Thoughts? Il Volo's s/t album was the first RPI album I ever bought (about '74) and I have a real soft spot for that warm, uber-meditteranean pop sound. An album that never fails to lighten the spirit. Interesting production values for the time too.
Il Baricentro's two releases were among the most delicate and pristine jazzy RPI albums of the time, with spades of atmosphere. And, unlike a lot of RPI, it still sounds pretty fresh.
Any other fans?
I love both Il Baricentro albums, with perhaps a very minor preference for the first one. I have both Il Volo albums, but the only one I really like a lot is Essere. The S/T is nice, but never has particularly grabbed me. Maybe I'll give it a fresh spin and see if anything has changed.
Bill
Definitely. And I agree with your synopsis of both bands and own all 4 albums. If I were to predict the reaction here, I would guess Il Volo's second album would be the consensus favorite of the 4 albums in question. I really do love the first Il Volo though. As you state so well "real soft spot for that warm, uber-meditteranean pop sound". Me too!Originally Posted by Teddy Vengeance
Yeah, I agree. But on the other hand, I think that "über-mediterranean pop sound" thing might just be the one factor which turns some listeners off that s/t Il Volo; it simply aims too close and earnest to the limitations of its objective - i.e. this was an Italian 70s band as informed by The Doobies and CSN as by Genesis or JTull. The same story goes with a band like Libra.
As for Il Baricentro (whose first album I really like, the second not so much); you heard their predecessor act, Festa Mobile - right? Less overtly jazzy, although the traces are certainly there already. Anyway, their sole album sits among my fave 15 from 70s Italy.
"Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
"[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM
I'm not familiar with Il Baricentro, although I very much like Festa Mobile from which some of these guys came from.
Il Volo (both albums) are huge favorites of mine. I purchased a 5-disc RPI CD box set in the late 1980s that contained the second Il Volo album. I really loved it and also like their first album a lot, which I purchased some years later. The synthesizer sounds are rather unusual and something that have always resonated with me.
Il Volo's "über-mediterranean" sound... yes, that's a terrific description! I have to admit that I do like that sound.
Indaco, which included several folks from Banco, also had a Mediterranean pop sound that I always got into, even if it wasn't really remotely prog.
Il Volo is great. I love the bass playing on the debut album.
My progressive music site: https://pienemmatpurot.com/ Reviews in English: https://pienemmatpurot.com/in-english/
Il Volo was kind of a “supergroup,” comprised of singer/guitarist Alberto Radius and keyboardist Gabriele Lorenzi from Formula 3, singer-songwriter Mario Lavezzi, soundtracks composer and arranger Vince Tempera and drummer (and also composer) Gianni dall’Aglio. So I think their unique sound has something to do with their varied backgrounds coming together in its own way. They had their own sound and most of the comparisons I’ve heard reviewers try to draw when describing them don’t really apply. I have the Japanese 2-on-1 CD and while the second is definitely much closer to “prog”—almost entirely instrumental and in more of a jazzy fusion direction—I really do adore that first album. Those melodies are very insidious, in a nice way, and impose themselves on your consciousness. I think that’s a testament to their songwriting talent that so many of their tunes are so memorable. Has Bruno Lauzi’s cover of “Molecole (Il canto della preistoria)” ever been posted here?
RE: the distinctive “synth” sound. Alberto Radius acquired an EMS Synthi-Hi-Fli guitar effects unit during his time with Il Volo. So a lot of the “synth” sounds are actually his guitar. He continued using it on his first post-IV solo LP, Che cosa sei?
I think if Il Volo has a shortcoming (apart from the crappy “popera” “boy-band” stealing their name), it’s that in spite of the presence of two keyboard players, the keyboard sounds are a bit on the paltry side. My initial gripe about this band is that there was way too much Rhodes and string synth, and that critique still stands.
I only have the first Il Baricentro. The opening track of Sconcerto flattened me like the guy in the armchair in that classic Maxell ad when I first heard it! It’s like they threw every keyboard in their arsenal on that track, even a freaking harpsichord! Sadly, while the rest of the album is OK, it never reaches those heights again. In general, they strike me as Herbie Hancock-lite.
Confirmed Bachelors: the dramedy hit of 1883...
Il Volo's 2nd Essere o non essere? is essential to any decent collection of italian prog. The others (1st and both Baricentros), I can live without...
