Featured Artist: Moonbound

CD Title: Confession and Release

Year: 2008

Record Label: Unsung Records

Style: Progressive

Review:

Fabio Trentini is a well-known European record producer and leads this project under the moniker of the musical entity Moonbound, which is a compelling release recorded between 2005 and 2007.  Based on the quality of material here, I’d go out on a small limb stating that Trentini’s artistic propensities should be heard more often on disc.  He’s a poignant composer, appeasing vocalist and multi-instrumentalist who employs many of his European musical friends, including the lone American and King Crimson drummer Pat Mastelotto.

When viewed as a whole, the program features the guitarists’ metal-drenched chord voicings amid some quasi-psychedelic spots that offer a variable form of rock, to include EFX treatments and top-notch studio engineering.  And Trentini’s commanding and prolific vocalizations are also quite endearing.  Think of YES’ Jon Anderson with a distinct edge, for example. 

Supported by top-flight personnel, who use just about any electric instrument imaginable, Trentini also merges the acoustic element into the program.  Nonetheless, they’re memorable pieces built upon expansive walls of sound to complement the leader’s resonating vocals.  You may think of classic “Yardbirds” on the catchy number titled “Tired of Being Good,” where remnants of early British rock receive a modern uplift.  As a good portion of these comps project a vibrant climate consisting of straight-four rock pulses and provocative background treatments.

On “Luna Calante,” Trentini offers an interlude, featuring his implementations of a guitar-synth, sampler and guitars to coincide with Christoph Littman’s use of an English horn and flute samples.  Here, the duo pursues an orchestral pattern that depicts a cinematic intermission type vibe.  In other regions of sound, the leader injects stately balladry atop ominous guitar chord progressions and ethereal EFX.  Yet the preponderance of Trentini’s sound and scope reside somewhere between sophisticated pop, and progressive-rock.  A job well-done, yet not over-cooked or superfluous.  This little gem deserves some widespread recognition and is the antithesis to the ho hum pop-rock that has been consuming the airwaves spanning the past decade or so. 

Record Label Website: http://www.unsung-records.com

Artist's Website: http://www.moonbound.net

Reviewed by: Glenn Astarita

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