Music Banter - The Prog Rock Album Club

Alphataurus --- Alphataurus --- 1973
http://www.progarchives.com/progress...5372572009.jpg

1. Le chamadere (Peccato d'Orgoglio)
2. Dopo l'Uragano
3. Croma
4. La mente vola
5. Ombra muta

Band:
Vocals ---Michele Bavaro
Guitar --- Guido Wasserman
Bass --- Alfonso Olive
Keyboards --- Pietro Pellegrini
Drums --- Giorgio Santanderea

1. What were your VERY FIRST impressions on listening to the album, say from the first five minutes in?

I thought the bassline initially drove the tune, and was very hypnotic. Then it broke down into a soft acoustic guitar piece, quite pastoral, followed by the first vocal, which I certainly liked. Thought it had a vague sense of Mexican about it, for some reason, as the vocal and music got harder. Very strong singer, even if I couldn't tell what he was singing about. Some great organ and synth work, touches of Santana and even Uriah Heep in there. And that's all in the first five minutes!
2. What did you think of the opening tracks?

Only five on the album, so let's concentrate on the opener, "Le chamadere (peccato d'Orgoglio)" --- I thought it was quite varied in styles and a good opener, progressive and psychedelic rock elements, and certainly highlights the expertise of the band.

3. What did you think of the later tracks?

Track two, "Dopo l''Uragano" gets much heavier, with more guitars as Guido Wasserman asserts himself more, and an almost doomy sort of feel to the track, touches of Sabbath and Purple. "Croma"'s a nice little instrumental quite in the mould of the later Alan Parsons Project. It's also the shortest track on the album, with the others coming in at nine minutes, five and twelve, working backwards. I love the keyboard work in the opening four minutes of "La mente vola", and then it only gets better.

4. Did you like the vocalist? Hate him/her? Any impressions?

I did like him, though I couldn't say I love him. Hard to be too objective when the singing is not in English, but I thought he had a strong, engaging and powerful voice.

5. Did the music (only) generally appeal to you, or not?

Yes, very much so, especially the keyboard work, which I found quite fantastic. Very seventies (not surprising as it's an album from 1973) and very proggy. Kind of takes over though, and I wonder how the band would have sounded without Pietro Pellegrini on keys? He's certainly the musical focal point of the band.

6. Did the album get better or worse as you listened to it (first time)?

It evolved a lot, so in that sense it got better as I listened.

7. What did you think of the lyrical content?

N/a as I don't speak Italian so couldn't understand the lyrics.

8. Did you like the instrumental parts?

Excellent. Very powerful, quite spacey in places, and very much what you'd expect from a progressive rock band of the seventies, ie, banks and banks of keyboards and synths.

9. What did you think of the production?

Can't really say. It sounded fine to me.

10. How well do you already know the band/artist?

Not at all. This was the first and only release of theirs I listened to. I believe they made a second record but have not heard it personally. They're broken up now, apparently; in fact, they broke up soon after the recording of this.

11. What sub-genre, if any, would you assign this music to?

Progressive rock, maybe with a hint of space/psychedelic in there too.

12. On repeated listens, did you find you liked the album more, or less?

About the same. It's not what I'd call a grower: you either like it or not first time round, and if you do, then you'll continue to enjoy it on repeated listens. If you don't like it first time though, I'd say it's unlikely you'd get into it on subsequent listens, though of course I could be wrong there.

13. What would you class as your favourite track, if you have one?

I think overall I really rate "La mente volta" as the best track. It starts well with a big keyboard passage and then develops into a powerful, emotional mid-paced song. Great vocals and some fine guitar work, though like all of the tracks it's driven and hangs on Pellegrini's keyboard athletics. Nice bit of vibra or even xylophone in this too. Just great.

14. And the one you liked least?

I don't think there was one. Out of five, what are the chances? No, I think they were all pretty good.

15. Did the fact that this album is a debut allow it, in your mind, any leeway, and if so, was that decision justified or vindicated? (Note: if the album is or was NOT a debut, ignore this question or put "n/a")

For a debut, and as it turned out, last album before they split, sort of, it's a pretty impressive effort. I can't help wondering what Alphataurus might have achieved had they stayed together and continued making music.

16. Are you now looking forward to hearing other albums by the band/artist?

They only have the one other. I'd listen to it, sure, but I'm not putting it at the top of my list. Then again, it's not at the bottom either...

17. Did you get, thematically, the idea behind the album if there was one?

See question 7.

18. Did the album end well?
Yes, very well. "Ombra muta" veers between soft blues ballad and total psychedelic workout. Slows down the action nicely while at the same time throwing in some great keyboard solos and keeping things fresh. Also Wasserman gets to finally kick out the stays and show us what he could do on the guitar; shame he wasn't cut loose earlier.

19. Do you see any way the album could have been improved?

Perhaps more use of the guitar, which I feel was pretty much a bit-player for most of the album. Also I'd like to have had an idea what the lyrics were about, but that's my fault for not knowing Italian I guess.

20. Do you think the album hung together well, ie was a fully cohesive unit, or was it a bit hit-and-miss?

Hard to say really when you don't understand the lyrics, but I don't think it wandered off on any tangents and there weren't any songs that I feel didn't fit in to the overall body and structure of the album.

Overall Album Rating: 7 out of 10.