Yep, I'd say both Essere and the Festa Mobile record are pretty essential - in a sense those others aren't. I still think that first Baricentro is indeed a most underrated Italian release, though.
"Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
"[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM
I've been a big Il Baricentro fan for decades, since I discovered a Sconcerto used lp in 1988. Their second album is good, as well. Il Volo I heard decades ago,and thought it was ok, but it didn't sustain much interest in me. I will have to rectify that!
"and what music unites, man should not take apart"-Helmut Koellen
In my case, I loe the first Il Volo and for some reason ever clicked to the second one. I also like very much the fist Il Baricentro, which I bought on vinyl when originally released. My favorite Alberto Radius related album is the third Formula 3, 'Sognando and Risognando' , though. Plenty of Mediterranean melody sensibility there also, I would think.
RPI is a nerdy acronym for nerds only
as far as Il Volo and Il Baricentro, I love all 4 albums
Why is it whenever someone mentions an artist that was clearly progressive (yet not the Symph weenie definition of Prog) do certain people feel compelled to snort "thats not Prog" like a whiny 5th grader?
What does RPI mean?
Rock Progressivo Italiano.What does RPI mean?
It's not really a term I use, because I don't think all Prog from Italy falls under one heading, so it's sort of a useless category in my mind because it lacks any real descriptive power. The two bands in this thread are a good example. They're both from Italy, but the similarities really stop at that point. Il Volo is more "symph-oriented" if you will (not really a perfect slot for them either, imo), and Il Baricentro are much more on the fusion side. I'm not sure why the term has stuck around, but it has.
Bill
indeed! that's another necessary album for Il Volo fans
Why is it whenever someone mentions an artist that was clearly progressive (yet not the Symph weenie definition of Prog) do certain people feel compelled to snort "thats not Prog" like a whiny 5th grader?
I see. Thanks Bill, and I agree with you regarding the term.
I recall reading that one of Il Volo's main objectives was to focus on melodic content and avoid excessive individual "flash," long soloing and the like.
I think both of their albums are fantastic and really succeed in this goal.
Baricentro is good stuff, but I'm not sure I see too much connection given that they were more firmly planted in the Jazz-Rock school.
I don't think the OP was pointing to any connection, other than they are two band he really liked from Italy that were perhaps a bit overlooked/under-discussed.
Inspired by this thread, I'm going to spin Il Volo's first tonight. I might even have time to spin their second one too as I believe they are pretty short.
Bill
It’s weird, in that Formula 3 started off as singer-songwriter Lucio Battisti’s outlet for prog-rock experimentation. He never played on any of their records, but wrote most the material for their first three (all of it on their second album).
Confirmed Bachelors: the dramedy hit of 1883...
Spun Il Volo's first tonight. Nice album, better than I'd remembered, which is probably why I kept it. True, it's a bit light on the "chops." But the compositions are largely interesting enough to carry the day. It's pretty, but not saccharine, and while not virtuoso in the playing, it has it's little complexities in the arrangements that keep things from being dull. Solid little album, which at 32 minutes definitely does not overstay its welcome.
I also spun Il Baricentro first album. Just wow. Jazz rock with melodies. Reminded me strongly of Arti + Mestieri, in their approach, but not always in the end result. This spin only reminds me how truly great this album is. A real gem, imo.
Bill
I bought the first Il Volo LP when it was released, just because it was on the same label as the Italian-language PFM releases (Numero Uno), and bought the second LP when it was released. Love them both. Likewise, I bought Formula 3's "Sognando & Resignando" when I saw it was on Numero Uno and then got their next LP, "La Grande Casa", when it came out. It's not quite as good as "S & R", but it's worth having for a few tracks. Never heard of Il Baricentro until a few years ago. Good, but not my cup of tea. I've got to have more weirdness/quirkiness with my fusion.
I see what you mean. One of the reasons why I never really got into Perigeo or Kaleidon or Napoli Centrale was their somewhat archetypal approach to the medium of fusion. Granted there were at times a quite "mediterranean" feel there as well, and there were certainly some good tunes and themes and hot playing, but I never connected in the sense I did to, say, Arti e Mestieri, that freaky Duello Madre affair or even Nova - or indeed the wonderful stylings of Picchio dal Pozzo.
"Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
"[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM
Agree on Festa Mobile. Essential as well.
100%
Another ProgArchives revisionist stupidity.
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