Search - Raccomandata Ricevuta Di Rit :: Per Un Mondo Di Cristallo

Great Italian prog

Jeffrey J.Park | Massachusetts, USA | 06/10/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This 1972 album of Italian prog opens with some absolutely excellent Baroque-period influenced Hammond C3 playing (made to sound like a pipe organ I think), which then gives way to some PFM-ish acoustic guitar/classical guitar and flute work, and then segues into a thunderous barrage of electric bass, drums, and guitar that would not sound out of place on Il Balletto di Bronzo's YS album (1972). Sound familiar? This dynamic contrast pretty much characterizes the rest of this great album.



With respect to instrumentation, synthesizers are not used at all, although there is a ton of Hammond C3 organ, and great guitar work (electric/acoustic/classical). The vocals are OK and remind me somewhat of the harder-edged vocal style of Semiramis or possibly Museo Rosenbach. The musicians on the album include Luciano Regoli (vocals, acoustic guitar); Nanni Civitenga (acoustic guitar, electric 12-string); Stefano Piermarioli (Acoustic piano, Hammond C3, Celeste); Francesco Froggio Francica (drums/percussion); Manlo Zacchia (electric bass, double bass); and Damaso Grassi (flute and tenor sax).



The eight tracks on the album more or less flow together into one larger work and range from 1 - 10 minutes in length. The overall sound is pretty mellow, although there are some louder, harder-edged sections that provide excellent dynamic contrast. One interesting moment is the jazzy jam on Nel Mio Quartiere that features an OK tenor sax solo and an excellent piano solo. This jam starts off slowly and then builds into the furious pace of be-bop, with great piano and electric guitar solos. I admire the band for attempting this. The cut L'Ombra bears more than a passing semblance to the opening of the Tarkus suite (ELP, 1971).



The remastering is fantastic and features excellent sound quality along with the original LP format. The inner gatefold art is pretty cool in a 1960's sci-fi sort of way and depicts a despondent astronaut who has (apparently) returned to Earth only to find it lying in ruin - Earth is depicted as a barren wasteland with the crumbling vestiges of cities scattered about.



All in all, this is a great album of Italian prog that is highly recommended."