Mad Fellaz

Michael Baryshnikov написал(а) к All в May 21 12:04:34 по местному времени:

Нello All!

Залиты диски Mad_Fellaz:
(2013)MadFellaz
(2016)Mad_FellazII
(2019)Mad_FellazIII

Очень неплохая итальянская прогрессив-рок-группа (не РПИ!). Смешанные чувства, счас объясню.
Первый их альбом - отличный "американский", мощный и интересный инструментальный фьюджн. Иной раз прямо-таки Медецкий, Мартин и Вуд.
На втором альбоме он зачем-то взяли тётку на вокал. Как говорит один мой приятель: "ну, такое...". Вокал в стиле "The Ship To Late...", понимаете о чем я? При том характер музыки тоже слегка изменился - в нём стали проскакивать какие-то восточные мотивы. Нет, мастерство владения инструментами никуда не ушло, но мне лично это всё не очень импонирует. Когда вокала нет, когда есть - слегка раздражает, к тому же ещё и с акцентом. Да, музыка стала более тяжёлой, почти на уровне металла. Много кримзанутости.
На третьем диске они от неё, к счастью, избавились, но взяли мужика-вокалист. Блин - вот неймётся людям! "Хрен редьки не толще" - вокал у него чисто "нео-проговый". Ну, вот представьте: ещё больше кримзанутости, тяжелая инструменталка, напряг... и тут вот вылезает вот_это_ (так и вижу: грудь вперед, голова назад, микрофон в руке, огонь в глазах... поубивал бы!). Короче, картинка прежняя - пока нет вокала, всё просто великолепно, как просыпается вокал, хоть музыку выключай... Критики скажут: "такая уж классическая школа итальянского прогрессива", я им отвечу: "а я вот _такой итальянский прогрессив не люблю!". К счастью, вокала всё же не так много, как могло бы быть. Остальное, по прежнему, на высоком уровне, как в композиции, так и в технике.
Энивей,
ВЕСЬМА ВЕСЬМА РЕКОМЕНДУЮ!

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Mad Fellaz biography
Founded in Bassano Del Grappa, Italy in 2010

Initially an experimental trio formed in Bassano del Grappa in 2010, Mad Fellaz, comprised of Emanuele Pasin and Paolo Busatto on electric guitars and Marco Busatto on drums, soon added Carlo Passuello on bass, Enrico Brunelli on keyboards and Rudy Zilio on flute and clarinet. The group are influenced by a diverse range of vintage worldwide progressive artists such as King Crimson, Gentle Giant, Pink Floyd, Italian legends Area and Banco del Mutuo Soccorsso in addition to newer bands like Opeth and Porcupine Tree. Jazz, blues, metal, electronic and classical Italian progressive sophistication are all combined to fascinating results by this band, their objective being to find the highest creativity without musical limits or specific genre categorization, and always looking to express music naturally in exciting ways.

Improvised, yet carefully focused and recorded completely live with little in the way of overdubs, the full instrumental debut self-titled album from the band is comprised of five songs running an hour. The longer suites contain everything from smooth jazzy meanderings, playful grooves, ambient dreamy atmospheres and ethnic flavours with stirring electric guitar soloing and shimmering keyboards. Other shorter numbers are energetic jazz-fusion workouts and quirky eclectic rockers. The constant use of flute and classical piano aligns the band with numerous other RPI greats, and it is comparable to the recent debut by Progenesi. It works equally well as a background listen or a compelling musical experience, and despite incorporating a range of styles, the album holds together as a cohesive whole.

2015 saw the band add female vocalist Anna Farronato, taking their music on their second album "II" in something of an eclectic Rock-in-Opposition/Avant-Garde direction with a healthy dose of the Canterbury sound, Zappa and 80's King Crimson, but still maintaining all the instrumental flair present in the band from the beginning.

Нighly recommended to fans of daring and unpredictable music, the Mad Fellaz are a professional and talented young band brimming with endless potential, already producing exquisite and sophisticated cultured progressive music.

(c) Michael Нodgson (Aussie-Byrd-Brother), PA
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Mad Fellaz
Mad Fellaz
Eclectic Prog, 2013
(c) Review by tszirmay, PA

I have shown remarkable patience in trying to acquire this album, as previous reviews and a progstreaming audition had sealed the deal. Furthermore any recommendation by Aussie-Byrd-Brother has my stamp of approval unconditionally. My Oz mate has never steered me wrong. The debut album from Italian proggers Mad Fellaz is another fine example of what an instrumental prog-rock album should look, sound and feel like, the focus entirely on how the listener will perceive the music in both technical and inspirational terms. Fellow Italian instrumentalists Progenesi now have a partner in crime, as the talent displayed here is beyond the stars. With two guitarists on board, there will always be a fret board-centric appreciation, a mother lode of screeching strings, bending, weaving, caressing and exalting with unlimited zeal. Both Paolo Busatto and Emanuele Pasin know how to mesh together and also break off formation when required, agile axe pilots who are fueled by rapt exhilaration and heady adventure. They use a wide variety of tonal colorations, at times densely jazzy and at others, directly infused by the blues. Contributions from fabulous keyboardist Enrico Brunelli and flutist Rudy Zilo (who also wields that mighty Italian icon, the clarinet) simply add depth, melancholia and constant creativity to the mix, showcasing the piano one moment and the organ next, a dash of riffling flute to brighten the mood. Finally, a tight rhythm section that muscles the onslaught forward, as both bassist Carlo Passuello and drummer Marco Busatto show refined chops.

