Review: CRIS ROVERSI REVIEW
Fans of the classic Italian progressive rock sound will want to pay particular attention to this release from Moongarden founder Cristiano Roversi. Roversi is currently handling the keyboards for another band reviewed here called Mangala . As a noted keyboard and Stick performer, Roversi has assembled a stellar cast including members of Le Orme and PFM to help execute his musical vision. And in that respect this album;AntiQua is an interesting musical experience. AntiQua is a soft and delicate forty-six minutes of music that is pastoral, open and full of delicate melodies that drift from one musical motif to another. Roversi lists Anthony Phillips as a powerful influence on his style and you can certainly hear that is these acoustic guitar driven compositions. Often times it’s the guitar on its own strumming beautiful open chords with just a hint of symphonic keyboards in the background and then the guitar takes a more prominent place playing the lead line, which may trade off with a delicate piano. A couple of the tracks have vocals, others feature shimmering Mellotron strings or choirs. Now it should be said that there is also a goodly portion of early prog style electric guitar reminiscent of Steve Hackett, but it is used more for colouring and accents never taking away from the overriding pastoral tone. The music is highly symphonic in nature and lushly orchestrated with keyboards and instruments of all sorts at times giving off a very cinematic feel best exemplified in the opening passages of “Tales from Solitude Suite” [13:34].
AntiQua is the kind of disc that reminds you of everything you love about symphonic prog, especially the softer 12-string guitar, Mellotron style and yet it also is very much something of its own. On one hand it’s very English and yet incorporates that classic Italian symphonic sensibility. For fans of symphonic prog I highly recommend it. You should check it out.
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Review: CRIS ROVERSI REVIEW
| Track by Track Review |
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Morning in AntiQua
Acoustic guitar opens this and pretty musical motifs build atop that backdrop as it continues. This is intricate and quite complex, while still feeling very dreamy and inviting. It’s past the two and a half minute mark before any kind of real rhythmic elements join, feeling a bit like a programmed electronic percussion track. Some melodic electric guitar soars overhead as this continues. There’s an atmospheric section as it approaches the five minute mark that seems like it might have some bits of backwards tracked music. That section takes the piece out.
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Tales from Solitude Suite
This is four part suite put together as one epic track (over twenty three and a half minutes in length). Starting symphonic, this is at first quite a pretty bit of atmospheric texture. There is a dark and foreboding element to it, though. After a time it shifts to piano and the first vocals of the album come over the top of that. It’s very much balladic, with a theatric element at play. It grows as it continues, though. After a time it shifts towards acoustic guitar based progressive rock. I’m reminded a bit of Genesis in that section. As more electric instrumentation is added beyond that point, the Genesis link seems even more obvious to me. Then after time it shifts towards more of that drum machine type rhythm work. Synthesizer solos over the top of that. Still, beyond that point there’s another section that makes me think of a more organic version of Kraftwerk. In fact, some of the sounds even remind me of a specific Kraftwerk piece. Eventually, though, all that fades away as acoustic guitar once more starts to lead the way. There is a very accessible melody that somehow makes me think a bit of The Beatles, but with more prog added to the mix that takes control.
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L'Amore
The percussive elements that open this make me think of the Duke album from Genesis. However, the song is an acoustic guitar based jam that’s sung in Italian. It’s like folk based progressive rock. As the keyboards dance around the arrangement later, I’m again reminded of Genesis quite a bit.
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Nessie Revealed
Atmospheric progressive rock elements start things here and carry it forward. It builds in rather symphonic ways. This instrumental is pretty, but never really develops far.
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Falling
A two part suite, this starts with an electronic, ambient kind of piece. The female vocals early make think of Laurie Anderson at times. It gets more lush as it continues. After this opening section winds through, acoustic guitar rises up and then the arrangement fills out organically from there. As this extended instrumental section continues it moves between folk meets world sounds and more powered up progressive rock.
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Dimlit Tavern
There is sort of an old world, folk music element here. This builds up organically and feels a little sad at times. Still, there is an energy and an excitement at other points. |
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Nirayed's Secret Diary
Although at first this seems somewhat similar to the previous cut, it works out to some lush and powerful keyboard dominated music. It’s quite symphonic and quite pretty. |
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AntiQua
Another melodic progressive rock number, this one is more extensive than some of the others and has more shifts and changes.
