Alcantara "Solitaire"

 Hello again fellow progheads and welcome back to The Closet Concert Arena.  Summer 2020 is beginning her swan song as Autumn starts to appear on the horizon; the nights are longer and cooler, the  humidity has retreated behind cool summer breezes, and the sun is no longer a blazing beacon burning a hole through your entire body.

This change of mood led me to some introspection which in turn led me to the Progressive Gears Records stable of artists.  Consequently, the Concert Closet traveled to Sicily to host Alcantara, who recently released their debut album "Solitaire."  Haven't been to Italy in way too long so I am excited to get started...

The album opens with "After the Flood" and immediately the headphones are filled with a gentle and soothing balm, perfect for the mind.  Soft guitar is entwined with delicate vocals drawing you inward toward a dim light illuminating the darkness where memories reside.  Good?  Bad?  That depends on the perspective of the listener, no?                              

Next up is "Bad Bones," another dark song dancing enticingly on the edge of macabre.  The sultry guitar gives way to solid percussion as vocals permeate the headphones with a gentle tone...and every now and then they pierce with the unobtrusive force of a scalpel.  The top notes vary in intensity throughout this song; ranging from Big Big Train to Seconds Before Landing to Pink Floyd.  

Liner Notes...As I mentioned previously, Alcantara hails from Sicily and is comprised of Francesco Venti on lead guitar and keyboards, Salvo DiMauro on guitar, Sebastiano Pisasale on bass, Sergio Manfredi on vocals and lyrics, and Alessio Basile on drums.  Other musicians participated in the recording of this album; Gionata Colaprisca, Andrea Quarolli, Saro Figurra, and Alessio Bano each contributed to different tracks.

A debut concept album, while almost the norm in the prog garden today, rarely hits a nerve so succinctly as "Solitaire" does.  Alcantara peeled the band-aid off a wound that has  everyone talking and many taking action; the decline of societal and political classes.  People are tired of being left out of the conversation while at the same time being used for the political and financial gain of others.  Alcantara gives voice to that argument, urging the masses to resist and make change.

Moving down the playlist, the third song here is aptly titled "The Resistance."  The song opens with the Lawrence Ferlinghetti poem "Pity the Nation" spoken over a steady bass line and the dark, quiet hum of the keyboard...Sergio then pierces the veil with softly sung lyrics that penetrate the soul.  Alcantara    uses prose written decades ago beautifully to speak to society's ills today; lessons yet unlearned...

Learn more about the band at Progressivegears and purchase the album at bandcamp. You can follow Alcantara on Facebook, instagram, and Twitter @bandalcantara. 

For a few reasons I believe the clip below is very apropos for your listening pleasure this week.  First off, it is in line withe the mission Alcantara is on.  The "I Can't Breathe" sessions include three live versions of songs from the "Solitaire" album; "Logan," "Bad Bones," and "After the Flood."  The band also participated in the Wellbeing Festival on Great Music Stories.  

While the Concert Closet is a gateway to the prog garden and the prog garden is a peaceful place where one can simply enjoy great prog, the theme of the "Solitaire" album and the events related to the recording of the "I Can't Breathe" EP deserve mention.  Music has always been a vital part of societal change and the prog garden is fertile ground for a positive revolution.  That the music is pretty darn good only helps the cause...

So fellow progheads, we come to the end of another music filled week.  The prog rock genre is filled with many bands and artists that view the world through a different lens and use that vantage point to tell their story.  That is something I believe we can all appreciate today.

Alcantara come straight at you with a definite purpose, yet they do so without making you feel like you need to defend yourself.  Their music is hard-hitting without being obtrusive noise; they demand your attention and make their point without sidetracking the issue.  Yes they call for resistance and denounce the polarized state of the world, even calling for people not to follow like sheep--but they do it without using violence as the go-to option. 

 So the search for all things prog continues.  The journey thus far has criss-crossed the planet with no end in sight...and that is fine with me.  Until next time...