Album Review: Dolcetti — Arriver
File next to: Frank Zappa, Steve Vai, Jimmy Herring
Arriver is instrumental progressive/art rock of the most accessible variety. Dizzyingly fast guitar runs, turn-on-a-dime drums lines and thunderous yet agile bass guitar all come together to create music that is surprisingly hook-filled. And humor – a quality that’s all too often lacking in prog – is served up by this Italian duo in copious quantities. Dolcetti spins out catchy tune after catchy tune, and there’s very little in the way of musical pretense. The duo’s judicious use of keyboards adds to the ear-candy nature of the tunes. Some of them cheerfully lumber, dinosaur fashion, like “Idea effe.” But unexpected bursts of pig-squeal guitar – and Zappa-esque tuned percussion – puncture any serious air, much like the punch line at the end of a joke. Instro-prog rarely manages such a fine balance of technique and widespread appeal as found on Arriver.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4500-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.