Chester Gorilla took shape in Palermo, Sicily, in 2007. After many line up changes and an immature self-produced demo EP in 2011 entitled Solo guai, in 2019 the band recorded a good eponymous debut album that was released the following year on the independent label Vasto Records with a line up featuring Daniele Caviglia (guitar), Filippo “Phil” Caviglia (bass), Salvo Cheerio (trumpet, percussion) and Vincenzo Salerno (sax) plus the guests Cristian Manuk (flute), Alessio Masi (piano, synth) and Sergio Beercock (vocals, loop station). The overall sound is a nice mix of jazz-rock, funk and psychedelia with strong echoes of Italian seventies B-movies soundtracks while the artwork by Alba Scherma might recall Gong’s You...
The brilliant opener “Puippara” is a lively track that seems coming out from a car chase scene of an Italian poliziottesco film. There’s a good use of the flute while the frenzied rhythm and the nervous passages could recall bands such as Calibro 35. Next comes the dreamy “Shesone”, calmer and sprinkled with exotic flavours...
“Peter The Elephant”, features the guest Alessio Masi on piano and synth and starts by a calm piano passage and a bellowing sax, then the rhythm section comes in for a bold ride through the jungle on the back of an elephant in search for adventures while the following “Aripupollo Space” mixes jazz and psychedelia with funny, carefree inventiveness.
Chester Gorilla on stage, 2020
“Guacamole” blends pulsing bass lines and funky passages with darker, Mediterranean flavoured parts and a touch of mystery while the closer “The Heat”, featuring the guest Sergio Beercock (vocals, loop station), goes in a different direction trying to combine jazz and soul with soft disco atmospheres and smooth lounge music.
Atti Pubblici in Luogo Osceno came to life in 2014 in Bagheria, a little town in the province of Palermo, Sicily, on the initiative of Gioacchino D’Amico and Sergio Giuliana. After some personnel changes and a good live activity on the local scene where they played original stuff and some covers of bands such as Queen and Pink Floyd, in 2018 the band self-released an interesting debut album entitled In fondo vedo il nulla assoluto (At the bottom I see the absolute void) with a line up featuring Antonio Tralongo (vocals), Alessandro Siragusa (keyboards, vocals), Gioacchino D'Amico (guitar, vocals), Gabriele Lo Iacono (bass) and Giuseppe D'Amico (drums). In my opinion the hard work of the band to refine their original compositions paid off and the result is a nice mix of vintage sounds, hard rock and melody that is absolutely worth listening to. Although the sound quality might not be perfect it is better than that of many albums recorded in the seventies and the capacity to convey emotions of the musicians is apparent.
The opener “La boutique degli inermi” (The shop of the helpless people) is an introspective track about regret and lost chances. There’s a vein of melancholy in the surreal, dreamy atmosphere as music and words conjure up images of Christmas lights and old books while a pendulum clock beats the time swinging between boredom and agony. A bunch of doubts are your only company as you enter an old shop at the end of the road where a gipsy shows you all the time you lost looking through the window, in search for answers you never found… Standing still, looking at the bricks in the wall we are all the same, dummies and clones adrift on the ocean. At every step you can hear the sound of creaking wood follow the weightless, crumbling body of a lost fool dancing on the shores of Ys...
The following “Salò” starts with a funky incipit, then in turns the music reminds me of Max Gazzè, Il Balletto di Bronzo and Deep Purple… It’s a sarcastic piece against consumerism and the false ethical values of an obscene world where it doesn’t matter if you steal or commit a crime provided that you do it with class. The title refers to Salò or the 120 Days of Sodom, a 1975 Italian-French horror art film directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini that is a loose adaptation of the novel The 120 Days of Sodom by the Marquis de Sade reset during WWII. The film explores the themes of political corruption, murder, abuse of power, sadism, perversion, sexuality and fascism and here the band express all their disdain for the lack of moral values in our society...
The bitter-sweet “Quando è già finito” (When it’s already over) is an impressionist piece drenched in melody and nostalgia where music and words have the colours of a Claude Monet’s tableau. It tells of the end of a romance... A girl has left Sicily and his sweetheart for the city of Bologna and the fogs of the Padan Plain...
