Detailed Reviews [Addamanera - 2005 - "Nella Tasea de Il Zio"]

Prolusion. ADDAMANERA is a young Italian band, and "Nella Tasea de Il Zio" is their first release.

Analysis. Like Chiavo De Volta's "Ritratto Libero", Addamanera's "Nella Tasea de Il Zio" is one of the finest debuts in recent years. The album is highly impressive for its exceptional originality, compositional intelligence and great arrangements, i.e. for everything, generally speaking. This band works with a variety of Adriatic, Balkan and Middle Eastern folk styles blending them into a completely unique sonic palette, which also features symphonic, spacey, jazzy, classical and medieval madrigal-like colors. A strong maturity is evident throughout the album, reflected in the fine textural and dynamic nuances and in the skillful counterpoint among classical guitars and sax, woodwinds and piano, violins and drums (sometimes congas). All of the eleven tracks presented are songs, but most of them feature more instrumental sections than those with vocals, though even there the music remains diverse and eventful. The structure is not only highly polymorphous; it is constantly shifting - not just from song to song, but within each of the songs, save the short centerpiece, Libelfule. The only number sung by a guest female soloist, this composition reminds me of a lullaby with somewhat progressive instrumental background. While on Lemonjelly there are distant echoes of Gong's Flying Teapot, and on La Barca those of Genesis's (probably most eclectic) The Waiting Room, no one will find these guys really falling back on the standard cliches, nowhere. Sparkling melodies, complex rhythms, a strong acoustic component and many more are all inculcated within the fabric of the compositions, at times giving them a purely chamber visage. What's curious is that the opening track, Neurogenesi, turned out to be the most avant-garde in the set. I wouldn't say that I like it better than the other songs, most of which are brilliant in their own way, but I would have certainly preferred the band had more often used that approach to create effectual angular melodies.

Conclusion. This album is quite atypically deep and rich for a band's first brainchild. It grows slowly on me, opening more and more nuances with each successive listen. The whole new direction is laid here, and I am certain it will pave the way for some of those who yet to come in the world of progressive rock music. Another candidate for my Top-2005, Addamanera's debut album gets my highest recommendations.

VM: March 15, 2005