Cyclefly
Generation Sap

A few years ago, I discovered that besides the G.D.P., there is also the M.V.P. The acronym stands for Major Invisible Products. Generally, these are clones of clones of bands that are popular at that particular historical moment (stuff that makes Staind look like Soundgarden in comparison). Dead-on-arrival bands that rarely make it to a second album and almost never receive any promotion from the mammoth labels, which are more inclined to advertise Madonna's new CD than to bother with a newcomer they essentially don't even believe in.
Due to the law of large numbers, sometimes it happens that an M.V.P. becomes a S.B. (Successful Band) and that's why M.V.P.s exist. Again, due to the aforementioned law, sometimes you come across particular products, fatefully pleasant, like "my" Cyclefly.

Mysterious object, multi-ethnic band, indie group mistakenly ending up under a major at the wrong time (1999) which brought as the sole benefit a 5-star production (Sylvia Massy behind the mixer, she who "baptized" Tool), easy listening but strangely disturbing: I've read quite a bit about them.

Here's my addition. Cyclefly are:

1 Warrior Soul minus the acid and angular;

2 Jane's Addiction without complications;

3 a hard version of Baby Chaos (anyone remembers them?);

4 the less irritating Smashing Pumpkins.

All these definitions are, however, only half-truths. The unpleasant feeling that there's more to add remains and this time the Italian-Rock vocabulary does not lend a hand (too easy to place them in the generic alternative, emphasize their punk roots, or highlight their glitter reflections). Therefore, I prefer to emphasize the distinctive elements of the group: the frequent use of guitar effects which gives the album a vaguely psychedelic coloring and the singer's clean voice, falsely childlike, hateful, fantastic.

This CD contains few fillers (the single "Supergod", "The Hive", the concluding "Slaves") many pleasant songs ("Violent High", "Plastic Coated Man" introduced by a hypnotic loop) some absolute peaks ("Following Yesterday", "Sump", "Crawl Down" and the pseudo ballad "Whore", which improves when paired with reading the lyrics).

I conclude by remembering that Cyclefly returned in 2002, shortly before disbanding, with the equally valid "Crave", hoping that, as usual, your curiosity will take care of the rest.

SCORE 9/10