A HYMN TO LIFE

E’ is the second studio album by UT New Trolls and was released in 2015 on the independent label Ma.Ra.Cash Records with a renewed line up featuring Gianni Belleno (drums, acoustic guitar, vocals), Maurizio Salvi (keyboards, piano, Hammond), Stefano Genti (keyboards, vocals), Claudio Cinquegrana (electric and acoustic guitar), Alessio Trapella (bass, vocals) and Umberto Dadà (vocals) plus the special guest Elisabetta Garetti (violin). The album was recorded trying to recreate the atmosphere of the early seventies with all the band playing in the same room using vintage instruments and analog recording techniques. This time the prog soul of the band prevails on its melodic vein and I’m sure that Italian prog lovers will be pleased... 

 

 

The opener “Dies Irae” starts with the violin in the foreground, then the rhythm section and the other instruments come in blending baroque music and rock while the lyrics try to convey a message of hope. The beauty of life remains, even in misfortune, and you have to look inside yourself to discover that there’s world in a grain of sand and to find the eternity in an hour… A kind of hymn to life! 

 

The long, complex “Oggi non sono spento” (Today I’m not off) begins by a long instrumental section in a jazz rock vein with Latin rock elements. You can hear a dynamic rhythm section, suggestive organ waves and an electric guitar solo that could recall Santana until the pace slackens and melodic vocals invite you to reflect about the mysterious adventure of life and urge to enjoy the day keeping the flames of your inner fire always burning... 

 

 

“Cambiamenti” begins in rockier way, then the rhythm calms down and there’s a softer section where melancholic soaring vocals on an acoustic guitar arpeggio express a love for life that is stronger than regrets and disappointments. Every rose has its thorns, lies or unfaithful relationships are just thorns that can’t erase the beauty of life... Then the rhythm rises again for the finale where the lyrics invite you to get up and fight to change the world and make it better. 

 

The short, dreamy instrumental “Trullo Lungo” closes the first part of the album with a good display of keyboards in the forefront. The title refers to a picturesque village in Apulia where the band found a moment of relax and inspiration documented by some pictures that you can find in the booklet... 

 

 

Ut New Trolls on stage, 2014

The second part of the album opens with the brilliant “Cherubino”, a lively piece about a kind of psychedelic, beautiful dream where the borders between heaven and hell get blurred, sacred and profane meet each other and the cherub who stands the guard to the tree of life lower his sword and let your soul fly free, in harmony with the universe... 

 

Next comes the gorgeous instrumental “Opera Suite”, a challenging piece that blends with freshness and gusto some classical influences with the powerful energy of a rock band. Here the musicians are able to express in an effective way all their pleasure to play together... 

 

 

“Io...” (I…) is a melodic ballad about time passing by. The music and words conjure up the image of a peaceful landscape at dawn and try to express the desire of a better world where men respect each other and the environment, a world with a soul that can make the dreams come true. Life is short, so carpe diem and try to not waste your time... 

 

The beautiful instrumental “Ostinato” closes the album with a perfect exercise of style, blending again in an impeccable way classical forms and rock rhythms. The title refers to a musical term defining a short repeating element, usually only a bar or two long, though the term may also be applied to such longer repetitions as occur in a chaconne or passacaglia... (quote from the New Penguin Dictionary of Music). Anyway, this is an ostinato sui genris and there’s no room for boredom, it’s really a gran finale! 

 

On the whole, a very good album! 

 

You can listen to the complete album (plus two bonus tracks) HERE

 

More info:

https://www.utnewtrolls.com/pagengl/home.html 

 

GIVE AND TAKE

 UT New Trolls are just one of the many offshoots of historic Genoese New Trolls (like Ibis, New Trolls Atomic System and Tritons in the seventies and later La Storia dei New Trolls, Il Mito dei New Tolls, Il Cuore dei New Trolls, La Leggenda dei New Trolls...), all featuring some of the old members claiming the heritage of the original band. This project took off in 2011 under the name Uno Tempore on the initiative of New Trolls’ historic members Gianni Belleno and Maurizio Salvi who gathered around them a bunch of talented musicians with the aim of reviving the “prog soul” of New Trolls, in particular performing live pieces from the 1972 album Ut and other material from the early seventies. In 2012 a live album entitled Live In Milano was released under the name Uno Tempore New Trolls and in 2013 the band with the name shortened to UT New Trolls released a brand new studio work entitled Do Ut Des on the independent label Immaginifica with a renewed line up featuring Gianni Belleno (drums, vocals), Maurizio Salvi (keyboards, piano, Hammond), Alessandro Del Vecchio (keyboards, piano, vocals), Claudio Cinquegrana (electric and acoustic guitar) and Anna Portalupi (bass). Despite the good intentions, I have to say that for a prog fan the fruits of their work could have a bitter taste since the prog soul of the band here seems to be smothered by the prevailing pop, melodic vein that is also part of New Trolls’ DNA... 

 

 

The album opens with promising short instrumental “Paganini”, then comes “Per ogni lacrima” (For every tear), a piece about the healing power of friendship and love that starts with a sparkling, classical inspired, organ passage. Unfortunately, after a minute the music veers to AOR and could remind of New Trolls’ albums like Aldebaran rather than Ut. 

 

“La luce di Vermeer” (Vermeer’s light) combines melodic vocal parts and bolder instrumental passages. It’s a good piece where the lyrics invite you to look in a different way at people who serve time in prison because not all of them took deliberately the career of evil but some where just doomed by an ill fate and a difficult social condition. Even those branded with the sign of Cain should deserve another chance and bit of respect... 

 

 

The following “Oltre il cielo” (Beyond the sky) is just a melodic ballad dealing with the need to overcome the consequences of the traumatic end of a relationship while “Rispettare può salvare” (Respecting can save) is a reflection about the never ending conflicts in the Middle East and the troubled situation in Palestine. The softer parts evoke a comet over Bethlehem and the hope that sooner or later men will learn the mutual respect and live in peace...
 

“Do Ut Des” (Give and take) is a beautiful piece, featuring many brilliant classical inspired passages and lyrics inspired by an absolute love for Music. Next comes “Sarà per noi” (It will be for us) a touching, romantic ballad with beautiful harmony vocals. Then the dreamy “Siamo ancora qui” (We’re still here) tries to express the feelings and the emotion of the musicians on stage, even after many years of career... 

 

 

The swinging “Sporca politica” (Dirty politics) is a kind of ranting against the politicians who waste the money collected with taxes in their games of power but in my opinion the committed lyrics and the carefree music are neither here nor there and this is probably the weakest point of the album. The closer “Can’t Go On” could be considered as a bonus track since it’s just the English version of “Oltre il cielo” sung by the special guest Dennis "Fergie" Frederiksen from Toto. 

 

On the whole, in my opinion this is a good AOR album with some hints of prog that should be of interest for fans of bands such as Toto but that is not essential in a prog collection.

 

You can listen to the complete album HERE