Italy has produced so many fine progressive artists over the past decades, and it remains an extremely important artistic hub for our music.
In modern times, I believe that no serious conversation about Italian intelligent rock music can be held without considering Alex Carpani, whose debut album, Waterline, was extremely well received in 2007, and it has simply gotten better since. Since reviewing his Microcosm in 2022, I have thoroughly enjoyed exploring this talented artist’s music further, and you can do so by visiting https://alexcarpani.bandcamp.com/music . Come 2024, he brings us The Good Man, an album which really should be reaching critics “best of” lists come the next few weeks.
It is released on December 6th via his own label, Independent Artists Records, and you can purchase it at https://www.pickuprecords.it/the-good-man-iar-04-2999999107327.html
For this album, Carpani provides lead & backing vocals, and plays keyboards, virtual orchestra, drum machine, synth bass, virtual guitars, and his collaborators are Bruno Farinelli on drums; Giambattista Giorgi playing bass; Emiliano Fantuzzi on guitars; Alessio Alberghini with soprano sax; and Valentina Vanini, the stunning mezzosoprano voice.
There are two epic suites, Amnesiac first, then Good & Evil, each divided into nine segments and is a fascinating experience in storytelling, lived through the folds and fragilities of the human mind, the strength of our passions and that need to be, to live, and believe in something, no matter what. I relate to this extremely strongly. The Good Man is a tiny paper boat that floats, trying not to sink, in an endless ocean, between storms and huge waves, without ever knowing its destination. How fascinating is that?
I think this work is nothing short of essential, and it is one of those albums which demands to be heard as a whole, to have the listener immerse him or herself in this sea of sound and quality. So, let’s attempt to bring you a cogent and coherent summary.
Amnesiac describes the experience of deep amnesia over the course of a day, and the fear and chaos which accompanies it. Indeed, the opening instrumental, On A Train, is a disturbing listen. You are on it, but not on it, not sure if it is a real memory, and experience through the speakers that this is not a pleasant thing, the screeching guitar solo at the death leading perfectly into the dystopia of Perfect Chaos, which has some stunning vocals and a wall of sound. We have a video for this, and it is embedded below. The protagonist is lost in haze and thoughts.
Throughout the album, Carpani provides us with just about the perfect blend of post rock, symphonic, and pastoral music. When there is anger, as in The Edge of My Mind, it is real, not perceived, the crunching riffs and thumping rhythm section pumping it out to the words, and then contrast this to the raw beauty of Diamond in the Rough which follows immediately, the reassuring words that the world should not be allowed to bring the queen of this sleepy town down, and this reasserts itself with the lush light of sound, with the gorgeous voice of Vanini crying her soul out against the soundscapes created by Carpani on Past Life.
Heart Calling has some sumptuous mellotron, probably the best use of that favourite instrument of mine I have heard this year, as the hail of noise calls out, the main theme of the nightmare of amnesia reasserting itself strongly.
The final two parts of the suite are gorgeous instrumentals, As Light Returns at The End of the Day, the nightmare finally over, memory returning, and, as you might expect, the pastoral warmth is so strong, some gorgeous orchestration, Alberghini supreme on the sax, and the return of that lush female choral voice taking you to another emotional level altogether, and featuring some fine solo guitar work as well. The futuristic sonic effects at the final 90 seconds are interesting before leading into the return of the train, this time remembered.
The second suite describes an experience eternally poised between good and evil, waves and frequencies from the depths of time and space, and, with all the noise we presently hear regarding AI (this being the phrase of choice in virtually every single corporate advert you see or hear at present, all, naturally extolling its virtues), interestingly the flow of people who like automatons advancing without rebelling.
It opens with the short introduction, Lost Frequencies, a latter Floydian buildup to the main proceedings, segueing into the march of The Flow, a bright song with the protagonist in a happy place following his instincts and the stars in search of love, some of this decidedly playful.
P.T.S.D. examines the guilt and trauma of the past, carrying the weight of battles seen, that soprano voice returning to instant impact on a triumphant orchestral beginning which then expands into a far darker set of guitar and voice led riffs, this bringing to life the battles being waged within.
Stillness and Ecstasy is simply beautiful, a spacey delight with the sax leading a gorgeous charge in your senses accompanied by that voice again, the whole piece expanding in a glorious symphonic noise.
We have a video for part five, Flirting With Darkness. It’s a terrific rocker, detailing the conflict within, but still wishing to find that love. There is some fine mellotron and organ work amongst the riffs, with some brilliant drums work by Farinelli. This is a track which ought to be a hit single.
Mystical is, to me, the centrepiece instrumentally of the entire album, around which everything else circles with its speeches, dramatic organ, the best you will have heard since a certain Mr Wakeman tinkled the ivories in Switzerland back in the day, leading the way for a rip-roaring journey interspersed with some utterly beautiful choral voice and soundscapes. Superb, and a very strong contender for my instrumental track of the year, and this is a crowded field, I might add. Everything that is good about this composer and musician is encapsulated in this magical six minutes of music.
As this wonder segues into Leaving Our Path, the racing riffs and words take us to the ghosts of the night and whispers of the past haunting us continually in a short, pacy piece of music leading into the instrumental, and penultimate piece, Masquerade, a decidedly mystical song, the soprano guiding us with some juicy grooves.
We close with Everything Falls Into Place, the protagonist safe in his lover’s arms, everything now back in place at the close of the journey, children in the background, with just over three minutes of rock music bringing everything musically to a satisfying conclusion.
It all sounds so incredible and lush. The beauty of the short Flashbacks on the first suite, for example, genuinely taking you to an inner world surrounded by the experience of the song, so we must give a shout out to the knobs man, Daniele Bagnoli at Bagnoli Bros Studio. Sonically perfect, sir.
Now, I know it’s Christmas just around the corner, and you have probably all spent a lot on CDs all year round, but The Good Man is, I must tell you, another of those essential purchases. It is simply wonderful. Tell you what? Have a word with the “significant other”, or the kids, mum/dad, nieces/nephews, Santa himself, and get it on the prezzie list! You will not regret it.