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Antiqu's Evening
The disc is closed by a piano solo. |
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AntiQua
CD - £9.99
Review: CRIS ROVERSI REVIEW
Classic Rock Radio Dot EU
08 March 2013
CRR Dot EU - New CD Review
Spot Light: Cristiano Roversi - AntiQua (Galileo Records 2012)
Right off the bat I'll admit that I'm not that familiar with Mr. Roversi's past musical achievements. This new CD was recommended to me by someone who knew I enjoyed prog, and therefore suggested I give it a listen. After the first hearing, I felt comfortable enough to invest some time getting to know each song individually. Ends up by doing a little researching that Cristiano Roversi is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist. Facts like that always peaks my curiosity.
Roversi's AntiQua opens with an almost new age feel. Matter of fact it made me think if this was more a new age CD then a progressive rock one. To some of us anyway, there is a difference. I listened to AntiQua enough to think of it as a crossover. Should appeal to both type of listeners.
The CD begins with a song called "Morning In AntiQua". Right away I get this retro feel. Reminds me of a studio CD that Steve Howe and Paul Sutin did back in the 1990's called Voyagers. So even with the experience of hearing AntiQua for the first time, it started off for me with a comfortable feeling. Making the comparison is a good thing. My recolection was of solid instrumental borderline new age / prog rock compositions sounding as fresh today as they did back when they were first released. So something new and original to my ears that while being heard, promotes memories of yesterday giving it a retro kind of vibe.
Track two is called "Tales From Solitude Suite". I find it both unique and memorable. Broken into four parts, this song very much has a prog feel to it. Bernardo Lanzetti's vocals remind me of Broadway singers in New York City. Somewhat over exaggerated in delivery, but needed to carry the tune across the theater. A fine job. The rest of the suite blew my socks off the first time hearing it. Contains all the ingredients that in my opinion make it a stand out composition.
I find I have a slight disadvantage when listening to the third song on Roversi's AntiQua entitled "L'amore". Beautiful singing by Aldo Tagliapietra, who also is credited for lyrics and guitar work on the song. The gentlemen sings in Italian. This American with Irish heritage is lucky to know and understand what English that I do. Still, even sung is a language unknown to me, the song is enjoyable to hear.
The next song is called "Falling". Broken down into two pieces in true prog style. Contains a really cool female narrative. She speaks of things that can take flight. Musically it includes the very pleasing sounds of flute and acoustic guitar.
The rest of the CD is instrumental. From a grinding beat in AntiQua, to the mellow closing sounds of a piano in the last track "AntiQua's Evening". With voluntary repeat listening, I came to dig the last half of the CD as much as I do the first half. Makes it a Uncle G solid listen.
Rating: Using the one to five star rating system, I give Cristiano Roversi's - AntiQua - 5 stars. When looking for something different or off the beaten path, this would make a cool addition to any new age or prog music fans music collection.
One more thing. The artwork for the CD was done by Ed Unitsky. I been aware of him for some time now. Is a wonderful fantasy artist, and worth the time invested further investigating his catalog of work.
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AntiQua
CD - £9.99
Review: ZENIT/CRIS ROVERSI REVIEWS
http://freq.org.uk/reviews/zenit-cristiano-roversi/
Zenit – The Chandrasekhar Limit/Cristiano Roversi – AntiQua
It seems that prog rock is alive and well in Europe again, which is a fantastic thing. And two of the countries that were most feverish about the original bands in the ’70s here prove their worth with these two releases from
Galileo Records.
like a stripped back Topographic Oceans.
Zenit (from Switzerland) begin their album with with “Awaken” – not a cover of the Yes song, but an opus of their own. Acoustic guitars and gentle vocals open, before organ and drums hit in and the song take flight. Some wonderful Moog playing takes us through to a quiet piano section. The is very reminiscent of early Marillion at times; at other points, as in the lead guitar section, it feels sometimes we are knocking on the door of Rush. This hints more in the direction of the ’80s prog revival acts such as IQ. “Cub Lady” is a bittersweet acoustic interlude with a majestic bass line. Next up is “PiGreco,” a jaunty 9/8 style drum patterns scattered around underneath jazz piano chords. When the staccato chorus comes in I am reminded of early Magma. Some quite moving lead guitar feels out its more reflective middle section. The track ends with some epic Moog and guitar and an almost Steve Howe flourish.
