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: : Stereokimono - Prismosfera : :
If you’ve ever wondered what kind of cochlea salad you could get by mixing Adrian
Belew’s Beat era Crimson (check our “Rosso di Luna”), bits of stray cat Brian Setzer,
lumps of Ozric Tentacles and a healthy dose of piquant humor, I’d say you probably
came pretty close to what this Italian trio bring to your headphones. At least,
those are the first reference points that come to my mind when I hear their music,
but listen more closely and a vast array of other ideas and influences become
apparent, including Eastern European music, spy movie themes and a bunch of samples
and other treats to stuff your ears with.
Now, I’m not saying that they deliberately set out to mix these styles, or that this
music is in any way derivative. I, unlike most of the so-called “experts” who review
CD’s, don’t pretend to know what’s on people’s minds, especially when I don’t even
know them. I’m just a beaner with a half-dozen chips on my shoulder, an orangutan on
my back and a potty mouth bigger than the ass you’re sitting on, so I guess you’ll
just have to excuse my lack of respect for the review protocol.
Back to Stereokimono (truly the lamest band name I ever heard!)
Primosfera has an interesting twist for a
“prog” instrumental album: Recurring melodies and themes. I’ve never understood why
something as basic and important is missing from so much of “prog”. Luckily, these
Italianos probably never heard that’s passé, or maybe they have and simply don’t
give a shit. Who knows? The important thing is that this album has plenty of both,
and at least as far as I’m concerned, that’s a really good thing. That does not mean
ideas get milked or that this is a simple ABAC sort of song-writing team though.
They really run the gamut here, using samples of Pink Floyd’s “Welcome to the
Machine”, Peter Gabriel and “Voodoo Child” by Hendrix, simple three-chord 70’s
anthem rock progressions as in the end of “L’uomo Nuvola” (which they cleverly
juxtapose with synth brass and solos and resolve into a crazy jam at the end that
redefines spaghetti western!), and tasty arrangements through and through.
Solos emphasize melody over chops, which may turn off some listeners, but I liked
what I heard for the most part. Personally, I’m not too crazy about the Ozric
elements in their tunes, and I thought the opening two minutes of “Onda Beta” were a
waste of time, but aside from that, I really enjoyed this album. I would love to see
these guys live, that’s for sure.
This is one of those albums that will really grow on you with repeated listens, and
is likely to become a favorite if you like quirky instrumental music. Hope the album
does very well for them because it is clearly crafted with artistry and a good eye
for arrangement and detail. Go check out the band’s website and fish around for some
audio samples if you are curious.
8.00 out of 10
stars.
Reviewer: Luis Nasser
: : Visit the Artist’s Website : :
: : Discography : :
StereoKimono - 2002
Prismosfera - 2003 |
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