FLEA / ETNA — Etna (review)

Album · 1975 · Fusion

4.5/5 · 2024-10-11
FunkFreak75

This quartet of Sicilians recreates themselves one more time, this time with a melodic orientation to peak power Jazz-Rock Fusion.

1. "Beneath The Geyser" (3:56) though opening with some solo electric piano play, the other musicians spring forth as if from a powerful geyser or volcano, creating a track with of melodic power J-R Fusion that sounds like a cross between the jazzier side of FOCUS and JEAN-LUC PONTY (sans violin, of course) and RETURN TO FOREVER. While most reviewers spend energy extolling the talents and virtues of drummer Agostino Marangolo, I'd like to commend his keyboardist brother, Antonio, for his impressive skill and rather mature ability to beautifully "fill" space with his chord play. In fact, all of the band members seem very skilled. An impressive opener. (9/10)

2. "South East Wind" (6:10) after a rather spacey and chaotic one minute intro this song turns into a very pleasant and interesting and mathematical exercise in King Crimsonian discipline as the band trace out a series of very demanding syncopations, the main one (which is also very GOBLIN-like) being very deliberate and proscribed, whereas the second one exhibits more of the high-speed fervor of RTF. (9.125/10)

3. "Across The Indian Ocean" (5:36) opening with jungle sounds and instruments as bass player Elio Volpini plays with harmonics before finally creating the melodic riff that paves the way for the others to join in. The two-part rhythm they settle on could have come from BILLY COBHAM's 1973 debut solo album, Spectrum, while the guitar play and sound palette sound more like something ALLAN HOLDSWORTH might have constructed/orchestrated. This is a very demanding piece technically for the musicians but they all pull it off marvelously and without weakness or hiccup--and while somehow managing to maintain a constantly-engaging element of tension and melody. (9.33333/10)

4. "French Picadores" (4:26) switching to acoustic instruments the band pull off another RETURN TO FOREVER-like composition. Guitarist Carlo Pennisi's steel-string acoustic guitar sound and style is striking for its similarities to those of AL DI MEOLA. With the George Benson-like vocalese mirroring Carlo's melody play on his guitar, I am strongly reminded of the great Brazilian vocalists backing and carrying PAT METHENY's melodies throughout the 1980s and 90s. The sudden appearance of a clarinet in the second half freaked me out cuz I thought it was Jean-Luc Ponty's electric violin! Beautiful music, seemingly simple but virtuosically performed. Wow! I am really, REALLY impressed with this band! (9.5/10)

5. "Golden Idol" (8:59) starts rather gently before the band picks up a guitar-led TODD RUNDGREN's UTOPIA-like chord riff as if to introduce a second, more dynamic motif that they will be expanding upon later in the song. Antonio Marangolo's keyboards are just so rich--filling the sonic field so perfectly beneath and around the bass, drums, and guitars. And bass player Elio Volpini is so smooth and effortless despite flying around his fretboard. Guitarist Carlo Pennisi's almost-experimental/improvisational guitar play--with chords!--is wonderful (and, again, very FOCUS-like), and, of course, drummer Agostino Marangolo's performance is like money: so solid and flawless. So impressive for its intricacies yet, at the same time, so melodically-satisfying. What an extraordinary gift these guys have! (18/20)

6. "Sentimental Lewdness" (6:42) opening up with some very impressive drum play from Billy Cobham-like Agostino Marangolo, the band joins in with a very impressive rock-oriented RETURN TO FOREVER/FOCUS-like drag race before suddenly lifting off the ground into the air with a wonderful piano-based motif that gradually also accelerates into the high-speed motif the band started with. This also, somehow, mysteriously devolves back into the bluesy piano-based motif which then yields some experimental volume pedal-controlled guitar and keyboard chord play while Agostino shows his disciplined skills on his drums again. So MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA-like! What an interesting and unique song! After several listens I still can't figure out how the band was able to plan for and negotiate those imperceptible and yet seamless transitions between vastly-different motifs with their contrasting dynamics. (9.33333/10)

7. "Barbarian Serenade" (5:14) piano, double bass, lush cymbal play, and mandolin present and carry forward a Latin/Mediterranean melody and gradually supplement it with full drum support, electric bass, electric guitar, and even electric piano whilst maintaining the acoustic foundation and amazing melody. Wow! I am blown away! Absolutely the perfect song for an album's finale! What a compositional (and performance) achievement! (9.333/10)

Total Time: 41:03

This was one of the best discoveries and favorite albums to listen to and review since I started my deep-dive into "Classic Era" Jazz Rock Fusion. I'll have to repeat how impressive I find this album to be for its virtuosic intricacies while, at the same time, the band's ability to manage to present and maintain such melodic sensibilities. This is an album that I am so excited to be able to enjoy for years to come!

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of progressive rock music's Jazz-Rock Fusion sub-genre and definitely one of the best Jazz-Rock Fusion albums I've ever heard coming out of Italia!