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Reviews

Mad Crayon — Ultimo Miraggio
(Cygnus CR001, 1994, CD)

by Mike McLatchey, Published 1994-10-01

Ultimo Miraggio Cover art Mad Crayon are a new Italian quintet of the symphonic variety. Two of the members play keys, so as you can expect, the sound is lush and beautiful. The band is young — which is surprising, since the arrangements on this album aren't your average neo-prog-four-chord- wanna-be Pink Floyd melodies. The overall structure is accessible, and at times its a bit too much for this reviewer, yet I don't think that ever stopped anyone! Most of Mad Crayon's energy goes to the vocal format, which is similar in ways to many of their present day contemporaries when sticking to Italian, but sound a lot like — well Genesis when signing in English. At times, I find it to be too lyrically overloaded, yet I'm sure would be more effective with more of a balance. Its their instrumental capability that takes these guys over the edge. At times they are breathtaking, with classical melodies played at a frenetic pace — harmonically complex and emotionally moving. In all truth, this is a very good debut (although I do grow weary of the Genesis references), much better than any new Italian debut I've heard since Deus Ex Machina's Gladium Caeli. This is a talented young group, I have no doubt well be hearing more from them in the future.

Filed under: New releases, Issue 5, 1994 releases

Related artist(s): Mad Crayon

 

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