Last year’s Inner Prospekt release, Canvas Three, was an unexpected surprise. Its melding of the pastoral sounds of early Genesis with the drama of classic Italian prog had me coming back again and again. The mastermind and keyboardist behind the project is Mad Crayon’s Alessandro DiBenedetti. With Unusual Movements, DiBenedetti has created another winner. The cover art – also designed by the artist – both sets the mood and tells you what you are in for. The photo of a solitary park bench with a looming tree and a star-filled sky are emblematic of the beauty, introspection and artistry that saturate the music.
Opening track The Bridge is a short instrumental in which keys, bass and guitar each take their turn in the spotlight. There are shifts in tone and mood, but it’s the emotion that is always at the heart of the song. Synths and piano lead the charge, but for my money it’s Daniele Vitalone’s expressive bass that steals the show. Even when it is not front and center, the power and passion with which the bass is played steer the song, setting the scene perfectly for what lies ahead. That turns out to be one of several epic pieces on the album, in this case the fifteen minute Mantra. A variety of percussive sounds, including what sounds suspiciously like a wind-up toy, clear the way for a piano riff over which Giuseppe Militello’s sax mournfully wails. The percussion and keys continue to add and peel layers and interest. When the vocals enter three and a half minutes in, the song takes a serious turn. DiBenedetti sings the opening chorus, “Even in the deepest depression, I say all is going to be fine.” It’s difficult to discern whether or not he actually believes it. The sax again takes over with a decidedly jazzy interlude. The vocals resume and the drums move the song forward, yet the electric piano carrying this part of the song keep the mood somber. When next the chorus comes around, it is underlined by a mellotron blast which serves to reinforce some air of positivity without exactly being uplifting. There are several more shifts in mood before Federico Tetti’s guitar hits you like a slap in the face, demanding your attention. DiBenedetti’s drumming is consistently interesting, often embellishing the beat. The song ends with a reprise of the percussive display with which it opened. However, this time the outro piano sounds simpler and tentative, as if weighed down by the heaviness of the lyrics.
Winter Day is a reflective piano ballad conjuring the cold grey skies of the season. DiBenedetti’s weary delivery heightens the sense of loss and loneliness. It doesn’t get much darker than when he sings:
Meanwhile you’re trapped in a black and white cage
The smell of rottenness inflated endures
Meanwhile they feed you with a masking manure
Samurai of Prog’s Marco Bernard guests on bass, sounding clear and prominent throughout and laying a solid bedrock for the tune. The instrumental has a distinct Trick of the Tail vibe, no surprise from a man whose second solo album was titled Dreaming Tony Banks. The sparse instrumentation reflects the desolation of the tune which makes its point in under five minutes and then disappears.
Rafael Pacha’s twelve string acoustic guitar and DiBenedetti’s rolling acoustic piano introduction cue the next epic, the nearly twelve minute Neverland. When the drums and mellotron make their entrance, it recalls nothing so much as early Genesis. That said, DiBenedetti is too clever a composer to leave it there, breaking the spell with a vocal turn that is harder-edged than anything Peter Gabriel might have attempted. If anything, the Italian-accented vocal melody carries a trace of PFM’s DNA. Neverland is a study in changes of mood and tempo. The use of multiple keyboard textures and interesting sounds keep the song ever evolving. Pacha’s guitar work is always stunning without being overtly technical, his sympathetic approach to the other musicians around him lifting the song and shining a light on everyone’s contribution. Even wearing its influences on its proverbial sleeve, the song is composed with such skill that it rises above and pleads to be accepted on its own terms.
Just Five Minutes is an instrumental opening with sumptuous reverberating electric piano that invites a gorgeous sax melody to float above. DiBenedetti’s drums emphasize the jazziness of the proceedings with its heavy use of cymbals. Even Pacha gets into the groove with his classy, unfussy licks. You can almost smell the cigarette smoke and see the hazy dim lights of a subterranean jazz club as these musicians push each other into a triumphant classic jazz mode.
Staying in the same vein as its predecessor, the album’s final epic – Around the Corner – uses acoustic piano and guitar to weave its spell. Swelling electronic strings segue into the vocal section as the beat picks up and the progginess makes its presence known. Songwriting dynamics are on full display here. Even though few things about Unusual Movements rock out, there is plenty of light and shade to satisfy any serious muso. As fine a keyboard player as DiBenedetti is, it is his drumming abilities that consistently captivate me. Around the Corner is a perfect example of how he is understated one minute, insistent the next.
The final song on the album proper is The Question, another moody tune held together by the magnificent keyboard work. The guitar accompaniment courtesy of Carmine Capasso is spare and evocative. The song’s chord changes enhance its dreamy quality. When Capasso does finally let loose, the feeling is one of catharsis. Listen for the odd sounds that populate the song, from clocks to electronic vocals to heavy reverb. They never overtake the music, but rather serve to add intrigue.
The album download concludes with a bonus track unavailable on the CD. As with the previous album, Living Like A Looner is a very different animal from what came before. The rhythm is king here, making for a song which is much more upbeat than the rest of the album. Until the bridge, that is. Then its as atmospheric as anything else, a reversal that doesn’t last long. The vocal and percussion once more some to the fore and carry the tune to its quirky, drum-machine ending.
Inner Prospekt’s Unusual Movements is a different sort of album than its predecessor; darker and jazzier, more expansive and willing to take chances. What the two releases share is attention to detail, songwriting chops, and superb musicianship. Alessandro DiBenedetti is a talent who deserves wider recognition. Contribute to that cause by giving this album a close listen.
TRACK LISTING
01. The Bridge (3:17)
02. Mantra (15:05)
03. Winter Day (4:53)
04. Neverland (11:52)
05. Just Five Minutes (7:22)
06. Around The Corner (11:19)
07. The Question (6:17)
~ Bonus track [Download only]
08. Living Like A Looner (5:08)
Total Time – 65:13
MUSICIANS
Alessandro DiBenedetti – Vocals, Keyboards, Drums
Carmine Capasso – Guitars (7)
Rafael Pacha – Guitars (4 & 5)
Federico Tetti – Guitars (1,2 & 6)
Daniele Vitalone – Bass (1)
Marco Bernard – Bass (3)
Giuseppi Militello – Saxophone (2 & 7)
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: Somnus Media
Country of Origin: Italy
Date of Release: 4th April 2024
LINKS
Inner Prospekt – Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | YouTube