“Matrimandir” has tribal drums and a sparkling Rick Wakeman-like lead keyboard line for its intro. From here on in we venture in to Yes eastern tonal territory, like a stripped back Topographic Oceans. Chanting vocals also help this analogy, and the vocals at time do sound like Mike Heron from the Incredible String Band. A lovely jazz workout middle section takes the track elsewhere with some guitar licks sounding like the late Peter Banks. When it moves into its acoustic section you can breathe in the influence of Trick of the Tail-era Genesis. Over its 17 minutes, the track takes you through various different landscapes but works best when it gets pastoral. “Pulsar” starts with a skiffle type shuffle that blends in with Howe-style atonlisms on guitar and some steady piano work. When the rhythm breaks through we are taken on a Asia style ride of how to play prog.
it’s great to hear some proper Vocoder vocals
The last track on the album is “The Daydream Suite,” the bands 24 minute magnum opus. It opens with some rather pretty Tony Banks-style piano playing before we move into the song proper. With some rather uplifting singing and chords we move back into Marillion territory by way of Pink Floyd. The sections build into an apotheosis of light with touches of shade and it’s great to hear some proper Vocoder vocals as well. The album as whole is wonderfully well played with a lot thought going in to the arrangements especially on ‘Daydream…’ This is proper Prog from its lilting quieter moments to the bombast of its louder sections.
Italian composer
Cristiano Roversi’s album almost seems like a concept record. The opening track “Morning in AntiQua” is quite beautiful, all shimmering
Anthony Phillips pastoral acoustic guitars and subtle piano. When the rhythm comes in the electric guitars take us skyward and its here that I hear the influence of
Steve Hackett. “Tales from Solitude Suite” plays out like a marvellous atmospheric score for a
Lord of the Rings-style movie, as uplifting chords move into a shadow aspect of darkness while the vocals spin their tragic tale. Here we touch upon early Genesis, especially with the acoustic guitars and Mellotron mixture. “L’amore” is a more straightforward love song similar in feel to Rush’s “Closer to the Heart,” with its lovely acoustic guitar and organ combination. “Nessie Revealed” piles on the atmosphere with Oberheim-sounding synths that create
lush landscapes of other worlds.
lush landscapes of other worlds
“Falling” has some female vocals singing over crystalline synths, and she sings of butterflies and spacecraft that gives the sound of LSD-induced dreams that meetFrank Frazetta-style fantasy. The acoustic and flute part conjures up images ofTrespass-era Genesis. “Dimlit Tavern” carries on the album’s fantasy theme as the music guides us into a Tolkien-style Middle Earth and the melody conjures up the images of dwarves and Hobbits drinking in a secluded ale house. A drum machine heralds in “Nirayed’s Secret Diary” and the track builds with its lush melancholic strings. Here again we are verging more into soundtrack territory as some of these pieces could fit exceedingly well within a fantasy film.
sings of butterflies and spacecraft that gives the sound of LSD-induced dreams
“AntiQua” is an elegant instrumental lead by strings and oboe and touched uponAnthony Phillips’ The Geese and the Ghost album at times. In fact I could almost imagine Phil Collins singing over this track, especially by the time theTony Banks-sounding lead keyboard comes in. “AntiQua Evening” is a beautiful piano coda to end the album and bring the entire record to a full circle, satisfying climax. Again the album is beautifully played and especially some of the more subtle numbers work very well. If you like Peter Gabriel-era Genesis this one is definitely for you.
These are two fine prog releases from Galileo, with fantastic artwork adorning both albums and a lot of care taken over both titles. If you are a prog fan check them out.
-Gary Parsons-
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AntiQuaCD - £9.99
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Review: CRIS ROVERSI REVIEW
While listening to Cristiano Roversi's latest solo album AntiQua, I had to think about one album in particular, namely the eponymous album recorded by Submarine Silence (2001). That's not strange at all because keyboardist Roversi (Moongarden, Mangala Vallis) was one of the three musicians who recorded that album, which was strongly influenced by the early Genesis. The others were David Cremoni (guitars) and Emilio Pizzoccoli (drums, percussion).