In terms of influences, one can easily cite Pink Floyd due to the bluesy approach, as well as mellower pieces by Wishbone Ash or even Robin Trower, a more progressive Eric Clapton (hey, that's a lot of lofty praise there but well warranted!) , a hint of Jethro Tull, some jazz improvisations, as well as some obvious PFM winks. Yet, one has the concrete impression of solid vision throughout, a clear and concise methodology with only one aim= prog heaven.

Two monsters jams start this debut off , "Il Colpevole" (The Guilty) has a Part 1 that focuses more on mood and atmosphere , while Part 2 is a colossal raunch-fest, a massive soloing platform that showcases the sheer talent on display, each musician getting the green light to flash, grind, sizzle and explode. Just like with Progenesi, the ever-evolving music offers such a huge variety of contrasts, twists, turns, loops, cascades that one has the impression of driving a sonic Ferrari down the German autobahn, no holds barred. These two leviathans will blow away any doubts that may be had by the musician-fans out there but also by the passive listener, as every second is wholly and completely unpredictable, even after multiple listens. Some may find this approach a tad show-offy but I beg to differ, you want a lot of exhilaration when the vocals (and its story line) are not there to guide you.

A couple of intermezzo cuts then make their entrance, the playfully rollicking "Banda Scajevoni" which has this retro 60's sound, the Нammond organ way in front, the flute weaving and the guitar jangling, sort of like bands Sugarloaf or Booker T and the MGs, which explains the James Bond/Our Man Flint atmosphere. "White Widow" has a similar TV music feel, again very period as if some time machine had taken them back to some studio in New York or LA. Loads of colliding moods here from brash and colorful to creepy and urban, a magical flute cruising down the avenue, ticki-tacka drums and utterly seductive groove.

But truth must be said, Mad Fellaz excel at the epic composition, as if such a wide berth inspires the players to even greater heights. They thus finish off this glorious album with 14+ minutes of "La Giunglia" (that should be easy, the Jungle), a lush expanse of massive rhythmic trees, luxuriant instrumental underbrush, fluttering flute mosquitoes, a missionary purpose and a need to slice through with musical machetes to find some aerate clearing ahead. Jungle jangle on piano and guitars provide this canopy of branches, swinging Tarzan-like from one shrub to another, a dense foliage that simply invigorates the by now not-too casual listener. The incredible guitars forge head-first into sandstorm Arabic guitar recon leads, screeching loudly all the way, battered by speckled winds yet determined to survive. The synths howl, the drums brutalize and the piano notes show only that hope will keep them going, relentless in the quest.

A remarkable piece of work, a sensational debut to slide between the afore-mentioned Progenesi and the recent Phoenix Again instrumental masterpieces from the Italian progressive rock fortress. Tremendous appeal to any prog fan. Not a single misplaced note, a magnificent cover, this is the real deal.
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Mad Fellaz II
Mad Fellaz
Eclectic Prog, 2016
(c) Review by andrea, PA

The second album by Mad Fellaz is entitled Mad Fellaz II and was self-released in 2016 with a renewed line up featuring Paolo Busatto (guitar), Marco Busatto (drums), Jason Nealy (guitar), Carlo Passuello (bass), Enrico Brunelli (keyboards), Rudy Zilio (flute, clarinet), Lorenzo Todesco (percussion) and Anna Farronato (vocals) plus some guests such as Flavio Brun (sax), Alessandro Brunetta (sax) and Sean Lucarello (trumpet). The artwork by Maria Todesco perfectly fits the musical content, a magic brew of different influences ranging from jazz to classical music, from Santana to Jethro Tull and many more...

The long opener "Нollow Shell" is a good mix of exoticism, jazz, folk and psychedelia evoking a dream world where time passes by through dangerous love affairs, ephemeral feelings and vain efforts to fill a life that could be perceived as empty when you get lost in a constant search for pleasure without the project to form a family or other goals...

The following "Blood Pressure" is a long suite divided into two parts that starts softly. In the first part the mood is relaxed, then the rhythm section begins to pump up the pressure, the tension rises and the stroke is just behind the corner as your heart seems on the verge of explosion trying to keep up the pace...

