Raccomandata Ricevuta Ritorno - Per... Un Mondo Di Cristallo (1972)
Another awesome album from Italy, but thankfully one that sports a slightly left field, distinctive approach. Unfortunately slightly underrated, Raccomandata Ricevuta Ritorno incorporate a number of disparate elements into their music. The album goes from classic, pastoral symphonic progressive (albeit only a brief moments), to aggressive rock-outs, to jazzy extremes. Thankfully, it works beautifully, and the flow of the album is uninterrupted by the variety therein. After the intro, the next two tracks of the album sound like a darker, acoustically based Semiramis. Aggressive and menacing, with rocking riffs and themes, yet utilizing only piano, acoustic guitar and flute. Heavily distorted electric guitar is present, but generally mixed down behind the piano and keyboard riffs, resulting in a subliminal heaviness. However, when it does come to the fore, the results are awe-inspiring, resulting is crushing emotional climaxes, such on bits of the extended "Un Palco di Marionette". "Nel Mio Quartiere" surprises by going into a full on (but very well done) jazz workout, complete with soaring sax solo. "L'Ombra" is perhaps the most impressive track on here. Absolutely stellar vocal performance, as the singer wails powerfully in his dark, earthy tone over an aggressive piano and keyboard riff. "Un Palco di Marionette", the ten-minute centerpiece, is the most varied track on here, beginning as an almost jazzy ballad before working up to an apocalyptic climax. This is killer stuff, as well as an album that gets progressively better with each listen. Intense playing, emotional vocals, and extremely varied, continuously exciting composition. Another Italian essential.
Greg Northrup [June 2001]
Raccomandata Ricevuta Ritorno is one of those Italian bands that made one excellent album and disappeared into obscurity. Per... Un Mondo di Cristallo is characterized by intense guitar/keyboard interplay close to Banco or Semiramis and more folky passages that are less pastoral than, for example, PFM. Actually, the mood seems more sinister and restless throughout the album. The vocals may be a bit of an acquired taste, but I think that they fit with the music very well. Besides the excellent keyboard (mainly piano and organ) playing, some good drumming, guitar, flute, and saxophone can be heard as well. In the middle section of the album, they veer off into more jazzy territory, while at the end, orchestration is more prominent. A varied and coherent album at the same time. Together with Semiramis and Maxophone, Raccomandata Ricevuta Ritorno is my favorite one shot Italian band. [Some of the band members continued to play in a new band called Samadhi, who made one album as well, but this was a fairly disappointing album].
