Search - Acqua Fragile :: Acqua Fragile (Mlps)

Great Italian prog

BENJAMIN MILER | Veneta, Oregon | 09/24/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Acqua Fragile had only released two albums in its life time, this one, their self-entitled 1973 debut and Mass-Media Stars from 1974, which are both worthy of your attention (I used to think Mass-Media Stars was awful, but I revisited that album and my opinion changed, it's great, although the vocals are even harsher and more heavily accented than their debut, that's why it was difficult for me to appreciate their second album long ago). If you enjoy the best parts of Genesis and Family, you're sure to enjoy this album. Vocalist Bernardo Lanzetti sounds like a cross between Roger Chapman and Peter Gabriel. Lanzetti sings in English, but it's real obvious that he had real problems with the language as so much he sings is quite unintelligible (although I realize that Lanzetti had spent his youth in Texas, so he should know the English language better, and in fact his English was quite good when being interviewed on an L.A.-based public access program specializing in prog, called the Boffomundo Show, which existed in 1979-80), but there's no deny he's got quite a powerful voice. PFM had produced the album but it doesn't sound all that much like PFM, at least the albums I've heard (If any PFM comparisons surface, it would more likely be Chocolate Kings-era). I noticed none of the band were trying to impress each other, so you don't get elaborate guitar and keyboard solos (keyboardist Maurizio Mori used some rather low-key Hammond organ, Eminent and piano). I believed the band was more interested in ensemble playing than trying to "outsolo" each other. "Science Fiction Suite" is an acoustic piece with great vocal harmonies, almost CSNY-like. "Three Hands Man" seems to be a song about a freakshow, complete with the occasional circus music. "Comic Strips" seems to be a little on the Gentle Giant side, until the part that goes "Listen, you are the writer" that sounds distinctly Genesis-like (and I can almost imagine Lanzetti wear silly costumes like Gabriel whenever I hear that one). "Morning Comes" starts off very Genesis-like but with a more Italian bent to it. "Education Story" is the one cut on this album that most resembles Family, for some reason I am reminded of some of the material on that group's 1971 album Fearless. "Song From a Picture" is a nice little acoustic ditty that also reminds me of Genesis. As a vinyl enthusiast, I am lucky to own the original LP, which was released on Numero Uno, the Italian label that also brought us PFM (as well as Il Volo and Formula 3). The original LP has a cover that folds in to a giant poster much like Beggars Opera's Pathfinder or Ramases' Space Hymns, which means, if you have the vinyl copy of Acqua Fragile's debut, hold on to it, not only because of the cool packaging, but it's also hard to come by. If you're a lover of Italian prog, or a Genesis or Family fan, then this might be for you."

The rate should be 3stars and 1/2 ,instead their importance

Lethe | Milan, Italy | 12/08/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Well apart from their attempt to make the italian people remind of the Gentle Giant style (they have "stolen" the refrain-chorus from G.G. in the track "Comix strips"),they have made an important imprinting of their own, without forgetting anyway the "Yes-oriented" ballads(listen to "Science Fiction suite",which was inspired by "I've seen all good people" from "YESALBUM" and also "Wonderous stories" from "GOING FOR THE ONE");but here Bernardo Lanzetti takes a lot from his personal experience too ...that is the style that He brought to PFM in the remarkable album "Chocolate Kings", as for his clear romantic taste, typical of that period (1976),helped by a delicious sound and enriched with a "waterfall" of mellotron as well. The "ACQUA FRAGILE TRADEMARK" is more visible in the excellent "Song from a picture", even if the sound is quite Yes-like and under the influence of PFM too (in the track "Going out" they are influenced by Yes once again, but without stolen any kind of stuff!!)... The final track "Three hands man" is their best and more personal too, in my opinion, (after 5 minutes and an half you find the splendid atmosphere similar to that one coming from the markets of Naple-Italy, which grows in dynamics more and more,by culminating into the organ solo- a certain mood as "tarantella" and the piano crescendo as well(such crescendo reminds us of Tony Banks by Genesis), as long as Lanzetti leads the remarkable ensemble to the end. Their chorus, Yes-like, is the right style for this song and it works well, making this album well worth checking out!!Recommended to all the people with taste!!"

Quiet Water

Mark Champion | San Antonio, TX United States | 02/21/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Morning Comes" usually gets kudos as the best track - - even (or especially) by those who complain that it sounds like early Genesis and Gentle Giant (true enough)- - but I think "Science Fiction Suite" beats it to heck: lovely West Coast harmonies and a lilting melody to die for above an energetic and beautifully strummed twelve-stringed acoustic bed. Yes, Bernardo Lanzetti at times recalls both Peter Gabriel and, especially on "Comic Strips" and "Education Story", Roger Chapman. But why complain about that? If you don't like those guys, it naturally follows you won't like this. If you do, quit yer cryin'. Another common comparison is contemporary PFM, but no. It's true that they were on the same label for a while (so were Mrs. Elva Miller and the Beatles, not to make any direct comparisons) and that Lanzetti would join PFM a couple of years later. But play this along with (say) PER UN AMICO and you'll hear the differences. A better comparison would be that middle-period PFM (er, Lanzetti was the vocalist on CHOCOLATE KINGS and JET LAG after all) sounded not a little like Acqua Fragile. Anyway, it's too bad that Acqua Fragile have always been a second-tier consideration at best . . . they deserved better."