In a way the same style of music can be heard on the third album Cristiano Roversi recorded after his previous solo efforts Music From My Room's Window (1999) and The Park (2003). Mainly because of the use of the Mellotron, the acoustic piano and the sound of the electric and acoustic guitars take you back in time to the days when Genesis recorded albums as Trespass (1970) and Nursery Cryme (1971). The musicians who are mainly responsible for the beautiful guitar parts are David Cremoni (electric guitar on Crave Some Loneliness), Erik Montanari (acoustic guitar on Crave Some Loneliness and L'Amore) and Fabio Serra (electric guitar on Morning In AntiQua, East Or West?,Celestial Slowfall and AntiQua).
Of course, in some respects AntiQua differs from Submarine Silence. This time Roversi hardly used a drummer of flesh and blood. Only Gigi Cavalli Cocchi (Mangala Vallis) played some drums. The drum machine gets a main role and I have to admit that it hardly bothered me, because Roversi used it in a proper way. Another difference withSubmarine Silence is the use of three singers, namely Leonora (vocals and lyrics on Falling), Aldo Tagliapietra(vocals, lyrics and acoustic guitars on L'Amore) and Bernardo Lanzetti (vocals, lyrics and concept on Tales From Solitude). Thanks to their wonderful voices they provided the album a lot of variety.
Obviously Roversi played most of the instruments himself. He played the twelve-string, classical and electric guitar, the grand piano, various synthesizers, Taurus bass pedals, Polymoog, Mellotron, Hammond organ L100 and he programmed the Roland CR-78 drum machine. Apart from these instruments he used samples and Cinematic Efx. All tracks on this album are rather mellow and comprise a high level of musicality. The music is varied thanks to the above-mentioned singers and the beautiful solos performed on the electric guitar and the synths. The excellent string synthesizer parts, like for instance on Nessie Revealed, provide a strong ambient sound from time to time. On some of the tracks the musical style shifts in the direction of the acoustic albums recorded by Steve Hackettand Anthony Phillips. A good example is the second part of Falling called Celestial Slowfall, and Dimlit Tavern.
Alongside the beautiful music this album has been inserted in the amazing artwork of the well-known designer Ed Unitsky. AntiQua is highly recommended to those who enjoyed the early albums recorded by Genesis and the many acoustic albums recorded by Anthony Phillips and Steve Hackett, but especially to those who found the only album created by Submarine Silence a real beauty!
**** Henri Strik (edited by Peter Willemsen)
Review: CRIS ROVERSI REVIEW
http://www.dangerdog.com/2013-music-reviews/cristiano-roversi-antiqua.php#.UU9S4xzEopd
Roversi, Cristiano: AntiQua
Melodic/Progressive Rock
4.0/5.0
Website Galileo Records by Craig Hartranft, 03.20.2013
If there's a case to be made for easy-listening progressive rock, you could begin with Italian composer and musician Cristiano Roversi's third solo album, AntiQua. The founding member of Italian proggers Moongarden creates some soundscapes here that seem more for sleep therapy than musical intrigue.
Cristiano Roversi:: playing.
AntiQua is ambient, melodic, and gentle throughout. Roversi welds his synths, guitars, and Chapman stick to create an atmosphere where the listener does not need to think to hard about his arrangements or direction. It's wistful and ethereal, peaceful and serene, music that neither coerces you to listen or challenge you to figure it out.
If there is one song that is more rambunctious, and possibly more proggy, it's the title cut, thanks to the inclusion of bigger drums. Tales from Solitude Suite and Falling offer the only songs with vocals, male and female respectively. Mostly, though, Roversi seems content on playing his guitar, piano, or stick over layers of airy synthesizers and lull the listener into a hypnotic state or REM sleep. I may have proved my own case: Cristiano Roversi's third solo album,
AntiQua is easy listening melodic progressive rock, promising as much to entertain as to put you in your happy place or to sleep. Recommended.
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Review: CRIS ROVERSI REVIEW
If there's a case to be made for easy-listening progressive rock, you could begin with Italian composer and musician Cristiano Roversi's third solo album,
AntiQua. The founding member of Italian proggers Moongarden creates some soundscapes here that seem more for sleep therapy than musical intrigue.
