Another new incredible project is born from the prolific Genoese prog scene, from the minds of Stefano Agnini (La Coscienza di Zeno) and Fabio Zuffanti (Finisterre, La Maschera di Cera, Hostsonaten…), bound by a hidden passion for surrealist, gothic and horror vintage comic books. No coincidence that La Curva di Lesmo is named after a story written and drawn by the famous Guido Crepax in 1965, in which the character of Valentina appears for the first time, a symbol of women’s emancipation and eroticism.
Musically, the album consists of three long tracks for more than 50 minutes of solid symphonic/theatrical progressive rock, a rock opera sung, or rather interpreted in Italian. The first part is more adventurous and pushes La Curva di Lesmo’s music towards folk, pop, electronic, new-prog and symphonic atmospheres, unusual even to the two composers. The second part is more classical with a long progressive suite reminiscent of the Zuffanti’s work with La Maschera di Cera.
References here are: Opus Avantra, Il Baletto di Bronzo, Pierrot Lunaire, Semiramis, Cervello; but there are fragments of the Genoese songwriting school (Fabrizio De André) and electro-vintage moments (those of Italian seventies obscure groups as I Guardiani della Galassia, Automat and others). The guests’ list is long, and among the various ‘prog names’ there’s a curious appearance by Beatrice Antolini, whose interpretation of “La posa dei morti” is simply perfect!
The illustrations that make up the wonderful artwork are drawn by the same Guido Crepax!
Tracklist:
Side A:
1.La posa dei morti
2.L’isola delle lacrime
Side B:
3.Ho rischiato di vivere
Ho rischiato di vivere, parte prima
Ritratto di donna in nero
Memoriale
Gargoyle
Ho rischiato di vivere, parte seconda
