LA COSCIENZA DI ZENO
+
GARYBALDI
Live in Genoa
February 22, 2013
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Wednesday, 6 February 2013
Saturday, 2 February 2013
THE FLOWERS OF EVIL
Psycho
Praxis began life in Brescia in 2004 but it wasn't until 2011 that
the current line up featuring Andrea Calzoni (vocals, flute), Paolo
Vacchelli (guitars), Paolo Tognazzi (keyboards), Matteo Marini (bass)
and Matteo Tognazzi (drums) was completed. In 2012 they released an
interesting debut album on the independent label Black Widow Records,
“Echoes From The Deep”, managing to mix vintage sounds and new
ideas with excellent results. Well, the legacy of bands such as Pink
Floyd, Premiata Forneria Marconi, Jethro Tull, Deep Purple or
Biglietto per l'Inferno weighs heavily on the overall sound but
there's no plagiarism and the song-writing skills of Psycho Praxis
are pretty good. According to an interview with the band “Echoes
From The Deep” is a concept album about a passage from an emotional
state to another and the art work by Michele Armiento in some way
depicts the content of the music and lyrics.
The
frenzied opener “Privileged Station” conjures up the vision of
people running downhill chased from their paradise by a whimsical God
that is observing them rubbing his hands. But some people is going
against the tide and hiding their sins they manage to reach a
privileged station in a free zone, soon followed by other rebels...
Well, this track makes me think of a poem by Charles Baudelaire from
his Flowers of Evil... “Race
de Caïn,
au ciel monte / Et sur la terre jette dieu!”.
The
following “P.S.M.” begins softly, with acoustic guitar and a
touch of organ. The vocals draw the image of an inmate who is waiting
for the hangman in his cell. The atmosphere is dark, there's no room
for hope any more, even the afterlife seems unhappy... “The master
comes again / He grips his long staff / It's a hand of glass...”.
Then the soul of the inmate comes out of the body and stares at the
gallows pole where the corpse is still dangling...
“Hoodlums”
recalls Pink Floyd and takes you to the dark side of the moon. The
lyrics conjure up some lost memories in a snowy winter morning. A
child looks at a bunch of rascals who are passing by... “Come with
us where the sun is shining / Leave your tools and have some days...
“. The child heeds their calls, he follows them and throws away his
life.
The
reflective, melancholic “Black Crow” is a kind of desperate
glance into the falsity of a world that behind the window of your
room seems no more real than on the screen of your TV. The music and
lyrics depict a lonely man and a crow with a human face while reality
and unreality are blurred... “My dear bird, now I see you ripping
the sounds, eating the news / Through your screams that cover all
sounds / I recognize the sweetness of the world...”.
The
excellent, lively instrumental “Awareness” takes you out of the
dark and leads the conclusive “Noon” which describes in music and
lyrics the spiritual rebirth of a man after a troubled period. The
crow becomes an eagle and the new soul can now hunt after a new
being...
Well,
to be honest I think that the concept is a bit foggy. Moreover, the
band chose to sing in English and the vocals are not always clear,
every now and again they sound even awkward. Maybe if Psycho Praxis
would have sung in their native language the result would have been
better... Anyway the music is really good and this album deserves a
try!
Psycho
Praxis: Echoes From The Deep (2012). Other opinions:
Michael "Aussie-Byrd-Brother": The ferocious energy and surging power on display throughout this debut album by new Italian
band Psycho Praxis shows so much variety and highly promising talent that it's already drawing a
lot of attention in the short time since it's release in November 2012. In addition to a kicking electric
energy and frequently manic vocal delivery, the swirling flute crosses English band Jethro Tull with
Italy's Quella Vecchia Locanda and Osanna, while the dirty organ/guitar interplay bridges Atomic
Rooster with a rough Biglietto Per L'inferno RPI sound. This mixture of influences in addition to the
use of English (though charmingly accented) vocals seems to be an attempt by the band to appeal
to a world-wide audience, and there's no reason to think it won't happen on the strength of this
magnificent first album... (read the complete review HERE).
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Sunday, 20 January 2013
HEAVEN AND HELL
La
Maschera di Cera are an Italian prog band based in Genoa that came to
life in 2001 on the initiative of bassist and multi instrumentalist
Fabio Zuffanti. The line-up on “LuxAde”, their third album, also
features Agostino Macor (keyboards), Alessandro Corvaglia (vocals,
acoustic guitar), Andrea Monetti (flute, sax) and Maurizio Di Tollo
(drums). The album was released in 2006 for the independent label
Immaginifica and was produced by PFM drummer Franz Di Cioccio. Well,
all La Maschera di Cera’s albums are absolutely worth listening to
and “LuxAde”, a conceptual work based on the contrast between
light and dark as metaphors of good (Lux) and evil (Ade), is my
favourite one so far. The sound of the band is deeply rooted in the
seventies and the influences of bands as Banco del Mutuo Soccorso or
Le Orme are clear, nonetheless they do not lack originality managing
to add a personal and up to date touch to vintage sounds with
excellent results.