Cristiano Roversi:: playing.
AntiQua is ambient, melodic, and gentle throughout. Roversi welds his synths, guitars, and Chapman stick to create an atmosphere where the listener does not need to think to hard about his arrangements or direction. It's wistful and ethereal, peaceful and serene, music that neither coerces you to listen or challenge you to figure it out.
If there is one song that is more rambunctious, and possibly more proggy, it's the title cut, thanks to the inclusion of bigger drums. Tales from Solitude Suite and Falling offer the only songs with vocals, male and female respectively. Mostly, though, Roversi seems content on playing his guitar, piano, or stick over layers of airy synthesizers and lull the listener into a hypnotic state or REM sleep. I may have proved my own case: Cristiano Roversi's third solo album, AntiQua is easy listening melodic progressive rock, promising as much to entertain as to put you in your happy place or to sleep. Recommended.
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Review: INSIGHTFUL CRIS ROVERSI REVIEW
- Other Reviews
Just by looking at the cover of Cristiano Roversi’s AntiQua album, there is a sense of adventure, fantasy, that a story is about to be told that will span for ages leading into something epic. A small boy with a strange looking hat donning a surprised expression as a small dragon hovers before him. An old pirate with a pipe in his mouth, hands held up before him as if casting a spell.
The cover is absolutely busy with images ranging from the forefront to deep in the background where we see a ship, high thin peaked mountains, a yellow sky. Anticipation for what I would find on the album was high.
The album is indefinable by any standards. The first track off of the album sounds as if you’ve just begun a film soundtrack. It’s very orchestrated and moody, which I think is intentional. Most listeners, that are willing, will see the cover art and simply let themselves be guided by their imagination- the cover of the album sparking all types of mischief and magic.
Later on in the album you’ll find music that seems generated from some fantasy RPG, a female fronted song with whispers of description, an Italian language track, and a sci-fi sounding track (at least to me it was). The mood of the album makes me believe that Roversi is guiding us through the different regions of a land called AntiQua where there is magic, danger, a diverse peoples and mythical creatures, and adding atmosphere with either light sounding guitar driven music or dark ominous waves of synth sounding breaks in the waves of tranquility.
Like Jazz, this progressive rock effort is going to be a different adventure for everyone that listens to it. Some less experienced travelers might laugh at the bard like tunes that pop up now again, or find themselves drawn into a familiarity with the almost Pink Floyd inspired guitar driven tunes that pop up throughout the album. Top 40 Radio fans will most likely not know what to do with this album, but if you enjoy stepping off the beaten path and can appreciate something refreshing creative, AntiQua will be a treat you’ll find yourself enjoying before you know it. Enjoy.
- Review by AJ Garcia
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Review: CRIS ROVERSI GERMAN REVIEW
http://www.babyblaue-seiten.de/index.php?content=review&albumId=13286
The keyboardist of Moon Garden and Mangala Vallis (to name two of his most important projects) Cristiano Roversi gathered on his third solo album "Out of Print" some known in the Progszene colleagues. Bernardo Lanzetti including (among others Mangala Vallis and PFM), Aldo Tagliapietra (Le Orme), David Cremoni and Mirko Tagliasacchi (both at Moon Garden) and Gigi Cavalli Cocchi (Mangala Vallis). Despite this, "antiquarian" more influenced by Roversis great role model Anthony Phillips, as for example the typical Italian Prog With the possible exception of the vocal contributions of Lanzetti "Tales from Solitude", the - The be very theatrical, many - not typical of "antiquarian. guests but make sure that "Antiqua" not like an album of a lonely solo artist anmutet. Lanzetti The guest vocalist, Tagliapietra and Leonora could take notes on the arguments put forward by their songs.
Antiqua is Roversi for a dream country in which you avoid the pressure and concentrate on the expansion can. (Like the fans expect and Anthony Phillips and may only be this group of listeners as "antiquarian" arrangements). How to play in the lyrical symphonic reveling, some of keyboards and acoustic guitars Retroprog the formative role of "antiquarian". You have to make friends only with the more frequently used drum machine. Personally, I'll take it in his enthusiasm about his own work by speaking a masterpiece Cristiano Roversi said machine is not bad. Mitigating circumstances for me include the fact that these plays on "1984" by Anthony Phillips an important role. The drum machine gives some pieces of "roman" now time the electronic (or some listeners .... maybe a little less refined) touch.
