“Al Volo”, despite its most straightforward musical content – compared to the other Stormy Six’s releases – was the product of a very troubled process. This is the step with which the band definitively become a pop/rock ensemble, in their own way of course. First they could not afford having a solo-flautist: due to their intense live activity, it was really hard to find someone musically skilled enough and who could follow the band everywhere they were going to play. Leddi and Fabbri then decided to take care of every solo parts. Drummer Salvatore Garau decided to leave too, for the same reason, but was convinced to stay because no one could effectively replace him. Tommaso Leddi decided to work only on keyboards and synthesizers. Bass player Pino Martini, on the other hand, started being more active in the songwriting phase.
We’re in 1982, and the band’s aim was to write just plain rock songs. Nevertheless, “Al Volo” is another masterpiece inside Stormy Six’s discography, which just suffers from the complexity of their previous effort, without losing in originality. Fiori’s lyrics are mocking as ever. Amongs the album songs, we point out on “Reparto novità”, which describes an imaginary trip through a shopping centre, getting rid of consumerism, something Italy was starting to live right back in those days.
“Al Volo” was not well received in Italy (while the opposite happened abroad) and this led Stormy Six’s adventure to an end. The band completely disappeared from the scenes for ten long years. “Al Volo” represents a sort of artistic will, and even if Stormy Six are still active nowadays, it actually is their last studio album to date. This fact adds value to its music quality, since not many other left with an LP as good as this one.
Deluxe papersleeve!