Sensations' Fix
Finest Finger

Scouring through the scarce information available online about Sensations' Fix, I noticed that their fourth album "Finest Finger" (1976) is considered somewhat of a misstep, due to its more accessible and commercial sound compared to the past. Dear readers, if you want my opinion, I advise you to be wary of these comments. It's true that with this album, the group adjusts towards more accessible sounds, but we aren't talking about stylistic choices that allowed them to top the charts or win a Festivalbar! The foundation remains a very peculiar space-prog within the Italian scene, especially in a period when many bands are truly relinquishing progressive and rock in general for much more profitable and certainly less noble paths. In my view, the solutions undertaken in "Finest Finger" represent a notable evolution, far from a misstep or commercialization.

The addition of full-time keyboardist Stephen Head benefits primarily the leader and jack-of-all-trades Franco Falsini, who focuses on the guitar and voice, with absolutely commendable results: the opener "Strange About Your Hand", rarely anchored to song format, boasts an unforgettable chorus, thanks also to the intriguing vocal lines. The decision to sing in four of the eight pieces here proves to be a winning card, as well as the suggestive acoustic guitar inserts that soften the cold profusion of synthesizers, cosmic effects, and artificial sounds here and there: examples in this regard are the splendid instrumentals "Just A Little Bit More On The Curve" and "Map", the first structured on hypnotic bass patterns by Richard Ursillo, so modern that, in hindsight, they wouldn't seem out of place in a Tool album, the second characterized by a great drumming work by the late Keith Edwards. The production also improves, though it remains independent. In short, it's clear that a significant step forward has been made compared to the somber and monumental instrumentality of the predecessor "Portable Madness" (1974), which is still commendable, and perhaps for the first time the individual pieces make the difference, even if the essence of the music remains intact and the arrangements continue to be quite complex.

For the sake of detail, there are some references to "Portable Madness": the already mentioned "Strange About Your Hand" draws heavily from "Strange About The Hands" and not only in the title, and even the title track takes a fragment from the same piece. But it's really too little to accuse the group of a lack of inspiration. So, with all due respect for others' opinions, I reaffirm: with this album, Sensations' Fix did not transform into the Italian counterparts of the Rockets (those indeed claimed to play "space rock", also the title of one of their songs, and then filled the dance floors!), instead they provided a good demonstration of coherence and produced an excellent product. Now I'll leave it to you to judge, in the meantime, I'll listen to it again...