"Nessie Revealed" and the first part of "Falling" dedicated to electronic music. While "Nessie" indulges symphonic bombast, the first part of "Falling" from esoteric women chant to ambient-like accompaniment. In the second, "Celestial Slow Fall" said part of "Falling" delicate acoustic guitars sound as support for lyrical flute and oboe-posts. Presumably, the wind instruments, as well as later in the same upcoming choirs, virtual origin. Very pretty, like the medieval and Celtic elements in "Dimlit Tavern" integrated. The piece is a celebration of Phillips and Steve Hackett fans. In "Out of Print" (the title track) are - somewhat surprisingly - African rhythms and - less surprisingly - used guitar and synthesizer solos.
The album I'd stylistically mostly between the works of Anthony Phillips, "The Geese and the Ghost", "Tarka" (with Harry Williamson) and "1984" to see, without me "Antiqua" unconditionally and continuously want to certify the same class.
Whether "Antiqua" is truly a masterpiece, each handset to answer for themselves. In the rare category "symphonic Retroprog with trips to Electronic" Roversi is at least represented with a very good work. Through its execution of this kind of music seems a little now and then to build on neo prog and New Age. I think this is an interesting and not disturbing facet.
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AntiQuaCD - £9.99
Review: CRIS ROVERSI REVIEW
http://progressiverockcentral.com/2013/02/27/italian-keyboardist-cristiano-roversi-releases-antiqua/
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FEBRUARY 27, 2013POSTED IN: CD REVIEWS
Cristiano Roversi
AntiQua (Galileo Records GmbH, 2013)
Italian progressive rock multi-instrumentalist Cristiano Roversi has released a stunningly beautiful album titled AntiQua. Everything in this recording is just right, from the exquisite artwork to the rich palette of musical instruments and vocalists, and specially the state of the art progressive rock.
Cristiano Roversi mentions the great Anthony Phillips as inspiration and the album has a flow similar to Anthony Phillip’s albums. Roversi plays grand piano, synthesizers, mellotron, Hammond organ, 12-string, classical and electric guitar. He creates magnificent and delicate passages, with a mix of symphonic sounds, cinematic ambience and superb melodies.
Although most of the album is instrumental, there are a few vocal pieces. The vocalists will sound familiar to fans of classic Italian progressive rock for a good reason. Guests vocalists include Aldo Tagliapietra of Le Orme and Premiata Forneria Marconi’s Bernardo Lanzetti. Imagine Anthony Phillips collaborating with Premiata Forneria Marconi. Truly delightful.
Cristiano is a founding member of progressive band Moongarden and presently composes and plays keyboards for Mangala Vallis. This solo album was conceived “independent of market or stylistic pressures.” AntiQua also includes guest performances by David Cremoni, Erik Montanari, Fabio Serra, Gigi Cavalli Cocchi, James Larcombe, Leonora and Mirko Tagliasacchi.
The CD fantasy artwork is pure beauty. I’ve seen some interesting CD booklets out there recently, but this piece of art by Ed Unitsky is first-class, colorful and diverse, with eye-catching artwork throughout the booklet, tray card and the disc itself. Eye candy for the prog fan.
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Review: CRIS ROVERSI REVIEW
http://progressiverockcentral.com/2013/02/27/italian-keyboardist-cristiano-roversi-releases-antiqua/
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FEBRUARY 27, 2013POSTED IN: CD REVIEWS
Cristiano Roversi
AntiQua (Galileo Records GmbH, 2013)
Italian progressive rock multi-instrumentalist Cristiano Roversi has released a stunningly beautiful album titled AntiQua. Everything in this recording is just right, from the exquisite artwork to the rich palette of musical instruments and vocalists, and specially the state of the art progressive rock.
Cristiano Roversi mentions the great Anthony Phillips as inspiration and the album has a flow similar to Anthony Phillip’s albums. Roversi plays grand piano, synthesizers, mellotron, Hammond organ, 12-string, classical and electric guitar. He creates magnificent and delicate passages, with a mix of symphonic sounds, cinematic ambience and superb melodies.
