Semiramis - Dedicato a Frazz
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Music CD Cover
Artist: SemiramisEdition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown)
Format: Import
CD Release Date: 2008-05-01
Music Label: Btf
Soundtracks:
- La Bottega Del Rigattiere
- Luna Park
- Uno Zoo Di Vetro
- Per Una Strada Affollata
- Dietro Una Porta Di Carta
- Frazz
- Clown
Free Music Notes for Dedicato a Frazz
Free Music Review: Yet another great Italian prog album
Hit: 5 Stars
I have said it before and I will say it again: the Italian prog scene is pretty much infinite. It seems that with every Italian prog band I snap up, there are two to replace it. To make things even harder for those of us with compulsive tendencies, all of these groups are excellent and this 1973 release by Semiramis is no exception. Like Il Balletto di Bronzo and Osanna, this music is a bit heavier than that of bands like PFM and Celeste, although some of the pastoral moments of PFM poke through here and there. It really is a shame that this was the only album Semiramis released.
The lineup on Dedicato a Frazz includes Paolo Faenza (drums; percussion; and vibraphone); Marcello Reddavide (bass guitar); Giampiero Artegiana (classical guitar; Ovation 12 string acoustic guitar; synthesizers); Michele Zarillo (acoustic and electric guitar; vocals); and Maurizio Zarillo (Eminent string synthesizer; piano; Hammond organ; harpsichord; synthesizers). Like all of the Italian bands, the musicianship is of a very high caliber, with breakneck tempos and dense ensemble work. The vocals (in Italian) are very good and work well with the material (which can get pretty heavy at times). Synthesizers are plastered across this album (string synths mainly) and really make it work for me although the Davoli synth tone colors are a bit shrill. There are moments when the electric guitar work positively sizzles: Michele is a true virtuoso (at the age of 16 no less) and occasionally cranks the distortion up on the electric, generating a bone-crunching wall of sound.
The seven tracks on the album range in length from 4:34 to 6:01 and seem to blend into one another. In large part, the pieces alternate more pastoral sections that feature acoustic guitars and a luxurious cushion of sound generated on the string synthesizers, with more thunderous passages loaded with heavily distorted guitars and thunderous ensemble work. There are also some scattered psychedelic passages here and there as well (especially on Uno Zoo di Vetro). In general, these guys wrote some great pieces and I really enjoy the sudden shifts in texture and mood: there are points where the pieces go from heavier sections to an unaccompanied classical guitar at the drop of a hat. The organ work is superb too.
This reissue by Trident (the original label if I am not mistaken) is pretty good. The artwork is (to the best of my knowledge) the original artwork - my only complaint is that the trippy, surrealist inner gatefold painting was not on the cover. Actually, one other complaint I have is with the original production - the mixing is pretty uneven and there are times when you can barely hear the drums. Unfortunately, there is no amount of remastering and tweaking that will correct this.
All in all, this is a fine album of Italian progressive rock that nicely blends pastoral moments with extremely heavy passages. Dedicato a Frazz is recommended along with similar albums including one by Museo Rosenbach (Zarathustra, 1973); an album by Osanna (Palepoli, 1973); the acclaimed YS album by Il Balletto di Bronzo (1972); and Melos, released by Cervello (1973).
Dedicato a Frazz Poster
Italian reissue of the Italian progressive rock act's sole masterpiece, originally released in 1973.Pop Music CDs
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