Atti Pubblici in Luogo Osceno 2018
The long, complex “Venivo da sinistra” (I was coming from the left) ends the album blending hard rock, jazz rock and dreamy melodic passages. The caustic lyrics, interpreted with a strong theatrical approach, tell of defeatism and indifference in of a world on the wane, of crazy dreams melting at dawn and of the loneliness and pain of a man going in the wrong direction who feels lost in a world he can’t accept...
Homunculus
Res hail from Palermo and in 2013 released an interesting début
album on the independent label Altr0ck/Fading Records with a line up
featuring Dario D'Alessandro (guitar, vocals, minimoog, glockenspiel,
percussion), Davide Di Giovanni (piano, organ, keyboards, drums,
percussion, acoustic guitar, vocals), Daniele Di Giovanni (drums,
percussion, acoustic guitar, vocals), Domenico Salamone (bass), Mauro
Turdo (guitar), Federico Cardaci (minimoog, organ) and Dario Lo
Cicero (flute) plus some guests and a special guest such as
keyboardist Paolo Botta from Yugen, Not A Good Sign and Ske.
Homunculus Res
According
to the band, their main sources of inspiration stem from artists linked to the Canterbury scene of the seventies such as Soft
Machine, Robert Wyatt, Caravan and Hatfield and the North. Anyway, in their
music and artistic approach you can find also the legacy of an
Italian band from the seventies as Picchio dal Pozzo and echoes from
contemporary bands as Yugen or Breznev Fun Club. Homunculus Res'
style is bold and eclectic, they showcase a great musicianship and
creativity but even in their most extravagant, challenging sonic
experiments they never lose the sense of melody with brilliant results.
“Limiti
all'eguaglianza della parte con il tutto” (the title could be
loosely translated as “Limits to the equality between the part and
the whole”) features eighteen tracks very different in mood and
length but that flow away as if in a long suite where you can find
everything and its contrary. The lyrics swing from the funny nonsense
of the opener “Culturismo Ballo Organizzare” to the poignant
sarcasm of “(Che ne sai tu di un) cerchio nel grano” where they
jokingly quote “bunga bunga”, Lucio Battisti and Fabrizio De
André.
In
“Jessicalaura” the band mix Pink Floyd and Gianni Morandi in a
funny, original way while the instrumental "Rifondazione unghie" recalls seventies atmospheres and an Italian band called Calibro 35. You can find a parody of a psychotic D.J. fan of
Michael Jackson (“Dj Psicosi”) and an ironic love song as “La
ballata dell'amore stocastico”. There's also a short quote from the
“Happy Accidents” by Rascal Reporters (“Accidenti”), some
echoes of bossa nova (“Estate 216 solstz”) and many more
interesting ideas.
Dario D'Alessandro: Homme de Terre
By
the way, the main composer of the band, Dario D'Alessandro, is also a
painter and maybe his paintings and drawings that you can find in the
booklet could describe the music better than my words. Have a try!
You can listen to the complete album in streaming HERE
Homunculus Res: Limiti
all'eguaglianza della parte con il tutto (2013). Other opinions: Raffaella Benvenuto-Berry: Loaded with humour and the obvious pleasure of the craft of music-making, Limiti all’eguaglianza della Parte con il Tutto
is the perfect antidote to too much overwrought, self-important prog.
Though the lyrics and their cultural references might be lost on
non-speakers of Italian, an understanding of the words is not necessary
to enjoy the album and its sophisticated yet accessible brand of
“Canterbury Samba Progressive”. Highly recommended to everyone but those
who believe that progressive rock and humour should not mix, or else
object to non-English lyrics, Homunculus Res’ debut is a delightful,
intelligent album that effortlessly blends retro and modern attitudes,
with the added interest value of Dario D’Alessandro’s outstanding
artwork... (read the complete revie HERE)
Coral Caves are an Italian prog band from Palermo, Sicily. They started their activity in 2001 on the initiative of Pietro Saviano and of the first drummer of the band Stefano Bartolomei as a tribute band dedicated to Pink Floyd. After some line-up changes they managed to shape a more personal sound blending in an original way influences swinging from the Italian prog masters of the seventies to hard rock, psychedelia and neo prog. The current line-up features Pietro Saviano (vocals, bass, flute), Dario Gallotta (guitars), Luciano Gallotta (guitars), Salvadores Arcoleo (keyboards) and Massimiliano Vacca (drums). After a demo in 2006, in 2008 the band released an excellent debut album, “Mitopoiesi”, on the independent label Mellow Records.