Although most of the album is instrumental, there are a few vocal pieces. The vocalists will sound familiar to fans of classic Italian progressive rock for a good reason. Guests vocalists include Aldo Tagliapietra of Le Orme and Premiata Forneria Marconi’s Bernardo Lanzetti. Imagine Anthony Phillips collaborating with Premiata Forneria Marconi. Truly delightful.
Cristiano is a founding member of progressive band Moongarden and presently composes and plays keyboards for Mangala Vallis. This solo album was conceived “independent of market or stylistic pressures.” AntiQua also includes guest performances by David Cremoni, Erik Montanari, Fabio Serra, Gigi Cavalli Cocchi, James Larcombe, Leonora and Mirko Tagliasacchi.
The CD fantasy artwork is pure beauty. I’ve seen some interesting CD booklets out there recently, but this piece of art by Ed Unitsky is first-class, colorful and diverse, with eye-catching artwork throughout the booklet, tray card and the disc itself. Eye candy for the prog fan.
CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FROM GONZO
Review: CRIS ROVERSI REVIEW
http://www.progressive-area.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2696&Itemid=2
Third solo album for Cristiano ROVERSI, best known as keyboardist Moongarden and now Mangala Vallis, and also author also many side projects as SUBMARINE SILENCE in 2001. In short, a complete musician who lives music as he breathes. Cristiano is also not only keyboardist (his favorite instruments) but it has become over time a skilled multi-instrumentalist (see the description of the instruments played hard this cd). Throughout the forty-nine minutes of small "Antiqua", we are invited to a peaceful trip, bucolic devil, where music and landscapes pass before our eyes as a soundtrack exploring the Lombardy countryside - Cristiano originated of Mantua in the Po valley say that this album is like no other would be an exaggeration, it is primarily the disk of an artist who wants to take pleasure in delivering the music as it was felt to point in his career. lot of keyboards so in this work, but also a lot of 12-string guitars and classical guitars. PHILIPS love Anthony and Steve HACKETT, this album is definitely for you. A nice achievement, an invitation to travel and the inner peace that begs to be listened and re-listened to without any fatigue. ROVERSI Cristiano and "Antiqua": an imaginary planet where it is good to rest the body and mind.
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Review: DUTCH CRIS ROVERSI REVIEW
http://neoprog.eu/critique/cristiano_roversi/antiqua
Cristiano Roversi is an Italian multi-instrumentalist who formed in 1994 Moogarden. Antiqua his third solo album is very inspired by the progressive rock of the 70s. The artist claims himself, his mentor is Anthonny Phillips (lead guitarist of Genesis). Cristiano is surrounded by many artists to this album, for vocals, drums, guitar, or bass. Nine titles, fifty-one minutes, two feature films, Tales From Falling Solitude Suite, a signed Ed Unistky artwork worthy of a book of fairy account, here's a few words Antiqua. was discovered relatively instrumental album, not necessarily technical sometimes sinking into the facility, a very cinematic music, interspersed with progressive touches, a rhythmic Genesis, twelve string guitar sounding at times like Hackett and his good old keyboards, Hammond organ and Mellotrom.
Melodies s listen to it with ease, but some passages are likely to challenge you, like singing on Tales from Solitude Suite that comes completely cannons progressive rock, almost shocking the first time and we ended up finding a very attractive once the last surprise. There is also L'amore, sung in Italian pop genre blah blah which ends still on progressive sound. Revelated Nessie's atmosphere and Falling is mesmerizing. The first part of Falling is simply magical with the voice that sings Leonora names of beings or machines vollent. Celestal Slowfall lacks a bit of pep, and it is a shame the music is a bit too linear and expected an instrumental this time. Dimlit Tavern, although it is quite simple magic has obvious with acoustic guitar where one feels the influence of Anthonny Phillips. There is also the presence of the wheel Vielle played by James Larcombe which gives one side as progressive folk very friendly. Antiqua is a very instrumental Hackett with Gigl Cavalli Cocchi percussion. One of the highlights of the album titles, more thorough, more musical, very prog. Afterwards there sometimes frankly too easy melodies like Nirayed's Secret Diary, which adds nothing to the album in my opinion where the final of the album, Antiqua's Evening. But the overall impression remains a very nice album, which listens without effort, that does not tire, pretty progressive references. In short, we spent a great time with her. Posted by Neoprog the 17/02/2013
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Review: CRIS ROVERSI DUTCH REVIEW
While listening to Cristiano Roversi's latest solo album AntiQua, I had to think about one album in particular, namely the eponymous album recorded by Submarine Silence (2001). That's not strange at all because keyboardist Roversi (Moongarden, Mangala Vallis) was one of the three musicians who recorded that album, which was strongly influenced by the early Genesis. The others were David Cremoni (guitars) and Emilio Pizzoccoli (drums, percussion).
