Crac! by Area

Crack! album by the great Area, released in 1975.

An album that was a huge success thanks to songs like "L'elefante bianco," "La mela di Odessa" (1920), and "Gioia e rivoluzione."

It's truly a jaw-dropping album, a masterpiece of Italian progressive rock and a seminal work for the musical experimentation and lyrics of Gianni Sassi and Sergio Albergoni, which are incisive and provocative, politically engaged, and inspired by the social and political events of the time.

A splendid fusion of jazz, jazz-rock, Arabian, funky, and psychedelic themes, combined with the extraordinary instrumental technique and powerful voice of Demetrio Stratos—bold and provocative, with extensive use of effects and distortion, Capiozzo's devastating drumming, and the remarkable skill of the other musicians—this is a work of great musical and cultural depth, an essential album to listen to, study, and listen to again to fully understand the innovative potential of Italian progressive music and the social and political dimension of music in general.

Fusion jazz, experimental music, an album that certainly has something special. Without taking anything away from the other great musicians, it's Demetrio Stratos, with his unique voice, a true musical instrument that sometimes blends with the actual synthesizers or sounds and noises on the album.

Simply magnificent musicians who express themselves in a jazz, fusion, and Canterbury sound with an Italian flair.

This is an album that, unless you're a fan and "trained" in Fusion, risks being misunderstood, so it requires multiple listens to appreciate its nuances. Don't give up on the first listen or Area's first album.

A classic set of guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards, with the addition of clarinet, trombone, and flute, for a sound that's both complex and at times aggressive, unlike any other band.

This album is a classic of its kind and should be part of every collection.

The Tracks
1. The White Elephant (4:33)
2. The Apple of Odessa (6:27)
3. Megalopolis (7:53)
4. Bare Nerves (6:35)
5. Joy and Revolution (4:40)
6. Implosion (5:00)
7. Area 5 (2:09)
Duration 37:17

Line-Up
- Demetrio Stratos - vocals, organ, harpsichord, percussion, steel drum
- Giampaolo Tofani - electric guitar, EMS synth, flute
- Patrizio Fariselli - electric and acoustic pianos, ARP synth, bass clarinet, percussion
- Ares Tavolazzi - electric and acoustic basses, trombone
- Giulio Capiozzo - drums and percussion