Corrado Sardella has been around since 1997 and “The Long Pathway”, which I had purchased back in the day, a one-man multi-instrumentalist that certainly had nothing but a brighter future. By 2001’s “Transizione”, the ratings as well as audience appreciation improved, and continuing unperturbed ever since. This is his 10th release, armed with a most attractive album cover, as well as a slew of local Italian guests as well as bass man John Jowitt and drummer Mirko De Maio. Ideally, this release was intended to be enjoyed as one continuous as is the case for most progressive records worthy of the name. There will be plenty of intersecting surprises, during the course of the 15 tracks presented here ,certainly stylistically, keeping the listener on a perpetual edge for the duration of the 74 minutes of running time.
“Journey” is the ouverture , a vocal aria, expertly delivered in fine operatic form by singer Lorena Cossu , the ideal prelude for the colossal and bombastic “Remnants of Memories”, propelled by the current masterful Flower Kings drummer, whose precise percolations will be a hall mark of this album, just like Jowitt’s ruthless bass assault. Corrado lays on the synthesized thrills with gusto, including all kinds of choral backdrops, with the added delight in the lush guitars carving up the arrangement with slippery and operatic zeal. The ambient memories fade into the mist of time.
The idiosyncratic “After Waking” relies on a variety of textural insertions, with hushed arias, laid-back male vocals and a deliberately accessible tone, a saccharine morning hymn that has a radio friendly tag attached. It does eventually leap into a paroxysm of bombast, soaring on all cylinders, ready to face the day and its myriad of challenges. The bravery required to deal with of the routine of life comes across blatantly on “Il Coraggio di Essere”, a fretless bass and piano-led excursion of unflappable simplicity, crowning a matter of factual vocal by Lorena, with a minimum of dramatics, a finely orchestrated illustration of the daily grind. After lunch, the mood chills as the afternoon sun kicks in, “Distant Lights” blowing clearly in the smooth jazz channel, where blaring saxophone, piano, marimba and slap funk bass burps usurp the piazza. Unpretentious, volatile and utterly cool, close to a vintage Gino Vannelli feel. Yes, its sugary sweet, but so is granita! You may wish to forget , but I cannot, as I love history! Let us all be reminded, that RPI has always relied on Italian ‘canzone’, simply sung ballads that tickle the fancy, very Italian style pop music that has stood the test of time. Here it gets a slick synth warble. “Quel Folle Volo” is a breezy affair, a traditional wink at the legacy of this incredible multi-faceted culture. The Stefano Naclerio sax solo adds all the difference.
Mini-epic time, in the 2 part “That Silent Tear”, featuring a charmingly accented English female narration that would easily seduce a Carrara marble slab. The main section evolves into moodier realms, the sax now more melancholic, challenged by a scorching electric guitar flurry, the prog bombast back firmly in the spotlight. There are enough alterations to keep the most demanding prog critic at bay, never quite knowing what will appear around the next corner (a bit like walking around Rome, the Eternal City).
Next up, a series of five shorter tracks that espouse Italian romantic sentimentality more than any progressive exploration one might wish to faun over but still infused with some noteworthy technical prowess from Corrado. “And I Miss You” is ambient fluff, like lightweight candy, a little caramello perhaps. The lengthy “Simply You” probably closer to a savoury tiramisu, “Stella D’Agosto” leans more towards a deft mini piano etude, “Laurie” surely an ode to a past cherished lover with a striking lead guitar solo and finally “Esegesi di Una Fiaba Inerrata”. In all honesty, though I am clearly not the producer involved here, these five tracks should have been collated as a bonus CD, as they are in many ways a separate chapter to the main story.
Back to outright progressive rock on the Roman Colosseum-sized title track, a magnificent piano and an operatic aria unite to reestablish the style one clearly expects to hear, and the 10-part suite is simply a mind blast of Vesuvian proportions. Ranging from effect-laden snippets to Celtic inspired chants, Corrado serves up a classic sonic feast (like at an Italian wedding), everything one can possibly wish for is presented in a variety of courses, expertly served by experienced musical waiters, both the quality and quantity dished out in copious dollops of flavouring, with the added local component of pompous theatrical insanity. Overkill? So is a Ferrari or a Lambo. As well as Armani and Gucci. If its just too much to digest, well?they invented Amaro for a reason.
A final short arrivederci “Di Quei Giorni Infiniti” is like the traditional walk home after a huge feast, which explains why most fat Italians are from Jersey and not Lazio. It soothes the pain and gets one ready for the eventual ‘domani’. And then, they get do it all over again.
4 sudden crossroads