Marco Mattei is, indeed, a 21st century schizoid man. But the Italian guitarist/songwriter’s upcoming album Out of Control has no “iron claws,” “neuro-surgeons who scream for more,” and thankfully, no “blood-racked barbed wire.”
Instead, this album is an ever-delightful roulette spin through the countless creative personalities that found voice in the colorful bounty of always interesting ’70s rock music. Still, it is a very “schizoid” collection of disparate songs that, oddly enough, find some sort of weird and wonderful harmony.
Marco says “the lyrics of this concept album revolve around things we cannot control.” So, despite the wide pallet of sound, there is a rather philosophical unity.
The ’70s were such a time of clever introspection and creativity. Vinyl records on the turntable any Friday night were always filled with surprises. And Out of Control, with its roulette-spun grooves, certainly conjures those nights when we had the time and patience to “listen to the album multiple times and … keep finding new dimensions to it.”
That all said, it all starts with a sitar and light percussion. “Would It Be Me” is an Eastern-tinged acoustic (and quite brilliant!) song that questions, to quote the poet Robert Frost, all “the roads not taken.” I think David Byrne of Talking Heads fame, once asked, “Well, how did I get here?” This tune burns incense, and contemplates the possible existence of parallel universes. And by the way, it has a catchy melody.
Now, “Picture in a Frame” simply oozes the percussive sound of Peter Gabriel, circa “Not One of Us” from the “Melt” album. Now (again!), “More Intense,” recalls more of the Genesis sound — with a melody worthy of the emotive beauty of a Wind and Wuthering-era Tony Banks tune. Big complement there. It’s just a lovely song.
There’s more acoustic stuff: “I’ll Be Born” is a guitar/flute-puffed song that is gentle and intensely human. And “Lullaby for You” rides a steel guitar over a rainbow melody. But then (!), it’s “ALL CHANGE!” And, oh my, the song “Anymore” blazes down the same road as Deep Purple’s “Highway Star.” It’s a seismic shift. But these old ears love the groove, and it’s a nice juxtaposition to the previous acoustic stuff.
“Tomorrow” continues with a bluesy acoustic romp with much punctuated percussion. Led Zeppelin comes to mind. But the mandolin and electric guitar framework certainly echoes the sound of the Tea Party, one of Canada’s finest exports. The same is true for the dramatic (but brief) acoustic instrumental, “After Tomorrow.” Then “Void” slows the heavy thud and lightens the load with a spacey vibe, more philosophy, and an eerie melody that crawls with an organ liquid light show and a guitar solo that lands the tune amid very warm and melodic lightning bolts.
In contrast to all the other tunes, “On Your Side” is piano friendly with a comforting vocal. It’s a nice reprieve.
“Hidden Gems” is next, a brief bit that oozes with dark and unexpected vinyl river currents. And the final instrumental tune, “Gone,” hashtags Pink Floyd with an acoustic guitar that dances with David Gilmour psychedelic blues that were always able to stretch time and echo into deep space.
In truth, Marco Mattei’s Out of Control certainly spins in the really great classic rock orbit. And, by the way, he’s assisted by big-name folks like Tony Levin, Jerry Marotta, Pat Mastelotto, and Chad Wackerman. But ultimately Out of Control is an always interesting and odd concoction: It touches acoustic wood; it rocks; it plays the blues, and then it soars into starry space. Really good albums, somehow, always manage to do all of that.
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