The
opener “Porta del cielo” (Heaven’s door) is just a short
delicate instrumental introduction for piano solo that leads to
“Doppia immagine” (Double image), a complex track describing the
urge to leave a dark reality of mirrors and false images and to look
for the light and a better way of life. The music features swirling
flutes and a jazzy sax solo and there are many changes in rhythm and
mood that seem to underline how winding and difficult a spiritual
path towards enlightenment might be. “I’m looking for the dawn
inside my heart / I’m walking on a rope... I’m still living among
the mirages of my dreams / I don’t want to keep on walking on the
same steps / I’m wasting every moment of my life...”.
“Un
senso all’impossibile” (A sense to the impossible) is a long,
complex track in two parts. The first part, “Teatro di follia”
(Theatre of madness), begins softly and features acoustic guitar and
delicate flute lines. An introspective quest for light and truth
could make you lose touch with reality and drive you insane. Blinded
by the light and by your desire to fly away like Icarus you risk
falling... “When the wind blows further to the North / Towards
white and pale auroras / This earth will slowly melt into a mirage,
like Atlantis... The horizon broke the border of my world / Closed
and still / In a trip, theatre of madness / I was giving a sense to
the impossible...”. Pounding bass lines coming out from the fading
sound of the blowing wind introduces the second part of the track,
“Il ricordo” (The Remembrance), then soaring swirling flute notes
come in and the rhythm takes off. Here the music might recall BMS,
featuring wild keyboard waves and passionate vocals. Holy passions
and vain dreams of glory drive your flight to nowhere and once you
have realized that, a feeling of rage rises, then rage gives way to
an infinite tiredness... “I run after planets and faint versions of
God / But now, all that I was running after is vanishing in the wind
/ And my soul is tired to start again from zero / To breathe again /
To burn again / To fly again...”.
“Orpheus”
is a track full of energy featuring a particular dark, bitter-sweet
mood. When you lose contact with reality you also risk losing the
people you love. Losing love can lead to losing hope... “I look at
your face and I can’t find it anymore / I can’t hear your voice /
I feel the abyss that is here and I want to take you with me...”.
The title was inspired by a character of ancient Greek mythology. You
can imagine travelling down to the underworld to take back what you
have lost, as Orpheus did to save his dead lover Eurydice, but you
know that it would be useless... “I’m not dreaming anymore / I
chose to go far beyond / Thousands of errors with me... I’m not
looking for the truth anymore / If you are sinking with me...”.
“Nuova luce” (New light) is a complex track in four parts, “Passato” (Past), “Sogno” (Dream), “Presente” (Present) and “Realtà” (Reality). The music features sudden changes in mood and some interesting classical hints. Once you have found a new light you could realize that, all in all, it’s not better than the one you left... “Over there, lost forever / Melted into the dark / This consumed new light will vanish / Other colours / Different reality...”. The end of this track reminds me of Lucio Battisti and evokes some other “thoughts and words”...
“Nuova luce” (New light) is a complex track in four parts, “Passato” (Past), “Sogno” (Dream), “Presente” (Present) and “Realtà” (Reality). The music features sudden changes in mood and some interesting classical hints. Once you have found a new light you could realize that, all in all, it’s not better than the one you left... “Over there, lost forever / Melted into the dark / This consumed new light will vanish / Other colours / Different reality...”. The end of this track reminds me of Lucio Battisti and evokes some other “thoughts and words”...
Next
comes the wonderful suite in nine parts “Enciclica 1168”, the
“plat de résistance” of this work. It tells the story, set in
the Middle Ages, of a monk obsessed by his faith in God. The first
part “Scena I: Preludio (gennaio 17)” describes an abbey and the
troubled monk. The abbey is surrounded by a village whose inhabitants
don’t care for the “holy hand of God” and live in sin, getting
drunk and creating barriers between what belongs to earth and the
holy thoughts due to God. In the following scenes the music and words
describe the monk killing a blasphemous man, pushed by the vision of
a cross of light. Once the crime has been discovered the inhabitants
of the village try to track the monk down but he transforms himself
into a gigantic wasp with angel wings to exterminate the sinful
people wiping them out from the earth... “A blade of light / Was
all they needed / To melt the wax of its flight...”. The perfect
interaction between all the members of the band help create a Gothic
atmosphere where the evil side of religious power is depicted as in a
psychedelic dream.
