A Toys Orchestra
An Introduction To...

At first listen to the songs of A Toys Orchestra, anyone might say they are hearing an interesting British band that offers convincing pop-rock with simple, melancholic, and somewhat psychedelic melodies. So far, everything seems correct, except for one small detail: these four guys do not hail from cities like London, Liverpool, or Leeds, nor from the American underground, but from Agropoli, in the province of Salerno.

With great surprise, I discovered that this promising band is of pure Italian origin and, in my opinion, has nothing to envy of similar English or American bands. The CD An Introduction to... is not their debut album but a collection of the best songs from their five albums released from 1998 to today. Yet, I must admit this is the first time I've heard of this group, and I don't think I'm the only one.

This collection was released in April 2012, also leveraging the increased popularity of the group from their presence as the accompanying band on Fabio Volo's show Volo in diretta (aired late night on Rai 3 from Wednesday to Friday) and is their way of presenting themselves to the mainstream with their best singles, songs that deserve more success than they have had, for the quality expressed in the arrangements and melodies.

Listening to the album for the first time, I was immediately struck by the melancholic and reflective atmospheres they create in songs like "Powder On The Words," "Invisible," "Letter To Myself," tracks that start slowly, with a fantastic piano-voice, then soar with stunning choruses. But it’s not only with these slow songs that the band shows its potential; you can let yourself be carried away by more overwhelming tracks like "Midnight Revolution," "Ease Off The Bit," or "Welcome To Babylon," engaging rhythms supported by great guitar riffs and synths. One cannot remain indifferent to melodies and lyrics like the wonderful ballad "Summer" or "Bug Embrace" and "Celentano," songs where the Campanian band confirms the sophistication in the arrangements. And for those ready to point out how repetitive and trivial the band might be, I would suggest listening to the energetic "Panic Attack #1" with its electronic sounds or "Plastic Romance" and its beautiful arrangement with a background of trumpets and winds that recalls the illustrious Sgt. Pepper’s.

I won’t go on further and will leave you time to listen to these 16 tracks, and I hope that in the end, you can agree with me in saying that this “Toy Orchestra” is one of the most interesting bands on the Italian scene...