The opener “Mitopoiesi” (Mythopoeia, the making of myths) sets the atmosphere of this work... Waves of keyboards, sharp guitars, a pulsating rhythm section and evocative vocals drawing interesting melodic lines... “I want to skate on the thin ice of life / To be astonished by the crack under my feet... I’m looking for a shell in a coral cave / With the symphony of the sea inside... I want many illusions / With risks and disappointments / I want a burning fire in my heart...”.
“Sorridi” (Smile!) starts with drums and bass in the forefront and alternates quiet, dreamy atmospheres with faster parts... “Even the fastest car sooner or later stops / And if an usurer as the years go by wants to buy your gaze, your pride, your heart... Just smile and turn down that offer!”.
In “Cliff Of Moher” the band blends symphonic prog with Latin rock. A strange journey to Ireland indeed. Romantic lyrics describe a beautiful landscape, the sea and the sky that you can see from the Cliff of Moher while your thoughts are flying away, towards someone that is difficult to forget...
On “Senza di me” (Without me) Pink Floyd influences are stronger while the band tries to describe in music and words the melancholic feeling of being in a boat carried away by the current, without oars. But then, someone calls you and gives you hope for a return to reality... “What am I today? / I should look at my past / What will be tomorrow? / I was hoping it would be better than me...”.
“Ricordi” (Memories) is another introspective track. It starts with a flute solo, then the electric guitar comes in and leads the way... The song is about the memory of past friends losing themselves between disappointments and broken dreams.
“Torno a casa” (I come back home) is a kind of celebration of the “backpacker way of life”. It’s about the need to travel, the taste of discovery, the charm of exploring new countries, meeting new people, learning new languages. Acoustic strummed guitar and keyboards bring a positive, joyful feeling.
Then, a martial marching beat introduces “Tenochtitlan 1521”, a reflection about the behaviour of the conquistadores of Mexico where the band compares the cruel rites of the Aztecs and the cruel rites of the Spanish who, the in name of God, used to send non-believers and heretics to the stake. People don’t learn from history... “Despite time elapsed / Despite civilization, progress and freedom / Every day a new Tenochtitlan falls...”. The final guitar solo recalls Neil Young...
“Eterno ritorno” (Eternal return) is a beautiful, poetical track about the eternal circle of life, one of the best moments on the album, where acoustic folkloric suggestions are perfectly blended with prog. Calm passages featuring flute and acoustic guitars alternates with sparkling keyboards and a joyful rhythm section.
The long, complex final track “Il dolce canto della terra” (The sweet song of the Earth) is about the need to live in harmony with mother nature. Its calm, serene and solemn pace concludes an album that is really worth listening to...
You can listen in streaming to the complete album HERE
Coral Caves: Mitopoiesi (2008). Other opinions:
Raffaella Benvenuto-Berry: Though CoralCaves may not score very highly in terms of authentic progressive content, they do instead as regards melody and accessibility. Their music, never overly complex or demanding, has an easy flow that will appeal to those listeners who do not shun more mainstream genres. "Mitopoiesi", while clearly not breaking any new ground, it is nonetheless a well-crafted debut from a talented new band, which will please fans of both Italian music and classic rock. Prog fans will find enough progressive elements to please them, as well as solid musicianship and more than adequate singing... (read the complete review HERE)
Jim Russell: The players seem far more interested in the melody, atmosphere, and the emotional impact than they do in technical wankery or anything else for that matter. The compositions are beautiful and authentic and original despite the band's love of 70s rock, they succeed in taking the great elements of their influences without falling into the trap of worship. They sound fresh and modern in their presentation... (read the complete review HERE)
Read the interview with Coral Caves on Progarchives, click HERE
It’s time now to challenge Scylla and Charybdis crossing the Strait of Messina. We begin in this way our visit to SICILIA, an island and an autonomous region of Italy. First we visit the city of MESSINA, where William Shakespeare’s comedy Much Ado About Nothing is set. Here we can listen to Addamanera(MySpace), a band that blends folk and psychedelia in an original way, then to the solo project of Antonino Rampulla (MySpace), to the young Moon Fire (MySpace) and to some post rock bands such as Denied Light (MySpace) and The Morning Light(MySpace). Not far from Messina lies the town of Milazzo home to Taberna Mylaensis(MySpace), a band that should be of interest to folk prog lovers and active since 1975.
