14.01.2008.
Area - Maledetti (1976) (@256)
(Review from progweed.net, wikipedia)
Area grew to be one of the most respected and important bands of the blooming 70s Italian progressive rock scene. The youth of the time was able to identify with their socialist lyrics and Area soon grew to prominence, also because the band was founded on a strong and virtuosic musicianship. Area's sound is an odd mish-mash, drawing from rock, jazz, eastern and arabic music, and it was this blend of all sorts of music that made the band stand out.
Maledetti holds all of the elements that make Area such a hair raising listening experience, while exploring new territory foreign to the Area camp. Most of the information on Area comprises their releases up to this one and stops short of really describing this torrent wave of musical experimentation called Maledetti. All of the Area elements are intact; from the Mediterranean sonic fusion, rhythmic assaults that leave one breathless, to newer elements of African rhythmic percussion via Paul Lytton, classical jazz elements courtesy of Steve Lacy, and a classical music overture with the aid of a string quartet, making Maledetti a monster in the Area catalog.
Along with Ares Tavolazzi on bass and keyboard genus Patrizio Fariselli, Demetrios Stratos has never sounded better with his vocal intonations. Starting off with "Evaporazione" we hear Stratos running back and forth spouting in Italian which ends abruptly with him screaming "Ladies and Gentlemen", leading to "Diforisum Urbans": a glorious glide of rhythmic keyboard mayhem that breaks with a keyboard run halfway through and Stratos vocalizing like never before. "Gerontocrazia" contains one of Stratos's most incredible vocal workouts. "Scum" is one of those tracks that will have you reaching out and pulling your old Monk and Bud Powell recordings and dust them off for a second listen.
Side two: enter the string quartet with a Bach concerto, magnificent in it's own right, and into "Giro, Giro, Tondo". Stratos is full of emotion and energy. Patrizio Fariselli shines like the brightest beacon in a dark harbor with his keyboard work. And ending Maledetti is "Caos", a workout of structures of insanity guided by no one. What would an Area work be without chaos represented in the final inflection.
Line-up :
- Giulio Capiozzo / drums, percussion
- Patrizio Fariselli / piano, electric piano, bass clarinett, synthesizer, percussion
- Ares Tavolazzi / electric & acoustic bass, trombone
- Paolo Tofani / guitar, synthesizer, flute, tcherepnin
- Demetrio Stratos / vocal, organ, cembalo, steel drum, percussion
with
- Eugenio Colombo / kazumba
- Hugh Bullen / bass
- Walter Calloni / drums
- Steve Lacy / soprano sax
- Anton Arze & Jose Arze / txalaparta
- Paul Lytton / percussion
- Paolo Salvi / cello
- Giorgio Garulli / contrabass
Track List :
01. Evaporazione (1:54)
02. Diforisma urbano (6:30)
03. Gerontocrazia (7:38)
04. Scum (6:35)
05. Il massacro di Brandeburgo numero tre in sol maggiore (2:30)
06. Giro, giro, tondo (5:59)
07. Caos (parte seconda) (9:10)
08. Intervisa (2:03)
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Original Post Date : 25 Nov 2007 | 3:01 PM
