Alice
Park Hotel

In the aseptic Italian landscape and beyond of the second half of the '80s, the activity of this singer stands out, always far from the ridiculous TV presences and pathetic stuff of this kind that have little to do with being an artist.
"Park Hotel," released in 1986, is one of Alice's most beautiful and successful works, although it does not manage to reach that perfect enchantment that will be expressed in "Il Sole Nella Pioggia" of 1989. The quality of the album is highlighted especially by the group of musicians collaborating on the work, Jerry Marotta on percussion, Tony Levin on bass, and Phil Manzanera on guitar. The sound of the tracks is thus very rhythmic, Marotta's drums are unmistakable, and even on this occasion, he applies the experience gained with Gabriel, trying to eliminate high-pitched sounds as much as possible while enriching the pure percussive sounds, such as the use of tom-toms. A very successful example is the beautiful drum sound that supports "Luci Lontane," the most beautiful track on the album in which Alice's voice blends perfectly with the hermetic atmosphere of the lyrics, with great use of keyboards constructing the melodious and splendid openings of the chorus.

The use of synthesizers to create the basic arrangements of the tracks is typical of the period, but they are never invasive, and producer Messina manages to blend the sounds impeccably ("Viali Di Solitudine" is a significant example) without distorting or forcing Alice's suggestive interpretations. "Nomadi" is another great song, with mystical and reflective lyrics by Camisasca supported by Levin's bass and Marotta's drums, with a very successful instrumental coda that somewhat recalls certain Prog atmospheres of the good old days with great use of keyboards. The lyrics are not yet fully oriented towards more intimate reflection, but they are still very successful, as in "Volo Di Notte." In contrast, "Conoscersi" is a bit out of place, a song that is too POP, with an insistent rhythmic section that somewhat recalls "Capitani Coraggiosi" by PFM. The lyrics are also decidedly inferior to the rest.

A highly recommended album to get to know a bit more about Italian songwriter music, which is very often at the same level as English and American ones.