Fans of the classic Italian progressive rock
sound will want to pay particular attention to this release from Moongarden
founder Cristiano Roversi. Roversi is currently handling the keyboards
for another band reviewed here called Mangala . As a noted keyboard and
Stick performer, Roversi has assembled a stellar cast including members of Le
Orme and PFM to help execute his musical vision. And in that respect this
album;AntiQua is an interesting musical experience.
AntiQua is a soft and delicate forty-six minutes of
music that is pastoral, open and full of delicate melodies that drift from one
musical motif to another. Roversi lists Anthony Phillips as a powerful influence
on his style and you can certainly hear that is these acoustic guitar driven
compositions. Often times it’s the guitar on its own strumming beautiful open
chords with just a hint of symphonic keyboards in the background and then the
guitar takes a more prominent place playing the lead line, which may trade off
with a delicate piano. A couple of the tracks have vocals, others feature
shimmering Mellotron strings or choirs. Now it should be said that there is also
a goodly portion of early prog style electric guitar reminiscent of Steve
Hackett, but it is used more for colouring and accents never taking away from
the overriding pastoral tone. The music is highly symphonic in nature and lushly
orchestrated with keyboards and instruments of all sorts at times giving off a
very cinematic feel best exemplified in the opening passages of “Tales from
Solitude Suite” [13:34].
AntiQua is the kind of disc that reminds you of
everything you love about symphonic prog, especially the softer 12-string
guitar, Mellotron style and yet it also is very much something of its own. On
one hand it’s very English and yet incorporates that classic Italian symphonic
sensibility. For fans of symphonic prog I highly recommend it. You should check
it out.
CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AT GONZO
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