Detailed Reviews [Armando Petrini - 2005 - "Good Mood"]

Prolusion. The 30-minute "Good Mood" is the only release Italian guitarist (and music teacher by profession) Armando Petrini has to date. He is also a bandleader of a real, actively gigging outfit, Fuzzy Sound, with whom however he performs exclusively cover versions.

Analysis. As it became clear to me already upon the first spin, "all instruments" include only electric, acoustic and semi-acoustic guitars, while bass and drums are programmed - everywhere on the EP. Petrini appears to be a masterful guitar player, providing long, beautiful, at times highly memorable solos with ease, taste and a sense of proportion all alike. However, his music has very little to do with progressive rock. The eight pieces featured are all instrumental, most being traditional heavy metal with elements of what is known as a "guitar hero" style. Only the title track and Out of the Darkness are slightly prog-tinged, each representing modified (read modern) heavy blues-rock with occasional digressions towards fusion, Armando's guitar style quite strongly resembling the one Jeff Beck widely applied in his '80s creations, in particular on "Guitar Shop" from 1989.

Conclusion. The impression that this recording has made on me isn't bad at all, but I will hardly return to it in the future.

VZ: Agst 23, 2006