Then we head south along the coast until we arrive at the small town of Santa Teresa di Riva, near the beautiful ancient town of Taormina, where we can listen to Conqueror(MySpace), an excellent contemporary prog band that in 2010 released a beautiful concept album, Madame Zelle, inspired by the adventurous life of a woman called Margaretha Geertruida Zelle, also known as Mata Hari.
Still heading south, we pass through the town of Acireale, almost at the foot of Mount Etna, where an interesting emerging band called Mechanical Butterfly (Facebook) come from. In another town near the volcano, Belpasso, we can listen to an excellent band called Malibran(MySpace). Malibran began life in 1987 and in 2010 they released a very good new album entitled Trasparenze.
Next stop is CATANIA, the birthplace of opera composer Vincenzo Bellini. This is where prog artists and bands as Franco Battiato (Official Website), Renato Moretti (Bandcamp), the neo prog Edith (MySpace), the psychedelic Alcàntara (Facebook), Time Haven Club (Facebook) and the emerging Bill In The Tea (MySpace) come from. Still heading south we pass through SIRACUSA, a city founded by the ancient Greeks and rich in history. Its most famous character is the inventor Archimedes. Here we can listen to a particular, theatrical “folk metal” band called Fiaba(MySpace), to Anèma (Bandcamp), to Ancient Oak Consort (Facebook), to Ologram (Facebook) and to the promising ArcaMiri (Facebook).
Then, heading south west we reach RAGUSA, the ancient Hybla Heraea, where we can listen to Randone(MySpace), an excellent band that in 2006 released an amazing concept album inspired by the history of this city, Hybla Act I. Our next halt is in the nearby town of Modica, in the Hyblaean Mountains, where we find an interesting folk prog band formed in 1994, Mas-Nada(MySpace) and te jazz rockOstinàti (Facebook).
We head north west now directed to the heart of Sicily, to CALTANISSETTA, where we find an emerging prog band called Neamatis(MySpace) while in the nearby small town of Mazzarino we can listen to Viola Drunken(MySpace), a band that blends hard rock and psychedelia with Italian “canzone d’autore” and touches of seventies prog. Their second album was released in 2009 and it’s a conceptual one, Di fate e streghe (Of Fairies and Witches).
Then we set our course south west, to AGRIGENTO, best known for an archaeological site, the Valle dei Templi, which inspired an album by prog jazz band Perigeo, La Valle dei Templi, featuring a beautiful art cover. This area, in the imaginary city of Vigata, is the setting for the crime stories of Commissario Montalbano, a character created by the famous Italian writer Andrea Camilleri. This is where a dark and “catacombal” prog project called Ultima Missa (MySpace) come from.
We head north west now, to the seaport town of Marsala, a place usually associated with Giuseppe Garibaldi and his Expedition of the Thousand and best known for its Marsala wine. The town is home to two prog bands, Braindead and Il Castello delle Uova(MySpace), while in the nearby city of TRAPANI we find a prog project called TP Overdrive(MySpace) and Un Certo Jhò (Facebook). Then we head east and conclude our visit to Sicily in its capital, PALERMO. In the seventies the city gave us Era di Acquario while today here we can listen to two very interesting contemporary prog bands, Bright Horizon (Facebook) and CoralCaves(MySpace). Worthy of mention are also the Canterbury inspired Homunuculus Res (Facebook), Chester Gorilla (Facebook), Silver Nightmares (Facebook), The Smuggler Brothers (Facebook) and the young Indicative(MySpace) while the nearby town of Bagheria is home to Atti Pubblici in Luogo Osceno (Facebook).
