AMN Reviews: Il Quadro di Troisi – La Commedia (Raster)

Four years after its debut as a duo, Il Quadro di Troisi has now permanently installed Pietro Micioni as third member. Founders Andreina Noce (aka Eva Geist) and Donato Scaramuzzi (better known surnamed Dozzy) named the band after Italian filmmaker Massimo Troisi – who made that wonderful movie about Pablo Neruda and his mailman – and their initial, self-titled offering much pleased the critics.

Referring to the vicissitudes of life, their latest album La Commedia tackles the two-and-a-half minute (give or take) synth-pop song with aplomb and artful straightforwardness. Known for his superior beat-making and atmosphere-creating skills, both as a solo artist and as one-half of the pretty amazing Voices from the Lake, Dozzy excels at both throughout. Commenting upon the poetic content of Geist’s lyrics would be an insult to the reader’s intelligence, since they are in Italian, a language the present reviewer does command. But she has a lovely voice, light and clear as blue sky, which pleases the ear and communicates emotion without unnecessary filigree. 

The list of guest artists and the quality of their contributions is impressive, particularly American hall-of-famer Suzanne Ciani; Dutch-Italian sound designer Aimée Portioli (aka Grand River), who furnishes the opening track “Profeta” with a loamy analogue bottom; and Fiona Brice, whose lush string arrangement backing up Geist’s heartfelt song on “La Prima Volta” moves the performance into the neighborhood where Beatles chamber pieces like “Eleanor Rigby” and “She’s Leaving Home” reside. Steeped in rich production, La Commedia conjures late-night, neon glow, which sometimes hints at the heyday of Giorgio Moroder and always imparts a refined pop music sensibility. 

Stephen Fruitman