep breath and imagine running to the sun, just to find new sparks of life and old fears, hidden words and thoughts concealed in a secret jewel-case...
The last track “E’ accaduto una notte” (It happened one night) is dark and gloomy. It describes in music and words a nightmare. It begins with a choir setting a gothic atmosphere, then the music goes on quirkily while the lyrics depict a snake crawling through the rocks in the night, a car falling into the void, bad omens and vanishing hopes... “A roar bursts out / A flash of fire / That suffocates voices already extinguished...”.
You can listen to the complete album HERE
Quella Vecchia Locands: Il tempo della gioia (1974). Other opinions:
Jim Russell: This would have to be one of the top candidates to suggest to someone as an essential Italian album and one that covers most of the traits that make them special: creative songwriting fusing the rock, classical, and jazz genres; immaculate production with great attention to recording details; exceptional use of violins, flutes, and other classical elements; warm and passionate Italian vocals; and perhaps most importantly an unabashed willingness to project a most romantic style of music... (read the complete review HERE)
You can read an interview with some members of the band HERE
No comments:
Post a Comment