"Me Gusta" is a nice instrumental track where fiery Latin rhythm patterns are combined with hard rock, jazz and oriental flavours. Then it's the turn of "O.V.O. (Of Virtual Omniscience)", another long piece where you can find many changes in atmosphere and mood taking you on winding, endless roads across oneiric realms...

Two instrumental tracks close the album. "Moslem Sabbath", as you can guess from the title, combines hard rock and Middle-Eastern influences. After a heavy start marked by powerful electric guitar riffs and a sudden change in rhythm, it veers to more peaceful passages and represents a very strange call for a day of rest and prayer while the following "Meet The Gooroo" takes off like a glider and tries to lead you towards an inspirational source revealing the meaning of life...

On the whole a very good work, even if the jazz trained vocals every now and again could sound a bit out of place.
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Mad Fellaz III
Mad Fellaz
Eclectic Prog, 2019
(c) Review by TCat, PA

Mad Fellaz is an Eclectic Prog band from Italy founded in 2010. The band has seen some changes in it's line up, but for the most part, remains the same. Currently, the regular line up consists of 8 members; Paolo Busatto (guitars), Marco Busatto (drums), Ruggero Burigo (guitar, sitar), Carlo Passuello (bass), Enrico Burnelli (keyboards), Rudy Zillio (flute, sax, synths, backing vocals), Lorenzo Todesco (percussion), and Luca Brighi (vocals).

Over the course of the past decade, the band has released 3 albums, the first one was all instrumental, and for the 2nd album, they added a lead singer (Anna Farranato). For this album, "Mad Fellaz III", they have a new vocalist in Luca Brighi. This album consists of seven tracks with a total run time of 43 minutes, with tracks lasting from under 2 minutes to over 10 minutes.

"Es/Frozen Side" starts off the album with the first part of the track acting as an introductory section. It is a powerful instrumental with complex rhythm, some great guitar and organ. The sound is somewhat heavy and every changing. It finally settles in to a simpler rhythm and vocals come in around 3 minutes. The vocalist is powerful and dynamic and has a good voice. The middle section gets dark and more pensive with spoken, whispery vocals. After this, there are several meter and tempo changes as the band shows off it's progressive side. This is a great opener.

"Leaf" begins on a more settled theme, quite a bit softer with a guest saxophonist. Even though it is softer, the melody still is more complex than the standard fare, and the musicians make sure you know they are in this for the progressiveness. The track moves from quasi-folk to heavy progressive, so there are a lot of styles in this one track, hence the Eclectic Prog designation. The sax solo in the middle is catchy and complex just like the track, but it stays clean and allows for the flute to come in also.

"Liquid Bliss" starts out immediately with a progressive riffs interspersed with soft responses, a sudden chaotic passage, and then settling to a main theme sounding like something from "Umphrey's McGee" with a lot of playfulness between the vocal melodies and the instruments. There is a progressive jazz fusion feel to this, and an amazing guitar solo that approaches the sound of "UK"s Alan Нoldworth at one point.

There is a short 2 minute track up next with the instrumental "Fumes from the Ruins". This is a surprisingly stately track led of with keyboards and then a nice, heavier guitar theme. Just like the longer tracks, there are a lot of mood and musical changes throughout. Another relatively short track follows with "Under These Clouds". This one is led off with a single acoustic guitar and vocals, later joined by keys and flute. The vocalist's vulnerabilities stand out quite a bit on the softer track.

Turning back to longer tracks again, "Frost" has a bit more of a symphonic edge to it at first, but strengthens as the passionate vocals start in. After a few verses, we go right into a jazz style guitar solo on a mid tempo beat that later gets disrupted by a more experimental phase before the mellotron sweeps things up and then a really fast moving section takes us into a new vocal theme which flies along at a good clip. Progressiveness ensues with another complex instrumental break, much heavier this time. Continuing with constant change, things go pastoral before the vocals come back again.

The last track is the longest and is called "Sweet Silent Oblivion". This one features a small orchestra consisting of some strings, French horn, oboe and a 12 string acoustic guitar, all of these played by additional guests. After playing a somewhat pastoral lilt, the vocals start with a complex theme and very lyrical content. The music stays on the softer side as the small orchestra drive things forward. On the first instrumental break, the guitar gets to play a nice solo, then things get a bit more complex as the meter gets a bit tricky here. More vocals, then a real rousing guitar solo until the keys and synth take over for their own bit of showing off. This goes on for a while, then the music turns a bit psychedelic and experimental while the drums play a complex march rhythm, and what results from this when the guitars and the ensemble take over is excellent and results in a very impressive finale that you wish went on for at least another 5 minutes.

This band and this album is surprisingly good. The music is complex, yet mostly accessible, the musicians are quite impressive, the music is highly progressive, and the lyrics and vocals are all top notch. I have to say that I was not expecting anything near as good as this album was.
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Enjoy!
WBR, Michael Baryshnikov.
ЗЫ. Вот теперь я действительно уехал... до осени, соратники!

--- wfido