Italian webzine Arlequins reviews "CII: Second Son" by 17 Pygmies

Arlequins review (in Italian) - click HERE

COS'E' ARLEQUINS

Arlequins è una webzine dedicata interamente al Progressive Rock e pone speciale attenzione sui gruppi e la scena underground.
E' nata nel 1990 come fanzine (su carta) e così è andata avanti fino all'anno 2000, attraverso vari cambiamenti di impostazione e di status (per un periodo è stata anche una rivista ufficiale, regolarmente registrata). Questo il motivo per cui la numerazione (vedi "Archives") è ripartita da zero più volte.
Nel 1995 Arlequins ha costruito il suo sito Internet, il primo dedicato al Progressive Rock in Italia. Nel 2000 la fanzine cartacea ha lasciato definitivamente il posto a quella elettronica

Below you can read the google English translation:

This is the second chapter of space concept "Celestina," a three-volume saga that chronicles the adventures of a group of astronauts exploring a fault, probably a black hole in the constellation Cassiopeia (pictured on the cover of "Celestina" , published in 2008, instead telling the beginning of the story). The band has been around since 1982, although it has since gone through various permutations of line-up and some rest after a set period of activity from the beginning until 1989, producing several albums of various musical creed. Back at work today, which affects primarily cared for the art-work, complete with ribbons, glitter and a wax seal to close the box, it starts the story right where it left off with the previous album, starting with twelfth movement "Celestina XII" and ending, after eleven tracks, with "Celestina XXII", which is given the task to build a bridge to the new work that is yet to come. Captain Mora and his crew survived the leap into the black hole, they find themselves in a world very similar to ours, lit by only two and graced by lush vegetation.In this bucolic landscape, where time does not exist and everything is still, the pair of astronauts and composed by Robert Mora Isabel encounters a community of robots pacifists, lovers of literature and accustomed to the manufacture and use of psychotropic substances.From these robots our protagonists learn from a mystical message back to Earth, which of course you can discover by reading the beautiful and dense silver booklet that accompanies the work. The concept is explained in detail in narrative form, rather in contrast with the music, very thin, who paints mostly dilated and feeling and atmosphere is mostly devoid of vocals. The solo voice of Meg Maryatt, for example, you can appreciate in the second track "Celestina XIII", or "Celestina XVIII", is clear and reassuring, and runs smoothly on a musical texture as light as a breath of wind. I sang a few moments are the most structured with the style of a song itself, which boasts a light dress with veins pop prog and post rock. For the rest of the album is composed mostly of carpets of synth that are played by virtually all members of the group include, in addition to the aforementioned vocalists, including Jeff Brenneman (guitar and vocals), Dirk Doucette (drums, guitar , bass and vocals) and finally the real mind of the project, Jackson Del Rey (guitar, bass), creator of the concept and artistic director and producer. For completeness is that the line-up is enriched on three tracks, host Heather Lockie on viola. The range of sounds used is very symphonic, and perhaps why the band likes to call itself progressive, but there is actually a real rock backbone. The sounds, very atmospheric and meditative, seem to float in the air like a light iridescent powder made from the encounter with the rays of light and give an idea of ​​the open space, something that is somehow suspended in time. Music is something indefinable and intangible, with electro-sensitive elements that can potentially provide a sound environment suitable for meditation and relaxation. The sounds are very beautiful even if you do not organize into real orchestra and everything points to the beauty of deep space and the brightness of the constellations. Reading the biography of Jackson Del Rey I noticed that the inspiration for this concept came about while he devoted himself to composing soundtracks for old silent films in black and white and the way the bottom is just that: a soundtrack that makes the background of the his story. In essence, the verdict is positive for this very nice, though very subtle contours and dashed with great delicacy. -Jessica Attene