Portable Madness

Art Fleury was an experimental band from Italy in the late 70’s/early 80’s. Their first album, I luoghi del potere, was a sought-after gem for many years, commanding hefty sums before its recent CD reissue. Conceived as a soundtrack to an imaginary film, the album recalls Faust or Nurse with Wound in places – very moody and atmospheric, broken up by heavy processing, tape noises, and unusual textures. A highly recommended reissue.This LP, their second from 1981, showcases a more song-oriented format while keeping many of the same experimental techniques. Lots of processed instruments, vocals, and tape work make this a great fusion of Italian prog with more coldwave elements. Add to this the stellar production of Etienne Conod and Robert Vogel (who also play on various tracks) from Sunrise Studios, recording home to such artists as Cassiber, Art Bears, Univers Zero, and many more of the genre.

To my ears, it’s sort of like Picchio dal Pozzo meets Gravity-era Fred Frith at the Cabaret Voltaire, if you will. Several reviews around the web denigrate them as devolving to mere new wave, but that certainly didn’t happen prior to this release…

Get it here:

Art Fleury – The Last Album