Exposé Online

What's old

Exposé print issues (1993-2011)

• 1 (October 1993)
• 2 (February 1994)
• 3 (May 1994)
• 4 (August 1994)
• 5 (October 1994)
• 6 (March 1995)
• 7 (July 1995)
• 8 (November 1995)
• 9 (March 1996)
• 10 (August 1996)
• 11 (February 1997)
• 12 (May 1997)
• 13 (October 1997)
• 14 (February 1998)
• 15 (July 1998)
• 16 (January 1999)
• 17 (April 1999)
• 18 (November 1999)
• 19 (May 2000)
• 20 (October 2000)
• 21 (March 2001)
• 22 (July 2001)
• 23 (December 2001)
• 24 (April 2002)
• 25 (September 2002)
• 26 (February 2003)
• 27 (August 2003)
• 28 (December 2003)
• 29 (April 2004)
• 30 (September 2004)
• 31 (March 2005)
• 32 (September 2005)
• 33 (May 2006)
• 34 (March 2007)
• 35 (January 2008)
• 36 (October 2008)
• 37 (July 2009)
• 38 (July 2010)
• 39 (Summer 2011)

Breznev Fun Club — Il Misantropo Felice
(AltrOck Productions ALT-047, 2015, CD)

by Peter Thelen, Published 2015-07-24

Breznev Fun Club straddles that line where a large ensemble becomes a small orchestra. The group is led by guitarist, composer and orchestrator Rocco Lomonaco, along with eighteen other musicians playing just about everything one would find in a big band and a small orchestral ensemble, and they spin beautiful and melodic compositions that reach from the classical world to the avant-garde with some occasional hints of folk and jazz. Mostly what one will find across these eight tracks of varying length is tranquil, colorful, illuminating and warm, essentially completely instrumental, and with nary a hint of the steady beat of rock anywhere in sight. Where there are vocals (most prominent on the second track “Putamen”), they are presented as another instrument in the group, which also includes clarinet, flute, piccolo, english horn, oboe, bassoon, alto, tenor and baritone saxes, French horn, tuba, trumpet, trombone, vibraphone, marimba, orchestral percussion, electric and acoustic guitars, electric bass, double bass, mandolin, banjo, violins, cello and keyboards. On first listen one might be reminded of some elements of Uncle Meat or Grand Wazoo-era Zappa, Picchio dal Pozzo, Jean-Paul Prat’s Masal, or perhaps certain elements of Opus Avantra. Since I’ve never heard their previous 2010 release L'Onda Vertibrata, I can’t offer any comparisons with it here. Interestingly enough, the booklet notes state that the music here was composed between 1999 and 2000, with the orchestrations developing slowly over the ensuing years. In short, if one appreciates beautifully arranged orchestral music with a positive feel in bright and pastel colors, then Il Misantropo Felice is for you.

---

Filed under: New releases, 2015 releases

Related artist(s): Breznev Fun Club

More info
http://altrockproductions.bandcamp.com/album/il-misantropo-felice

What's new

These are the most recent changes made to artists, releases, and articles.

• Review: Snowdrops - Singing Stones (Volume 1)
  Published 2024-12-23
• Review: Focus - Focus 12
  Published 2024-12-22
• Review: Passionfix - Silent Town
  Published 2024-12-21
• Review: Dirk Bruinsma - Low Reliefs
  Published 2024-12-21
• Review: The Verge - The Verge
  Published 2024-12-20
• Review: Denman Maroney - The Air-Conditioned Nightmare & Covid Variations
  Published 2024-12-19
• Review: Jill Fraser - Earthly Pleasures
  Published 2024-12-18
• Review: Erik Wøllo - Solastalgia
  Published 2024-12-18
• Review: Propaganda - Propaganda
  Published 2024-12-17
• Review: Radio Massacre International - Galactic Furnace
  Published 2024-12-16
• Review: Paul Hanson and Raze the Maze - Calliope
  Published 2024-12-16
• Review: Thierry Zaboitzeff - Heat (Rough Mix)
  Published 2024-12-15
• Review: The Occasional Quintet - Recording Rites
  Published 2024-12-15
• Review: Keir Cooper + Eleanor Westbrook - Star Quality - Speculations for Guitar and Voice
  Published 2024-12-14
• Review: Astral Magic - End of Time, Mind Melt Machine, Strange Sensation & Secret Paths
  Published 2024-12-13
• Review: Actionfredag - Lys Fremtid i Mørke
  Published 2024-12-12