MALIBRAN - OLTRE L'IGNOTO - 2001

This is the last full original album from this excellent Italian band. One of my fave in the genre.

If ever you would like to discover all the magic of Italian symph, I recommend you to listen to "Si Dira Di Me". Nice flute, strong vocals, lush keyboards, complex suite of themes, but more than anything : these keys are absolutely gorgeous. Soft sax as well to complete this nice picture. It is by far the best piece of music. The closing section belongs not only to the best of their repertoire but also to the best of Symphonic rock. Being Italian or generic. The guitar solo will fill all your needs for beauty and This long and beautiful song overshadows any other one.

The title track "Oltre L' Ignoto" also belongs to the best ones of this work. Even if it is a partial rip-off of "Watcher" during the opening. But if you can make abstraction of this start, you'll get the best out of this band : expressive and poignant vocals, harmonious instrumental sections (church organ and so emotional guitar...). The second highlight.

"In Viaggio" is just a little behind. Strongly linked to "Genesis", it holds an excellent guitar solo. Upbeat song (almost neo-prog) at times, it also reminds me "King Crimson" of the very early period (mellotron I guess). The song stops at just over ten minutes After a blank, we'll get a kind of "Jethro Tull" medley from which "Bouree" is the best known one. The band has released a tribute album called "Songs For Jethro" in 2000.

Of course, and for the very first time, there will be several fillers on this short album (according to their standards). All being short tracks like "L' Incontro" which is a pastoral acoustic song and nothing from the other world really. "La Via D'acqua" is the instrumental counterpart even if more pleasant. Third one of the same kind "Verso sud". A dull acoustic and passionless song. Far from their inspired work unfortunately.

The album is also less personal. When you listen to "Mare Calmo", you feel like being on board of "DSOTM". It is a very pleasant instrumental of course which will be appealing to any old nostalgic as I am but you need to like such regressive work to appreciate it.

There is also a weird track featured. "Cerchio Mobile" is partially influenced by electro-funky-pop sound as if "Malibran" was "inspired" by the poor work of "Banco" during the nineties. Not really a good idea IMO.

This album, while being a good one thanks to the three long songs is not the one I prefer and I would recommend their first two albums if you would like to discover this great Italian band.
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