The last track, the colourful instrumental “Schema (v.s.d.)” is a perfect conclusion for an amazing album. Dark and light have many nuances and I’m sure you’ll discover a new one every time you listen to this brilliant work...
The last track, the colourful instrumental “Schema (v.s.d.)” is a perfect conclusion for an amazing album. Dark and light have many nuances and I’m sure you’ll discover a new one every time you listen to this brilliant work...
From the book Rock Progressivo Italiano: An introduction to Italian Progressive Rock
You can listen to the complete album in streaming HERE
More info:
http://mascheradicera.wordpress.com/
http://www.myspace.com/mascheradicera
https://www.facebook.com/mascheradicera
Saturday, 19 January 2013
LANGUAGES AND SOUNDS
Rêverie
began life in Milan in 1996 on the initiative of composer and
guitarist Valerio Vado with the aim of performing an original
“ethnic-progressive” music inspired by European and Mediterranean
culture, a mix of traditional Italian Renaissance and Baroque music
with up to date sounds. After three interesting demos and a good live
activity, in 2008 Rêverie finally released a self-produced debut
album titled “Shakespeare, la donna, il sogno” with a line
up featuring Valerio Vado (guitars, keyboards, backing vocals), Fanny
Fortunati (vocals, percussion), Fulvia Borini (flute, mandolin),
Alberto Sozzi (clarinet, keyboards, banjo, flute), Daniele Defranchis
(guitars) and Mariella Mancuso (cello).
 |
| Reverie 2007 |
Most
of the pieces on “Shakespeare, la donna, il sogno” (Shakespeare,
the woman, the dream) come from the soundtrack for a theatre play of
the same name written by Stefania Amato, Fanny Fortunati, Valerio
Vado and Mariangela Zabatino. The play is set in Elsinore, in
Denmark, where a company of musicians perform music from the
Renaissance. At a given moment one of the musicians, by accident,
evokes the spirit of Yorick, a joker at the ancient court of
Elsinore, who comes to life again and tries to bring back to life
also a “dark lady” lost in his memory. To do so he tries to
remember his beloved woman through the verses of Shakespeare... Well,
the soundtrack for this play features some English traditional tunes
from the XVI-XVII centuries revised and arranged by the band and some
original tracks in the same style. The overall sound is prevalently
acoustic and if you like bands and artists such as Amazing Blondel or
the Italian minstrel Angelo Branduardi I'm sure you'll like this
album as well!
The
short instrumental opener “Willson's Wilde” sets the atmosphere
followed by “Sonetto 18” and “Sonetto 8”. The English lyrics,
as you can guess, are taken from Shakespeare's sonnets and interpreted by Fanny Fortunati's delicate vocals... “Music to hear,
why hear'st thou music sadly? Sweets with sweets war not, joy
delights in joy...”. Another nice short instrumental, “A Toy”,
leads to two more sonnets, “Sonetto 47” and “Sonetto 147”,
then the instrumental “Passamezzo antico” introduces the last two
tracks taken from the play, “O Mistress Mine”
and “Sonetto 130”.
The album features two more tracks not related
with the play, “Plurestantay memoroj” and "Kiam alvenos la
fino”, sung in Esperanto and credited as bonus tracks. The
atmosphere of the last two tracks is different from that of the
previous ones and they sound a bit like fillers here, even if they do
not waste the final result.
****
In
2011 Rêverie released on the independent label Downbridge Publishing
their best work so far, “Revado”, with a line up featuring
Valerio Vado (guitars, keyboards, backing vocals), Fanny Fortunati
(vocals, percussion), Fulvia Borini (flute, mandolin), Alberto Sozzi
(clarinet, keyboards, didjeridoo), Daniele Defranchis (guitars, bass)
and Laura Balbinot (cello). The overall sound here is richer than on
the previous work and the result of the recording sessions is a well
balanced mix of influences ranging from classical music to prog,
from folk to Kosmische music. “Revado” was released as a double
album with a first disc sung in Esperanto and a second disc featuring
the Italian version of the same pieces. The lyrics in Esperanto were
written by Andrea Fontana and in my opinion the band managed to
explore the sound of this particular language in a very effective
way. The Italian version of the same pieces allows an interesting
comparison with the sound of the Italian language while in the
booklet you can find also a translation of all the lyrics from
Esperanto into English checked by the London Esperanto Club.
 |
| Reverie 2011 |
The
opener “La tradezerta komercisto / Il mercante del deserto”
(Trader across the desert) takes you on a long journey through hot,
exotic landscapes following the tracks of timeless merchants and
travellers... “All around, a world of waves / The winding caravan
creeps along the dune-edge / Wind burning on my face / No rocks here
/ But in the heart appears a stony will to live / Burnished by the
sand...”. The music is evocative and full of warm colours, ethnic
and classical instruments embroider flying carpets of notes as the
soaring vocals lead the way. When you finally reach an oasis you can
get lost in your dreams under a shady palm while time begins to slip
from your hands as if it was sand in an hourglass.
