Delirium - Dolce Acqua (1971) {2005, Japanese Reissue, Remastered}

DELIRIUM is an important band in the history of Italian progressive rock music, having been active since 1970. They originally formed in Genoa during the late 1960s as I SAGITTARI and their line-up consisted of Ettore Vigo (keyboards), Peppino Di Santo (drums, vocals), Mimmo Di Martino (acoustic guitar) and Marcello Reale (bass). The later arrival of Ivano Fossati (vocals, keyboards, flute) completed the band, whose early musical style was a mix of the so-called Italian melodic tradition and UK progressive influences, in particular KING CRIMSON and COLOSSEUM.

Their first album, the rough-hewn ''Dolce Acqua'' (1971), was one of the earliest Italian progressive albums and is a conceptual suite with each of its eight movements being based on different human emotions. The album is mainly acoustic in nature and is dominated by Ivano Fossati, the prominence of whose flute has drawn comparisons with Ian Anderson. While ''Dolce Acqua'' undoubtedly has a strong folk atmosphere, Fossati's flute is really the only similarity with JETHRO TULL. It wasn't as successful as some of the other big Italian albums that were released in 1971, but the band enjoyed much better fortunes on the festival circuit. In 1972 they took part in the Sanremo song festival and had a massive hit single as a result of their televised performance. Fossati subsequently left to embark on a solo career and was replaced by English musician Martin Frederick Grice (vocals, flute, saxophone) who joined from THE BO BO'S BAND, a beat band that also included future members of AREA. DELIRIUM'S growing reputation was enhanced by further competition victories, television appearances and hit singles, but this commercial approach wasn't typical of the music on their albums.

After Fossati's departure and the arrival of Grice, DELIRIUM moved in a more progressive direction. Their second album ''Lo Scemo E Il Villaggio'' (1972) is notable for its blending of progressive and jazz music, and for Grice's liberal use of the saxophone. In spite of, or because of, this change of musical direction the album didn't enjoy the success it arguably deserved. Perhaps the public had expected another ''Dolce Acqua''. There was no such problem with their next release, ''Delirium III - Viaggio Negli Arcipelaghi del Tempo'' (1974). A work of great maturity that until recently was considered to be their masterpiece, it was also their most symphonic and progressive to date. DELIRIUM made use of a string section on this album and it also featured Mimmo Di Martino playing electric guitar for the first time. Further personnel changes ensued when Di Martino and Grice quit in 1975, Grice being replaced by multi-instrumentalist Rino Dimopoli. The revised line-up released a single but they lacked the motivation to carry on, due to the disinterest of the public and critics, and the band split in 1975.

Several former members (Dimopoli, Reale, Di Santo) attempted to revive the band in 1996 but the real reunion came about when Vigo, Di Santo and Grice got together and, through their new association with Black Widow Records, released the live album ''Vibrazioni Notturne'' in 2007. New members Fabio Chighini (bass) and Roberto Solinas (guitar) seem to have brought new ideas and freshness to the band, although their most recent studio album ''Il Nome del Vento'' (2009) begins with a reprise of a theme from ''Delirium III''. The twofold purpose of this is that it ends a 35-year journey while recreating the feel of the earlier period, albeit with a modern sonic twist. This outstanding album's musical style ranges from jazz to blues, from rock to classical, and even features an homage to VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR. The text is by their old lyricist Mauro La Luce and in common with their previous albums there's a concept at work, with the wind of the album's title acting as a metaphor for the spiritual journey that leads to the personal growth of the individual.

Recommended to fans of JETHRO TULL, KING CRIMSON, VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR and GENTLE GIANT.