Bernardo Lanzetti / Horizontal Rain CD, review From Wolfgang Giese

Bernardo Lanzetti / Horizontal Rain CD review

From Wolfgang Giese

November 16, 2021

The Italian singer Bernardo Lanzetti was born in Casalmaggiore in 1948. In 1971 he formed the prog rock band Acqua Fragile, which released an album in 1973 and 1974 respectively. He subsequently sang on three of the albums with the band Premiata Forneria Marconi (PFM).

The protagonist's solo phase then resulted in a number of publications, and further participations in other productions until there was a reunion of Acqua Fragile in 2017. And now another solo record with "Horizontal Rain".

The first guest star introduces himself with "Walk Away"! David Cross (King Crimson) convinces with a fine virtuoso violin solo. And when Cross 'battles' with Derek Sherinian on the keyboards, you almost think you've landed in rock jazz, here with the Mahavishnu Orchestra = Jerry Goodman vs. Jan Hammer. But the main focus is immediately drawn when Lanzettilifts up to sing. Yo, there is a lot of theatricality in the expression, sometimes like an opera he powerfully performs his own lyrics to his own music. And this moves, in the spirit and as an expression of his past, in the Prog Rock area.

But the characteristics of this genre are not only used as a basis, but extensions have been adhered to. This is what happened on "Heck Jack", where the saxophonist Giancarlo Porro is responsible for the arrangement of the horn section around him and the trumpeter Marco Brioschi and the trombonist Carlo Napolitano. Speaking of the saxophone - yes, David Jackson (Van der Graaf Generator) also enriches the epic "Lanzhaiku" with familiar sounds on his saxophone and flute, his typical sound.

On the last song, "Different", a whole choir is brought up, the unusual arrangement brings a very beguiling-mystical mood to the music. And so a not necessarily uniform direction has succeeded, but it is precisely because of this that the already very lively music gains even more liveliness. It is precisely this variety that leads to the fact that not only pure proggies should feel addressed, but also all those who otherwise listen to other music.

At first sight the harmonic songs rule, "Time Is King" for example reminds a little of Genesis and other songs contain many elements and passages of Art Rock. Of course, it is always the veteran's musical past that flashes and has found its way. An absolutely formidable achievement has been achieved, music with charm, with retro elements, sometimes powerfully gripping ("Horizontal Rain"), but otherwise often floating spherically with a dreamy expression. And above or above everything stands this unmistakable voice, sometimes acting a little hectically, but extremely individual.

 

Tracklist "Horizontal Rain"

Walk Away (5:51)

Heck Jack (3:48)

Lanzhaiku (3:36)

Time Is King (4:54)

Brilliant! (3:04)

Conventional (4:24)

Ero Un Num Ero (4:57)

Horizontal Rain (5:13)

Different (4:32) 

Total playing time: 40:28, year of publication: 2021

Line-up Bernardo Lanzetti

Bernardo Lanzetti (lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica, programming)

Alesia Baltach (cello - # 7)

Marco Brioschi (trumpet - # 2)

Andrea Cervetto (guitars, bass, keyboards, arrangements - # 2,4)

Kim Chandler (backing vocals - # 1,2)

Marco Colombo (guitars - # 5,8)

David Cross (violin - # 1)

Tony Franklin (bass - # 1)

Pier Gonella (guitars - # 6)

David Jackson (saxophones and flutes - # 3)

Tony Levin (stick - # 2)

Dario Mazzoli (bass - # 5)

Sara Wilma Milani (backing vocals - # 3)

Jonathan Mover (drums - # 1,2,5,8)

Carlo Napolitano (trombone - # 2)

Alex Polipo (drums - # 4)

Giancarlo Porro (tenor saxophone and horn section arrangements - # 2)

Derek Sherinian (keyboards - # 1)

Pier Vigolini (keyboards - # 6)

Franco Grandoni (choir conductor - # 9)

Luisa Baiocco, Federica Bastianelli, Silvia Metelli, Michelle Rainone, Gabriele Santoni,

Teo Tiburzi, Gabriele Serano (choir - # 9)