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CARLA  DIRATZ & The ARCHERS of SORROW
The Scale
(2021 -  Discus Music - UK)


https://discusmusic.bandcamp.com/album/the-scale-124cd-2021

Outside looking in, an errand being slowly treads on trespassed land, along with deeply wise spirits, reflecting partly muzzled rebels, so eager to spill the truth, side by side, with throats not yet slashed, expelling demons, and crowds of free improvisations, ambience, stark landscapes, opposite lush stage, murmuring the important vibrations from the framework, worming every ounce of it out... THIS is "The Scale" with Carla Diratz with The Archers of Sorrow, on the ever wonderful Discus Music label. There be something wise coming your way.


A defiant work, among so many challenging releases by French vocalists Carla Diratz, this may require big gloves, extended arms, and big broad imagination to pull in, and partake as needed. Far beyond earthly comparisons of Nico, other avant transients only slightly resembling moonbeamers, and farscape explorers from decades quickly past; Diratz has a voice all her own, in the huge atmosphere not yet measured.  Knowing for a fact, Carla does nothing without feeling it, taking it deep, and deciding as a supreme actor, that she can make it a personal and fully spiritual experience, each release she is involved in, is a treat, for our ears only.

 With a marvelous ensemble of musicians to make this master piece occur, we have Carla Diratz - vocal/ Martin Archer - saxophones, keyboards, electronics/ Nick Robinson - guitars/ Dave Sturt - bass guitar/ Adam Fairclough - drums/ Charlotte Keeffe - trumpet/ Jan Todd - backing vocals/ and Julie Archer - backing vocals. A listening experience is not just a sentence, but a set of emotions spurting an alien light show all around your room, spitting back the contrast of neon to dark colors into your head. A combination of sneaky lanterns and hidden blades, to keep your senses alert,  and quick to prepare this rare imbibement. Her involvement of Eclectic Maybe Band is enough for newcomers to jump at the chance to find nuances past the known universe. This group of magnificent musicians are some of the finest framers of brilliant music on the planet. Few people such as Martin Archer see the depths of others as he does.

The styles of music thrown underneath Carla's throaty and instantly expressive voice, is nearly invisible, as the most brilliant actors keep themselves void of the presence, as they speak their lines. The holy grail of the entire recording is made up of this very core, the sublime, and the arrangements from the most professional artists, to allow Ms Carla Diratz to move her voice through subterranean layers too deep to mine otherwise. Bubbling up in slow motion, generating skywards stardust, that rains back down on only the lucky, it is most certain that you have never been present to another recording equal to this, or even anything exactly parallel. Expect a different beauty, a freshly dug treasure. and something of an underground burial that came from way up there, where no one else has seen so far. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED and on my TOP CHOICES list of 2021.

  ©Reviewed by Lee Henderson 3 - 01 - 2022
   


 
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BIG BEAUTIFUL NOISE
 

A  magazine focused on inventive, progressive, and creative music in any genre that stands out from the rest
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ACQUA FRAGILE
Moving Fragments
(2023 - Maracash - Italy)


https://maracashrecords.bandcamp.com/album/moving-fragments


  A group who have the uncanny talent of keeping their classic  sound along with staying up tpo date. This amazing return is from 1970's Italian progressive rock outfit, with frontier man lead vocal Bernardo Lanzetti, who made this band and some PFM albums so specifically brilliant. At this decade, to expect more beauty would be a fantasy, yet it is set before your ears, even with the first notes, this masterpiece of Italian, (and not only Italian) progressive rock that certainly grasps the notion of what the genre of "progressive" was always meant to be. ACQUA FRAGILE create another sweetly classic knockout recording, not with even a heavy breath of past to present effort.  In fact, it sounds and feels more authentic than ever.  Bernardo sounds as if he never aged a week, and all muscians present are at full force, not passing up the chance to make another massively classic album.   An album to put Acqua Fragile at the top of the few chosen progressive rock choices of all time. The first song ('Her Shadlows Torture' 05:52 - editors note:  A misspell on the 'Shadows' which is on Bandcamp at this writing - but is correct as 'Her Shadow's Torture' on physical CD)  hug you and give all relief, as to any possible doubts of a long awaited fourth album by this top notch Italian band. I claim it will leave your heart lay bleeding. Grab the spectral energy and enjoy a glimpse of beautiful cocoon birth.

  Not one song is with sacrifice, even a wink of lamb. In fact, some elements are added to further enchance and stun the audience, such as inclusive female vocals by Rossella Volta. The bulk of the outfit is Piero Canavera (drums, percussion, vocals),  Franz Dondi (bass), Bernardo Lanzetti (lead vocals, guitar, Glovox),  Stefano Pantaleoni (keyboards),  Claudio Tuma (guitars), with special aid by (aforementioned vocalist Rosella Voita) ,  Gigi Cavalli Cocchi - drums (1,6),  Sergio Ponti - drums (4,9), Stef Burns- guitar (2),  Brian Belloni - guitar (4),  Davide Piombino - 7 string guitar (5),  and David Jackson - sax & flute (6). Could you ask for more?   After one listen you cannot want more. Thank Maracash label (Italy) for standing behind so many great Italian artists who have done the blood, sweat, and tears in earlier years, and deserve the attention now.
Although the band name translates to 'Fragile Water', it might be better described as Precious Water at this point and time in our decreasingly cared for world. Perhaps even better, Rare Water. The beauty of this entire recording is apparent, true, sincere, and a step forward. Better than one would dream of, past the point of how all old fans could imagine, and  actually done in the upper atmospheres of what anyone could have dreamed of. Everyone is top notch and most of all, Lanzetti is 100% present, making it another masterpiece.  It is my deep recommendartion for all fans of both classic progressive rock and the new fields of progressive music to give this a direct and full attention (no distractions) listen. RECOMMENDED.
  ©Reviewed by Lee Henderson 1 - 19 - 2024


 

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