The
ethereal “Kiam alvenos la fino / Quando verrà la fine” ( When
the end comes) is melodic and dreamy. This piece was included in the
previous album and here you can find it in a new, improved version.
The lyrics depict Death not as the end of your life but as the
beginning of a something new, still unknown... “When the End comes,
it will be sweet like breath of wind on summer morning / The dear
faces of my loved ones will slip away like fading dreams / And I
shall be alone...”.
“Arkana
belulino / La belle dame sans merci” (Arcane beauty) is darker and
features electric guitar solo passages, lively percussion patterns,
mellotron touches and a mysterious atmosphere. The lyrics depict a
strange love story between a man and a beautiful dancer, a dangerous
woman with a magic smile... “You have entered my life on the waves
of mystery / And now I remember no more whether ever I knew your
hidden origin...”. Once the man is under the spell of the woman he
has no escape, the beautiful creature is biding her time, ready to
strike... “Now you kiss my neck with unhesitating force / See, a
stage exit / A life cut short by bites...”.
“Plurmiljaraj
knaboj / Ragazzi millenari” (Boys across millennia) has a strong
Mediterranean flavour and tells the story of two boys, Ishmael and
Isaac, two brothers separated by a wall that prevent them from
understand each other. It's a metaphorical way to depict the never
ending conflict between Israel and Palestine... “Our brotherhood is
shattered thanks to despair / I so wish that he would call me... But
these calls cannot be, because of the wall...”.
“Danco
de l' maro / Danza del mare” (Dance of the sea) begins softly, with
the sound of the waves in the background and beautiful vocals soaring
from the sea... “From a dark wave of the sea / Suddenly flickers
like a tinkling bell / The light of the free spirit with taste as
bitter as sea...”. Then the rhythm takes off and you can set your
thoughts free while dancing with the sea. This piece reminds me every
now and again of Angelo Branduardi and blends in some way Renaissance
classical music with touches of Latin folklore.
“Plurestantaj
momoroj / Via dei ricordi” (Lasting memories) is a new version of
another track included in the previous album. An electric guitar
solo, sound effects and an uneasy mood lead to melodic vocals that
revive the memories of an old journey, precious pictures that can
still fill your soul with warmth and make you hear the sound of the
wind and an echo of forgotten voices... “Would the impressions
leave some room where newly hope could grow? / Within the lasting
memories, is there clue to the way ahead?...”.
“Koto
kay lumo / Fango e luce” (Mud and light) is melancholic and dark.
The music alternates acoustic and electric passages while the lyrics
deal with the mysteries of our brain and some philosophical issues
such as free will and knowledge. Maybe freedom is just a dream and
the forces of Mother Nature are stronger than our will... “Even if
I could foretell the workings of the brain by some mighty computer /
Would that really mean that every choice of mine is just
self-delusion?...”.
“Pluvas
rosmareno / Piove rosmarino” (Rosemary rain) is a dreamy, melodic
love song where ancient myths and visions seem almost coming to life
in a surreal, ethereal atmosphere and the borders between dream and
reality are blurred... “No longer can frontiers mark difference
between two mingled seas / Which through love and through divinity
have become an Ocean...”.
The
long, complex “Silkovojo / Via della seta” (Silk road) is a suite
divided into three parts. It describes in music and words a dreamy
journey along the Silk Road, from Europe to the ancient city of
Kashgar, in Western China... “Weighed down with dreams, I crossed
the sea / And now I wander quietly among the dunes in a still
atmosphere / This is my reality / Only such dreams light up life /
Like lamps lighting us from within / To guide our wandering on the
Earth...”. An excellent track!
The
instrumental “Oceano / Oceano” (Ocean) concludes the album. It's
an experimental, “cosmic” piece written and performed by Alberto
Sozzi featuring about six minutes of sound effects and evocative
clarinet lines. It adds more colours to a very interesting album
that, according to the band, should be considered as a tribute to the
eternal need of looking for new horizons.
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