Sophya Baccini (you've heard her in Presence) shows off her vast vocal range on Aradia — an overly long but increasingly captivating CD sung in both English and Italian. Although at times the opera-influenced singer sounds sort of like Yoko Ono fronting a symphonic-prog band in an off-Broadway production (just try to make it through the 10-minute opener "La Pietra"), Baccini also possesses one of the most beautifully haunting voices you'll hear, played to maximum effect when she takes on such songs with English lyrics as "Ever Too Small" and "When the Eagles Flied" (think ABBA meets Renaissance). "Don't Dream That Dream" revels in some Jethro Tull style flute playing, "Elide" is a fine example of female-fronted symphonic prog, while "Two Witches and Doreen" provides some glass-shattering opera histrionics, and the "Non é l'Amore il tuo Destino" duet with Lino Varietti revives the musical theater imagery.
Somewhere among these 17 songs and nearly 70 minutes is an epic 50-minute suite, with songs that must work just as well as individual pieces — because I sure as hell can't find said suite! Baccini also goes boldly where many Italian proggers simply don't and covers a Joni Mitchell song ("Circle Game").
Track Listing:
1) La Pietra
2) How Good
3) Studiare, Studiare
4) Will Love Drive Out the Rain?
5) Adesso
6) Al Ritmo di una Storia
7) Beware, Beware
8) Ever Too Small
9) Don't Dream That Dream
10) Non é l'Amore il tuo Destino
11) L'ennesimo No
12) Elide
13) Aradia
14) Two Witches and Doreen
15) Nei Luoghi
16) When the Eagles Flied
17) Circle Game
Bonus Video: When the Eagles Flied
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