Homunculus Res – Ecco l’impero dei doppi sensi (2023)
Artist: Homunculus Res
Album: Ecco l’impero dei doppi sensi
Genre: Canterbury Scene, Progressive Rock, Avant Rock
Label: AltRock
Year Of Release: 2023
Quality: FLAC (tracks+.cue)
Tracklist:
1. Il gran finale (3:51)
2. Quintessenza la la la (6:05)
3. Il bello e il cattivo tempo (3:52)
4. Viaggio astrale di una polpetta (5:17)
5. Fine del mondo (4:07)
6. Pentagono (5:23)
7. Parole e numeri (3:04)
8. Cinque sensi (3:59)
9. Fiume dell’oblio (4:14)
10. Doppi sensi (10:04)
Personnel:
– Dario D’Alessandro / vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards, glockenspiel, bass (1)
– Davide Di Giovanni / organ, piano, synth, bass (4)
– Mauro Turdo / lead guitar
– Daniele Di Giovanni / drums & percussion
– Daniele Crisci / bass
With:
– James Strain / oud (1)
– Massimo Giuntoli / keyboards (2)
– Giorgio Trombino / alto saxophone, flute (2)
– Dominique D’Avanzo / vocals, flute, recorder, clarinet (4)
– Emanuele “Sterbus” Sterbini / vocals (4)
– Giuseppe Turdo / French & English horns, oboe, trumpet (4,7)
– Marco Monterosso / guitar (5)
– Alan Strawbridge / vocals (8)
– Giovanni Parmeggiani / Moog, Polysix, Fender Rhodes (8)
– Andrea Cusumano / whistle (9)
– Dario Lo Cicero / panaulon, flute, bassoon, trombone, Cristal Baschet (9,10)
– Mila Di Addario / Tangent piano (9), Angelica glass harp (10)
– Federico Cardaci / ARP Odyssey, Oberheim, digitone, memotron (10)
– Luciano Margorani / guitar (10)
– Enea Turdo / vocals (10)
My favorite band from Sicily is back with their fifth studio album since their 2013 debut. Though the official band membership has shrunk (to five), the number of guest contributors remains big.
1. “Il gran finale” (3:52) the music here retains the spry Canterbury feel and sound palette of the band’s stupendous debut, Limiti all’eguauglianza della parte con il tutto, but the songs are more streamlined with longer working passages instead of the short and frequent time and thematic shifts; they’re polished and mature, more listener- friendly, but not quite as quirky and fun as the former. (8.75/10)
2. “Quintessenza la la la” (6:06) a song that seems to parody music in all of the silliness of its seriousness–both the singing/lyrics and the music. Quite fun and funny! (8.875/10)
3. “Il bello e il cattivo tempo” (3:52) opens like a BEACH BOYS song from the 1960s. It’s nicely melodic and flows very smoothly, but he music kind of drags as it is obvious that the lyrics are meant to be the focus. (8.75/10)
4. “Viaggio astrale di una polpetta” (5:17) this jazzier piece sounds very much like a MUFFINS/DAVE NEWHOUSE composition with some shifts into GRYPHON territory due to the recorders et al. until Emanuele Sterbini’s vocals enter in the final third. Interesting! (8.75/10)
5. “Fine del mondo” (4:07) one of the more quirky, funny songs on the album–even the instrumental sound choices are often humorous/silly. (8.875/10)
6. “Pentagono” (5:23) a slowly hypnotic Math Rock kind of song evolves into something quite melodic as the vocalists sing and harmonize in the second minute. The upright piano sound used gives the song a bar- or school-room feel to it. A top three song for me. (9/10)
7. “Parole e numeri” (3:05) this slowed down number is unusually plodding but supremely melodic and engaging, simple but beautiful. Another top three song. (9.25/10)
8. “Cinque sensi” (4:00) very cool upbeat and cheerful song again of a simpler form and structure, it’s just too charming to not love. Another top three song. (9.25/10)
9. “Fiume dell’Oblio” (4:15) a bit of the avant and Sgt. Pepper-like psychedelic mixed into the straightforward simple pop forms. Still, there is so much lovable quirk and uniquity here as to make my smile creases crack. And Andrea Cusumano is quite the whistler! My fourth top three song. (9/10)
10. “Doppi sensi” (10:04) As if Burt Bacharach and Elvis Costello dropped in to help compose and produce a collage of great unconventional chord progressions and melodies while using a number of whimsical, ever-changing time signatures. Then, at 4:50 Robert Wyatt and John Lennon step in to direct, creating a dreamy musical playground in which even children can roam around and play. While I like both halves, the first is definitely more to my liking. (18/20)
Total Time: 50:01
While I like this album a lot–it has really grown on me–I still idolize that debut album more than any of the band’s others. Here the music is often simpler, engaging the listener for longer stretches of time, but the band have done an excellent job of reclaiming the quirk and humor so naturally championed by that first album–something that has not always remained constant in their other three albums.
B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of wonderfully entertaining Canterbury Styled progressive rock music–one that every prog lover should check out for themselves.
10/19/23 Addendum: As songs from this album have continually popped up on my 2023 playlist over the past four months I’ve been surprised to keep picking up myriad subtleties and nuances that make me comprehend how deceptively masterful these compositions are: there is SO MUCH more here than what meets the ear upon initial listenings. Therefore, I’m bumping this one up to full masterpiece status!
Review by BrufordFreak, progarchives
