Long-awaited and every bit as creatively unpredictable as hoped, Andrea Pizzo and band deliver their latest conceptual deep-dive and rock-kissed arena of entertainment, in the form of the vast and artistic Potatoes On Mars.
Notably a rock album at its core, arrangement matters, and the art of the album stands tall from the moment those vocals pierce through to introduce Keep On Searching.
Soon after, we welcome electric guitars, punk-rock rhythms and soulful, choir-like buildups for an ultimately inspiring hit of possibility that starts things off on a mighty high.
As the album moves forward, strings and deeper reflections meet with catchy guitar riffs for the ambient consideration of Song Of Nothing – concept takes over in the place of weight and pace, reminding us of the historical context that so frequently shows itself in the Andrea Pizzo catalogue. This song is beautiful, its acoustic delicacy allows the leading voice to sound naturally emotive and quite stunning as it softly yet passionately guides us through the reflections on offer.
The unmistakable funk of Among The Stars makes a worthy appearance, quickly elevating the eclecticism and versatility of the project for its reimagination of genre and purpose; and those Zeppelin-reaching vocal shifts.
Then there’s the title-track, country-soaked with a hint of ska, melodically infectious, shedding light on the inspiration behind the work; whilst uplifting its audience with an undeniable air of brightness and bounce. Another highlight for the sheer strength of this as an inescapable earworm and booster for good vibes.
Suddenly the cinematic drama of strings and rising intensity contrasts heavily afterwards, as the again unmistakable and extensive journey of Jupiter And The Galilean Moons takes hold. During this nine-minute-plus part of the experience, you’d be forgiven for forgetting there was an external album at work.
Other highlights from the eleven-track Potatoes On Mars include the rise and fall of a longing and poetic Go Fishing In The Ocean of Enceladus, and the shifting tempo and swagger of Pale Blue Dot. There’s also a cinematic charm and melodic soul to the story and build-up of Goldilocks Zone, marking this brief section of the project perhaps the most easy to revisit.
The closing quarter brings further sci-fi-strings and dashes of other-worldly production in the form of an eventual prog-rock anthem, Masters Of The Galaxy, and the rock and roll caress continues for an unmissable Road To Universe at the penultimate moment – a frenzy of electric guitars more than worth waiting for.
There’s another absolute earworm to finish, the catchy and courageous, uplifting closer Starship To Heaven – raising the roof and the mood of the room to leave you with a lingering sense of having really been somewhere new with this music.
As ever, unlike anything else you’ll hear this week. Familiar yet not, comforting yet fearlessly strange and exotic, thought-provoking in ways you can’t quite prepare for. The album is built of stages, evolving levels of Space and Time, with various stories and factoids planted throughout to really get the mind working. Check out our interview for more insight.
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