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STEPHAN THELEN
World Dialogue [featuring Kronos Quartet]  
(2020 - RareNoiseRecords - UK)

https://stephanthelen.bandcamp.com/album/world-dialogue-featuring-kronos-quartet

Amazing in depth, summation, foresight, and  juxtaposition of the skills involving classical string quartet and pivoting rhythmic invention from the keen and ever seeking mind of brilliant guitarist/composer/thinker/ Stephan Thelan. The fact that he wrote this for world famous elite Kronos Quartet is a high achievement in itself, but one listen and all the world's problems disappear, at least for the hour. In fact, the word arresting comes to mind within the first moments of this masterwork.

Sparing the long arduous details Mr Thelen went to for this award deserving realization, let us just give credit to the fact that the native born American, removed to Switzerland in the 1990's, in which he studied mathematics at the University of Zürich (PHD in 1990) has made another exemplary recording . It is important to know he was a student of Robert Fripp in that master's Guitar Craft Seminars. He was interested in chamber music from 2004, but flirted with it most of his musical life. This is a pinnacle at least in this field. He has monumental solos (check out another TOP CHOICE pick I made with his solo 'Fractal Guitar' - 2018) with expansive guitar treatments, inventive effects (both electronic and hand created), and compositional superiority. So there is no shortage of things before and after this for Stephan Thelen. You can count on that.

Ever hear something too good to be true?  This is a recording that brings that to the table, delivers, and follows it up with a dare to do a second, third, and many more auditions. It holds up without a wrinkle, even a spare moment of weakness, or any flaw whatsoever. No crisis of dissolving pieces, ebb and flow of the epic and scarce, just all 100% head on brilliance, brave complex lilt, pattern, and movement as if Stravinsky has entered Thelen's soul and urged on by his own personal guru.  It needs mentioned that both Kronos Quartet and Al Pari Quartet  perform these works, as each were selected according to situation and necessity. The music is glassy with the motion, smart with interweaving intricacy, and always upfront with the witness (the listener) as the array of character is not limited in a small string section, verses a large orchestra. In fact, the metrical highlights stand out even more so. Glorious is 'World Dialogue' and it easily makes my TOP CHOICES of 2020 list. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!  

 ©Reviewed by Lee Henderson 2 - 9 - 2021
   


 
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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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