In a way the same style of music can be heard on the third album Cristiano Roversi recorded after his previous solo efforts Music From My Room's Window (1999) and The Park (2003). Mainly because of the use of the Mellotron, the acoustic piano and the sound of the electric and acoustic guitars take you back in time to the days when Genesis recorded albums as Trespass (1970) and Nursery Cryme (1971). The musicians who are mainly responsible for the beautiful guitar parts are David Cremoni (electric guitar on Crave Some Loneliness), Erik Montanari (acoustic guitar on Crave Some Loneliness and L'Amore) and Fabio Serra (electric guitar on Morning In AntiQua, East Or West?,Celestial Slowfall and AntiQua).
Of course, in some respects AntiQua differs from Submarine Silence. This time Roversi hardly used a drummer of flesh and blood. Only Gigi Cavalli Cocchi (Mangala Vallis) played some drums. The drum machine gets a main role and I have to admit that it hardly bothered me, because Roversi used it in a proper way. Another difference with Submarine Silence is the use of three singers, namely Leonora (vocals and lyrics on Falling), Aldo Tagliapietra(vocals, lyrics and acoustic guitars on L'Amore) and Bernardo Lanzetti (vocals, lyrics and concept on Tales From Solitude). Thanks to their wonderful voices they provided the album a lot of variety.
Obviously Roversi played most of the instruments himself. He played the twelve-string, classical and electric guitar, the grand piano, various synthesizers, Taurus bass pedals, Polymoog, Mellotron, Hammond organ L100 and he programmed the Roland CR-78 drum machine. Apart from these instruments he used samples and Cinematic Efx. All tracks on this album are rather mellow and comprise a high level of musicality. The music is varied thanks to the above-mentioned singers and the beautiful solos performed on the electric guitar and the synths. The excellent string synthesizer parts, like for instance on Nessie Revealed, provide a strong ambient sound from time to time. On some of the tracks the musical style shifts in the direction of the acoustic albums recorded by Steve Hackettand Anthony Phillips. A good example is the second part of Falling called Celestial Slowfall, and Dimlit Tavern.
Alongside the beautiful music this album has been inserted in the amazing artwork of the well-known designer Ed Unitsky. AntiQua is highly recommended to those who enjoyed the early albums recorded by Genesis and the many acoustic albums recorded by Anthony Phillips and Steve Hackett, but especially to those who found the only album created by Submarine Silence a real beauty!
**** Henri Strik (edited by Peter Willemsen)
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It seems that prog rock is alive and well in Europe again, which is a fantastic thing. And two of the countries that were most feverish about the original bands in the ’70s here prove their worth with these two releases from Galileo Records.
Italian composer Cristiano Roversi’s album almost seems like a concept record. The opening track “Morning in AntiQua” is quite beautiful, all shimmering Anthony Phillips pastoral acoustic guitars and subtle piano. When the rhythm comes in the electric guitars take us skyward and its here that I hear the influence ofSteve Hackett. “Tales from Solitude Suite” plays out like a marvellous atmospheric score for a Lord of the Rings-style movie, as uplifting chords move into a shadow aspect of darkness while the vocals spin their tragic tale. Here we touch upon early Genesis, especially with the acoustic guitars and Mellotron mixture. “L’amore” is a more straightforward love song similar in feel to Rush’s “Closer to the Heart,” with its lovely acoustic guitar and organ combination. “Nessie Revealed” piles on the atmosphere with Oberheim-sounding synths that create lush landscapes of other worlds.
