Kaleidoscope

Kaleidoscope reissues as a two-CD set D.F.A.'s first two studio albums, i.e., Lavori in Corso and Duty Free Area, with previously unreleased live tracks added in for good measure. D.F.A. were not the most prolific of Italian progressive rock bands, but they ranked among the country's best exponents of the genre during the '90s prog revival, and their albums remain highly regarded by connoisseurs, for all the right reasons. Originally released in 1996, Lavori in Corso did a good job of establishing the band's sound (virtuosity, complexity, and groove), despite certain flaws — a fine first effort overall. Drummer Alberto DeGrandis' lead vocals lacked a bit of power and presence, but songs like "Work Machine," "Collage," and the small epic "La Via" are very strong prog rock compositions, full of the group's trademark bombast-and-restraint approach that endeared it to a sizable part of the prog rock crowd. However, with 1999's Duty Free Area, D.F.A. carried their music a few steps further. Keyboard patches sound much better (as in less dated), the jazz-rock vein hinted at in Lavori in Corso is both more present and better integrated to the group's sound palette (with "Ragno" being a highlight), and lead vocals have become something to write home about. The latter aspect is mostly due to guest vocalists Giorgia Gallo and Deus Ex Machina's Alberto Piras, whose performance on "Esperanto" adds operatic flair to the album and strengthens the basis for comparison between the two bands, even though D.F.A.'s music never reaches the level of complexity and hermeticism found in Deus Ex Machina's music. Both albums have been remastered for their reissue as Kaleidoscope. The Lavori in Corso disc contains a live version of "Work Machine," while the Duty Free Area disc adds live recordings of "Space Ace Man" and "Collage." All three tracks were recorded in September 2003 and offer the band's contemporized take on these early classics. Considering that the original albums had come out on Italian labels, Kaleidoscope puts D.F.A.'s music more within reach of the hands and wallets of North American prog fans. ~ François Couture, Rovi